Should i take bcaa's on cardio days?
- Thread starter kp2012
- Start date
rockme
Member
Pre cardio IMO is a good idea. Especially if your cardio is strenuous. This would help, but if it's low intensity, it may not be worth the time/money. I take 10 g bcaa preworkout with other stuff, but that's before hitting the iron
mr.cooper69
Legend
I think BCAAs pre-cardio are a horrible idea. If the point of your cardio is to burn calories, then what's the use in slugging down extra calories?
Take your BCAAs for your weight training sessions where they have potential to enhance performance and anabolism
Take your BCAAs for your weight training sessions where they have potential to enhance performance and anabolism
Young Gotti
Well-known member
def take bcaa's on cardio days....i sip them while i do cardio, the bcaas would give the same benefits for cardio days as weight days...especially if your doing HIIT cardio the way you should be
saggy321
Well-known member
Coop what do you think about taking them before a 10k run otherwise on an empty stomach? I don't want to eat and 10k totally empty is somewhat difficult and may lead to some muscle loss. Would BCAAs be helpful here?
alwaysfirst
Banned
Good question, when I do cardio I always go hight intensity also.
laneanders
Active member
Drink some Compete before you run, not a BCAA product, but will have substantial benefits in the stead of a BCAA product.
Young Gotti
Well-known member
i agree...but i'd like to sip it during the cardio, thats just me...2 scoops for a hard cardio session will add a lot of benefits and i dont' think the 20 calories are going to be detrimental to anyone
xR1pp3Rx
Legend
I was thinking potassium nitrates...
Young Gotti
Well-known member
depends on your type of cardio....but PN might give ppl crazy pumps which may be uncomfortable during long or intense cardio sessions
pyrobatt
Well-known member
Agreed. Why do people forget about muscle memory? Get so caught up in not losing muscle they forget about the main goal.
xR1pp3Rx
Legend
ive yet to get that severe of a pump when not lifting.. and the endurance benefits far outweigh the mild pump I would get from running. that's my own experience though.. maybe someone else has had a different outcome with aerobics. now lifting tho... that's a whole different story.
pyrobatt
Well-known member
I prefer anabolic cardio. Farmers walk ,high rep bodyweight lunges, jump rope,boxing *combos* high jumps,burpees ect ect so I can reap both benefits
Young Gotti
Well-known member
i've gotten painful calve pumps from running before....but i dont' run anymore, however if someone does HIIT cardio their legs are going to swell up similar to a leg training session....again why BCAA or Compete would be extremely useful
if you listen to layne norton talk about it on his one podcast....LISS cardio has shown to decrease muscle mass and HIIT could actually increase the mass in your legs.....so it only makes sense to add bcaas or a drink like compete for cardio
RecompMan
Well-known member
xR1pp3Rx
Legend
its those tiny calves of yours .... :dance:
The Solution
Legend
This.. or spaced between meals 4-6 hours apart...
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rockme
Member
Hmmm.... never realized BCAA's had caloric value. I always thought they were a non-caloric, muscle sparing supp. Good to know. Do you think it's ok to take them with preworkout supps like citrulline malate, agmatine, caffeine, etc. I take them all at once, and now I'm wondering if I should omit the BCAA since these other supps work better on an empty stomach... 15 years hitting the iron and still learning : )
pyrobatt
Well-known member
More due to insulin but even gel caps have calories. You aren't allowed to list calories on amino acids either. As per fda requirements.
RecompMan
Well-known member
I've seen no difference with using them as I like which is 10g every few hours.
Results have been nothing but stellar in muscle retention and fat loss. I find them extremely beneficial
The Solution
Legend
Correct. Also always taking amino's never allows protein levels to reach refractory stages before being spiked again. Therefore protein levels are constantly elevated, where Muscle Protein Synthesis has been shown superior with larger meals spaced out further apart with small 5g Leucine doses between those meals (4-6 hours apart) per the podcast and Layne's research.
Aminos are 1g of protein per 1g of BCAA (free forms of protein) as stated above the FDA does not count them since they are so small.
RecompMan
Well-known member
Every 3 hours or so id take them and always 4 -5 hours after a meal
The Solution
Legend
so you eat around 3-4x a day?
RecompMan
Well-known member
Twice
The Solution
Legend
Hows that working for you?
have you tried this for both cutting and bulking?
Train Fasted?
RecompMan
Well-known member
The Solution
Legend
Get a decent BCAA supp
Driven2lift
Legend
Agreed, and if I could give my top recommendations I would suggest you try USP BCAA+ or Cellucor BCAA's. both are fantastic products. BCAA+ has a great 8:1:1 ratio and Leucine reigns supreme of the 3, along with EAA's and electrolytes.
Cellucor's offers some extra AA's for workout endurance and although the Leucine content is lower in comparison it has a good amount of HICA in each scoop, which will be great fir maintaining muscle mass.
