Rest & Recovery, Part 2
There are some non-negotiables if you’ve drank the CrossFit Kool-Aid: Reebok Nanos or No Bulls, participating in Memorial Day Murph, having your own jump rope, and… rest and recovery. I wrote a little about rest last week so let’s dive into recovery a little more. If you’ve been around any gym for really any amount of time you’ve probably seen people, mostly muscle-bound meat heads, shaking and guzzling down some liquid concoction. The stereotype of using supplements use goes along with this image but that’s not the whole picture. In actuality, we ALL would benefit from supplementation. Let me start by saying using supplements will not bulk you up. How you eat and train on a consistent basis has the greatest impact. I’ll narrow this topic as it relates to recovery so don’t be alarmed if I don’t get into the weeds of every supplement and their use.
The recovery aspect is about providing our body the right nutrients to help it rebuild and recover. The hard part? Determining what works for you amongst a sea of products. Supplements are not regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) which means there isn’t third-party testing for safety or efficacy. That’s not to say there’s not scientific backing for any of these products but it’ll take a little more effort and due diligence on our part to find the companies and products we believe to be legit. There are many good brands available that you’re probably familiar with but at Eureka CrossFit we believe in the products and service of Driven Nutrition. To help you find your way through all of the info out there I’ll share my thoughts on some of the must-have supplements for recovery. You should also check out our ECF Members only Facebook Page Announcements for the Live Q&A we had with Driven Nutrition to help answer common questions.
Before I get into these supplements let me clarify that I don’t believe we should be relying on supplements to be the answer to our training and recovery shortcomings. Supplements help fill the gaps in what we lack in our everyday nutrition. In an ideal world we wouldn’t need supplements; we’d get everything we need from the whole, unprocessed foods we eat at the most optimum times throughout the day… but, that’s not reality, so intaking some supplements to help us fill gaps or reach certain intake goals becomes a part of our daily nutritional plan. Some are even beneficial micronutrients that we may not be getting at all or enough of in our diet.
Creatine
Probably the most studied supplement on the market. This has been around a while and has proven to be effective. It’s not just for bodybuilders. I take it, and I’d suggest it for anyone doing CrossFit or other high-intensity training or weight lifting. Whether male, female, young or old creatine has shown in numerous scientific studies like one in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition that those who supplemented with creatine recovered from strength training significantly faster. It offers benefits regardless of your current fitness level. On a non-fitness related note, creatine has even shown to boost brain function!
BCAAs
Branched Chain Amino Acids are the building blocks to build/rebuild muscle. A study published in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found BCAAs can reduce muscle damage. If you use this in a pre-workout shake it can reduce fatigue allowing you to train harder and longer. Supplementing with BCAAs during and after training can increase the anabolic signals of muscle-protein synthesis to build new muscle tissue. Other benefits are boosting metabolism, reducing fatigue, and reducing soreness.
L-Glutamine
Glutamine may be best known for its boost to the immune system but it holds good recovery power as well. Catabolic, opposite anabolic, is the breakdown of molecules. L-Glutamine helps reduce catabolism. If you’re new to CrossFit, you’ll probably learn soon but it you’ve been around a while you’re likely all too familiar with muscle soreness that shows up a few days later. It’s referred to as DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). You know… the kind of soreness that makes you wish you had a taller toilet. For me, it typically peaks two days after a heavy or higher intensity workout. A study in the Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness showed that supplementing with L-Glutamine after a strength-based exercise significantly reduced DOMS.
Daily Multivitamin
Most multivitamins are gender specific because men and women do require different types and levels of micronutrients. The daily vitamins from Driven Nutrition provide key blends of 12 vitamins and minerals for energy metabolism and nutrient breakdown, with antioxidants, hormone support, digestive enzymes, and gender specific support. Benefits can be seen in skin health, more energy, fat burning, regulating electrolytes and blood sugars, preventing bloating and fatigue. Many of the vitamins found in this product aid as anti-inflammatory and in joint support.
*Water
More importantly than the above list is to drink enough water throughout the day. Remember our Holiday Nutrition Challenge? The first challenge was to reach the daily recommended water intake. Without staying hydrated the benefits of these or most supplements would be lost. Many studies have shown the dehydration can significantly intensify DOMS and reduces the avenue for nutrients to be transported to and absorbed by muscles and tissue.