One member of the Maintenance Motions team is working with an aspiring pro-bikini and/or figure competitor. She is very young, soon to turn 21, and although she has worked out in her past, she has never tackled the weights at the gym the way she is being instructed to now. Her current condition is one of about 15 extra pounds, which she’ll have the next 9 weeks to chisel down and get herself into the bikini/fitness condition she needs to be in, in order to compete.
After being introduced to some serious leg work, including leg extensions for quads, some light squatting, hamstrings and inner/outer thighs, and then some heavy-duty calf work, she is beyond sore the next day. This is of course a good sign, and lets her body know there was some serious break-down of muscle tissue that is in need of repair.
The latest research shows we have an UP TO 45 minute window of time to get protein in, after a workout, else the workout is a total waste of time as the body eats its own muscle tissue as a protein source. Some studies suggest we can have a full two hour window to work with, but I say why wait if we can have our protein sooner rather than later ASSURING we’re getting what we need, WHEN we need it?
Our favorite is a raw whey protein that is described in the FacelessFatloss program.
But in situations like these, where a serious athlete is training for an event, we can use isolated amino acids on a temporary basis for almost medicinal-type use…supplementing with them just enough to help overcome the soreness, and enable a much faster recovery.
The professional competitors often use glutamine for this very purpose, anywhere from a minimum of 2 grams up to 5 grams or more to help in the recovery process.
And it works. Really well.