The Solution
Legend
Agreed
Scivation Xtend
Core ABC are also top products.
Eager to see PES release their amino.
The Solution
Legend
agree, and i know Cyrus will nail the flavoring. So i am going to be waiting to see what is released.
RecompMan
Well-known member
Get into my log bro.
The Solution
Legend
I read over it
jbryand101b
Banned
If your goal is just pure weight loss, "burning calories" is probably in your best interest .
If your goal I specifically fat loss, and preventing muscle catabolism
The type of cardio, how much, and type of calories used, is going to change.
If your goal I specifically fat loss, and preventing muscle catabolism
The type of cardio, how much, and type of calories used, is going to change.
jbryand101b
Banned
Who cares about calories, I care about fat loss, and not causing a spike in insulin.
Bcaas will do this better than gels, goos, or Gatorade type sports drinks.
pyrobatt
Well-known member
Bcaas cause an insulin spike.
RecompMan
Well-known member
In presence of glucose and it's mainly leucine
jbryand101b
Banned
It's a different response.
pyrobatt
Well-known member
Couple of studies point at bcaas causing a spike *due to caloric content amongst other things. * even while fasted.
jbryand101b
Banned
This person sums it up nicely:
"The difference comes with the type of Insulin response. BCAA's will stimulate acute Insulin response from the turning on or beginning of protein synthesis. Unlike a heavy carbohydrate or carbohydrate + protein meal, BCAA's will not cause a lasting Insulin response. When you ingest Glucose, for instance, the Insulin response is both acute and long-lasting, as there is an initial response by the Pancreas and then a continual response to the blood until the blood Glucose gets back to a normal. Now, it's a lot more complicated than this and obviously depending what is consumed can greatly change this response, but the latter, chronic Insulin release is why the typical metabolically deranged person will develop Type II Diabetes and other issues.
To answer your specific question, I think BCAA's before "fasted" cardio is an interesting debate. I think the arguments can be made on both sides, both on the "inhibits fat burning" and "spares muscle tissue" side of the fence. In my opinion, I am a big fan of the use of BCAA's, but I do agree that Physiologically it DOES inhibit some metabolizing of stored fatty acids. Here's my implementation...
If I'm someone with a great deal of muscle mass and I'm concerned about preserving this, I'd tend to use the BCAA's and just be content with even 25% of my fat burning ability.
If I'm someone with a great deal of fat to lose, you have to accept that much of your "functional muscle" you develop just to support the excess fat is going to be lost while burning fat. If fat loss is your goal, roll with that, don't worry about BCAA's and just do straight up fasted cardio.
Everyone should be using BCAA's in supplement form or those found in Whey Protein (or both together) post-workout. No doubt about that."
"The difference comes with the type of Insulin response. BCAA's will stimulate acute Insulin response from the turning on or beginning of protein synthesis. Unlike a heavy carbohydrate or carbohydrate + protein meal, BCAA's will not cause a lasting Insulin response. When you ingest Glucose, for instance, the Insulin response is both acute and long-lasting, as there is an initial response by the Pancreas and then a continual response to the blood until the blood Glucose gets back to a normal. Now, it's a lot more complicated than this and obviously depending what is consumed can greatly change this response, but the latter, chronic Insulin release is why the typical metabolically deranged person will develop Type II Diabetes and other issues.
To answer your specific question, I think BCAA's before "fasted" cardio is an interesting debate. I think the arguments can be made on both sides, both on the "inhibits fat burning" and "spares muscle tissue" side of the fence. In my opinion, I am a big fan of the use of BCAA's, but I do agree that Physiologically it DOES inhibit some metabolizing of stored fatty acids. Here's my implementation...
If I'm someone with a great deal of muscle mass and I'm concerned about preserving this, I'd tend to use the BCAA's and just be content with even 25% of my fat burning ability.
If I'm someone with a great deal of fat to lose, you have to accept that much of your "functional muscle" you develop just to support the excess fat is going to be lost while burning fat. If fat loss is your goal, roll with that, don't worry about BCAA's and just do straight up fasted cardio.
Everyone should be using BCAA's in supplement form or those found in Whey Protein (or both together) post-workout. No doubt about that."
PumpAddict69
New member
BCAA can be used as a fuel source like carbs and will prevent your body from efficiently burning fat.
Ben Pakulski answered this exact question and says morning cardio should be done completely fasted for the above reason. I'm inclined to believe him. He's one of the smarter ifbb pros.
Ben Pakulski answered this exact question and says morning cardio should be done completely fasted for the above reason. I'm inclined to believe him. He's one of the smarter ifbb pros.
RecompMan
Well-known member
I've been recomping really well sitting very lean and never train fasted without bcaas. A nice run, that I won't use them for.
jbryand101b
Banned
No they won't.