Building Muscle and Strength After 40: The New Science of Longevity

 For the lifter over forty, the gym can start to feel like a minefield. The aggressive, bar-bending "ego lifting" of youth often gives way to nagging joint pain, slower recovery times, and a general sense that the body is no longer a self-repairing machine.

Many men and women in this age bracket make the mistake of either pushing too hard—resulting in injuries that sideline them for months—or giving up on intensity altogether, resigning themselves to light, ineffective "toning" sessions.

But the science of High Intensity Training (HIT) tells a different story. It is not only possible to gain muscle and strength after forty; it is a biological necessity for longevity. By shifting from a high-volume "marathon" approach to a precision-based "surgical" approach, you can out-train the younger guys while protecting your structural integrity.

The Metabolic Imperative: Muscle as Medicine

The most compelling reason to continue weight training into your forties and beyond is simple: muscle is the primary currency of health.

Recent research suggests that overall body composition—specifically muscle mass—is a better predictor of mortality than the widely used Body Mass Index (BMI). In fact, as we age, higher muscle mass is significantly linked to a decreased risk of premature death.

Muscle tissue is incredibly "expensive" for the body to maintain:

• Metabolic Boost: It burns significantly more calories at rest than any other tissue, which keeps the metabolism high and staves off the fat gain that typically characterizes middle age.

• Skeletal Support: Resistance training exerts a thickening force on the bone structure, increasing bone density and helping to prevent osteoporosis later in life.

Shifting Gears: The HIT Advantage for the Over-40 Trainee

The traditional high-volume approach—doing set after set for hours on end—is particularly dangerous for the mature athlete. Prolonged workouts (exceeding 60 minutes) trigger the release of cortisol, a stress hormone that breaks down muscle tissue and suppresses testosterone—the exact opposite of what you want.

HIT offers a safer, more efficient alternative. By focusing on a very small number of sets (often just 1–2 per muscle group) performed with 100% effort, you provide the precise amount of stimulus needed to grow without overwhelming your body's decreased recuperative abilities.

1. The Rule of Form over Weight

In your twenties, you can sometimes "cheat" a weight up using momentum. After forty, momentum is an invitation to a torn tendon or a herniated disc. Your goal is no longer just how much weight you can move, but how effectively you can focus the resistance on the target muscle. By slowing down the cadence (the speed of the rep), you eliminate momentum and ensure that the fibers—not your joints—are doing the work.

2. Strategic Micro-Loading

The "all-or-nothing" approach to weight jumps often triggers the Golgi Tendon Reflex, which shuts down muscle contraction to prevent injury. Instead of jumping five or ten pounds, use micro-loading. Adding just one or two pounds a week results in a staggering strength increase over a year while staying "under the radar" of your body's neurological defense systems.

The "Legs First" Protocol for Hormonal Support

As we age, our legs are often the first muscle group to lose significant strength. This is why so many elderly people struggle with basic mobility. From a technical standpoint, training your legs is also your best "supplement."

Training the large muscle groups of the legs triggers a massive systemic release of natural Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Testosterone. By training legs first in your routine, you prime your bloodstream with these anabolic agents, which can then be "siphoned" by smaller muscles like the arms when you train them later in the session.

Mastering the Recovery Curve

The final and most critical adjustment for the lifter over forty is frequency. While a teenager can sometimes train the same muscle group every other day, a mature athlete requires a much longer rest period.

HIT principles dictate that a muscle should only be trained again once it has fully recuperated. If you return to the gym while your muscles are still sore or your Central Nervous System (CNS) is still drained, you will actually lose strength. For the over-40 trainee, training each muscle group once every 7 to 10 days is often the ideal balance between growth stimulation and total recovery.

The Ultimate Over-40 HIT Routine

This routine focuses on compound movements for efficiency and isolation movements for safety. End all sets at the point of momentary muscular failure (when no more full reps are possible).

Workout A: Lower Body & Core

• Leg Extensions: 1 set of 15 reps (to failure)

• Leg Press or Smith Machine Squats: 1 set of 12 reps (to failure)

• Seated Calf Raises: 1 set of 20 reps (to failure)

• Ab Machine Crunches: 1 set of 25 reps (to failure)

Workout B: Upper Body

• Machine Flyes or Pek Dek: 1 set of 12 reps (to failure)

• Lat Pull-downs (Palms-facing): 1 set of 10 reps (to failure)

• Seated Machine Presses: 1 set of 10 reps (to failure)

• Dumbbell Concentration Curls: 1 set of 12 reps (to failure)

• Triceps Push-downs: 1 set of 12 reps (to failure)

Supplementing the Mature Athlete

While a clean diet of lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats is the foundation, specific supplements can enhance the recovery process for those over forty:

• Creatine Monohydrate: Refuels energy stores (ATP) and increases protein synthesis.

• L-Glutamine: A critical amino acid for immune function and muscle tissue repair.

• Whey Protein: Rapidly absorbed post-workout to flood the muscles with leucine and initiate growth.

• Natural Aromatase Inhibitors: Compounds like DIM (found in broccoli) can help prevent the conversion of testosterone into estrogen as we age.

