I just started taking creatine about a week ago and started with 15g a day… im 170lbs so i figured for loading its a mediocre amount as i heard your supposed to take 20g a day for loading when your under 200lbs. Anyways i finished the 5 days of loading and am taking 10 g a day on training days and 5 a day on off days… Is this the right way to do it as im training 3 days on one day off?? I always hear about how much water you should take on when you start on creatine but i havent put on any weight… maybe a pound but that can be the difference of a piss before or after a workout especially with allt he water i have been drinking due to taking it just to be safe. Does this mean that i am a non responder?? The last day i worked out i did feel a bit stronger (5 days of loading at 15g and one day of 10g) but nothing that i would say ya thats definately due to the creatine because its probably too soon anyways.
Secondly i was wondering what the restrictions were for what you can and cant supplement with for natural bodybuilding?? I hope to one day compete (i have a lot of work still to do) and just want to make sure i dont close any doors. Thanks for the info
Creatin is a good supp but I think you’re asking too much of it.
Any gains you see will likely mostly be water and it might take few days for that to really become apparent and even then we’re not talking about substantial bloating or anything.
The strength gains I’ve experienced took some time before they were realized. After a few weeks of creatin while doing some EDT training my partners number of reps looked something like:
12, 11, 8, 7, 7, 6
where as mine began to look more like this:
12, 12, 12, 12, 11, and so on.
So you might notice some slight increases in strength and strength endurance, but this is by no means a wonder supplement.
From what I have observed Creatine does not work as well in those who already have a great deal of red meat in their diet. That makes sense as I think there are 2 grams, or so, of cratine in one serving of red meat.
Personally, I don’t think you have given it enough time. I have used Cratine four or five times in the past and have always been impressed with the results. However, I never see any results for up to two weeks.
Finally, I think you are taking to much. I don’t think more than 3 grams a day is needed. Check out the T-Search engine and I think you will find a great article regarding the fact that 3 grams per day is a sufficient dose.
[quote] Zeb wrote
Finally, I think you are taking to much. I don’t think more than 3 grams a day is needed. Check out the T-Search engine and I think you will find a great article regarding the fact that 3 grams per day is a sufficient dose. [/quote]
Gotta agree with this. I know creatine is cheap as far as supps go ,but there is no reason to throw your cash away.
yes i agree i am changing my amounts right away, i just started at those amounts because thats what i had been told by every source i could find. Another reason why this web-site rocks. thanks everyone
I used creatine for a while, rest helped a lot. Also take a day off from the supp. It stays in your system long after you stop taking it. If you have a constant intake, your body gets used to it.
Refined carbs are a good catalyst for creatine. Are you on a carb restricted diet?
How are you taking the creatine? there are many ways of upregulating the absorption of it, most non-responders are simply not taking it as effectively. As far as natural bodybuilding shows are concerned, what you supplement with depends on your moral issues. If you want to compete one day, and you might be a couple years away from that from the sound of it, you can take any form of illegal substance you want right now as long as it is out of your system by the date of the competition. This is what most natural bodybuilders do. Sure they are tested, but they are tested right before the date of the show, so there are no surprises, unlike an IOC tested Olympic athlete. These athletes can be tested at any given moment so it is much harder for them to do this. You can take whatever you want, put on major muscle tissue within the next 1-2 years, go off all substances about 6 months prior to the show to have all the evidence out of your system, and you can compete 100% natural and pass all tests. But YOU and only you know the truth. This is what all these natural bobybuilders do. Many of them even admit that they used to use steroids years ago, but they decided they wanted to go clean for health and moral issues. But they are now clean for a couple years therefore the body they have today was not influenced at all by the drugs they took years ago. BULLSHIT!!-Once you use drugs, you are no longer clean for life. I have nothing against drug-use but people must realize that even one cycle(properly administered) can affect the way your body responds to exercise for the rest of your life. It is the ultimate in “muscle memory”.
Yo about natural bodybuilding. It just deepens on the organization. Some don’t just use urine testing. Some use polygraph and you have to be clean from like 3 to 5 year depending on the organization. There are some that let you use andro products some don’t the only true way of knowing is to visit their website.