Pre-Workout: Homemade vs. Brand Name!?

DEnd44 · 09-25-2008, 03:42 AM

new to the site, so here's a bit on me..I have an extensive athletic background - have played many sports including D1 baseball/football and now coach HS baseball and train athletes, but I do workout on the side...as far as weightlifting goes, I am as green as it gets...due to my being a pitcher I never lifted to supplement my football 'career', but have been blessed with god-given size+strength (my father is a big man, 6'5" 310). Due to being so busy (as I know all of you are also), I seriously value my time. I've been hitting the gym 5-6 days a wk. (weights on 4-5 days) for about 5 weeks now, but do not wanting to be wasting my time in in regards to making gains in size, strength, etc (as I know that what all of you are striving for also). Can anyone with a little more experience please enlighten me as to what might be an effective pre-workout shake/stack? I've been reading up a bit and some people mention homemade concoctions consisting of separately bought supps mixed in with whey that overall may be alot cheaper than a brand name preworkout drink. I have tried superpump250, but don't know yet if I've struck gold or just fallen into marketing hype.

ps.
sorry for the length of the post, again it is just that I'm new and really wanted to get my point across...thanks in advance for a response.

MiniArnold · 09-25-2008, 07:53 AM

Welcome to the site dude. As for the homemade stack or shake a protein shake would do fine i suppose. I have a protein shake and carbs before my workout. Try NO and some creatine. You could try eating before your workout about 30mins to and hour would do. Wait and see what some of the other more intelligent guys have to say though. try posting your routine up too mate we can work with you on that too.

terp · 09-25-2008, 08:21 AM

many will say the pre-w/o NO products just give you energy. after some experimentation, I agree. when I take NO pills, I can't tell a difference. when I take a pre-w/o drink w/ AAKG & other goodies, I might get a marginal effect at best. 15-20 grams protein & 30-40 grams carbs should do you right. I'd also recommend searching for Alan Aragon's pre/post workout nutrition thread on BB.com.

the time you work out makes a difference. if you workout is w/in an hour or 2 of a meal, you don't need to bother w/ a pre-w/o drink. I never used anything during my most productive years of lifting.

Ilikehooters · 09-25-2008, 06:18 PM

i take n.o. explode it work good for me. but personally all i take before workout is n.o. but i dont go to gym until after all my classes so ive eaten lunch and breakfast but i deffinantly dont like to eat within like 2 hours of going mostly cause i feel a little bloated but it think that is personal preference but n.o. should help alot

**MikeNYY420** · 09-25-2008, 07:57 PM

N.O. products are nothing special get yourself some alanine and arginine. Arginine's the natural precursor of nitric oxide and the base of all N.O. products. If you want more energy pre workout get some caffiene.

Have some protein and a lot of complex carbs pre workout. I prefer oats.

Post workout you'll want some fast digesting protein and carbs, no fats though. Try for 40gs of whey protein, and 4 pieces of white bread for an insulin spike and then eat a meal of lots of carbs and protein about an hour after.

Alanine, arginine, whey protein, fish oil pills, and a vitamin are the main things you should get. They are all pretty cheap too.

Good luck man, hope I helped/

DEnd44 · 09-25-2008, 08:27 PM

thanks, yeah I appreciate all the advice..I do have superpump for preWO, yet I didnt take it yesterday and did heaviest sets in a few shoulder exercises to date - leading me to believe it may be a mental 'placebo effect' kinda thing, i dunno for sure..only concern is if i ditch the superpump, then ill need to look for something else to fill the creatine void there, no??

ps.
i posted in another thread that although I'm new i have read up and have obtained flaxseed, fishoil, animal pak vitamins, ON whey + BCAA's, which i feel make a good base for what im trying to do..my point being that I can get all of those + more, for less than i spend on a month supply of superpump and sizeon, could see that getting pricy (and the other supps would last longer too!)

**allstar** · 09-25-2008, 08:32 PM

superpump doesnt contain enough creatine to consider it your creatine source

DEnd44 · 09-25-2008, 08:36 PM

fair enough..i do have a tub of creatine mono that i have from way back that i never used..that a doable substitute or does anyone know of a better creatine product and when to take it?

**MikeNYY420** · 09-25-2008, 08:52 PM

creatine mono's perfect, prolly the best creatine actually.

DEnd44 · 09-25-2008, 09:14 PM

ok sounds good, thx (convenient and I won't have to spend more $$ haha)..anyone have any inf on optimal dosage/times to take it??

