For those of you who have asked me about Creatine

[johndecena]

Originally Posted by bluegreyhound

Hey john, this is an area I know little about. I bought some basic creatine monohydrate (REFLEX) that I intend to use when I start lifting heavy again. This will the first time I use the product. Say I cycle it for 6-8 weeks at a time with say 4 weeks non-use in between. That may mean it will last me say during a strength training block in my training, but when I come to doing RFD/plyometric training I will be off the creatine. What do you think? Ideally if I'm training RFD I want the benefits of creatine. Anyway, people seem to be having good results with this supplement so am quite excited to be using it (hopefully quite soon).

How long of a cycle of RFD were you considering? You may just want to continue through, THEN cycle off of it. I looked up your brand, it is a basic monohydrate, you will need to load it, I would say 5g four times a day, for a week, or 10g twice a day for a week. With monohydrate, you will need a "carrier", drink it with some type of juice. There are some other forms of creatine that do not need a carrier, and may perform better. That being said, this is the original form that was created by Ed Byrd, and was the standard for a long time. I know you will get results, especially since you have never tried any in the past. I myself cycle between Creatine Ethyl Esther and Creatine Gluconate.

[bluegreyhound]

Originally Posted by johndecena

How long of a cycle of RFD were you considering? You may just want to continue through, THEN cycle off of it. I looked up your brand, it is a basic monohydrate, you will need to load it, I would say 5g four times a day, for a week, or 10g twice a day for a week. With monohydrate, you will need a "carrier", drink it with some type of juice. There are some other forms of creatine that do not need a carrier, and may perform better. That being said, this is the original form that was created by Ed Byrd, and was the standard for a long time. I know you will get results, especially since you have never tried any in the past. I myself cycle between Creatine Ethyl Esther and Creatine Gluconate.

Short block. 3-4 weeks RFD focused (followed by another 3-4 weeks for dedicated plyos with some strength maintenance). I'll look up that SizeOn over here. Problem with the UK is that we doesn't always seem to stock the same stuff as the US. Off-topic: do you supplement Vitamin C? I am allergic to most fruits and feel I need quite a lot of slow release Vit C. I was wondering if the intake should increase significantly with intense exercise.

[johndecena]

Originally Posted by bluegreyhound

Short block. 3-4 weeks RFD focused (followed by another 3-4 weeks for dedicated plyos with some strength maintenance). I'll look up that SizeOn over here. Problem with the UK is that we doesn't always seem to stock the same stuff as the US. Off-topic: do you supplement Vitamin C? I am allergic to most fruits and feel I need quite a lot of slow release Vit C. I was wondering if the intake should increase significantly with intense exercise.

Yes, I do supplement Vitamin C, usually 1000 mg, buffered (time release). I personally do not increase my intake, I know some people do. I eat a lot of fruits, so, in turn, I do not need as much supplementation. You may want to go for 2 or 3 doses each day.

[johndecena]

You may just want to look for a product, from a reputable company, that is a base of either Creatine ethyl esther, or Creatine Gluconate. The creatine gluconate is a nice concept. When it splits into ions, you end up with the creatine, and glucose.

[a.j.ing]

Originally Posted by johndecena

I'm sure it would help to some degree. You just won't see marked results for about 2 weeks. What type were you considering? Not all are equal. Basically my rule of thumb is to take it for 6-8 weeks approximately. You may want to try L-Arginine alpha ketoglutarate. I'll start a new thread about it.

i have no idea what kind i would use, they sell creatine bars at a shopping centre near me but i dont know what type that would be. it would probably be cheaper to buy the powder from a health store or something so what kind would be best? would it help with vertical jump or would it make me bulky and slower?

[basketball4422]

I use bsn cell mass it that stuff any good

[johndecena]

Originally Posted by basketball4422

I use bsn cell mass it that stuff any good

Yes, very good brand, and it is creatine ethyl esther malate. It works with no carrier, so it just goes through the small intestine and into the blood stream.

[johndecena]

Originally Posted by a.j.ing

i have no idea what kind i would use, they sell creatine bars at a shopping centre near me but i dont know what type that would be. it would probably be cheaper to buy the powder from a health store or something so what kind would be best? would it help with vertical jump or would it make me bulky and slower?

See above... I'm not sure what brands you have available. Look for either creatine ethyl esther, or creatine gluconate. There are even brands, like Gaspari Nutrition SizeOn that have multiple sources of creatine.