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Competitive Edge: How to Supplement Right on CrossFit
If you’re a dedicated CrossFit practitioner, then you probably already know how important it is to keep your body performing at the top of its game. CrossFit is more of a lifestyle than just a demanding workout. So that makes it all the more necessary to supplement and supplement right while implementing your exercise plan. Not to mention, feeding your body the right tonic might just give you the perfect competitive edge. This means a supplementing regimen that is entirely different from the usual whey protein route most bodybuilders take. CrossFit not only tests strength but also endurance, agility, speed, and power. Here are some crucial supplements for athletes and how to take them while on a CrossFit training program:
1. Creatine Monohydrate: Creatine is an all-natural supplement used to enhance athletic performance. It is a popular choice among professional athletes and gym enthusiasts. Creatine helps create extra reserves of phosphocreatine in the body, which are used to form adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the key ingredient for energy creation and cell function. During high-intensity exercise, the body needs more ATP than it burns for energy, which is why creatine monohydrate powder is so important particularly for CrossFit. Besides this, it also aids in the building of muscle mass and even helps to fight a number of neurological diseases.
Suggested Use: Try a slow load of about 5g a day so as to not rapidly put on weight. Increase to about 20g a day for about 7 days if a fast load is required.
2. Beta-Alanine: Another top pick of fitness freaks, beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning it is not used by the body to synthesize proteins. Instead, it helps the body create carnosine, a substance stored in the skeletal muscles to help reduce lactic acid build-up during exercise and thus improve athletic performance. It aids in muscle endurance and reduces recovery time from muscle soreness, a common condition among CrossFitters.
Suggested Use: About 3-6g per day for a period of 28 days is what’s usually recommended. However, if you are prone to experiencing tingling, a known side effect of beta-alanine, try splitting the dose into smaller servings throughout the day. If side effects continue, discontinue use immediately.
3. Fish Oil: Nobody hates soreness and muscle aches more than gym-goers, which is why when it comes to attending your regular workouts, getting back on your feet as soon as possible is an absolute necessity. Luckily, fish oil is a great source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, an Essential Fatty Acid that can help prevent DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), and effectively curtail muscle damage especially during resistance training. It is among the most preferred natural muscle recovery supplements.
Suggested Use: Take about 2 capsules a day with a meal containing some fat for better absorption.
4. BCAAs: Besides being incredibly tasty for a supplement, Branched-Chain Amino Acids are very helpful in muscle recovery and CrossFit health. Of the three main types of BCAAs, leucine is perhaps the hardest working. By encouraging protein synthesis and preventing protein breakdown, BCAAs help to keep your muscles functioning like a well-oiled machine.
Suggested Use: Take about 6-10g before or during your workout, and keep an eye out for products containing a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine: isoleucine: valine for extra leucine power.
5. Protein Powder: Good old protein powder has been tried and trusted by athletes all over the world for decades. Whey is a by-product of milk, and a 100% natural source of protein. Vegetarians and athletes with multiple workouts planned for the day consider whey protein supplements a god-send for muscle recovery.
Suggested Use: Take 20-30g immediately post-workout for fast muscle recovery.
CrossFit is a demanding workout and can be brutal for the body if one does not supplement right and allow for safe muscle-building. Lucky for you, HerbsDaily offers the finest selection of supplements for CrossFit that aid in quick muscle recovery and enhanced athletic performance. Be it gaining extra confidence with a perfect CrossFit body, or just some natural pick-me-ups after your CrossFit workout of the day, HerbsDaily has got you covered.
