Creatine : Still the best Workout Supplement for strength, power, size and recovery

In the past decade, the sports and fitness world has seen many performance enhancing supplements arrive on the scene as the quest for maximum possible performance from the human body continues. Since I became a personal trainer 17 years ago I have personally seen and used dozens of different supplements, as much out of curiosity as to "what's new" as a desire to improve my performance and physique. From energy drinks to prohormones to protein supplements to nighttime recovery, I have experimented with many, and found a lot that I have chosen to keep using. Above all of them, however, the one constant that has ALWAYS been present since the very first time that I used it is creatine. It has proven to be one of the effective and safe supplements available when used properly. I always feel stronger and recover quicker using creatine when I participate in any kind of training that requires strength or quick bursts of anaerobic power. Any workout I do in the weight room or when rock climbing feels incredibly enhanced when I supplement with creatine, and I have no problem as an online personal trainer recommending this product to healthy individuals who can safely take the recommended dosages supplied by the manufacturers. I always say to people, it is your responsibility to make sure that you are a healthy individual who is cleared medically to participate in the high intensity training made possible by safe and proper creatine supplementation.

I remember the first time I took creatine back in 1995, and I did a leg press exercise as my first set of the workout. I easily lifted 10% more weight that I had been lifting before that day, and found I could do over 20% more repetitions per set with weights that I had been using. WOW! It was a very strange feeling to have that effect only minutes after taking the product. It was like a wonder pill, in some ways. As someone who loves lifting weights and being strong, it was a huge psychological boost to feel that different so quickly. Creatine has literally been a part of my training regimen ever since that day.

What was going on was that the main ingredient in the creatine supplement, creatine monohydrate, was enhancing my muscles' ability to produce effort before fatiguing. The monohydrate component of creatine monohydrate combines with the most immediate metabolic byproducts of intense muscular effort during exercise, which turns a large percentage of the byproducts right back into usable muscular energy. The muscle is able to lift more weight and fatigues later than without the supplement being present. My experienced increase in performance of 10-20% was right in line with what is the usual benefit.

The initial advantage to being able to lift more weight and do more repetitions is obvious: the body gets a better workout and a better stimulation to improve its performance levels. In addition to this first benefit, creatine also serves to pull more body water volume into the muscle cells, creating a fuller feeling of firmness in the muscle belly, which looks and feels good to the person using it. Muscle recovery is enhanced as well, so not only are the workouts better, the recovery from these workouts is quicker. Performance and cosmetic results are greatly enhanced.

Creatine supplements are always evolving coming onto the market in forms that manufacturers claim improve their results. They are now frequently combined with other performance enhancing ingredients in a single supplement to create amazing feelings of "pump" during a workout. And these latest versions of creatine supplementation are very effective and I have tried most of them. In the end, the actual way the creatine itself is acting upon the body and its effectiveness are largely unchanged from when I used it for the first time. It is a very effective and safe supplement when the manufacturer guidelines for use are followed or it is used in conjunction with a certified personal trainer.

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New Sci-Fit Supplement ReviewSci-Fit Nutrition has been a leader in the sport and nutrition science industry for years. Scifit recently released new products on the cutting edge designed to support athletes, fitness enthusiast, and people needing to lose weight the competitive advantage they need to be successful. Sci Fit understands what the weekend warrior to the stay at home mom need to achieve their health and fitness goals. Listed below is a review of new products by Sci-Fit.

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With Sci Fit Training Pak you get the exact right blend of essential nutrition your body needs for optimal performance. Training Pack is the perfect nutritional starter for any male or female athlete. The more physical activity you do the more your body craves vital nutrients to rebuild and perform. Training Pak delivers in each pack a complete vitamin and mineral profile, creatine monohydrate, glutamine, and essential whey protein to rebuild muscle tissue. The best part of Training Pak is that you can get the nutrients you need in a simple and easy to take serving once a day. »MORE

The Differences Between Synthetic and Natural Nutritional Supplements

As online dieticians, we always establish the first things first: whole foods. The majority of your nutrition should come from sources of whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, followed by lean protein and healthy fats. Then, to compensate for the deficiencies in our diet, or damage caused by toxins and free radicals in our body, we need to add multivitamins and anti-oxidants. Some supplements may help ensure that you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients or help promote optimal health and performance if you do not consume a variety of foods in proper amounts. Dietary supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure disease. In some cases, dietary supplements may even have unwanted effects. Then there is this question: Which are better, "synthetic" or food-based "natural" dietary supplements? The proper nutritional program is essential to an effective online diet plan.

