Question For Weightlifters...

[NJDirtyBird7]

I have recently been researching using creatine after my workouts. My question is for those who have used creatine, should you use creatine on your off-days or just on the days you workout? I have read some stuff online and am getting mixed messages from the body-building forums and websites.

Edited April 6, 2012 by NJDirtyBird7

[Leon Troutsky]

I highly recommend Weight Gain 4000. It works.

[cnasty]

If you're looking into a creatine supplement, I can personally say that N.O. Xplode is an excellent product. My max on everything went up 30% in the first month alone. It's used pre-workout, but you will notice a difference quickly. But to answer your question, I think it all depends on what you're trying to accomplish. Trying to gain some weight? I'd say go ahead and take the creatine on the off days.

[falconsd56]

Well it has been 13 years since I used it so I do not know if it is still the same but if you Do use it....................you gotta make sure you stretch A LOT. That stuff used to cause cramps like no ones business..

[falconsd56]

And we always used it when we worked out.

[pencilpusher. just because]

why not just say " question for Falcon bob?

[NJDirtyBird7]

If you're looking into a creatine supplement, I can personally say that N.O. Xplode is an excellent product. My max on everything went up 30% in the first month alone. It's used pre-workout, but you will notice a difference quickly. But to answer your question, I think it all depends on what you're trying to accomplish. Trying to gain some weight? I'd say go ahead and take the creatine on the off days.

Yea I thought about N.O. Xplode but I actually heard that Jack3d was better for a preworkout supplement. I am trying to gain a little weight, maybe like 5-10 pounds. My concern with the creatine and off days was would it throw a cycle of creatine off? For example, I was looking to do this for my creatine cycle:

Week 1

.35g of creatine per kg of bodyweight

Week 2-4

.15g of creatine per kg of bodyweight

Week 5

Off

Week 6

.35g of creatine per kg of bodyweight

Week 7

.15g of creatine per kg of bodyweight

Week 8-10

Off

Repeat

I am just worried that if I do not take the creatine on my off days if it would screw up my cycle and the way the creatine worked with my body.

Edited April 6, 2012 by NJDirtyBird7

[NJDirtyBird7]

Well it has been 13 years since I used it so I do not know if it is still the same but if you Do use it....................you gotta make sure you stretch A LOT. That stuff used to cause cramps like no ones business..

Yea my buddy was tellin me he got nasty cramps from using it. But everybody seems to have a diff experience with it.

[Andrews_31]

On your off days, cut back! Anything over 5g you're pissing out. Don't fall for the marketing hype!

[falconsd56]

Yea my buddy was tellin me he got nasty cramps from using it. But everybody seems to have a diff experience with it.

Dude it was SOOOO bad.

I would wake up in the middle of the night with my calves feeling like they turned to softballs .....I also had them in my hamstrings......those sucked so so so so bad.

[NJDirtyBird7]

On your off days, cut back! Anything over 5g you're pissing out. Don't fall for the marketing hype!

5g is too much even on work out days?

[NJDirtyBird7]

Dude it was SOOOO bad.

I would wake up in the middle of the night with my calves feeling like they turned to softballs .....I also had them in my hamstrings......those sucked so so so so bad.

LOL haha i get that now, you feel the cramp coming and all you do is brace.

[Andrews_31]

5g is too much even on work out days?

You're going to get a different answer from almost anyone you consult (he ll, I agree with you on the confusing info you get on the bodybuilding forums), BUT based on my experience (and talking with some reps for the supplement cos), 5g was enough (and I would cycle more than 5g until I was told otherwise), and to take about 3g on off days! Mind you, I'm old school, and I've seen a lot of fads come and go, but creatine is the real deal. Remember, "you are what you eat," and "no pain, no gain!" (old school rules that never go out of style)!

[GritsPittz]

If you're looking into a creatine supplement, I can personally say that N.O. Xplode is an excellent product. My max on everything went up 30% in the first month alone. It's used pre-workout, but you will notice a difference quickly.

I've been using N.O. Xplode as well and I really like it. I'd recommend it to anyone.

