Anyone else use creatine?

backwoods_lex · 10-05-08, 11:24

I'm a tall thin guy and hard gainer by nature. A few years ago I decided to try creatine and protein supplements. Wow. It seems like just a few days on creatine and my muscles swell so much. It's really a day and night difference. Two weeks with regular workouts with creatine and it looks like I've been in the gym doing solid workouts for months. Funny thing is that the creatine doesn't actually add weight. Anyone else have good luck with creatine or any other supplements?

ricka · 10-06-08, 04:14

I used creatine for a while. The muscle increase you see is mostly from the muscles retaining water. It does give you a better workout but you must drink lots of liquids during the regime or you'll cramp up badly. Creatine won't hurt you as its naturally produced by the body but drink consistently or pay the price.

Twista616 · 10-06-08, 05:12

its really just a quick fix IMO...i used it for a month or so...got pretty big, but not the big i wanted. All it did was make you look swollen. I wanted to be more cut. I just stick with protein now...much more natural...also, despite being on creatine, you should be drinking plenty of water no matter what! get ready for alot of opinions on this topic!

dogma · 10-06-08, 05:29

If your a hard gainer try a product called Myozene. Look it up on prosource.
Creatine works but there is a new kid in town betalanine. The combo of creatine and betalaine is the best for natural BB. The best BA product is called Intraxcell by athletic edge. I have been training since I was 16. I have tried everything natural ever made. I am 49 and still bench over 400 consistantly. If I could give 1 piece of advice is be consistant with training and make sure you take in 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. example for me 265 lbs 265 grams of protein minimum.

Accumulator · 10-06-08, 10:54

I've been using creatine since the early '90s. Works great for me. No water-retention-look, no cramping, no negatives at all. I might be unusual, but I could be a poster-child for the stuff.

I used to cycle off it but that diminished my performance (especially my cardio performance, which really surprised me) so much that I just stay on all the time now (for the last 5 years or so). I take multiple small doses instead of the usual large ones (in keeping with what I've read about the possibility of receptor downgrading).

FWIW, I've known elderly people who *really* benefited from it, which is in keeping with studies on everything from brain function to heart health. Creatine is probably the most well-studied supplement in history, there are reams of (properly conducted) studies you can reference. It's even used in in the veterinary field.

dogma- glad to hear I'm not the only guy here in his late 40s who's still staying in shape

That's one helluva bench you have there

dogma · 10-06-08, 02:29

Thanks, I could always bench a ton. I have a full gym in my basement. I train m-f 2am it's the only time I have.

JasonC8301 · 10-06-08, 05:20

I used to take creatine for about 3 months and it worked in terms of adding bulk but really slowed me down in my runtime (possibly due to my arm swings and leg motion got impeded by uhm, the bigger muscles, haha.) San V-12 turbo worked for me and the folks at the gym were shocked I got so "swoll or swool" LOL. I tried BSN Cellmass and that didn't work quite as well as the San V-12 turbo. I took BSN NO-Xplode as a pre-workout drink during both the San and BSN creatine products. Figure go hard or go home. When I went off of it, the size shrunk. A temporary fix.

I took protein on and off for a year and it helps with recovery but was rather expensive.

These past 6 months (took a year break due to school and work) I have reverted back to eating regular foods with my pre-work out meal being a original powerbar and a 1/2L of water. I have been following the 300/Sparta workouts along with other routines and exercises I learned these past few years and I am in the best shape of my life (in terms of my goals.) I am a little on the short side at 5'6 and weigh in at 150 but I don't want to be huge or stick thin, more of a MMA fighter/Spartan concept of being lean and high endurance with the ability for massive amounts of strength upclose similar to Bruce Lee's 1 inch punch.

Its all about what you want and by the sound of it you want to get swollen so continue the creatine/protein and maybe add a pre-workout energy drink (like nitrous for you car, heavy on the B12 and B6 I think.)

Anyway, Best of luck to you and there is some good advice above, especially that old codger named Accumulator.

