Tag recovery

Leucine In Older Athletes

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leucineA couple of months ago I was speaking with Ian Lauer who had just wrapped up the January 23rd edition of Physique Star Radio (Link can be found here: http://www.rxmuscle.com/physique-star-radio/physique-star-radio-2/10058-physique-star-radio-01-23-14-ian-and-dean-welcome-ifbb-pro-jason-postono-the-show-plus-jerry-brainum-is-back.html), and noted his excitement over the effects of leucine in maintaining muscle mass in older athletes. Jerry Brainum had highlighted the importance of leucine in protein synthesis pathways and had also mentioned the challenges of the older athlete in maintaining muscle mass due to early depletion of leucine stores.

In response to this information, and also since I am getting closer to 50, I decided to experiment a bit with bumping up my leucine intake. I went from 2 grams of leucine up to 8 grams per day, and have kept this up for about six weeks. Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me, but it seems that I am more solid and defined since bumping up my leucine intake. I haven’t changed my training intensity very much either. I am seriously considering boosting my leucine intake more as well, perhaps by another 2 to 4 grams to see if that makes a difference.

If you are considering adding leucine to your regimen, be sure to time it so that you ingest it when you take in a protein-rich meal. This will optimize protein synthesis in muscle tissue and enhance the anabolic effect. At this point I will enthusiastically support the use of leucine supplementation to preserve muscle mass in people over 40 who are involved in regular resistance training.

In conclusion, I am definitely a fan of leucine and will keep it in my regimen.

I Sleep Like A Rock

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Sleep-GarfieldI feel sorry for everyone who suffers from insomnia and can only imagine how exhausting it must be to have the desire to sleep with a body that won’t allow slumber to occur. Though I have had a few very brief bouts of insomnia in my life, I have always slept VERY deeply from the time I was an infant. My mother found it humorous that I could sleep through alarms and small earthquakes without a single response. This actually was problematic for me in my teens and early adulthood because it always required a gargantuan effort on my part to try to wake up at a decent hour.

Even now, after suffering from several days of sleep deprivation, my body completely rebels and insists on a full eight hours of sleep, pinning my eyelids together and making it impossible for me to progress from a state of slumber to a wakeful state until the full eight hour rest stretch is completed. I can hear insomniacs around the globe groaning as they read this blogpost, but this is honestly a problem! I can also drink a large mug of caffeinated coffee right before going to bed and sleep like a baby. Believe me when I say I wish I could bottle this up for insomniacs because I would be filthy rich by now!

Foam Rollers

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foam-roller-blackIf you have not used a foam roller to massage tight muscles before, you might want to explore their ability to release muscle tension. When you use a foam roller, your body weight provides the pressure which releases tension in tight muscles on the back, legs and other body regions. These clever rollers can also be used during exercise to increase balance. There is a wide selection of firmness, size, and shape available in foam rollers today, each designed for different tasks or body regions.

If you are primarily interested in using a foam roller for releasing tension knots in your muscles, you probably should opt for a greater degree of firmness. Foam rollers are usually color coded according to firmness, with the following designations:

WHITE – The softest
BLUE or GREEN – Moderate density
BLACK – The firmest

If you are truly new to foam rolling, you might want to start with a white one, then switch up to a greater degree of firmness later. However, if you are like me and need a good amount of pressure to release muscle tension, the other colors will confer greater firmness and also will be more sturdy and durable. You should also select a firmer roller if you plan to use it often, and if you plan to lie on it frequently during exercise.

As for shape, you may choose a half-dome roller so that the roller will not roll out from under you, or you may choose a full-dome roller if you really want to manipulate tense tissues by rolling on it while using the weight of your body. If you plan to take a roller with you to the gym, pilates or yoga classes, you can purchase a roller which is shorter in length, perhaps 12 or 24 inches as opposed to the full 36 inch length which is most commonly seen.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids For Muscle Growth and Recovery

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ON Amino EnergyBranched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are the essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine. What makes them essential is the fact that we must obtain them from food sources since our bodies do not produce them. Since BCAAs comprise one third of the amino acids found in muscle tissue, and also since they possible reduce muscle breakdown, they are an essential part of the supplement regimen for individuals who are committed to building muscle. They are also capable of sparing glycogen during training. Glycogen is the primary source of fuel for muscles during high intensity workouts. Individuals who ingest BCAAs before and during training preserve their glycogen levels by 25%. Even when glycogen stores are depleted in working muscles, BCAAs enhance fat oxidation which allows people to train longer.

BCAAs can also boost testosterone levels when consumed before training. Testosterone levels increase during intense training but plummet to normal levels once training is done, but if BCAAs are on board, testosterone levels remain elevated for a number of hours. BCAAs also improve the body’s testosterone to cortisol ratio. What does this mean? Testosterone levels will remain high long after training is completed, while cortisol release will be minimized. This translates to more muscle growth and less breakdown of muscle. As if this wasn’t enough, the amino acid leucine increases insulin sensitivity which promotes fat loss, muscle growth and protection against diabetes.

Other uses for BCAAs are to prevent fatigue, improve concentration, treatment of liver-related brain conditions, and Lou Gehrig’s disease. A recommended dose range is 4 to 8 grams before training and 4 to 8 grams immediately post-training.

My favorite BCAA brands are listed below:
1. Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy (this has caffeine so beware if you need to keep your caffeine intake down)
2. BSN Amino X
3. Scivation Xtend
4. RSP Nutrition ReGen

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

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DOMSThe New Year has caused many new gym-goers to experience delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) which may have taken them by surprise. The sad truth is that many people will become so discouraged from experiencing DOMS (usually because they don’t understand why they are so sore) that they will back off from exercising after a brief effort at maintaining consistency. This is one time when welcoming the pain instead of running from the activity that caused it would be most appropriate!

DOMS develops between 24 to 72 hours after physical activity and is considered a normal and common result of activity that challenges muscle tissue. Small microscopic tears actually occur in the muscle fibers, and when coupled with localized inflammation, manifest as soreness. These aches and pains, provided they are minor, are a sign that your muscles are adapting to the activity which caused them to develop in the first place. Rather than shying away from physical activity in the long term, just take it easy for a few days until the pain subsides.

Stretching can speed up the process so that DOMS dissipates more rapidly, as does massage and application of heat and/or ice. Anti-inflammatories can be taken as well, though I tend to lean more towards natural forms such as curcumin and arnica. If the pain does not respond well to natural anti-inflammatories, you may want to take ibuprofen instead. I see a huge difference in the time of recovery in people who stretch when they are experiencing DOMS, as stretching helps to prevent muscle spasms in the affected area.