As with most research, both sides are supported and rebutted. Currently, the definition of "natural" in foods and dietary supplements has not been established by the government. Therefore, the interpretation can vary greatly. There is a common misconception that "natural" vitamins and minerals are extracted from plants in their pure form and as such are superior to "synthetic" vitamins and minerals, which are made in a laboratory. This can be misleading because it is not possible to extract pure vitamins from plants without considerable amounts of chemical processing. Also, the biological activity of a compound has nothing to do with its source, but is determined by its chemical structure. So really, whether the chemical originates from a leafy plant or a test tube, it is the same compound.

Some vitamin and antioxidant compounds can be efficiently synthesized in factories to produce products that are identical in chemical form to those found in nature and that are pure and fully safe. Some synthetic vitamins are preferentially absorbed over food sources and vice versa.

Folic Acid, for example, is preferentially absorbed and utilized over natural food folates that must go through several conversion processes to be utilized as folic acid.

Vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin, exists in eight different forms. Each form has its own biological activity, which is the measure of potency or functional use in the body. Alpha-tocopherol is the name of the most active from of vitamin E in humans. It is also a powerful biological antioxidant. Vitamin E in supplements is usually sold as alpha-tocopheryl acetate, a form that protects its ability to function as an antioxidant, and is sometimes derived from soy. The synthetic form is labeled "D, L" while the natural from is labeled "D." The synthetic form is only half as active as the natural form.

There are no known differences in the biological activity of natural and synthetic L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C). As reported by the Linus Pauling Institute, a study in 68 male nonsmokers found that ascorbic acid consumed as cooked broccoli, orange juice, orange slices, and synthetic ascorbic acid tablets are equally bioavailable, as measured by plasma ascorbic acid.

Most important: since the FDA doesn't regulate nutritional supplements, look for ones that offer purity, safety, effectiveness, bioavailability, and whether natural or synthetic, ones that are best absorbed and utilized by the body. Such standards may be upheld when a product has a GMP (good manufacturing practice) seal on it, is potency guaranteed and may also be reviewed by the following organizations:

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Benefits of Online Personal Trainer

Having an online personal trainer is fast becoming the preferred way to hire a personal trainer. LIVE was designed to offer everything that a person can get at a gym, online. An online personal trainer allows more flexibility with our busy and every changing lifestyles.

Online personal training allows for fitness to be performed on your time while still receiving the professional support and instruction that allows for successful weight loss and fitness performance.

Affordable Price

LIVE offers their online personal trainer programs for less than a gym membership. For only $9.95 you can have your own personal trainer. With the Live Lean program you can interact daily with your own personal trainer for less than one hour with a trainer. The best part, is that all LIVE plans include a dietician as well. You actually get a personal trainer and a dietician at this great value.

Workout from Anywhere

LIVE's online fitness plans can be performed anywhere. They are designed with manual equipment for you to workout at home or take your workouts to the gym. Also, because the workouts are online you can access them when traveling and still get your workout in. The exercises could even be performed in a hotel room!

Descriptive Instruction

People need to know how to do the exercises. Every exercise includes 3-5 photos of a real person performing the exercise, comprehensive description, and real person video with audio. No computer graphics, real people showing you how to perform every exercise. The best part is that the exercises can be downloaded to an IPOD or PDA and be taken with you.

Targeted heart rate training allows for every workout to burn optimal amounts of fat and calories. Never train and work hard with no results. With a specific heart rate zone each workout has a specific goal which challenges your metabolism to improve in the most effective way possible.

Personal Support

The most overlooked aspect of success results is support. Even Tiger Woods, the best golfer in the world, has a coach. So often having a professional coach is too expensive for most people. With online personal training you can have the support necessary to achieve your results at a price you can afford. No one is successful on their own.

When looking for an online personal trainer, important to find a program that offers a complete health, strength, cardio, and nutrition plan. A synergistic blend of the proper health aspects maximizes your ability to achieve your results in the fastest way possible.

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Zone Training for beginners to maximize workouts

Like Training programs that are based upon maximum heart rate, Anaerobic threshold (AT)-based training zones are relative to varying levels of intensity, each of which serves different training objectives. Each of these zones develops essential physiological functions that contribute to good health and improved fitness, especially the possibility of weight loss. So you should never limit your training to a single metabolic zone, although you may exercise predominantly in one zone for a given time in order to reach specific training objectives.

Except for rank beginners or people with health related limitations, all levels of intensity are appropriate to ensure maximum cardiovascular development and results. How much and how often you work in each zone will depend on your athletic goals and your current level of fitness (continue reading for a more detailed description of the zones and their primary applications).

Let's look at the volume of the different zones that should be performed weekly. As a rule of thumb, 60 to 65 percent of your total workout time should focus on Zones 1 and 2; 30 to 35 percent on Zones 3 and 4; and about 5 percent on Zone 5. But you need not incorporate all zones into a single workout. In fact, you'll get better results from designing a range of different workouts throughout the week - including long, easy ones in Zones 1 and 2, and shorter, tougher ones that occupy more time in Zones 3, 4 and 5.

