If you’re really serious about getting in shape, then you’re going to have to be doing more than just hitting the gym. Intense exercise puts your body through the ringer, and when you stagger away after your workout regimen, that’s when your muscles get to start the rebuilding process.
And that takes certain nutrients.
Unfortunately, if those nutrients are not readily available, your body just has to make do. That means muscle fatigue. That means soreness. That means extended recovery times. Essentially, it means less time improving your physique, and more time waiting for your muscles to get back up to snuff (so you can get to work destroying them again). This is where post-workout supplements come in. Post-workout supplements give your body the fuel it needs to recover quicker and more easily.
This is especially important in endurance training.
Most people can exert themselves for short durations, but in order to deliver muscle force over a sustained period of time, that takes endurance. Endurance training (such as running, swimming, or biking) operates within the aerobic system, meaning that it relies heavily on oxygen to meet energy needs via aerobic metabolism. Endurance exercise is usually lower-impact than some other forms of training, as it focuses on extending muscle stamina rather than directly improving muscle strength.
To promote these goals, you need post-workout recovery supplements that help your body repair itself as quickly as possible — especially of you plan on training more than once per day. Here are the top post-workout supplements for endurance athletes.
Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolate
Protein is the key building block for human tissue, and that includes muscle tissue. In terms of endurance, following a training session with an effective whey protein supplement (usually in the form of a powder-based protein shake, although some whey protein options also come in capsules) can help reduce force-loss recovery time. Higher-quality protein, such as the Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolate found in Progenex Recovery, allows the body to put the protein to work immediately, bypassing the digestive process. That means more endurance gains over a shorter period of time.
Casein Protein
Casein protein is a recovery supplement that is absorbed more slowly than whey protein. This slower absorption rate means that endurance athletes will have fuel for sustained muscle repair over the space of several hours. Ingesting single servings of casein protein (with Progenex Cocoon) every night before bed can help boost recovery throughout the night, and help you feel ready for more endurance training in the morning. Casein is also ideal as a pre-endurance workouts supplement.
BCAAs
A protein recovery supplement can give your body the materials it needs to rebuild your muscle tissue after a long endurance training session. But to improve how effectively your body is using that protein, consider post-workout recovery supplements that include BCAAs. BCAA stands for “branched-chain amino acid,” which have been shown to not only boost muscle protein synthesis (an invaluable process by which our bodies replace protein burned as fuel during the workout), but also helps enhance endurance performance, delay muscle fatigue, and prevent muscle loss during long-duration training. The BCAAs contained in Progenex Recovery reach the bloodstream faster than from other protein sources. BCAA peptides are also found in Progenex Force pre-workout product.
Beta Alanine
Beta alanine is essential as a pre-workout supplement in that it can increase resistance to fatigue, but it’s also useful where post-workout recovery supplements are concerned. Beta Alanine has been shown to directly increase the concentration of carnosine in muscle cells, leading to improved muscle gains, and helping retain those gains between long endurance training sessions. Beta Alanine is a key component in Progenex Force pre-workout product.
Glutamine
Glutamine is one of the most important post-workout supplements you can take. This is because when you perform endurance training, you’re straining your body to its natural capacity (or beyond). This affects not only muscles and joints, but also your immune system. Glutamine is a primary source of fuel for your immune system. Unfortunately, endurance exercise has a tendency to burn up glutamine stores, which can leave your immune system vulnerable. Following up endurance training with this particular recovery supplement can help ensure continued health while you increase your stamina. Additionally, Glutamine may also help boost protein synthesis. Progenex Recovery and More Muscle both contain high-levels of Glutamine and are terrific to take post-workout.
Endurance athletes should also increase their carbohydrate consumption post workout, as well as focus on ingesting electrolytes and other minerals lost through sweat. Additionally, probiotics, medium-chain, triglycerides, and vitamins A and C have all been shown to reduce recovery time.
There’s no denying that endurance training can take a lot out of you — namely the nutrients your body needs to repair itself. The good news is that as long as you make sure to put those nutrients back into your system, you can enjoy better gains, reduced soreness, and a faster route to recovery. Post-workout supplements can help you end your endurance training sessions on a high note, and get back into training faster than you ever thought possible.
