Importance
Workouts that last longer than an hour especially deplete muscle glycogen stores. Think of your muscle glycogen basically as your fuel source for your muscles. Intense exercise not only depletes muscle glycogen, but also breaks down muscle tissue and raises cortisol levels. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone released in response to stress that attempts to raise blood sugar levels. In order for you to recover properly, you must replenish your glycogen and shift your body from a catabolic (muscle breakdown) state to an anabolic (muscle building environment) state.
Moment
There is a small window after training where your muscles are primed to absorb nutrients. Studies have shown that this window closes after 1-2 hours. The first part of post-workout nutrition is taking a recovery shake right after your workout. For best results, you want to get this shake within 15 to 30 minutes of finishing your workout. The reasoning behind this is that you want your body to be in that catabolic (muscle breakdown) state for as little time as possible. With a proper recovery shake, you can shift your body from a catabolic to an anabolic state to replenish muscle glycogen and stimulate protein synthesis. After taking a post-workout shake you will want to eat a well-balanced meal approximately 1-2 hours later. This will add much-needed nutrients and extra calories.
nutrients
The composition of your post-workout shake is especially important. Many combat athletes make the mistake of taking what the average gym rat uses to pump iron. They often consume an extraordinary amount of protein with very few, if any, carbohydrates. What combat athletes should take is a well-balanced recovery shake in a ratio of 3 carbs to 1 protein.
The type of carbohydrates and proteins are also important. In order to convert your body from a catabolic to an anabolic state, you need to increase your insulin and replenish your muscle glycogen. The two best carbohydrates out there are dextrose and maltodextrin. Dextrose has a glycemic index of 100 and the same composition as blood glucose. This will go directly to your muscles, boosting the nutrients to start protein synthesis. Malodextrin is a slightly slower digesting carbohydrate that gives you a timed release of blood glucose to further replenish muscle glycogen.
The second important macronutrient is the proper types of protein. You want a sustained release of amino acids from high-quality sources like whey protein and micellar casein to rebuild damaged tissue and make it stronger. Whey is the fast digesting component that will be your protein synthesis while Micellar Casein will give you that sustained release. Studies have shown that adding casein in addition to whey is beneficial for muscle growth and recovery.
Rehydration is also critical to your recovery. You want to make sure that not only sodium and potassium are replaced, but also magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous. The longer your body remains dehydrated, the longer it will take to recover. Our recovery shakes use a precise blend of minerals that are the same electrolytes that are lost through sweat.
Drinking a post-workout shake that is fortified with L-Glutamine can be beneficial for your recovery. L-Glutamine has long been used in the endurance community that can help boost your immune system and prevent overtraining. Vitamin C and Vitamin E are also important in fighting free radicals and combating the effects of overtraining.
Long-term health considerations
Long-term health should also be at the forefront of any athlete. You don’t want to sacrifice your long-term health for immediate benefit. It is important that your shake does not have artificial flavors, artificial colors, or artificial sweeteners. Make sure your shake does not contain acesulfame potassium, sucralose, or any other common artificial sweeteners. A good practice is that if they don’t list the ingredient or have a multi-string word for an ingredient, it’s probably contrived and should be taken with a grain of salt. Proprietary ingredients should also be avoided. Do you do your research on your products and make sure your recovery shake is scientifically based and safe to use? Our products are 100% science-based and 100% natural. Also, our products are manufactured in a registered facility which ensures that there is no contamination in our products.