Ilikehooters · 09-25-2008, 10:41 PM

after workout before you eat anything
when i take it at least and in like 8 hours before my workout

**allstar** · 09-25-2008, 10:43 PM

Load your muscles with creatine..take in about 20g for the first 3 days
than take in 5-10g for how ever many weeks.. either take it all in post or take 5 morning 5 post

DEnd44 · 09-25-2008, 10:51 PM

thx allstar.

may be a stupid question, but dont hate bc im new haha - BUT,

can the creatine be mixed in with an AM protein shake+BCAA's, or is that too much? (same thing for a PostWO protein shake)

reason i ask is that ive heard that the body will either have traouble or wont digest some of either the protein or the creatine if its getting them both at the same time...if this cant be done, whats a suitable alternative for timing my protein/bcaa's + creatine intake? Thanks bro

**allstar** · 09-25-2008, 10:55 PM

Well when i was taking powder form creatine what I found worked best was just got the creatine on a tablespoon put it in my mouth and washed it down with water. maybe try that in the morning and than just have your protein shake after that..and for post workout you should probably do a dextrose/creatine/bcaa shake, than protein shake

DEnd44 · 09-25-2008, 11:00 PM

if ive read correctly, fix it if i havent lol, the dextrose is to cause an 'insulin spike' so the body will then absorb the creatine+BCAA's better/faster?..and im guessing thats immediately postWO and then ON whey should follow a half hour thereafter?..i assume thats correct...

dextrose: comes in powder form i guess? so then 5g bcaas+5g creatine (after loading) + how much dextrose???

really do appreciate your attention on this matter.

**allstar** · 09-25-2008, 11:02 PM

Yes you got it down for what dextrose is. And the protein shake can be anywhere from 15-30min later.

As for how much dextrose 75-100g, depending on your diet, post workout should be about 25% of your daily carbs.

DEnd44 · 09-25-2008, 11:11 PM

ok, that works..im gonna ditch the sizeon+superpump and start using what you guys have helped w/ on here..

so, any dextrose powder from say vitamin shoppe/gnc is fine? (just to have in my hand tmrw, then from there on out i will be ordering online - seems cheaper than these $$sucking stores)

dextrose/bcaas/creatine mix in water or juice? prob doesnt matter.

**allstar** · 09-25-2008, 11:16 PM

Not sure if GNC sells it or not and I have never been to a Vit. Shoppe, but ya you can look, I go to my local natural food store and get corn sugar, which is dextrose. the price usually is about $1-$2 a lb, i get 5lb for $5.

Ya drop size on since you have creatine mono

DEnd44 · 09-25-2008, 11:23 PM

nah, i just checked online - sry for wasting your time lol..gnc/vitamin shoppe doesnt seem to have dextrose powder or anything like that..I think theres a natural food store like 5 mins from my house, will check there for corn sugar tmrw

DEnd44 · 09-25-2008, 11:25 PM

ps.
dropping the superpump+sizeon will save me at least $100/month..that same $100 should be able to buy me at least 2 months of bcaas/dextrose/creatine mono/whey...how f'in ridiculous...thanks a lot for your help

**allstar** · 09-25-2008, 11:28 PM

yea def. you will save money..if you need any more advice just shoot me a PM

DEnd44 · 09-25-2008, 11:30 PM

no doubt, thanks bro.

and whats the deal with Orbit Nutrition? and youre a sales rep for them? maybe next go 'round for the other supps ill shoot you a PM also and could go through you guys.

**allstar** · 09-25-2008, 11:33 PM

Orbit Nutrition is the board supplement store sponsor. Teamorbit has a few sponsors around, any of the guys with green names, if you need help just ask one of us. But yup def. go through Orbit great customer service, great prices also you get 5% off with the code in my signature

DEnd44 · 09-25-2008, 11:34 PM

will do.

again, thx for everything.

johnnyairwaves · 09-29-2008, 08:03 PM

Here is the Supplement Ebook and the supplier list for download:

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

**MikeNYY420** · 09-29-2008, 08:32 PM

Haha I used to think that Orbit was a brand.

**Freak** · 09-29-2008, 10:29 PM

Good to see you are making good use of the book johnny airwaves.

johnnyairwaves · 09-30-2008, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freak

Good to see you are making good use of the book johnny airwaves.

Thanks to you!

supplementos · 10-23-2008, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeNYY420

creatine mono's perfect, prolly the best creatine actually.

creatine CL is the best does way better than the mono and there is no loading stage with this

**MikeNYY420** · 10-25-2008, 01:44 PM

Mono's the best man it's been proven time and time again. People thought that CEE was better too but it really just makes excess creatinine (a toxin) and breaks down more than mono in the stomach. Do you have studies to back up what you just said?