Supplements for Recovery

What supplements can help me with recovery and make sore muscles from yesterday's workout heal faster?

I looked at Joshua's stickied post and weren't able to find something to answer my question, unless I failed to notice something.

I was thinking of either Reflex One Stop or Phd Synergy Iso 7. Are they any good or should I dismiss them and get everything protein and creatine?

Thanks.

Ehh, kind of expensive stuff. You can get creatine for pretty cheap. Avena sativa is a mild aphrodisiac/libido enhancer that is supposed to help free Testosterone (but there are more powerful herbs out there). Also like them, they can have side effects like headaches.

Food and protein and sleep help with recovery besides light exercise to flush the tissues with blood. Besides that massage, spa/sauna, stretching or SMR.

Creatine helps for workouts but it's not really a restorative. I can still be sore as heck even though I'm using a BetaAlanine+Creatine+HMB stack with whey protein.

More sleep, more naps, more recovery solutions (massage, spa, sauna) besides decent nutrition (enough calories, protein, carbs).

Blairbob said:

Ehh, kind of expensive stuff. You can get creatine for pretty cheap. Avena sativa is a mild aphrodisiac/libido enhancer that is supposed to help free Testosterone (but there are more powerful herbs out there). Also like them, they can have side effects like headaches.

 

Food and protein and sleep help with recovery besides light exercise to flush the tissues with blood. Besides that massage, spa/sauna, stretching or SMR.

 

Creatine helps for workouts but it's not really a restorative. I can still be sore as heck even though I'm using a BetaAlanine+Creatine+HMB stack with whey protein.

 

More sleep, more naps, more recovery solutions (massage, spa, sauna) besides decent nutrition (enough calories, protein, carbs).

Hi Blairbob. Whats your experience on those avena sativa things? Did you happen to run over to one of Coach Sommer's womens artistic coaching staff and bend her over the balance beam because of those Avena herbs?  I'm looking for something that heals sore muscles quicker. Not something to turn me into a horny gymnast and have sexy thoughts about Vanessa Ferrari and hooking up with her. Oh yeah.

Or do you mean the testosterones will suppose to heal sore muscles and help me recover?

Zach Armijo said:

Eat intra and post and stretch!!! If you are determined to get supps, BCAAs, or my absolute favorite which is my seminar savior: Muscle Pharm's Bullet Proof. If you are feeling overly sore, you are probably working too hard.

What's an intra? I couldn't find anything on google. Or did you misspell something? That muscle pharm stuff looks pretty good, especially you take it before bedtime.

Hahah, no I never met any of the coaches at Xtreme Gymnastics when I was there. There was some cheerleaders...and Carmen.   

Not to ruin your fantasy, but think of how dirty gyms are. Lots of feet and sweat. Beams are tall, most female gymnasts aren't and neither am I.

Intra refers to intra workout which is something you would take during the workout. Some people might take whey protein or creatine during a workout or BCAA's.

Higher testosterone, better recovery, get stronger, be more awesome. 

Most female gymnastic coaches are nuts IMO, especially as they get older. Or maybe I just worked with too many that were nuts or dealt with too many ex gymnasts (high level) that were nuts. I try to make it a point to not consider to dating them anymore. Ideally, I'd rather find me a nice Weightlifter though I will admit the rhythmic gals are almost always hot (especially the ones I've worked with as a coach).

When I was much younger, of course I might have got to work with a lot of hot college aged girls. UC Berkeley was pretty awesome that way.  Some other gyms, not so much. Last gym I think was the only gym I worked at where we didn't have any remotely hot girls who worked in the gym, I think. A recent gym that had me out for an interview had only like one gal of note, and I found she was married. 

On another note, I used to have a mad crush on Mohini. Then I found out she was engaged and that made me sad. 

Don't worry, I sort of have a new gymnastics crush I have my sights on. We'll see how that goes.

Never tell me the odds! 

Alcohol has proved to be an excellent recovery "supplement" for me. A drink post-workout cuts my DOMS down massively - I theorise that it helps to immediately get me out of the high-stress "catabolic" exertion mode of my workout and into some kind of relaxed recovery state. People take stimulants routinely before exercise (I don't), so why not other drugs afterwards? Perhaps some people have trouble getting energised, and others have trouble relaxing. I'm definitely of the second type.

It's controversial and for years I, too, was terrified by the studies showing that snake muscle cells in vitro see a 7% drop in protein synthesis when bathed in pure ethanol for 48hrs. So much so that I didn't drink at all until my mid-20's, which is a bit of a shame. Now I genuinely think that alcohol is a very important part of my diet and drinking after especially intense and draining workouts is a fantastic way to speed my recovery. Even many more than one drink seems to have only positive effects, UNLESS as a result I miss out on sleep. And then I feel just as bad as if I had been sober and not slept. The alcohol always helps, it would seem.

