Creatine Effects: Skinny Guy's Guide To Creatine

Creatine Effects

By Vince DelMonte

What is creatine? How do I take creatine? What are the side effects of creatine? What is the best creatine? Unless you just arrived from another planet, you should know that when it comes to muscle building supplements, creatine is the king!

To date, creatine has proven to be the most research-proven sport supplement on the market to day. Creatine has collected hundreds of clinical studies that show increased lean muscle mass, improved energy levels, increased muscle strength and size and improved exercise performance. There is even a new batch of research showing creatine supplementation having a significant effect on memory and intelligence, as well as immune function. Bigger, smarter and healthier, not that's a solid combo!

What is creatine?

Creatine acts by supporting the reproduction of ATP (fancy term for energy) in muscle tissue resulting in cell volumization which can create a more optimistic cellular environment for muscle growth. By having more energy reserves in the muscle tissue, you now have the ability to train harder at higher intensities. This means more reps, more sets, heavier loads, more explosive power and quicker recovery. Each of these stimulus are key requirements for continual muscle growth. Creatine is simply a mechanism that allows you to work harder and out do your previous workouts.

How do I take creatine?

To load or not to load, that is the question! You have three research-proven options to choose from. Each method will appeal depending on a variety of reasons:

· Method 1: Six day load at 20 grams a day plus a maintenance of 2-3 grams a day afterward.

· Method 2: 3-5 grams a day for the long term.

It was once thought, that a loading phase was required to maximize the effects of creatine but there is countless research that shows you don't have to go through all the hassle of loading. This will appeal to the individual who experiences gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea and other problems with higher dosages.

Personally, I have found the best time to take creatine is 15 minutes BEFORE a workout and AFTER a workout with a liquid protein and carbohydrate drink. As well as first thing in the morning on non-training days.

What kind of creatine should I buy?

With all the fancy bell and whistle creatine supplements out there, a lot of people of forgotten about simple, powdered creatine. All you need to know that the best creatine manufactured is sold to companies in the form of Creapure. So as long as you see the that the creatine bottle you have bought, as Creapure as their source of creatine, that's the good stuff.

There has much debate about creatine purity and it is not accepted that not all creatine is created equal.

Creatine ethyl ester is a new form of creatine. It is made up of a creatine, alcohol and acid meaning the absorption rate into the tissue is better. Manufacturers claim it does not cause bloating, cramping or stomach discomfort and gets into the muscle faster resulting in better results. Due to it's chemical structure, it might result in greater stress on the liver. Although it does seem to have potential, wait for more research and rely on the time-tested powdered creatine.

Should I take creatine with sugar?

Stimulating insulin release by consuming high amounts of sugar has been shown to enhance the transport and uptake of of creatine into the muscle tissue. However, insulin is also responsible for fat storage. Therefore my recommendation would be to only consume your creatine with simple carbohydrates if it is before or after your workout. On non-training days, creatine would be be better shuttled using insulin mimicking compounds like alpha lipoic acid and D-pintol which can help improve creatine transport and retention without the excess sugars.

Conclusion

Creatine, is by far the king of the jungle when it comes to muscle building supplements. I have only included the information I believe to be the most critical and useful. Your take home message is to use powdered creatine, year round before and after your training workout and in the morning on your non-training days. Make sure your creatine says Creapure and don't get caught up wasting any more time or sleep on the academic debate associated with creatine use. Just do it!

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About the Author:

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found at http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com/

He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before.

Creatine Effects

Fast Muscle Mass Building: The Ten Success Principles

Muscle Mass Building

As the saying goes, "methods are many, principles are few, methods may change, but principles never do." This has just as much validity with weight training and bodybuilding as it does anything else. Every day we hear of revolutionary new workout programs, exercises, tricks, quick fix's, you name it. Though I can't say I agree on many of the different "methods" of gaining weight and building muscle mass these days, the principles for reaching your goals will always remain the same.

As a result, I have created what I call, "The Ten Success Principles for Fast Muscle Mass Building." I have listed these principles so that even the skinniest hardgainer can apply and grow from. Follow these principles, ingrain them in your mind, and you will be on the right track for long term success from your efforts. If you're wondering what is the best way to build muscle fast, then your answers are below. All you have to do is apply these principles.

