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Research is very
limited with regard to extended cycles at high doses, however. The
cessation of ergogenic effects seems to correlate to the end of the
"loading" phase. It is therefore suggested that an extended loading
phase may prolong the ergogenic effects. It is also important to cycle
off of the product for a prolonged period of time, due to the high dose
of the cycle and the potential for contaminants in the product.
Guidelines
An ideal cycle would
contain the following:
-
Duration of a
few weeks
-
An average dose
more equivocal to a "loading" phase than a "maintenance phase"
-
A larger dose
for potential responders who lack natural, dietary creatine
-
A smaller dose
for potential non-responders with a significant amount of existing
dietary creatine intake
-
A training
protocol that emphasizes all phases of muscular energetics to take
advantage of the ATP-CP, glycolytic, and oxidative effects of
creatine supplementation (HIIT is ideal for cardiovascular exercise
when supplementing creatine, due to the repeated bouts of high
intensity work)
-
A training
protocol that incorporates negatives in order to stimulate satellite
cell fusion, as per Dr. Hatfield's theory of holistic training
-
A training
protocol that emphasizes repeated bouts of work per the results of
creatine studies
-
A nutrition
protocol tailored to reduce post-workout cortisol levels, which
would involve a post-workout shake and possible glutamine
supplementation
-
A nutrition
protocol that takes advantage of carb-load (super compensation) near
the end of the cycle
From these
guidelines, the following cycle can be extrapolated.
Supplement Cycle
First, the cycle
will be short, only 4 weeks in duration. It will involve a rapid
"ramp-up" with a corresponding "ramp-down" of creatine and incorporate
glutamine supplementation.
Nutrition will be manipulated
to favor hypertrophy during the first 3 weeks, then take advantage of
super compensation and unloading for the final week.
-
First, determine
a baseline creatine dose.
-
For the average
individual, this is proposed to be 0.3 g / kg lean mass.
-
For vegetarians,
consider 0.4 g / kg lean mass.
-
For those with
predominant protein (35% of total calories or higher) in the diet,
and those who consume at least 1 portion of red meat daily, consider
0.2 g / kg lean mass.
-
A discussion of
glutamine is outside the scope of this article. The proposed dose is
0.3 g / kg lean mass.
An example
individual weighs 180 pounds at 12% body fat. Lean mass is determined to
be 158 pounds, or 72 kg. The individual has predominant protein in their
diet and consumes red meat frequently. Therefore, the baseline creatine
dose is computed to be 72 kg * 0.2 g / kg = 14 grams. Glutamine dose is
set at 72 kg * 0.3 g / kg = 22 grams.
Glutamine will be divided
into 3 doses: pre-workout, post-workout, and pre-bedtime. This equates
to 7 grams pre-workout, 7 grams post-workout, and 8 grams pre-bedtime.
Creatine will be
"ramped up". The first week will be 50% of the baseline. Second week is
100% of the baseline, and third week is 150% of the baseline. The
unloading week is 50% of the baseline. The creatine will be consumed
post-workout (75%) and pre-bedtime (25%). To summarize dosing:
Week 1:
Creatine: 5g
post-workout, 2g before bed.
Glutamine: 7g pre-workout, 7g post-workout, 8g before bed.
Week 2:
Creatine: 11g
post-workout, 3g before bed.
Glutamine: 7g pre-workout, 7g post-workout, 8g before bed.
Week 3:
Creatine: 16g
post-workout, 5g before bed.
Glutamine: 7g pre-workout, 7g post-workout, 8g before bed.
Week 4:
Creatine: 5g
post-workout, 2g before bed.
Glutamine: 7g pre-workout, 7g post-workout, 8g before bed.
Week 5:
All supplementation
ceases (cycle is complete).
Nutrition Cycle
As indicated
earlier, a post-workout shake is important to replenish intramuscular
glycogen and aid with recovery. It has been suggested by several studies
that a post-workout shake may decrease cortisol levels. While it has
also been noted that ingestion of food can lower
growth hormone levels, this
effect is minor compared to the potential benefits of a post-workout
shake. I recommend 50% of lean weight (pounds) in grams carbohydrate,
1/3 of carbohydrate in grams of protein, and ? protein in grams of fat.
For the test case, the post-workout shake would be:
Carbohydrate: 80
grams
Protein: 27 grams
Fat: 14 grams*
* Healthy,
unsaturated fats, or medium chain triglycerides
This equates to 544
kcal of energy. Post-workout shakes should be consumed immediately
subsequent to bouts of resistance training exercise.