[NJDirtyBird7]

I've been using N.O. Xplode as well and I really like it. I'd recommend it to anyone.

have you ever tried jack3d?

[shc]

just take 5g per day for 8 weeks, then 4 weeks off.

More importantly, what kind of program are you going to be doing?

[tipp78]

have you ever tried jack3d?

I used to use Jack3d all the time, "personally" I had some negative side affects such as being in a terrible mood afterwards and almost having a hung over feeling. I think it was just the effects of coming down of the caffeine and the other things in it. Mind you some people swear by it but it messed me up and I had to stop taking it.

I also wouldn't rely soley on a preworkout such as N.O. explode for your daily creatine supply. You should take creatine daily but there is no reason to take a preworkout on your rest day just to get your daily dose. I usually just add creatine (powder or form) w/ a protein shake and glutamine after a workout or on rest days.

Maybe look into the preworkout Assault by Musle Pharm it has 5gram of creatine per serving. I've tried it and never had any problems, just good clean workouts. You can look it up on Bodybuilding.com and read up on it, and other products so you can decide for yourself. But as some have said on here, creatine is a great way to gain strength and mass.

Edited April 6, 2012 by tipp78

[pintaildrake1]

Well it has been 13 years since I used it so I do not know if it is still the same but if you Do use it....................you gotta make sure you stretch A LOT. That stuff used to cause cramps like no ones business..

There is no doubt creatine works, but it is almost all water weight. You got cramps because you likely weren't drinking enough water. When you quit taking it most people will lose mass quickly because the body does not retain as much water without the creatine.

Edited April 6, 2012 by pintaildrake1

[falconsd56]

LOL haha i get that now, you feel the cramp coming and all you do is brace.

I get some sometimes now but they are usually at night as well...............they have woke me up in tears they hurt so bad.

I remember having a dinner with the team before a big game in HS and one of our guys getting a cramp in his crotch area.. that was entertaining,

I have started exercising more and doing A LOT more stretches to keep that from happening.

[shc]

There is no doubt creatine works, but it is almost all water weight. You got cramps because you likely weren't drinking enough water. When you quit taking it most people will lose mass quickly because the body does not retain as much water without the creatine.

^^this

[Heisenberg]

Why don't people just eat right anymore? When I was younger my football coaches just told me to eat a bunch of carbs the night before and load up on some protein right before a work out.

[falconsd56]

Why don't people just eat right anymore? When I was younger my football coaches just told me to eat a bunch of carbs the night before and load up on some protein right before a work out.

Well eating right is great but the problem in this country ( and my biggest problem) is the fact we are lazy.

I know old people who have eaten incredibly "unhealthy" things like bacon and sausage and cheese EVERY day of their life.......... but they got out and worked.

Now people scarf down 3 double cheese burgers 3 times a week and sit on their *** 100 hours a week ( between work and going home and sitting on a the couch or right back on the computer.)

[NJDirtyBird7]

I used to use Jack3d all the time, "personally" I had some negative side affects such as being in a terrible mood afterwards and almost having a hung over feeling. I think it was just the effects of coming down of the caffeine and the other things in it. Mind you some people swear by it but it messed me up and I had to stop taking it.

I also wouldn't rely soley on a preworkout such as N.O. explode for your daily creatine supply. You should take creatine daily but there is no reason to take a preworkout on your rest day just to get your daily dose. I usually just add creatine (powder or form) w/ a protein shake and glutamine after a workout or on rest days.

Maybe look into the preworkout Assault by Musle Pharm it has 5gram of creatine per serving. I've tried it and never had any problems, just good clean workouts. You can look it up on Bodybuilding.com and read up on it, and other products so you can decide for yourself. But as some have said on here, creatine is a great way to gain strength and mass.

Thanks for the info everybody. I know that jack3d and N.O. xplode don't have very high creatine levels (even though they don't tell you exactly how much is in it) but I have read up on it and it seems to be giving great results to the people who have tried it. So today i headed over to the vitamin shoppe and picked up some jack3d and a sample of N.O. Xplode as well as some whey protein. I held off on the pure creatine because I want to see how much of effect this stuff has on my body first. So we will see.