In this article we feature creatine monohydrate, possibly the most popular bodybuilding supplement of all time and also one of the most misunderstood. There is so much hype and so many lies surrounding products it is easy to get lost, so today we'll clear things up for you.
There is a growing trend among supplement manufacturers to get so carried away in their hype that they often leave customers with no idea what their new product is actually supposed to do.
Let's take a quick look at the effects you will notice with this particular supplement.
The first thing you will notice is an increase in your explosive strength. You see, this supplement is actually a naturally occurring substance which your body uses to perform explosive strength movements such as sprinting and heavy lifting.
By having more of this substance in your body on a daily basis you increase your body's ability to do high impact exercises. Put that into a gym setting and it could mean one more repetition or a slightly heavier weight, which make this particularly useful when trying to build muscle.
So you will often hear people talking about how their strength has improved while using this supplement but you should also be aware that it makes a change to your actual appearance, too. It pushes water into your muscles creating that full, round appearance.
As with all supplements, however, there are various side effects to look at which can play an important role in your overall results. With this particular product there are in fact a number of myths surrounding it.
Easily the most commonly heard myth surrounding this product is that it causes bloating. It does not. Science has shown that while it pushes water into your muscles, it does not under any circumstances force water between your muscles and skin to cause a bloated appearance. So don't fall for that myth, because that's all it is!
The second myth surrounding this product is that you must stop using it after two-to-three months or it becomes dangerous. Athletes use this supplement all season round and while the initial advice when this supplement first hit the market 20 years ago was to take a break, this has since been proven wrong.
The third myth concerns which blend is the best. Believe it or not, the most proven blend is the original and cheapest - Monohydrate. In fact most trainers consider that many of these other myths were developed by supplement companies looking to sell their latest product and needing an angle on why it was superior to the last.
The important key to remember is that all this product is designed to do is increase your explosive strength, not help you build muscle. You still need to put in the work in the gym or you won't see any positive results. But by having the ability to push out one more rep at maximum intensity you are able to increase your results considerably. That's where this product excels.
Now that you know what to expect when you use a creatine supplement you will be able to make much more of your time in the gym and elevate your progress to the next level.
There is a growing trend among supplement manufacturers to get so carried away in their hype that they often leave customers with no idea what their new product is actually supposed to do.
Let's take a quick look at the effects you will notice with this particular supplement.
The first thing you will notice is an increase in your explosive strength. You see, this supplement is actually a naturally occurring substance which your body uses to perform explosive strength movements such as sprinting and heavy lifting.
By having more of this substance in your body on a daily basis you increase your body's ability to do high impact exercises. Put that into a gym setting and it could mean one more repetition or a slightly heavier weight, which make this particularly useful when trying to build muscle.
So you will often hear people talking about how their strength has improved while using this supplement but you should also be aware that it makes a change to your actual appearance, too. It pushes water into your muscles creating that full, round appearance.
As with all supplements, however, there are various side effects to look at which can play an important role in your overall results. With this particular product there are in fact a number of myths surrounding it.
Easily the most commonly heard myth surrounding this product is that it causes bloating. It does not. Science has shown that while it pushes water into your muscles, it does not under any circumstances force water between your muscles and skin to cause a bloated appearance. So don't fall for that myth, because that's all it is!
The second myth surrounding this product is that you must stop using it after two-to-three months or it becomes dangerous. Athletes use this supplement all season round and while the initial advice when this supplement first hit the market 20 years ago was to take a break, this has since been proven wrong.
The third myth concerns which blend is the best. Believe it or not, the most proven blend is the original and cheapest - Monohydrate. In fact most trainers consider that many of these other myths were developed by supplement companies looking to sell their latest product and needing an angle on why it was superior to the last.
The important key to remember is that all this product is designed to do is increase your explosive strength, not help you build muscle. You still need to put in the work in the gym or you won't see any positive results. But by having the ability to push out one more rep at maximum intensity you are able to increase your results considerably. That's where this product excels.
Now that you know what to expect when you use a creatine supplement you will be able to make much more of your time in the gym and elevate your progress to the next level.
About the Author:
About the Publisher: Russ Howe PTI is a certified Fitness Instructor who helps people discover how to lose weight and live healthier. Get our exclusive guide to using creatine supplements next.