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Monday, November 15, 2010

Diets For Strength Training

Pulldown exercise, which strengthens the arms ...Image via Wikipedia

Efforts to broaden the limits of human strength and endurance have kept the scientist and the athlete occupied for centuries. The quest for another pound of muscle, or to lift the next couple of kilos has been relentlessly pursued in the gym and the laboratory alike. As the questions and conquests became more difficult, and the answers have become more elusive and complicated. Not too many ideas and concepts can stand up to the test of time as far as exercise physiology is concerned. There are only some things that we know for sure, even as we tackle the metabolic and genetic basis of skeletal muscle response to strength training.



The cumulative expression of the countless myofibrils which are uniquely organized to form the muscle is called strength. Strength training tries to enhance these protein motors and their supporting biological machinery. Resistance workouts create a biochemical environment in the body whereby the turnover of proteins is optimized and the protein synthetic machinery is primed for growth. A protein rich meal is all that is required to jump start a spurt of growth. This response is common to all age groups but less efficiently in the case of the senior citizens. According to Philips SM, Tipton KD and others, in young individuals, the muscle is receptive to protein and amino acids for 48 hours after a workout. The only limiting factor for the hypertrophy of skeletal muscles throughout this period is the supply of high quality proteins.

A few tricks can amplify the growth response to strength training. There is a limit to the synthetic machinery. Only certain quantities of amino acids may be handled at a time (specifically, six grams of protein). However, as the response lasts for 2 days, Bohe J., in a dose-response study printed in Journal of Physiology, 2003, recommended that repeated supplementation with three to six grams of high quality protein during the 48 hours after a workout can optimize the protein synthetic response without topping out the protein synthetic enzyme systems. Combining protein supplements with sufficient carbohydrate (35g of sucrose with every 6g of protein) can be helpful. The carbohydrate acts as fuel for the muscle fibers sparing the protein for growth.

Research into the response of untrained strength athletes has come up with stunning results. Protein demand escalates for both the trained and untrained athletes. However, the relative protein requirement of an untrained athlete per kg per day usually exceeds the trained counterpart. Before it hits the plateau, the first stage of resistance training is characterized by rapid growth and hypertrophy of skeletal muscles. The relative lack of efficiency of the protein synthetic machinery in the untrained state is one other variable. Well-formulated protein supplements are thus essential to maintain even the early phases of resistance training.

This is not to say that the protein necessities of the skilled strength athlete are akin to the sedentary population. Once the maintenance phase of the resistance has been achieved, the lean body mass would have increased significantly. The total quantity of proteins which are broken down and reformed throughout protein turnover in a trained strength athlete is still many times higher than normal levels. In his review on Protein Requirements in Strength Athletes, Philips, SM states that this requirement may be increased by as much as 1.5 times the baseline levels.

A high quality protein diet that will be able to provide. Considering the assorted biochemical principles discussed, this protein supplementation needs to be quickly absorbable so that amino acids delivery can be precisely timed to the post-workout period. Rapid absorption would also allow a number of doses of the protein supplement to be taken during this period. It's additionally advantageous if the protein supplements are available in small portions (3 to 6g) to be able to avoid the saturation of protein synthesis pathways and to cut back the wastage of protein through excretion.

Profect, a protein beverage from Protica Research is an example of a protein supplement that meet all of these requirements and is well-liked among the weightlifting community. The distinctive formulation of Profect allows it to not only provide you with the essential amino acids, but in addition to deliver the specific amino acids needed in muscle fiber synthesis. The synthesis of Glutathione which is an antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals is also promoted by Profect. During anaerobic exercises such as weightlifting, these free radicals are produced and sometimes harm the cell membranes. Free radicals are touted because the cause for short term injuries like muscle sprains and even those with long term effects such as aging and cancer. To enhance upon the usual levels of the free radical scavenger Glutathione and to avoid or minimize free radical harm, it's advisable that you supplement your diet with Profect.

Undeniably, protein reigns as the supreme building block for strength training. What may spell the difference between you reaching your desired next pound of muscle or not, might merely be the measurement of the appropriate protein formula to be used in your diet.

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