Glutamine is an amino acid that supports muscle growth in a variety of ways. By supplementing with glutamine first thing in the morning, you help satisfy your body's amino acid needs without tapping into muscle stores.
Recovery Rx: Take 5 grams (g) of glutamine as soon as you wake up.
2. EAT A HIGH-PROTEIN BREAKFAST WITH CARBS
In addition to a regular bodybuilding breakfast, consider consuming whey protein isolates (either in a shake or added to oatmeal).
Recovery Rx: Take in up to 60g of protein and 60g of carbs, depending on your size, caloric needs and current bodybuilding goals. (Eat fewer carbs if you're trying to shed bodyfat.)
3. DRINK A PREWORKOUT SHAKE
Providing your body with essential amino acids before training reduces muscle loss and helps create an anabolic environment. FLEX recommends taking in a low-glycemic-index carbohydrate, such as oatmeal or banana, before each workout along with whey protein.
Recovery Rx: Drink 20g to 40g of whey protein isolates with 40g to 80g of carbs.
4. VOLUMIZE BEFORE YOU WORK OUT
Take glutamine and creatine, and drink water to keep your body hydrated and your muscle cells filled with fluid. Glutamine and creatine help pump muscle cells full of water.
Recovery Rx: Take 3g to 5g of creatine, 5g of glutamine and drink a liter of water.
5. DRINK A POSTWORKOUT SHAKE
After you train, you should always have a protein and carb drink to help boost recovery. Aminos are more rapidly and efficiently taken up by muscle fibers after they've been trashed by a workout.
Recovery Rx: Drink 20g to 40g of whey protein isolates with 40g to 80g of carbs.
6. TAKE CREATINE WITH YOUR POSTWORKOUT SHAKE
In addition to your postworkout shake, you should provide your body with creatine because exercised muscle takes up creatine better so less is wasted.
Recovery Rx: Mix 3g to 5g of creatine with your postworkout shake for up to a total of 10g per day.
7. TAKE AN INSULIN MIMICKER WITH YOUR POSTWORKOUT SHAKE
Insulin is an anabolic hormone that drives the synthesis of muscle protein from both the outside and inside of your muscles. Warning: Many creatine products include insulin mimickers, such as alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), d-pinitol (3-O-methyl-chiroinositol) and taurine, so be careful to avoid duplication.
Recovery Rx: Take 300mg to 600mg of 4-hydroxyisoleucine, 200mg to 1,000mg of ALA, 50mg to 100mg of d-pinitol, or 1g to 3g of taurine.
8. TAKE LEUCINE WITH YOUR POSTWORKOUT SHAKE
Leucine inhibits muscle breakdown but also flips on an important switch for muscle growth.
Recovery Rx: Take 3g to 5g of leucine.
9. TAKE ANTIOXIDANTS
After your workout is also a good time to take half of your day's ration of supplemental antioxidants, because training creates free radicals that destroy muscle tissue.
Recovery Rx: Take 400 international units of vitamin E (as d-alpha tocopherol acetate), 500mg of vitamin C, 15mg of lycopene and 500mg of curcumin (from turmeric extract).
10. DRINK A LATE-NIGHT PROTEIN SHAKE
Muscle breakdown increases over the course of the night, which is why choosing protein with a significant content of casein (e.g., milk protein concentrate, which contains both casein and whey), with its prolonged digestion and delivery of aminos to the muscles, is superior to more rapidly digested and absorbed proteins, such as pure whey.
Recovery Rx: Drink a micellar casein shake (up to 50g of protein) with few or no carbs. Add fiber (up to 5g) and healthy fats (up to 10g) such as flaxseed oil for their bodybuilding benefits and to prolong digestion.
