Hey,
I'm new to the whole supplement thing, so I'm not really all that informed yet. Hoping you guys could help me out.

I want to give creatine a try and I figure some whey Protein wouldn't hurt either. So I came up with these two

- http://www.directconnectnutrition.c...860f51679a4870a

- http://www.directconnectnutrition.c...860f51679a4870a

Do these two sound ok? I'm open to suggestions, if you do have a suggestion, a name of a respectible site that carries that product would be welcome.

My questions are;
When should I take them? In the morning and once I get home from school? Or right befor and right after the workout? (I can't drink it during) And what about the Protein? When is the optimum time to take that aswell?
My workouts generally are a 50 min weight room session or a 50 min cardio session, and than about a half an hour untill Football practice starts. Which lasts for about 2 hours. I also work out quite a bit at home, but no set schedule. The Weight Room and the Cardio sessions alternate every other day, with one exception. One day we do sessions, in a one 1:45
hour(s) session with both.

And Concerning the protein part of this, I heard you suppose to take 1 or 1.5 grams of protein for every pound you weigh. Is this just for the average guy, or lifters looking to put on muscle mass?
And since I still eat family dinners and such is it possible to just take my average protein intake and figure out how much more I need and take that every day?

Would taking a bit too much protein be a bad thing? or would it just get washed out of your system?

I've also heard that creatine stores up water in your body to help with the recovery. Which may result in the face looking chubby etc.... is there any way around this?

I've also heard people talk about taking creatine for a month or so, and than not being on it for a while. Whats the benefit of this, if any?

According to the description of the plasamov I should take 1-2 servings of it a day, a serving being a scoop.... Should I change this at all based upon my weight? Same goes for the protein.

And the last question is....
Can someone someone please give me the basics concerning "Cycles" and there affiliation with creatine. I keep hearing it being discussed. And I can sort of guess what it means, but a actual description would be nice.

Thanks for the replies.
If any of my questions or descriptions don't make sense or something just ask and I would be happy to rephrase them, I'm sort of busy at the moment. So I'm not sure if my writing is legible or not.

Those are great. I just got my SportLab whey yesterday and the vanilla cream is very good.... easy to mix as well. Quote: My questions are; When should I take them? In the morning and once I get home from school? Or right befor and right after the workout? (I can't drink it during) And what about the Protein? When is the optimum time to take that aswell? Protein: Take it post workout with water. If you want to take it any other time of day, take 1 scoop only in water, with some type of oil. creatine Creatine: Same for your creatine. Take 5 grams right after you workout. You can dump 5 grams in your protein shake without any problems. Quote: And Concerning the protein part of this, I heard you suppose to take 1 or 1.5 grams of protein for every pound you weigh. Is this just for the average guy, or lifters looking to put on muscle mass? That is correct. But what a whey shake has over most foods is its fast absorbtion. It will get in your system and begin repairing muscle much faster than solid protein foods. So thats why whey is ideal to take right after you workout. Quote: Would taking a bit too much protein be a bad thing? or would it just get washed out of your system? Bot a bad thing, just make sure you're drinking plenty of water. Quote: I've also heard that creatine stores up water in your body to help with the recovery. Which may result in the face looking chubby etc.... is there any way around this? You can take a diuretic, but that defeats the purpose of creatine. Most creatine bloat is overrated. It will bloat you somewhat (depending from person to person) but in some people its not even noticable. I wouldnt worry about it..... Quote: I've also heard people talk about taking creatine for a month or so, and than not being on it for a while. Whats the benefit of this, if any? Theres a big debate on whether you should cycle it. I do. I cycle every supplement but my protein just so my body dosnt get used to it from a constant outside flow. I find its more potent if I cycle it. I go 6 months on, and 2 weeks off, 6 months on, etc. Quote: According to the description of the plasamov I should take 1-2 servings of it a day, a serving being a scoop.... Should I change this at all based upon my weight? Same goes for the protein. No, follow the instructions for the ideal results. Cant go wrong.... Quote: Thanks for the replies. If any of my questions or descriptions don't make sense or something just ask and I would be happy to rephrase them, I'm sort of busy at the moment. So I'm not sure if my writing is legible or not. Thats what we're here for brother, to help out....

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Thanks for the quick response. It really helped. Another side question, do you think after football it would be worth taking another shake of the protein and/or Plasamov? Or would it be too soon, or unnecesary? Thanks

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YJ is right on the money. Ill try and add some things if I can. As far as the PlasmaVol, 1 serving is equal to 3 scoops (As per the directions on the bucket). Personally, since I am cutting up, I only use 2 scoops post workout mixed with 500 ml's of water. About 5-10 minutes after that, I take my protein shake. When not cutting, I end up taking 6 scoops total per day of the PlasmaVol. 2 scoops (always mix 2 scoops with 500 ml's of water for best taste and concentration) about 15-25 minutes before my workout, 2 scoops during my workout and finally the 2 scoops right after the workout. Hope that helps. Biggie

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You can have another shake after football if you'd like. Wont hurt anything, but dont replace what normally would be a meal with a shake. Biggie gave great advice on taking some during your workout, something I skipped over....

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Quote: Remember, Protein and the Plasmavol are very different. PlasmaVol is really meant to replenish your glycogen storages after heavy training or activity like Football for instance. The bonus is that it includes creatine, l-glutamine and ala. Your Protein is meant to feed your muscles its fuel to grow. This is especially necessary after a hard workout or strenuous activity. So having those 2 differences in mind, both are great for post workout or after football like you mentioned. Just make sure to take the PlasmaVol first before the protein. Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4   Bodybuilding » Bodybuilding discussion forums » Discussions about other sports