That's just my experience with in the last couple of years, others no doubt disagree.

 I will probably start Smolov next week, so I think some Vodka will be in order as a pain reliever and sleeping aid. Just a bit. This 5 hours of sleep a night is sucking hard (though i tend to take a nap and catch up and lay around in the late morning).

 Any significant amount that causes dehydration is something I avoid. I don't generally like to drink until my last day of the week but I have noticed a drink or two doesn't really bother my training the next day.

Interesting, emos. I've never had alcohol immediately after a workout. I have had a glass or two of whiskey before bed recently since I've had trouble sleeping. That's also just something I like to do. I enjoy the ritual. Never had any issues with it.

Now you have me thinking about a gym/bar combination establishment. "I'll have a protein shake and a dry martini." Shakes and well drinks half off during happy hour.

Just curious, what do you usually drink?

trw said:

Interesting, emos. I've never had alcohol immediately after a workout. I have had a glass or two of whiskey before bed recently since I've had trouble sleeping. That's also just something I like to do. I enjoy the ritual. Never had any issues with it.

 

Now you have me thinking about a gym/bar combination establishment. "I'll have a protein shake and a dry martini." Shakes and well drinks half off during happy hour.

 

Just curious, what do you usually drink?

I once put amaretto into a chocolate protein shake. It was awesome.

emos said:

(...) snake muscle cells in vitro see a 7% drop in protein synthesis when bathed in pure ethanol for 48hrs (...)

If I bathed in pure ethanol for a hour, we'd see a 100% irrecoverable drop in protein synthesis!  (but I am not a snake muscle cell...)

Well, a bit of tequila before bed (couldn't get any vodka), didn't really help my sleep any longer. Might have slept just a bit longer at 6+ instead of 5.5+.

trw said:

Interesting, emos. I've never had alcohol immediately after a workout. I have had a glass or two of whiskey before bed recently since I've had trouble sleeping. That's also just something I like to do. I enjoy the ritual. Never had any issues with it.

 

Now you have me thinking about a gym/bar combination establishment. "I'll have a protein shake and a dry martini." Shakes and well drinks half off during happy hour.

 

Just curious, what do you usually drink?

Almost always beer, though sometimes cheaper/quicker stuff if I'm drinking with the aim of strongly changing my behaviour and perceptions so that I can enjoy otherwise-awful social engagements.

Post-workout I used to like a couple of shots of brandy in some milk. That's nice.

Joshua Slocum said:

I once put amaretto into a chocolate protein shake. It was awesome.

emos said:

Post-workout I used to like a couple of shots of brandy in some milk. That's nice.

Damn classy stuff, guys. This is great.

emos said:

Alcohol has proved to be an excellent recovery "supplement" for me. A drink post-workout cuts my DOMS down massively - I theorise that it helps to immediately get me out of the high-stress "catabolic" exertion mode of my workout and into some kind of relaxed recovery state. People take stimulants routinely before exercise (I don't), so why not other drugs afterwards? Perhaps some people have trouble getting energised, and others have trouble relaxing. I'm definitely of the second type.

 

It's controversial and for years I, too, was terrified by the studies showing that snake muscle cells in vitro see a 7% drop in protein synthesis when bathed in pure ethanol for 48hrs. So much so that I didn't drink at all until my mid-20's, which is a bit of a shame. Now I genuinely think that alcohol is a very important part of my diet and drinking after especially intense and draining workouts is a fantastic way to speed my recovery. Even many more than one drink seems to have only positive effects, UNLESS as a result I miss out on sleep. And then I feel just as bad as if I had been sober and not slept. The alcohol always helps, it would seem.

 

 

That's just my experience with in the last couple of years, others no doubt disagree.

There are very few things that can spike your insulin as fast as alcohol. Insulin spikes protect you from unnecessary muscle damage when they occur immediately PWO.

As for more frequent usage (and large doses), I'm not going to support people drinking alcohol as a recovery supplement when there is a pretty decent amount of human research that shows performance is sub-optimal as a result. Not completely wrecked or anything, as everyone who lives in the real world has probably already figured out for themselves, just not quite as good as it could be. Besides, I don't want to encourage alcoholism.

Joshua Slocum said:

I once put amaretto into a chocolate protein shake. It was awesome.

[Good] Amaretto into ANYTHING is awesome!

Blairbob said:

Intra refers to intra workout which is something you would take during the workout. Some people might take whey protein or creatine during a workout or BCAA's.

 

Higher testosterone, better recovery, get stronger, be more awesome. 

 

Sorry for the late response and thanks for the testosterone bit.

Other than that, wow. What happened to my thread? Why did it go full retard about the alcohol bit...? :/