Basketball Post Workout??

[Zach Strom]

Recently, I've been playing some ball after my workouts for 1-2 hours. My workout goals are to gain mass. Is this going to hurt my muscle recovery/building too much? I've heard that if I do play, I should intake protein (Which I would do normally anyways pw) right before I play. Should I limit my basketball to only a few days a week? I'm my calorie intake is higher because I know I'll burn it off with the cardio(ball). Anyone have experience with this? Working out 4-5 days a week now low rep/high intensity.

 

[ZiR RED]

Yes, get protein and carbohydrates in right after your workout. Yes increase caloric consumption

As to its impact on muscle gain: how intense is the game? Is it full court or half court? Are you running a lot of fast breaks or more of a set up offense?

 

[Zach Strom]

They're usually small, half-court games. 3on3. sometimes 4's but no more than that. It's a lot of man on man defense so I'd say the intensity is higher as a result. But we'll play a game to 11, sometimes 21, then take a small break. I'm usually in the paint for the most part. Question, would you leave a gap between the time I intake my protein/carbs and the time I play basketball? So say I complete my workout, take my supps/carbs, then wait 15-20 minutes? Or should I go immediately after taking them? I feel as though the longer I wait to play, the more and more catabolic I become

 

[ZiR RED]

Don't worry about catabolism with waiting to play, you just ate. Take whatever time you need to digest and feel good.

What you describe sounds very HIIT in nature, which if you are eating enough shouldn't have a noticably detrimental effect on gains.

 

[StayinHeavy]

Used to run full court games a few days a week after my workouts. Was. Good cardio but ended up with me either losing weight or staying even. I cut it down to only playing twice a week and upped my food intake a little more own those days, and it lead to me actually gaining more vascularity and getting cut. Helped a lot.

 

[Zach Strom]

Red, I noticed in other forums that it's a sort of HIIT training. I thought the duration of time I play is too long to be considered HIIT? Should I cut it down to only a few days a week? and if so, should I only increase my calorie intake for the days I'm playing? (Understand I've already increased it by 400 in due to my bulking phase

 

[ZiR RED]

HIIT is HIIT regardless of total duration. If its bouts of high intensity exercise separated by very low or active/passsive rest its HIIT.

Ultimately it will effect your gains, the degree to which it does is dependent on several factors, some of which you have control over, such as nutrition. Eat to cover your expenditure and then some....and if you notice that you are not making the progress you want to be making, then cut back on the court time.

 

[boogyman]

I play ball 2-3 times a week in the warm weather also, and have made gains while doing so. The one difference in my routine is I work out in early morning, and play ball around 3PM. Not sure if thats an option for you, but I prefer to split up my cardio and weight training anyhow. I make sure to eat extra on the days I do both, both in between workouts and ball, and afterwards for dinner.

 

[Zach Strom]

Should I only eat extra (extra on top of my already increase in cals for bulking) on the days I do both? Do you every just play ball too even during a bulk? Haha I wish I had the warm weather man. I'm in Northern Connecticut and we're about to get 2-3 feet of powder in the next few days. Temps drop to below freezing all week. I always try to keep my body temp higher though. Not sure if thermogenisis plays a part in that or not.

 

[ZiR RED]

Should I only eat extra (extra on top of my already increase in cals for bulking) on the days I do both? Do you every just play ball too even during a bulk? Haha I wish I had the warm weather man. I'm in Northern Connecticut and we're about to get 2-3 feet of powder in the next few days. Temps drop to below freezing all week. I always try to keep my body temp higher though. Not sure if thermogenisis plays a part in that or not.

Haha..I don't miss that. I'm from CT. Southeast area originally, and then lived for the past 4 years in Windsor. Where about are you?

Keep your calories pretty steady throughout the week. Trying to adjust day by day can be difficult, and often leave you underfed. Plus, you will still be using the energy to recover and adapt on off days.

Br

 

[boogyman]

Should I only eat extra (extra on top of my already increase in cals for bulking) on the days I do both? Do you every just play ball too even during a bulk? Haha I wish I had the warm weather man. I'm in Northern Connecticut and we're about to get 2-3 feet of powder in the next few days. Temps drop to below freezing all week. I always try to keep my body temp higher though. Not sure if thermogenisis plays a part in that or not.

I just eat a little more every day "in season". I do have a bit more carbs on days I play, some watered down gatorade before, during, and after, and usually a bananna before playing. I bulked while playing no problem