ZONE 1: Warm-up Heart-rate range: 60 to 70 percent of AT.

Training objectives: Encourage blood flow and burn fat.

What's happening: This is almost a pure aerobic state, which you can maintain almost indefinitely without experiencing any rise in blood lactate.

Feeling: Comfortable to talk and breathe through your nose.

How long: 10-minute warm-up progressing to higher intensity zones for 45 minutes or longer. Depending on your fitness level, you may need to start with a shorter workout and build up to 45 minutes, or do several shorter workouts throughout the day.

Zone 1 basics: This is a good place to launch your fitness program if you are a beginner or returning to exercise after taking off several months or more. It develops basic exercise technique, endurance and an aerobic base. Ideally, if you are new to exercise, or returning to training after a long break, you should stay in Zone 1 for about six weeks before moving up in zones. Zone 1 is also a good place to recover from tougher workouts.

ZONE 2: Aerobic Development

Heart-rate range: 70 to 90 percent of AT.

Training objectives: Build aerobic efficiency and maximize fat burning at a higher caloric rate.

What's happening: A small rise in blood lactate occurs, yet the body can process it without buildup.

Feeling: You can still converse and may have the urge to go faster. Breathing deepens a bit.

How long: 30 minutes (beginner); 90 minutes or longer (advanced).

Zone 2 basics: Before developing your lactate tolerance or increasing your AT, you should fully develop your "aerobic base," and this is a great zone for moving that effort forward. Noticeable improvement in this zone generally takes about six weeks of consistent training. But don't worry: As you become more efficient and fit, you'll be able to work out faster in every zone. For fit people, Zone 2 is also a good place for active recovery.

ZONE 3: Aerobic Endurance Heart-rate range: 90 to 100 percent of AT.

Training objectives: Increase endurance. Here, you push your AT up to higher intensity by training your body to tolerate more lactate in the blood.

What's happening: As intensity increases, not all lactate produced in the cells can be shuttled back into the metabolic cycle. Lactate levels in the blood begin to rise and, with time, fatigue sets in.

Feeling: Breathing becomes noticeable, but not too difficult; conversation is restricted to short sentences.

How long: 20 minutes (beginner); one hour or more (advanced).

Zone 3 basics: Building endurance at your AT through long intervals (four to 10 minutes) at threshold range will help raise your AT and slowly develop your body's tolerance of lactate. This training adaptation also allows your body to burn fat more efficiently. The idea here is to rest between intervals with your heart rate recovering in your aerobic zone and then increase intensity again up to your threshold.

ZONE 4: Anaerobic Endurance Heart-rate range: 100 to 110 percent of AT.

Training objectives: Increase athletic ability by improving lactate tolerance. Here you're pushing AT and VO2 max (your body's highest ability to utilize oxygen), challenging the heart to work longer, and increasing cardiac output (more blood is being pumped with each stroke, thus requiring fewer strokes per minute).

What's happening: Your body switches into primarily using glycogen or carbohydrate to fuel its need for energy, and your blood-lactate levels dramatically increase.

Feeling: Breathing becomes heavy, difficult and uncomfortable. You may also experience "muscle burn" because of lactate buildup.

How long: Five minutes (beginner); 30 minutes (advanced).

Zone 4 basics: Run at an aerobic pace, then speed up or increase resistance until your heart beats at 110 percent of your AT range. Maintain this level for one to four minutes. Reduce the pace until your heart returns slightly below AT, but not completely back to the aerobic zone. Then repeat the interval.

ZONE 5: Speed and Power Heart-rate range: 110 percent of AT to MHR.

Training objectives: Increase athletic ability by improving neurological response, exercise mechanics, speed and muscle power.

What's happening: Your body is burning the last remaining fuel (glycogen) in your muscles and cannot sustain this maximum effort for more than a few seconds without succumbing to exhaustion.

Feeling: Extremely difficult and uncomfortable. You'll feel breathless and may hear pounding in your chest. You'll feel an intense desire to slow or stop.

How long: Typically several seconds.

Zone 5 basics: Your work here consists of sprints and very intense, short intervals (up to one minute). Although you can come in and out of Zone 5 several times during the course of a single workout, spending more than 10 percent of your total workout time in this zone increases your risk of injury. If you've done a significant amount of Zone 5 work, be sure to add recovery time (meaning a day or two of rest or working in Zones 1 and 2) before returning to Zones 4 and 5.

Progress Makes Perfect By using your AT as a marker for aerobic exercise, you can base your training on a highly individualized fitness parameter, without having to guess about percentages of MHR. This lets you take advantage of every exercise session, knowing you are making the most of your time and energy. And as your fitness improves, so will your AT - one of the best indicators of cardiovascular health, fitness and overall vitality.

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