On vacation last week. Only made it to the gym at the hotel once(Wednesday), with nothing but a smith machine, a few dumbells (50lb max) and about a half-dozen other isolation machines. All that meant I was pretty restricted in what I could do. Got in some squats and bench presses on the smith (felt very wierd), did some standing overhead presses with the dumbells (50s) and some lat pulldowns to finish it off. Other than that I was laying around on the beach drinking fruity rum drinks and smoking loads of cigars.

Started my workout routine up again yesterday with a spin class - I'm actually starting to enjoy those. I must be sick. Lifting tomorrow morning.

Yeah ... you'd better be lifting tomorrow. Watch out for the medicine balls, though. :-) (I know ... you're not me. :-))

Don't worry. I'll keep my eye out for stray medicine balls.

Had to miss today due to work, back @ it with a hard legs day tomorrow.

Been meaning to ask, do you guys take creatine on off days as well as lifting days?

Half my regular dose, Jim. :-)

Yeah ... that was MY problem! :-)

What's an "off day"? :-) :-)

I need to be more disciplined about this. When I have a cardio-only day and I'm at home, about 50% of the time, I'll remember to take some (6g is my usual dose; but I combine it with 5g of beta alanine, which studies show has a synergistic effect). The other 50% of cardio days, I just forget. And if I'm traveling, it just doesn't happen....

I've been doin about that for off days. But didn't take anything the last weekend
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That's how I am, Jim -- it often escapes me on the weekends.



Back from a light support day. Just wanted to get the blood flowing to the muscles to help them recover faster. Did some v-bar and rope press downs, over head rope extensions, JM presses, t-bar rows, land mines, pull-down abs, rope crunches, and medicine ball word. Also got on the bench and practiced my arch/form/etc. -- just wanted to be sure I had the right groove for my bench attempt(s) tomorrow. Did a little bit of cardio at the end to wrap things up.

Tomorrow is my big day. I still don't have a spotter; but I'll find one. 175 would be a PR. 185 is the goal. Anything beyond is gravy. :-)

Back day today. Highlights:

Cable Low Row
180x5 3 sets

High Row - Hammer Str machine, plate loaded
115x5 3 sets

Bent-over bar row
155x5 3 sets

Threw in some 21s to finish it off
45
65 - too much after everything else, had to rest before the full curls
55

I'm not sure how huge of a deal it is. I know i've read you have to be off creatine for like a month to need another loading phase (even though some think you don't need one at all) and also read that any more than 2g or so at a time is just pissed away, quite literally. This is interesting considering the listed dose is 10g a day.

article is here: http://www.wannabebig.com/supplement...sing-schedule/

edit: I'm sure other articles can be found stating differently, but this is just one I found.

yup. that's why my maintenance dose is 5-6 ... seems to be the median number in all the different articles I've read. I'll do more sometimes (like right now, I'm on 10-20 a day) even though I know I'm pissing some away (literally) just to get every last drop my body can process.

I dunno about this creatine stuff. I am getting good gains on all my lifts right now with just protein after working out. I guess I would just think it unnecessary unless you are stuck on a plateau.

Well the way I understand it is lifting with creatine takes you to a certain level. If you cycle, when your cycle ends you will probably drop down a few levels. However, this lower level after you stop will still be higher than if you weren't to take creatine at all.



And Dokk, makes sense that since you don't know exactly @ what point your body is unable to take in more creatine, taking a bit more than needed can't hurt.

How much beef do you eat, Pete?

Yes. That.

And ... for some old pharts like me whose joints aren't as good as they used to be, creatine has a slight lubricating effect. Furthermore, beyond helping with mass, creatine aids in recovery, cutting down your recovery time and making it easier to hit it hard sooner.

Recovery is the main reason I take it. :-)

Now that I'm taking regular ole monohydrate, I need to stop buying those little gatorades and just buy a big ass jug of the powder like suggested......damn things get expensive.

I usually have beef once a week or so. I eat a lot of turkey, chicken and fish. I also get bison from my grocery store. I get about 180-220g of protein a day with all my meals. Bit more on days when I lift, as I don't have the shake on off days.

The only supplement I take is whey protein. I have taken creatine back in high school, and I like it, but I haven't tried it since.

Was a link to a good article about casein protein vs whey a few pages back in this thread. Think this was the article. Worth a read, but the basic point of the article was that a mix of both whey, which is fast absorbed but not long lasting and casein, which is slower in absobtion but lasts longer, is the best way to go.

I read in an article of last years men's fitness that casein would be good to take before bed because it burns slowly, so your body doesn't eat the muscles during the night. I just never got around to buying any, lol