Creatine: Safety, Benefits, and How It Works

Creatine. It is the most well known, as well as the most studied supplement in the industry right behind whey. There are studies going back decades with pretty conclusive evidence that points to creatine being extremely safe. But if creatine has so many studies, then why does it have so much opposition? My opinion is that most opposition is due to a lack of understanding. Average people do not understand creatine. When a 12 year old boy wants to start lifting weights and tells their mom they want to buy a magical powder that will make him big and strong, his mom is absolutely correct to worry. After all, something that makes you build muscle and strength is probably a steroid, right? Possibly. But that is not what creatine does.
Is Creatine a Steroid?
The short answer: Absolutely not. To understand why creatine is not a steroid, you must first understand what a steroid actually is.
What are Steroids?
Why is it that males are almost always more muscular than females? Why can a man naturally be 200 pounds of muscle, but a woman will never naturally reach that level of muscularity? Simply put, males naturally produce a hormone called testosterone. You have most likely heard of it. Testosterone is what makes a man a man. It's what causes his deep voice, body hair, facial hair, strength, and what we think of as masculine instincts. It's what causes males to fight over females, in human social settings and in nature. A performance enhancing steroid is basically synthetic testosterone, or other synthesized hormones that are actually more anabolic than testosterone. Some steroids are not even found in nature. Steroids can carry some nasty side effects and a lot of health risks later on in life.
What is Creatine?
So now that we have a basic understanding of what steroids are, what is creatine?
Creatine is found in almost every animal, including humans. We get it from meat and we naturally synthesize it. Creatine is a completely natural organic acid that provides cellular energy to your cells. It is found in the highest concentrations in muscle cells. Creatine and steroids can not even be compared. One works hormonally, one works inside of your cells naturally. Creatine will not make you superhuman like steroids. Steroids can push your body past physiological limits. With years of training and a perfect diet might be able to be a little over 200 lbs of lean muscle naturally. With steroids you can put on another 20-50 pounds. If you are pushing your body past a natural limit, you are putting multiple organs under extreme stress, especially your heart. Creatine does no such thing. Creatine will indirectly help you add strength and mass by allowing your muscle cells to work just a bit harder.
How Does Creatine Work?
If you were awake for high school biology, you probably learned about cellular energy. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), glucose, cellular respiration, and all of that fun stuff. If not, I will give you the brief rundown.
You cells contain a bit of a molecule called adenosine triphosphate. You cell generates energy by breaking a phosphate bond in the mitochondria. Any time a bond is broken, energy is released. The adenosine triphosphate then becomes adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and needs to find another phosphate atom to bond with so that it can break it in the mitochondria. Creatine bond with phosphate and becomes phosphocreatine, which is stored in the cells. Phosphocreatine can rapidly turn ADP into much needed ATP. That ATP can then go break another bond for cellular energy.
Think of your cells as a steam engine train. The ATP represents a worker that has a shovel full of coal, while the ADP represents a worker with an empty shovel. The ADP worker has to go to the next car over to get a shovel of coal to put in the fire to keep the train running. Creatine would represent a supply of coal in the same car as the fire. The ADP worker would have to walk a few feet instead of to the next car over to get the much needed coal, which represents phosphate. It is a natural function of life. Creatine is already working in your body keeping your cells alive and energized.

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Best 4 Lateral Movement Drills