Jason

holland_patrick · 10-06-08, 07:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogma

If your a hard gainer try a product called Myozene. Look it up on prosource.
Creatine works but there is a new kid in town betalanine. The combo of creatine and betalaine is the best for natural BB. The best BA product is called Intraxcell by athletic edge. I have been training since I was 16. I have tried everything natural ever made. I am 49 and still bench over 400 consistantly. If I could give 1 piece of advice is be consistant with training and make sure you take in 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. example for me 265 lbs 265 grams of protein minimum.

Yes the dog is built like a brick *^)^house

backwoods_lex · 10-06-08, 09:01

Wow--great tips guys. I really appreciate the feedback and product information. I also take whey protein (when I have the cash) and that helps me actually gain weight. I think that one of the biggest issues (besides my genes) would be my workout routine. I've really got to do some research on that one.

On a side note, creatine absolutely makes me want to hurl when I take the full dosage before a workout. I dread drinking my protein shake with creatine more than I do tearing all of that muscle tissue in the gym. It was good when I first tried it, but the same thing over and over--blah.

And a funny thing is that no matter if I work out and get cut or miss a few and look flabby I always seem to be in the same weight range (+-2 pounds or so). My genes are crazy and I plan on adopting

.

Showroom Shine · 10-07-08, 04:41

"Been there done That" I used anything I thought would put a few extra pounds on me ,except the illegal stuff. I too am tall and lean. I use to compete in amateur
bodybuilding shows. Back in the day creatine was pretty good. In todays advanced world the sup market has changed drastically. I would suggest looking into Beverly Products. I think they are one of the Top companys for the Natural Guys. You have to eat. After 20 plus years of being a down right Nut about the sport and getting BIG, I realized that I did not eat enough. I did all the correct training and sups, but I did not consume enough food. I have a Very high metabolism. Now at 51 I workout maybe 3 times a week to maintain the 6 pack on my skinny cut frame. But I'm not complaning. If I could sell what I have I'd be rich. I would also still detail cars,and visit Autopia! Come to Columbus Ohio next March for the Arnold Classic. I live here and go see the show,and all the other sites. I still LOVE the Bodybuilding scene. By the way! There is alot of Hype about Bodybuilding Supplements that don't work. Just like some of the detailing products we have ordered that don't live up to the Hype or promises. Bodybuilding is Addictive like buying detail products. I need a meeting!

holland_patrick · 10-07-08, 10:01

Hey dog should i get this Myozene Ultrapro??? is it better then the orginal stuff??

Accumulator · 10-07-08, 10:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogma

..I have a full gym in my basement. I train m-f 2am it's the only time I have.

Yeah, I have a basement gym too, and a room (with a TV

) for the cardio stuff. I just always do best training alone, at home (yeah, I use spotter-racks). Back when I was teaching I had to do cardio at 4AM, sure glad that's behind me!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holland_Patrick

Yes the dog is built like a brick *^)^house

No doubt!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonC8301

Anyway, Best of luck to you and there is some good advice above, especially that old codger named Accumulator.

Back at ya, you little jarhead you

Interesting that the creatine hurt your run times...my cardio just killed me when I cycled off...dunno about my times but the apparent exertion was just murder.

The whole "swollen" thing just makes me

I did gain some weight when I first started taking creatine (fastest 5 lbs I've ever gained), but I simply looked a little more muscular

And yeah, that "MMA look" is good IMO, that's sorta how I've turned out looking. Functional muscularity

Quote:

Originally Posted by backwoods_lex

..creatine absolutely makes me want to hurl when I take the full dosage before a workout..

Yeah, I do a lot better with multiple small doses. Some of those "recommended doses" are simply ridiculous.

And for the exercises, when in doubt just do the big freeweight movements, simple hard work works. Same ol' same ol'...if you want big arms, do those squats.

Showroom Shine- Props to another guy who's staying in shape

Yeah, eating enough can actually be a challenge, huh? Seeing your post I remembered that you and I have similar builds and metabolisms (and ages). Keeping with the exercise helps us avoid that metabolic slowdown that leads to "fat face", huh?

Oddly enough I no longer think of my workouts in terms of "bodybuilding". Now it seems more about staying in shape/healthy as I get older. And of course the result is that I probably look *more* like a bodybuilder now than I did when that was my goal! (Not that I'm in the same category as some of you guys, not by a long shot!)