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Pre workout nutrition for early morning weight training!
Tue 18 Oct 2011
If like me your daily routine restricts gym sessions to first thing in the morning, this article may be of interest. I'm sure lots of you can relate to the challenge of getting yourself up and out of bed early, and into the gym first thing in the morning, often whilst the cleaners are still doing the rounds.
If this sounds familiar, then you'll also be aware of how beneficial it can be to have a pre-prepared, quick and easy breakfast solution to fuel early morning weight training sessions. When you have no choice but to be kitted up and on the way to the gym within 10 minutes of waking, preparing a big bowl of porridge or scrambled eggs on toast isn't an option, and if you don't want to be late for work, is best left to non training days.
This scenario is where whey protein powders and alike really come into their own, and when combined with a quick and easy carbohydrate source, a protein shake can provide the perfect solution to breakfast on the go. An often overlooked aspect of nutrition for muscle development and recovery is pre-workout protein consumption. Along with the 'post-workout window', it's important to provide your working muscles with a high quality protein source before lifting weights, to suitably prepare your muscles for microtrauma and promote an anabolic state.
My current shake of choice is Vulcan - a high performance whey protein and creatine formula. Not only does this include the crucial hit of top quality whey protein concentrate & isolate, it also provides advanced Kre-Alkalyn® creatine to accentuate muscle strength and volume, and Beta Alanine to enhance mental focus and motivation. Offered as a premium blend, this shake takes the hassle out of using individual supplements when time is of the essence, and ensures you arrive at the gym well-prepared for a tough weights session.
For my source of carbohydrate, I'll combine this with a banana or two when heading out the door, or on days where I have an extra couple of minutes, I'll have a big serving of jam on toast providing a quick release energy source to fuel my training and help drive the whey protein into muscle cells. OneOn Vulcan is the latest formula to have come out of our lab, and is well worth a look for those of you soon to be training in the dark as winter mornings approach.
Happy Training!
Andy
P.S. for some background reading on the timing of protein intake, check out this article.