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traineo Community / Diet & Nutrition Tips / thoughts on BCAA supplementing?
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Elicia :)
traineo Fanatic
Posts: 117
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 # Posted: 24 Feb 2008 19:48


I know i've read posts where people have said they use BCAA supplements but I never knew what they were for. I just read in Muscle and Fitness Hers that they are good to supplement for creating and maintaining muscle as well as repairing it. It says to take 5g before and after training.
Does anyone use these? Do you still eat the 1g protein/lb of body weight or do you eat less because of the supplements? Do they work? I'm trying so hard to build muscle but not seeing the gains fast enough!! Eating about 80-100g protein per day, mainly from foods so I'm wondering if the supplement would help.
Thanks in advance!!
Bourblaster V
Fitness Guru
Posts: 337
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 # Posted: 24 Feb 2008 22:08 - Edited by: Bourblaster


I can't stop plugging BCAAs. Go for it, this is the stuff I use.

From what I have read from your posts, you seem fairly interested and committed to lifting. Your workout routine may need some work but it seems solid enough. Your diet is pretty good too, if your 80-100 grams come from lean meats and whey...that's pretty far out. Remember that protein from grains and wheat only has a 40-50% efficiency when the body converts them to amino acids. It is crucial that most of your protein comes from whey or beasts.

That website recommends a fairly aggressive schedule that I don't quite adhere to. It is critical to take BCAAs with a sh!t ton of protein (1g / lb of body mass, at least).

This article is the most comprehensive and intelligent reasoning I have seen behind the legitimacy of BCAA usage. I like the science.

Good luck and SQUAT SQUAT SQUAT!
THE NEW ME
The Master
Posts: 2856
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 # Posted: 24 Feb 2008 22:41


hi elicia-i dont know anything about bcaas but in terms of seeing muscle gain results, it is really hard to build muscle. how long have you been trying? how are you judging your results? are you taking bodyfat measurements? i think you need to do weights at least 3xs a week-im not sure what you are doing now.
Elicia :)
traineo Fanatic
Posts: 117
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 # Posted: 24 Feb 2008 23:34


Bourblaster - I am vegetarian so I can't get aa's from beasts!! I get it mostly through egg whites, cottage cheese, yogurt, beans, nuts, and lots of tofu and veggie burgers and other "veggie" meats. I've read whey protein is the best absorbed so i get that from my dairy but the rest is soy. I also drink the EAS Carb Control protein shakes every once in a while to up the protein intake. They are a mix of whey, soy and casein. I read the links you put in but I don't know about taking 18 pills a day! I'd have to do more research on recommendations for women.

New me - I've been trying to build muscle since last spring but have recently gotten serious about lifting on my own and not just taking the weight classes at my gym. That gave me a good base but now i'm following a routine from Oxygen mag. I'm not taking BF measurements, I have one of those scales that reads BF and it stays around the same (up or down a %) daily. My current routine has me lifting 4x/week.

And I guess I'm going to add more SQUATS!!!!
Thanks guys ;)
Bourblaster V
Fitness Guru
Posts: 337
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 # Posted: 25 Feb 2008 00:03


I know, I think 20g of BCAAs a day is limited to powerlifters over 250 lbs, as a female near half that I would imagine you take a proportional amount.
Another Dave (formerly Release the Hounds)
Fitness Guru
Posts: 249
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 # Posted: 25 Feb 2008 19:23


hrm... squats, huh? i don't do anything like that so far. (as of 2 months ago, i was a complete noob to weight training. now, i know a little, but still not much.) i tried doing squats without any weights and it felt so awkward, i put it on the backburner. i'm still around 20 -30 lbs overwieght and prioritize cardio over weights, but i still do weight training 4-5 times a week. i should probably look into this more, i guess. i haven't been weight training legs at all because of the cardio...
Bourblaster V
Fitness Guru
Posts: 337
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 # Posted: 25 Feb 2008 19:31


Gah! you're only 20-30 lbs overweight? It sounds like you should put cardio on the back burner and get into some olympic lifts. A solid 60 minute leg workout consisting of monsters like squats, deadlifts, step-ups, and lunges will be just as good for you if not better in the long run.

I guess I have no idea what your goals are, but if you do any weights at all, legs should be a big focus, and anything other than the major olympic leg lifts is largely a waste of time unless you're nursing an injury.

The exercises that feel awkward are often the best ones. I subscribe wholly to the philosophy of "that exercise which I am worst at is the one I need to do more often." I promise you if you get some solid leg strength from heavy leg exercises, you will no longer be overweight.
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