Exercise Supplementation

Enhancing Human Performance Through Proper Nutrition and Weight Resistance Training

This blog will discuss proper exercise supplementation when concerned with pre, intra, and post-workout. While proper supplementation in general is the key to enhancing performance, knowing what to consume at what point in the workout is actually the most important factor in determining performance.

The first aspect of training an athlete needs to consider is pre-workout supplementation. Without the proper amount of the right nutrients, an athlete won’t be properly fueled to perform the task. One of the most obvious forms of pre-workout supplementation is carbohydrates due to the increased energy they give the body. “Carbs refuel your muscles by getting stored as glycogen in them.”2 Carbs are essential when the athlete is performing at high intensities because of how they keep the muscles energized. An easy way to supplement carbohydrates is through eating simple sugars such as those that come from fruits about 30 minutes before a workout is to be engaged.

Now while many people feel that consuming water is an adequate thing to do during a workout, consuming an “intra-workout” supplement drink such as an branch-chain amino acid (BCAA) blend has proven to be far more beneficial. “BCAA’s are a blend of three main amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.”2 BCAA’s are essential in allowing the body to repair muscle tissue that has been torn as a result of weight training or other methods of exercise. By consuming BCAA’s in an intra-workout phase, you allow the body to begin this process at an earlier time, thus resulting in a more efficient recovery.

The final workout supplementation phase that needs to be considered is the post-workout phase that is directly correlated with an athlete’s ability to recover. The king of supplements that needs to be consumed almost exclusively in this phase is protein. Much like BCAA’s, protein’s sole responsibility is to enhance bodily recovery after exercise has been performed. “Protein does this through a process called protein synthesis which is the body breaking down protein into a molecular level to allow cells to absorb it for repair”.1

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Now while workout supplementation certainly isn’t a necessity to live a healthier lifestyle, it’s definitely a very effective way to enhance one’s performance both in and out of the gym.

 1Clark, M., Lucett, S., & Corn, R. J. (2008). NASM essentials of personal fitness training. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

2Woerner, A. (2016). The Beginner's Guide to Pre and Post Workout Supplements. Retrieved October 11, 2016, from http://dailyburn.com/life/health/best-pre-workout-supplement-ingredients/