Principle 1: You Don't Know what You Don't Know - Become a Student

When we realize that you don't know what you don't know, we can become more teachable and absorb knowledge that we can apply to better our results from the gym. If you have the "know-it-all" attitude, that simply means you are stagnate and your mind will never grow past its current state. Become a student for life to weight training and bodybuilding, read as much material as you can about each subject: training, diet, supplements, the whole works. One word of caution is this: be careful where you get your opinions and information. Only seek those with proven results, and watch out for "arm chair experts" and "magazine bodybuilders."

Principle 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Far too many trainees today just wonder aimlessly around in the gym doing whatever exercise they like and working out whenever they feel like it. If you don't have a target, you're going to hit it with amazing accuracy! In other words, if you don't know EXACTLY what you are trying to achieve by going to the gym each day, you're never going to get anywhere. Always make sure you're on a program, and stick with it to the end. Figure out your "why" and you will be able to overcome any "how." Always go to the gym knowing exactly what you are going to do down to the last rep of the last exercise.

Principle 3: You Get What You Picture

As David Schwartz says in his fantastic book, The Magic of Thinking Big, "Belief, strong belief, triggers the mind to figuring ways and means and how-to...Disbelief is negative power. When the mind disbelieves or doubts, the mind attracts "reasons" to support disbelief." Always go to the gym with a positive attitude and a firm belief that you are progressively gaining muscle mass. Wipe out all negative belief about your success or you will pay the price of getting exactly what you pictured.

Principle 4: There is No Great Success without Great Commitment

If you are not committed, you can be swayed. Fix in your mind exactly the results you want, and commit to yourself that you will do what it takes to get it. When you are committed, truly committed, no petty thought or inconvenience will ever stop you on your way to your goal. You will be unstoppable and your end in mind will be a forgone conclusion. As Yoda said, "There is no try, only do."

Principle 5: You Are Only Defeated When you Accept Defeat as a Reality, and Decide to Stop Trying

Failure is a HUGE key to success. The price of success is thousands of failures. Those not willing to pay that price will not succeed in getting the body they want. As long as you learn from your experience you will always be moving forward. Continue to learn and perform, and do this cycle over and over and over until you succeed. Success is often right after where most people quit. Remember, "Quitters never win, winners never quit."

Principle 6: Less is More - Quality, not Quantity

When you goal is to gain weight and/or build muscle mass, always keep your workouts short. All your muscles need is an intense workout with compound exercises and 110% effort, a few days a week. Don't think that by training 7 days a week for 2 or 3 hours a day will produce better results. Focus on a few exercises, a couple days a week for no longer then 90 minutes tops. Overtraining is one of the major causes of failure when trying to gain weight and build muscle. Don't confuse ambition with workout time, it's not how much time you put into the gym, it's what you put into the time you're at the gym that counts.

Principle 7: Major on Compound Exercises

Though there are literally thousands of workout programs you can find today, one truth that will never change for gaining muscle mass is that compound exercises have and will always be the best of the best. Exercises such as squats, the bench press, and bent-over rows will always remain at the top of any successful bodybuilders list. Focus on these and other core compound exercises and you'll never be disappointed in your results.

Principle 8: Hard Work

Nothing beats good old fashioned hard work, and what better way to express it than weight training. Unfortunately, the media today is always trying to make your workout and exercises "easier." If you want to build a mass of muscle, you're going to have to poor out some blood and sweat and tears, no two ways about it. As long as you follow a few solid workouts for muscle mass and are using safety cautions and common sense, then push yourself to your limit each and every workout. You're never going to ease your way to true muscle mass, even if you trained easy for a thousand years.

Principle 9: Progressive Overload

If you want more muscle mass, you're going to have to continue to add weight on a regular basis, period. This is one of the most basic but overlooked principles in gaining muscle mass. Get in the habit of progressively adding weight whenever you can. The moment you settle and stop pushing yourself is the moment your muscle mass gains will begin to stagnate. Resistance is the only opportunity for growth. The worst thing you can do is hit a goal without setting another one in advance.

Principle 10: A Proper Diet

I couldn't leave this one out. After all, the food you eat is the direct fuel for your muscles to grow. You can workout until the cows come home but without a proper diet plan for building muscle mass your body simply will not grow, it's not physically possible too! It is an absolute must to know the correct food to eat to build muscle properly. Refer to the first principle and learn all you can about dieting for muscle mass so that you can get the most for your efforts in the gym.

Muscle Mass Building

Derek Manuel is the author of the best-selling, "How to Gain Weight and Build Muscle for Hardgainers". If you want to learn how you too can gain 20 to 30 pounds of solid muscle in as short as 8 weeks, or if you just want more quality information on how to gain weight and build muscle, please visit http://www.hardgainers-weight-tips.com