The subject should
be in a hypo caloric state throughout the cycle (taking in more calories
than expended to induce muscle growth). This would preferably involve a
zigzag of calories, with higher calorie days coinciding with resistance
training. Protein intake should be considerable to accommodate increases
in muscle mass. Nutrition requirements vary widely from individual to
individual, so no example menu is provided.
One important factor
for consideration is the super compensation phase. After the third
(highest) week of the cycle, a period of low carbohydrate intake should
ensue. This period should last approximately three (3) days. The purpose
of this period is to deplete muscle glycogen stores. The third day will
consist of an "unloading" workout; a full-body regimen designed to fully
deplete intramuscular glycogen. Protein should be increased while
carbohydrate is reduced to maintain consistent overall caloric intake.
After the unloading workout, carbohydrate will be increased to 150% of
the original levels and protein reduced slightly to allow super
compensation. This period will last 2 days, and then the diet will
resume to normal.
If a typical intake
were 200 grams of protein and 200 grams of carbs, this would shift to
325 grams of protein and 75 grams of carbohydrate during the
carb-depletion phase (as an example). During the super compensation
phase, the subject would consume 100 grams of protein and 300 grams of
carbohydrate.
Training Cycle
In order to take
advantage of various systems of muscular energetics, a holistic approach
is recommended. This approach would involve a series of "mega-sets" (Dr.
Fred Hatfield's "Holistic sets" or "ABC training") designed to recruit a
broad spectrum of muscle fiber types for each muscle group. An example
mega-set for chest might be:
6 reps 90% intensity
- explosive
10 reps 70% intensity - moderate
40 reps 55% intensity - slow
Intensity is
expressed as a percentage of one rep max. If the subject can bench 200
pounds for a single rep, then the mega-set would be:
6 reps at 180 pounds
- explosive tempo (accelerate as quickly as possible)
10 reps at 140 pounds - steady tempo (1 second down, 1 second up)
40 reps at 110 pounds - slow tempo (3 seconds down, 2 seconds up).
The mega-set is
performed with minimal rest - only enough time to strip the weight
between mini-sets. After a mega-set, rest no more than 1 minute and
repeat the mega-set for a total of three (3) times. Note that these reps
are general guidelines. A person with predominantly slow-twitch
(endurance) fiber in their chest would have higher reps and may only
perform 2 sets, as opposed to another individual with explosive fiber in
their chest.
Holistic sets are
very taxing on the central nervous system. For this reason, a moderate
workout should be used to extend recovery while preventing atrophy. An
example schedule for this program:
Week 1
Monday - Chest/Back
(row) holistic
Tuesday - HIIT
exercise
Wednesday - Legs moderate
Thursday - HIIT exercise
Friday - Shoulders/Back (pull-down) holistic
Saturday - Moderate cardio
Sunday - ** rest **
Week 2
Monday - Chest/Back
moderate + triceps
Tuesday - HIIT
exercise
Wednesday - Legs holistic
Thursday - HIIT exercise
Friday - Shoulders/Back moderate + biceps + traps
Saturday - Moderate cardio
Sunday - ** rest **
Week 3
Monday - Chest/Back
(row) holistic
Tuesday - HIIT
exercise
Wednesday - Legs moderate
Thursday - HIIT exercise
Friday - Shoulders/Back (pull-down) holistic
Saturday - Moderate cardio
Sunday - ** rest ** (begin low carb phase)
Week 4
Monday - HIIT
exercise
Tuesday - Unload
routine (full body workout)
Wednesday - Moderate cardio (begin high carb phase)
Thursday - Moderate cardio
Friday - ** rest ** (return to normal diet)
Saturday - ** rest **
Sunday - ** rest - end of cycle **
The "unload routine"
should contain mostly multi-joint, compound movements, such as squats,
dead-lifts, bench press, clean and press, wide-grip pull-ups, and
bent-over rows. Multiple sets of higher reps (15 - 20) should be
performed in superset fashion with minimal rest. The final rest period
prior to the end of cycle will allow recovery while in a super
compensated state. This could lead to significant hypertrophy.
Creatine Supplementation -
Is It For You?
Creatine supplementation may provide you with
the results that you are looking for. No supplement can replace the
fundamental elements of a fit, healthy lifestyle. These include
sufficient rest and recovery, proper nutrition, and proper training
stimulus. Only when these factors exist and are optimized for your
specific body will you begin to see results such as reduction of body
fat and accumulation of muscle mass. When this occurs, supplementation
is a possible "next step" to increase your over all results.
Jeremy Likness
All About Creatine -
Part 1
All About Creatine - Part 2
Natural
Bodybuilding at its Finest - Lift for Life.com |