Conclusion: The Path Forward

Age is not an excuse to stop training; it is the reason you must start training with more intelligence. By embracing the Systemic Growth Effect, respecting your neurological limits through micro-loading, and giving your body the 7–10 days of rest it deserves, you can build a physique that is as functional as it is aesthetic.

Training smarter means recognizing that your body is a single, integrated system. You are no longer just lifting weights; you are managing a biological machine. If you want to keep growing after forty, leave your ego at the door, focus on the contraction, and let the science of high intensity work for you.

About the Author

David Groscup is a certified training expert and the author of 12 books on scientific high-intensity bodybuilding. Having published hundreds of articles in leading newspapers and fitness magazines, David is a recognized voice in the world of hypertrophy and CNS recovery. He shares his research at Dr. HIT’s High-Intensity Bodybuilding Blog and recently launched the Dr. HIT AI Training Bot—a first-of-its-kind digital coach that brings his decades of expertise and 12-book database directly to your training sessions—and the Elite Nutrition & Supplement AI Coach, an invaluable tool to both optimize health and maximize your training results.

The Truth About High-Intensity Training: Why Less Can Mean More

When it comes to building muscle, many lifters still believe that more is always better: more sets, more hours in the gym, more exercises per muscle group. But in reality, the opposite is true. High-Intensity Training (HIT) has proven time and again that when it comes to getting stronger and more muscular, quality beats quantity every single time.

This training philosophy is based on a simple but powerful truth: the body grows when it’s pushed to its absolute limits and then given enough recovery to rebuild stronger.

In this article, we’ll explore why HIT is so effective, how it challenges traditional bodybuilding dogma, and why training less can actually help you gain more.

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What Exactly Is High-Intensity Training?

High-Intensity Training, popularized by pioneers like Arthur Jones and Mike Mentzer, is built around a simple principle: brief, intense, and infrequent workouts taken to the point of muscular failure.

Instead of doing endless sets and marathon gym sessions, HIT focuses on doing just one or two all-out sets per muscle, where you push the muscle until it cannot complete another rep with good form.

Key HIT principles:

• Low volume – fewer sets and exercises

• High effort – maximum intensity on each working set

• Full recovery – rest days prioritized as much as training days

• Progressive overload – constant focus on adding resistance or reps

This approach flips conventional training on its head. Instead of chasing the pump or “living in the gym,” HIT athletes train hard, train smart, and then get out of the gym to recover and grow.

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Why Less Can Mean More

Here’s why HIT’s “less is more” approach works so well:

1. Muscles Don’t Grow in the Gym

Training is just the stimulus. Growth happens when your body repairs the muscle fibers you’ve broken down. By pushing to failure in fewer sets, you deliver the necessary growth signal without wasting energy on unnecessary volume.

2. Intensity Beats Volume

One truly all-out set to failure recruits more muscle fibers than three or four half-hearted sets. Intensity is what sparks adaptation. HIT ensures you’re not just working harder but smarter.

3. Overtraining Is Real

Spending hours lifting day after day might feel productive, but it can easily backfire. Excessive training without enough recovery leads to fatigue, injury, and stalled progress. HIT avoids this by limiting volume and allowing full recovery.

4. Efficiency Matters

Many lifters juggle work, family, and life responsibilities. HIT delivers maximum results in minimal time. Workouts can be completed in 30–40 minutes, just 2 times per week — making it sustainable long-term.

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The Science Behind HIT

Research has consistently shown that muscle growth depends more on training intensity than sheer volume. Studies demonstrate that a single set performed to failure can stimulate as much or more muscle hypertrophy as multiple sets, provided the effort level is high enough.

Neurological adaptations also play a role. When you push to failure, your nervous system is forced to recruit every available muscle fiber. This full activation is what drives strength and size gains.

Moreover, HIT aligns with recovery science: by training less frequently, you give your body the rest it needs to supercompensate — the phase where growth and strength improvements actually happen.

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Common Myths About HIT

Despite its effectiveness, HIT is often misunderstood. Let’s clear up some myths:

• “It’s too little work to be effective.”
  Wrong. One all-out set to failure is often more than enough stimulus. Extra sets just dig into recovery.

• “It only works for beginners.”
  False. Some of the best physiques in bodybuilding history were built using HIT principles. Advanced lifters can benefit greatly from strategic, brutally intense workouts.

• “You don’t get enough pump with HIT.”
  The pump is temporary. Muscle growth is triggered by overload, not blood flow. HIT may not always give the same “pump session” feeling, but it produces lasting gains.

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How to Structure a HIT Workout

A typical basic HIT workout might look like this:

Chest & Back (One Session)

• Bench Press: 1 warm-up set, 1 all-out set to failure

• Incline Dumbbell Press: 1 set to failure

• Weighted Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldowns: 1 set to failure

• Barbell Row: 1 set to failure

Legs (Next Session)

• Squats or Leg Press: 1 warm-up, 1 set to failure

• Leg Curls: 1 set to failure

• Calf Raises: 1 set to failure

Shoulders & Arms 

• Overhead Press: 1 set to failure

• Barbell Curl: 1 set to failure

• