The first sports nutrition. Sports nutrition for beginners. Sports nutrition rating. Sports nutrition for joints

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Sports nutrition is a complex of various supplements to improve performance, usually in strength sports. And most often they talk about sports nutrition, of course, in bodybuilding. Why? Perhaps because in bodybuilding you need to develop many different qualities to get the maximum result - like endurance (cardiovascular system, take care of ligaments and joints), and explosive power (for further progression in results). But another reason is, most likely, the popularity of bodybuilding. Most people go to the gym to keep fit and, of course, build muscle.

What is sports nutrition?

Sports nutrition is divided into several types:

1. Protein supplements (protein)

2. Carbohydrate blends (gainers)

3. Amino acids (such as BCAAs)

4. Fat burners

5. Vitamins and minerals

6. Other additives (creatine, extracts of various plants, etc.)

Now let's briefly talk about each point.

1. Protein Supplements needed to make up for the lack of protein (if available) received with food. For example, if you mainly eat only one chicken breast and rarely add other types of meat to the diet, then the amino acid profile that the body receives from protein will always be the same. And, most likely, the body will lack some amino acids, which will eventually lead to slower growth. muscle mass. To maintain a varied amino acid profile, protein supplements (protein) can be consumed, tk. they typically contain a complete profile of all amino acids, with an emphasis on essential amino acids (which are especially important because the body cannot synthesize them on its own, so they are called essential).

2. Carbohydrate blends, or they are also called gainers, are needed mainly for those who have fast metabolism. Such people need to get more energy from food than those who have a slower metabolism. You can take them, for example, between meals. So on the day you get more energy with less total food intake. However, here you still need to take into account that mostly gainers consist of fast carbohydrates, so the chance of gaining extra fat is also quite high. So, you need to be careful when including carbohydrate mixtures in your diet.

3. Amino acids- they are most often understood as supplements similar to protein (protein blends) with the only difference that amino acids are absorbed much faster than when taking protein. For example, the absorption time of pure amino acids is almost instantaneous and the entire amino acid profile enters the blood almost simultaneously. Protein is digested more slowly (from 30-40min and longer). That's why amino acids are used mainly before, during and after training, as well as in the morning when you just woke up. Those. they are needed at such moments when the need for amino acids in the body is high and they are needed, so to speak, “here and now”. In other cases, you can take protein, because. there is no point in such a rapid absorption of protein.

4. Fat burners is a complex of substances (caffeine, L-carnitine, guarana, omega-3, etc.), which contribute to more active fat burning. This is achieved different ways: suppression of fat synthesis, decreased appetite, increased overall metabolism in the body. Here you already need to look at the description and composition of each specific fat-burning supplement. Of course, these supplements work provided that you follow proper diet and workouts. For example, if you are gaining mass and taking fat burners at the same time, then there will be no benefit from this.

5. Vitamins and minerals, I think, are familiar to everyone since childhood. Vitamins themselves are organic matter with a certain composition of molecules that any living organism needs. Their function is that they speed up the work of enzymes, with the help of which all chemical processes in the body proceed. Because in training athletes, all metabolic processes are more intense than in ordinary people, then the need for vitamins is also higher. And, in fact, the need for all nutrients athletes, and especially bodybuilders, will be much higher than the average person. Therefore, when practicing any sport, you can additionally take vitamins and minerals, because. it is far from always possible to get the required amount from food. Of course, there is nothing fatal in this if you do not take additional vitamins. (I rarely buy any supplements myself), it's just that progress with them can go a little faster, provided, of course, in the first place proper nutrition, workouts and daily routine.

6. Other additives, such as creatine, various plant extracts to increase testosterone, etc. I think the most popular of these is creatine. And, in fact, of all supplements, creatine occupies a leading position in sports nutrition, because. judging by the reviews - it works well for many people. Though I personally haven't used it myself. For many, it helps to increase strength quite well, opinions are ambiguous at the expense of muscle mass - because. creatine retains water in the muscles, then at the time of taking this supplement, body weight increases, but for some, after the end of taking creatine, almost all the weight remains, and for some, everything goes away as it was before taking creatine. Therefore, here it is already necessary to try each individually. About other additives (testosterone boosters and more) I can’t say anything, because I personally have not used it, and the opinions are completely opposite.

Here was a brief overview various kinds sports nutrition. But most importantly, remember that these are only supplements, and first of all, you need to follow the diet, training and recovery (sleep). And supplements ... these are just supplements to the main diet, nothing more.


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Today, sports nutrition has become an urgent issue not only for professional athletes, but also for ordinary people who train in the gym or do fitness. Let's figure out what goals the sports nutrition is intended to serve and what it happens to be.

Grade

When a person decides to engage in fitness, as a rule, he pursues very specific goals. It can be weight loss, muscle building, shape correction or general strengthening of the body. To achieve this or that goal, only training is not enough, sports nutrition (diet for athletes) also plays an important role.

If you don’t get enough of the right calories during physical activity, the body is depleted, health problems begin. If you are losing weight, then you can not allow the loss of muscle tissue - for this you need protein. If you're building muscle, your body must take in more calories than it burns in order to have a reserve to build muscle. However, these must be the correct calories, otherwise, instead of muscles, it will grow.

Amino acids

Amino acids are the building blocks that build our entire body: from muscles to the brain. They help to restore muscle tissue after training, thereby reducing pain and preparing the muscles for further stress.

Fat burners

Fat burners, in particular L-carnitine, help burn fat. They work only in the presence of physical exertion and help speed up the process of losing weight.

Energy

With enhanced training, when the body does not have time to restore strength, energy enter the battle. They consist of fast carbohydrates and instantly fill the body with energy. It is the energy drinks in the gym that pumped-up guys drink during training.

vitamins

Special sports vitamins are designed to support the body during increased stress. They are drunk in courses, increase stamina and immunity.

Sports nutrition has nothing to do with doping, drugs and other illegal drugs, these are active supplements to fill the diet of a training person with the necessary amount of protein, amino acids, vitamins and carbohydrates.

Of course, this is not a panacea, and there are those who achieve results only with the help of conventional products, building their diet. In this matter, everyone must make their own choice.

Before you include sports nutrition in your diet, be sure to consult a trainer.

The diet of people actively involved in sports includes not only the usual menu, but also a special group of products called sports nutrition, which allows you to achieve certain goals set for the athlete. Sports nutrition helps to get rid of extra pounds or, conversely, gain weight, increase muscle relief, increase endurance and strength. All this works only when the food is properly and correctly selected.

The peak of bodybuilding popularity in the CIS countries came in the first half of the nineties, when GYM's everywhere equipped in the basement and semi-basement rooms. These times were distinguished not only by the equipment and location of the rocking chairs, but also by the underdeveloped sports nutrition industry. It was possible to buy separate Twinlab and Vader products, Belarusian proteins “Atlant” and “Arena” packaged in plastic bags. Without much difficulty, you could buy a variety of steroids.

Currently, anabolics of synthetic origin are banned and equated to narcotic substances. This in no way affected the choice of sports nutrition, since today the athlete has free access to a huge number of products that have natural origin. On the territory of Russia, they belong to dietary supplements - biologically active additives. The expansion of the range of sports nutrition was facilitated by the emergence of foreign and domestic companies actively using advanced technologies.

A large selection, of course, makes life easier for an athlete, but it requires a clear understanding of each product presented. This will allow you to choose a drug that ideally matches the goal set for the athlete, as well as their own individual characteristics.

There are a huge number of different food active additives, but the following are the most common:

  • protein concentrates;
  • gainers;
  • creatines;
  • L-carnitine;
  • amino acid complexes;

Each drug has its own purpose and features of use.

Protein shakes are the most popular way to fuel your muscles. The term "" means "protein". It is he who is the main material for the growth of muscle tissue. The amount of pure protein in protein concentrate is about 70-90 percent. No other product can boast of such a composition.

Another merit protein shake is that it is not only qualitatively, but also quickly absorbed by organisms. If the assimilation of meat after eating takes 2-3 hours, a protein shake - 30 minutes. To obtain a pure concentration of protein isolate, natural products such as whey, eggs, meat, milk, chickpeas, peas, and soy are processed and evaporated.

The most popular protein concentrate in the world is whey. This is the best dietary supplement for active muscle growth. Whey Protein, in addition to quick and easy digestibility, it contains amino acids. The latter play an important role in the construction of relief muscles, since they maintain the tone of existing muscle tissue and contribute to the synthesis of a new one.

They represent the best sports nutrition for people with an ectomorphic - lean physique, for beginners who do not have muscle mass, which is the "base" for building a muscular massive body. This is what makes a supplement different from a protein shake.

The composition contains not only protein, but also free fast-digesting carbohydrates, a special complex of vitamins and minerals. Thanks to this combination of components, carbohydrates release energy, which is required by ectomorphs or people with a fast metabolism to accelerate the process of building up the total mass for the subsequent formation of massive muscles.

Consists of a concentrate of methylguanide-acetic acid. It is present in small amounts in fish and meat. The action of the supplement is aimed at increasing endurance, stimulating recovery processes in the body after the next training.

This type of sports nutrition is actively used by both beginners and professional athletes during periods of repeated stagnation. For bodybuilders, the use allows not only to increase endurance, but also is a kind of impetus for further development.

L-carnitine

A popular dietary supplement for losing weight, which has a pronounced fat burning effect. Levocarnitine is produced in the human body in the liver, but in small quantities. Emitting the process of its synthesis in the laboratory began in 1960. The substance stimulates the process of destruction of body fat, during which energy is released. This allows you to take not only for the purpose of losing weight, but also in order to turn the existing fat into muscles.

Amino acid complexes

They are an additive that optimizes metabolic processes so that all the substances used by the athlete are absorbed by the body correctly and efficiently, that is, they do not turn into body fat. In addition, of the existing twenty-two amino acids that ensure proper metabolism, nine are not produced in the human body, but come exclusively with food.

Their lack negatively affects the training process. the best way provide them in the required amount for the athlete and are amino acid concentrates. They are available in both capsules and liquid form. This allows you to choose the most convenient form for use.

BCAA

It is a complex consisting of such as valine, isoleucine and leucine. It stimulates the efficiency of metabolic processes that allow you to increase muscle mass, serves as an additional source of energy for better and more productive training, as it significantly increases strength.

Pre-workout complexes

They are preparations based on minerals and vitamins. They are taken before playing sports in order to increase the overall tone of the athlete, give freshness and vigor, increase endurance. This has a positive effect on the quality of training, making them as useful and productive as possible.

Intended to be taken before training, it contains psychologically and physically active stimulant substances: geranamine, beta-alanine, caffeine. Some products may contain BCAAs and creatine.

Nutritious Protein Bars

They serve as a source of quick replenishment of energy, include in their composition: compressed flakes, milk (casein) or egg white, muesli or nuts. Bars are great for both pre-workout and post-workout to eliminate the "protein window" effect.

Arginine and other nitric oxide donators

Muscle tissue continuously produces nitric oxide. Therefore, it is of paramount importance for the development and growth of muscles. Donors have a similar principle of action. They stimulate the active production of testosterone and growth hormone.

Supplements to strengthen joints and ligaments

Necessary for bodybuilders and those who work with lifting heavy weights. This group of drugs is represented by additives such as collagen, glucosamine and chondroitin.

How to take sports nutrition?

There is nothing difficult in taking dietary supplements. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions from the manufacturer, adhere to the recommended dosage. If the instructions for a gainer or protein concentrate indicate a dosage of 1.5 grams for every 1 kilogram of the athlete's own weight, this is the amount of the drug that is required per day.

Increasing the dosage will not adversely affect health and will not bring any side effects. All excess drug that is not absorbed by the body is simply excreted, that is, it comes out naturally.

Gainers for ectomorphs and proteins best consumed directly on days of sports activity. They are taken an hour before training and immediately after the end of the lesson. Cocktails are recommended to drink on rest days, no more than once a day.

Creatine and pre-workout supplements should be taken when the inevitable "stagnation" in training occurs, characterized by a decrease in motivation for sports. These drugs allow you to get the right push to continue moving towards achieving the desired result. They need to be consumed in limited quantities. If you overdo it with the reception, they will cause addiction, that is, they will cease to bring a pronounced effect from the reception.

This sports nutrition regimen is designed for experienced bodybuilders. Beginners who have started training require a slightly different approach. The first months of playing sports, it is enough to take a gainer or protein.

The nuances of choosing the right sports nutrition

Both foreign and domestic manufacturers produce biologically active supplements for athletes. Imported drugs are much more expensive. And if the athlete is faced with the question of choosing which manufacturer to give preference to, he should be guided by the fact that the best was and remains the products of Optimum Nutrition, Twinlab and Weider. These companies have an impeccable reputation.

Don't be tempted to buy cheap products. Reduced cost - sure sign the fact that before the buyer is either a low-quality product or a fake. Save on own health, results and effectiveness of training is highly discouraged. It is best to choose food from trusted manufacturing companies. To buy a truly original drug, and not a fake, you need to make all purchases exclusively in specialized reputable large chain stores.

Often, beginners in bodybuilding ask what this or that sports nutrition is for. In this article, we will briefly and concisely consider the main categories of sports nutrition and what they are for, without extra water and unnecessary information for a beginner.

What is protein for?

What is L-carnitine for?

L-carnitine helps burn fat and provides energy.

What is a gainer for?

Gainer is a carbohydrate-protein drink. Contains a large amount of calories. First of all, it is necessary for those who do not eat well in principle and do not get the daily calorie intake for muscle growth. That is, a gainer, as it were, complements your diet, in fact, a gainer acts as a meal replacement. How many calories do you need to grow mass, you will learn from our article Carbohydrates in the diet of a bodybuilder.

What is creatine for?

Creatine increases strength and endurance. By increasing strength, indirectly increases mass.

What are amino acids for?

Essentially, amino acids are the same as protein. Protein is made up of amino acids. Therefore, amino acids perform the same function as protein, they are simply absorbed faster and are convenient in that in addition to powder, they come in tablets, capsules and liquid. How many amino acids to consume in our article Amino acids.

What are BCAAs for?

Why do you need a training complex?

The training complex nourishes the body right during training, usually contains all the necessary substances for recovery, prevention of muscle mass breakdown, and muscle mass growth.

What is a fat burner for?

Sports nutrition experts!

Sports nutrition advice from Denis Tsyplenkov, multiple champion of power extreme tournaments. If you're looking to gain muscle mass without being overweight, forget about amino acids. They are accepted only for the purpose of restoring water balance in the body when an athlete wants to enter the desired weight category before the competition. In other cases, choose a quality protein. He will be the one to help you.

Often, bodybuilding juniors almost shy away from the word “sportpit”. From ignorance, associations with all kinds of pharmaceuticals come to mind. Sports nutrition is traditionally confused with steroids, doping and other chemicals that (what can we hide) are used by professional athletes. Again, this is just out of ignorance. In reality, sports nutrition, for the most part, has nothing to do with doping, or steroids for pumping muscles, or anything like that. Get comfortable. The article is long, but you have to figure out what this very “sportpit” is. So, sports nutrition are preparations and concentrated nutritional supplements, created on the basis of the results of specialized research and on the basis of the developments of nutrition, physiology and other related fields of knowledge. By itself, the term "sportpit" is quite arbitrary. In fact, most of the products that are classified as sports nutrition (the same multivitamins, protein and fat burners) were originally created for the rehabilitation of people after an illness, as well as for the prevention and correction of all kinds of functional abnormalities in the body. In medical practice, they are used to this day.

In fact, the composition of the sports nutrition includes the same components as in the diet. healthy eating. The meaning of the sports nutrition is in its concentration and digestibility.

It is known that the digestion of ordinary food and the assimilation of all the nutrients that have entered the body along with food can take about 4 hours, and sports supplements are absorbed much faster and more completely. Moreover, with minimal costs for digestion. And then, some types of sports nutrition are products with a high energy value. Which is very useful for guys who want to gain mass. For example, an equal amount of calories is found in a hefty serving of pasta with a large piece of meat and just one glass of a protein-carbohydrate shake!

Another class of sports nutrition is amino acids, which are easy to get in sufficient quantities from food. UNREAL!

But in general, sports nutrition is aimed at achieving the goals set as soon as possible and improving the main sports indicators: endurance, strength and quality of muscle mass, etc. Sports nutrition includes mainly those substances that do not cause any harm to the body, on the contrary, support it. Therefore, we sincerely do not understand the disdain with which some "experienced" amateur athletes speak of sports nutrition. Something like "I am fundamentally against this topic ...", etc. By the way, vitamin-mineral complexes are also included in one of the sports nutrition classes. But principles are, of course, a personal matter.

Other opponents of sports nutrition, less pretentious, argue this way:
« If the protein is the same food protein, as in meat, why spend money on husks likebrand and packaging?»

Yes, the argument is quite logical. What do supporters of sports supplements say to this? Marketing praises from manufacturers may sometimes be too laudatory, but there is a grain of truth in them. Indeed, it is not so easy to compensate for what was lost after a workout and give building material to the muscles with the help of ordinary food alone.


What value in this regard do certain protein products? Let's see:
  • 100 g cottage cheese 9% - 16 g.
  • 100 g chicken breast - about 18 g.
  • 1 egg- 4-6 years
What happens? A guy with an average weight needs to eat about 1 kg per day. cottage cheese! Or 800 g of chicken! Or ... well, calculate for yourself, you understand the main thing. In addition, keep in mind that not all protein will be absorbed without a trace. And sports nutrition, unlike natural products, contains pure protein. However, remember also that sports supplements are just SUPPLEMENTS and it is wrong to completely replace your main diet with them.


Protein(protein concentrate) - growth of muscle mass, anti-catabolic effect.
Gainer (protein-carbohydrate mixture) - a set of muscle mass, energy recovery.
- anti-catabolic:

  • BCAA- anti-catabolic effect, muscle nutrition;
  • Arginine- improved muscle nutrition, pumping;
  • Glutamine - muscle nutrition (60% of muscle tissue is exactly glutamine).
Fat burners - fat burning, work on relief (of all fat burners, it is preferable to use L-Carnitine).
Anabolic complexes- a set of muscle mass:
Creatine - an increase in strength indicators, a set of muscle mass. About all the properties of creatine.
Vitamin and mineral complexes- Mandatory for use in both weight gain and weight loss.
Meal Replacements- are used mainly for weight loss.
Energy(caffeine, guarana).
sports drinks(isotonic, hypotonic, hypertonic).
Chondroprotectors(glucosamine, chondroitin) - strengthening the joints.

This is a basic list of sports nutrition classes (far from complete) and a description of their main action. We will touch on each of them in more detail in a separate article in the “sports nutrition” section. Stay tuned for updates!

And now let's talk briefly about the choice of sports supplements.

Of course, you need to choose an additive based on the goals that you set for yourself in the fitness center. But this is not the main problem. We must say right away that without certain knowledge, we do not recommend choosing sports nutrition on our own.
  1. by the most simple option selection of supplements will be a consultation with the seller of the sports nutrition store.
  2. Simple and wise at the same time - consultation with a personal trainer.
  3. And if you do it yourself, then the most reasonable way out for you will be a careful study of the sports nutrition market, reviews and specialized information resources, combined with the same help from a sales assistant.
What does it mean to "study the market"? And take an interest in the scandals associated with a particular company that produces a particular brand. I dug up something muddy - think about it. However, if you show your independence and buy a can of elemental protein, it will not be a disaster. And it won't do any harm. Certainly, product quality is another problem when choosing a sports nutrition. Not even that “elementary” protein. Unfortunately, the problem of counterfeiting has not yet lost its relevance. You may come across a banal "placebo", from which the sense, as from a goat's milk. In other words, a dummy, which instead of the declared 100% protein contains only 20! An experienced athlete will notice such a fake only after 2-3 weeks of training. And a beginner ... and he can only rely on the experience and opinion of the pros.

How to protect yourself from scam?

Routine consumer testing can help you in a number of cases where there is some clumsy work. Before buying, be sure to go to the official website or any trusted retailer website. View images of the product you are interested in. The larger it is, the better. Read official descriptions. Let the picture form in your head. And when buying, ALWAYS carefully inspect the packaging! By this time, you should already know that the original product must contain the composition, recommendations for use, and a protective branded hologram is also possible. The container itself must be tightly packed and without visible damage.

Sports nutrition can also be ordered in decent online stores that have a certain status of customer trust.

But, to the problem of the quality of sports nutrition, the individual characteristics of the body are often added. The degree of exposure to supplements is different for each person. And where one will be delighted with the effectiveness of the same creatine, the other will be outraged by its complete uselessness. And we are not talking about fake! By the way, for about 30-40% of athletes, the use of creatine does not benefit. Try!

The article is for informational purposes only, before use, consult with a specialist!

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