Athletes seeking to increase strength or muscle tone need to prime their bodies with cellular energy and increase nutrient delivery prior to training.

They need to trigger muscle protein synthesis after training, and, an hour or two before training they should consume a moderate meal of carbohydrate, protein, and fat depending on digestion and comfort. These athletes should also consume at least 16 ounces of fluid during workouts.

Pre-Workout

Athletes need to focus on the pre-workout period so they can provide a constant supply of nutrients and remove waste buildup from muscles quickly. Both AMPED™ Power and AMPED NOx are good choices since they support blood flow, resulting in optimal nutrient delivery during and after the workout period. To get an extra mental boost, take e+™ as well.

AMPED Power improves blood flow with the combination of two effective ingredients. The first is Nitrosigine®, a unique and patented complex containing the amino acid arginine and the trace mineral silicon. Nitrosigine provides L-arginine, a precursor to nitric oxide production, in a much more effective form than L-arginine alone. AMPED Power also includes L-citrulline as another ingredient that efficiently generates nitric oxide. Citrulline has been shown to improve exercise performance and to stimulate muscle synthesis by activating muscle-building pathways (1, 2). It has also been shown to reduce fatigue by aiding in creatine resynthesis and enhancing the use of branched-chain amino acids during exercise (1, 3-5). The third component of AMPED Power, creatine, improves the quality of training and improves lactate threshold (6), reduces muscle damage (7), and important for those who lift weights, can result in increases in muscle mass, power, and strength (8, 9).

AMPED NOx provides molecules that increase nitric oxide production resulting in greater blood circulation. Specifically, research shows that nitrates improve athletic performance by improving oxygen use, by increasing power output, and by reducing exhaustion (10-12). It’s also important to note AMPED NOx is not just a performance booster for athletes seeking greater stamina and endurance, but also contains the synergistic combination of nitrates and nitric oxide-boosting polyphenol-rich fruit juice which can also be used anytime to support heart health.

Mid-Workout

Having large amounts of fuel during strength- and muscle-building workouts is generally unnecessary, but hydration is critical. Having AMPED Hydrate (formerly Replenish™) during a workout is a great product to keep you hydrated.

Post-Workout

Strength and muscle building is going to cause stress to muscle tissue on a cellular level, so starting recovery soon after exercise is paramount. Proper recovery means the ability to train more frequently and more intensely, resulting in greater performance gains.

AMPED Recover is a post-workout recovery aid designed to help trigger muscle synthesis with branched-chain amino acids, L-carnitine, and other supporting amino acids. These active ingredients trigger the cellular mechanisms for rebuilding proteins in muscle (13). Branched-chain amino acids are present in the muscles at high levels and consist of three essential amino acids: L-leucine, L-isoleucine, and L-valine. The hallmark of the AMPED Recover formula is an effective dose of L-leucine that has the ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and protect against muscle breakdown (13, 14). L-carnitine is essential for fat burning and also offers significant mitochondrial protection resulting in improved post-exercise recovery (15-17).

By including IsaPro® or IsaLean® PRO Shake alongside AMPED Recover after your workout, you can supply the amino acids needed to build muscle tissue. For fast, quality muscle recovery, consume a serving of AMPED Recover and one to two scoops of IsaPro or a serving of IsaLean PRO Shake following your workout. They can be enjoyed separately or mixed together. If you decide to mix them, you might try Vanilla IsaPro or IsaLean PRO Shake blended with ice for a delicious post-workout shake.

Here is an example of pre-, mid-, and post-workout meal plan.

Pre-Workout: 4-6 oz ground turkey, 1 small sweet potato, 1 tbsp almond butter

15-30 minutes before, consume AMPED Power, AMPED NOx, e+ (optional)

Mid-Workout: Sip Replenish throughout the workout.

Post-Workout: Consume AMPED Recover and 1-2 servings of IsaPro immediately after exercise.

Continue to consume whole-food meals or shakes with between 20 to 40 grams of protein 48 to 72 hours after intense training to keep muscle protein synthesis elevated.

Nitrosigine is a registered trademark of Nutrition 21, LLC and is patent protected.

 

References

  1. Pérez-Guisado J & Jakeman PM. Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness. J Strength Cond Res. 2010; 24(5): 1215-1222.
  2. Cynober L et al. Leucine and citrulline: two major regulators of protein turnover. World Rev Nutr Diet. 2013; 105: 97-105.
  3. Bendahan D et al. Citrulline/malate promotes aerobic energy production in human exercising muscle. Brit J Sport Med. 2002; 36(4): 282-289.
  4. Hickner RC et al. L-citrulline reduces time to exhaustion and insulin response to a graded exercise test. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006; 38(4): 660-666.
  5. Sureda A et al. L-citrulline-malate influence over branched chain amino acid utilization during exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010; 110(2): 341-351.
  6. Chwalbiñska-Moneta J. Effect of creatine supplementation on aerobic performance and anaerobic capacity in elite rowers in the course of endurance training. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2003; 13: 173-183.
  7. Santos RVT et al. The effect of creatine supplementation upon inflammatory and muscle soreness markers after a 30km race. Life Sci. 2004; 75(16): 1917-1924.
  8. Van Loon LJ et al. Effects of creatine loading and prolonged creatine supplementation on body composition, fuel selection, sprint and endurance performance in humans. Clin Sci 2003; 104:153-62.
  9. Aguiar AF, et al. Long-term creatine supplementation improves muscular performance during resistance training in older women. Eur J Appl Physiol 2013; 113:987-96.
  10. Bailey SJ et al. Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol 2009; 107:1144-55.
  11. Cermak NM et al. Nitrate supplementation’s improvement of 10-km time-trial performance in trained cyclists. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2012;22:64-71.
  12. Jones AM et al. Influence of dietary nitrate supplementation on exercise tolerance and performance. Nestle Nutr Inst Workshop Ser 2013; 75:27-40.
  13. Du M et al. Leucine stimulates mammalian target of rapamycin signaling in C2C12 myoblasts in part through inhibition of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase. J Anim Sci. 2007; 85:919-27.
  14. Drummond MJ et al. Rapamycin administration in humans blocks the contraction-induced increase in skeletal muscle protein synthesis. J Physiol. 2009; 587:1535-46.
  15. Chang B et al. L-carnitine inhibits hepatocarcinogenesis via protection of mitochondria. Int J Cancer. 2005; 113:719-29.
  16. Stephens FB et al. Skeletal muscle carnitine loading increases energy expenditure, modulates fuel metabolism gene networks and prevents body fat accumulation in humans. J Physiol. 2013; 591:4655-66.
  17. Giamberardino MA et al. Effects of prolonged L-carnitine administration on delayed muscle pain and CK release after eccentric effort. Int J Sports Med. 1996; 17:320-4.