Diet, Nutrition and SupplementationPost here for supplement reviews or nutritional advice. If you're trying to get "ripped abz" THIS is where you should be.
I've been supplementing with creatine off-and-on for the past couple of years. A few observations:
1) This is not earth-shattering news, but I became stronger. My bench and deadlift 5rm and 10rm went up significantly (these are what I tested)
2) It seems that I have lost some speed and jumping ability. Basketball games usually act as my cardio workouts. The other day while playing, I noticed that my speed seems to have slowed down a bit. My vertical jump has decreased as well.
Research done through google revealed no other instances of this. The closest statement I could find related to my problem was an article (I did not save the name or the article or Doctor who wrote it) that stated creatine would have no positive effect on endurance exercise.
Has anyone noticed these effects? To me, I thought that creatine is supposed to help with activities in which short bursts of speed and explosive strength are required.
one question I want to ask - are you practicing your speed and jumping ability a few times a week? If not, maybe that could be why? I would like to know how often you practice speed, agility, and jumping because if you do play basketball all the time and/or train for speed and agility all the time and if creatine is slowing you down, then I won't buy it. I am thinking about buying it for myself for strength. If it is going to hinder speed even if I keep practicing my speed every day or every other day a long with lifting, then its not worth getting creatine.
I also read that creatine helps with speed. I hope yours was because you were not training for speed often or jumping. If not, I am not going to buy it. I want to buy it to help with softball hitting farther and strength in the weightroom and throwing farther and harder, but if its going to hinder my speed and agility, than no I wont get it. I know for a fact that if someone just lifts weights for a while and does not practice speed, agility, or even their endurance..the ability to perform at where you were when you were doing it will decrease when you try at it after a while of lifting and no activities. Also performance decreases when overtraining or doing too much of something and do it while tired and not while fresh.
I am planning on ordering creatine next week, but I hope its what I think it is or I wont get it. I really hope it wont decrease performance like it did with you. I am hoping you over did it or did not train speed and agility and jumping ability enough. I know with creatine, you build faster, so I know if I get it, I would have to work harder at what I do and do not take any speed training days off or gains will go bye bye. that is what it sounds like from reading ur post.
1) Are you heavier?
2) Are you doing anything different RE: speed/power training?
--I've gained three (3) pounds since I started using creatine (roughly two (2) weeks ago). I take 5g of creatine mixed in 100% grape juice every day.
--My training routine is relatively the same in structure. Total body workouts, alternating rep ranges, and mostly compound movements. At the moment, I'm on Chad Waterbury's "Total Body Training" program.
--I played basketball again today. My legs feel heavier while I'm playing. After repetive jumps, my calves feel heavier, which seems to cause my speed/jumping ability to decrease some what.
--I also seem to get phsyically tired faster during the basketball games.
--I've cycled a few times in the past couple of years (I know this is not necessary, but I stopped supplementing creatine for the reasons outlined above), and each time I resume my elevated creatine intake I experience these same symptoms. I may have to stop taking the creatine, but it's a hard decision because I cannot complain about the muscular energy and strength increases.
Think it's all in my head? Is this at least somewhat common? What is your experience with creatine? Long-winded post. If you made it to the end, thanks in advance for the response.
one question I want to ask - are you practicing your speed and jumping ability a few times a week? If not, maybe that could be why? I would like to know how often you practice speed, agility, and jumping because if you do play basketball all the time and/or train for speed and agility all the time and if creatine is slowing you down, then I won't buy it. I am thinking about buying it for myself for strength. If it is going to hinder speed even if I keep practicing my speed every day or every other day a long with lifting, then its not worth getting creatine.
I also read that creatine helps with speed. I hope yours was because you were not training for speed often or jumping. If not, I am not going to buy it. I want to buy it to help with softball hitting farther and strength in the weightroom and throwing farther and harder, but if its going to hinder my speed and agility, than no I wont get it. I know for a fact that if someone just lifts weights for a while and does not practice speed, agility, or even their endurance..the ability to perform at where you were when you were doing it will decrease when you try at it after a while of lifting and no activities. Also performance decreases when overtraining or doing too much of something and do it while tired and not while fresh.
I am planning on ordering creatine next week, but I hope its what I think it is or I wont get it. I really hope it wont decrease performance like it did with you. I am hoping you over did it or did not train speed and agility and jumping ability enough. I know with creatine, you build faster, so I know if I get it, I would have to work harder at what I do and do not take any speed training days off or gains will go bye bye. that is what it sounds like from reading ur post.
are you sure your speed and jumping ability actually decreased? it might be how you feel and that you think it may decreased. Have you tested your jumping ability from your previous tests to see how high you jump now and same thing with your speed?
also most importantly - do you DRINK a lot of water throughout the day? The more creatine you take, the more water your body needs or you will fatique faster and get tired out easier. and hey...that may be why you are getting tired out faster...not enough water.
I used to hate hot weather and always wondered why I would tire out faster in hot weather playing softball and speed/performance would be decreased. I found out it was because I was rarely drinking any water and when I started drinking more water, bam...my energy increased and hot weather did not bother my speed or performance anymore.
You need to drink more water dude... It even saids in articles and reviews about creatine that you need to drink more water.
Creatine should let you rep out a bit better on say 6's, but I don't think it affects 1rm strength much apart from being heavier, and will do shit all for endurance work.
I've been supplementing with creatine off-and-on for the past couple of years. A few observations:
1) This is not earth-shattering news, but I became stronger. My bench and deadlift 5rm and 10rm went up significantly (these are what I tested)
2) It seems that I have lost some speed and jumping ability. Basketball games usually act as my cardio workouts. The other day while playing, I noticed that my speed seems to have slowed down a bit. My vertical jump has decreased as well.
I'm more curious about your weight gain over the past two years, not just the past two weeks.
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If you have ever delth with with athletes invovled in "moving" sports, you would realise that creatine is not always a good idea. Sure it can increase strength (if training is suitably set up) and recovery from intermittant activity, but stuff like additional weight from water gains can impair performance, especially when requiring to change direction etc, like some team sports.
Whether A provides a benefit over and above B is completely down to the athlete
If you have ever delth with with athletes invovled in "moving" sports, you would realise that creatine is not always a good idea. Sure it can increase strength (if training is suitably set up) and recovery from intermittant activity, but stuff like additional weight from water gains can impair performance, especially when requiring to change direction etc, like some team sports.
Whether A provides a benefit over and above B is completely down to the athlete
I'm not quite versed in the meaning of the word "delth", but I retract my question.
Creatine Observation
Linear Mode