Speed development and improvement in lateral strength are objectives of Top 4 Lateral Movement Drills. Football or basketball requires excellent lateral speed control for delivering the best performance. However, many players often overlook this imperative factor often knowingly. The reason behind the behavior is toughness scale of the workout. However, it requires meticulous attention to details and selection of the right kind of workout. Improving lateral quickness requires strengthening of mobility of hips, plyometric drills, footwork, and capacity of lateral movements.
Working on lateral movement is not too tough with the right set of drills. Here are top 4 drills you ought to consider working on for bringing out the best in you in real time.
Lateral Lunges - The Basics Beyond Advanced Technique
Lateral lunges deliver the goodness of basic lunges while improving the lateral speed. The objective of this drill is to focus more on lateral movement rather than bending forward like in conventional lunges. This drill offers excellent workout for all lower body muscle group comprising quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, gastrocnemius, adductor, and soleus muscles. Steps for correct workout are
• Stand straight
• Keep shoulder-wide distance in feet
• Stretch one leg to side
• Lunge down
• Put maximum body weight on leading leg
• Point toes in the forward direction
• Repeat with the other leg
Lateral sled - For Those Who Need The Extra Punch
Lateral sled drag is a fantastic workout for those who need the extra punch. This workout focuses on increasing muscular strength of lower body muscles. Some treat it as a variant of the lateral lunges. However, the results delivered by the drill are promising. It is also suitable for folks that are unable to deal with deceleration stress due to hip or knee issue. Steps for correct workout are
• Stand straight
• Stretch one leg to one side
• Keep toes straight
• Pull the weight by walking sideways without changing the bending angle or body position
• Repeat with other leg / other side
Asterisks Lunges - Beat The Fear For Once And For All
Asterisks lunges upscale the benefits of regular lunges to the next level. You need two dumbbells for the workout. This drill is ideal for toning glutes and hams muscles. In addition, this workout is highly recommended for improving lateral speed. Well, footballers are you listening; beat the fear for the last time. Hit the Asterisks lunges and be the difference you deserve. Steps for correct workout are
• Stand straight
• Carry two dumbbells
• Lung as usual bending forward, 45° forward, lateral, 45° backward, and backward
Lateral Crossover Step Drill - Agility Matters When You Are Out There On The Ground
Lateral crossover step drill improves agility, stamina, and ability to turn quickly. It is a strength training drill with complete focus on improving the speed of the movements. This workout focuses on enhancing the strength, stamina, and ability to change direction with the typical side-to-side moves. You need a marker or cones for the drill. Steps for correct workout are
• Stand straight
• Take a crossover step
• Keep left foot in front of the right one
• Step right with right foot in front of the left in a crossover
• Complete the repetitions as directed
• Take a break of a minute between two sets of repetitions

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9653862

How To Eat And Work Out For Building Muscles And Strength Well Into Your 50's

Are you a bodybuilder?
I am.
Bodybuilding defined as defined by me is "building the body".
Sugar, high energy drinks, prepackaged foods including the so called healthy and new "fitness" drinks and powders, pre-workout - during workout and post-workout commercial products.
Yes, this post is all about building the body or bodybuilding without all the hype and commercial BS.
Each day we wake up in the morning and make a decision, a decision that will make or break us for that day and possibly the next day and the rest of our lives.

• Do you sleep in and run late or behind time the rest of the day?
• Do you have the right kind of breakfast?
• Do you consistently have the right kind of varied breakfast?
• Does your breakfast (the MOST important) meal of the day set your metabolism and cellular function in anabolic motion for the day so you can properly assimilate and digest foods for optimum absorption?

Believe me or don't but most people around the world do NOT start the day out right. Even when MOST people think that they do. They are just kidding themselves, playing a mind game to escape the truth, the reality.

You want proof? Okay:

1. Each year 12.7 million people discover they have cancer and 7.6 million people die from the disease. However, evidence shows that 30 - 40 percent of these deaths can be prevented.
2. Because colon and rectal cancers are often referred to as "colorectal cancers," these two cancer types are combined. For 2016, the estimated number of new cases of colon cancer and rectal cancer are 95,270 and 39,220, respectively, adding to a total of 134,490 new cases of colorectal cancer.

Are the foods you eat each and every day building the body or slowly letting toxins in for future health issues?

Here is what you need for sculpting the perfect physique:
Cancer-Fighting Foods

• Leafy Green Vegetables...
• Cruciferous Vegetables...
• Berries...
• Brightly Orange-Colored Fruits and Veggies (Citrus Fruits, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, etc.)...
• Fresh Herbs and Spices...
• Organic Meats...
• Cultured Dairy Products...
• Nuts and Seeds.

Are you getting these foods in abundance each and every day starting out first thing in the morning? I know I wasn't.

How could I save my leg from amputation and compete in a bodybuilding contest if I was killing myself while actually believing I was building my body? I had to change both my diet and supplements for the key nutrients I found VERY hard to get into my diet each day. The farming methods used these days are actually leaving the fruits and vegetables ripe and tasty but they are actually very LOW in nutrient value.
So I self researched foods and nutrients and what would build tissue and blood and health and fight off disease, illness and cancer. I made a new bodybuilding lifestyle change, one that would keep me healthy and building muscle for years to come (31 years now) and hopefully well into my 90's.
I saved my leg from amputation and won the Masters Mr. Michigan (Natural) Bodybuilding Championship. Can you make a positive lifestyle change and be successful in your endeavors?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9639054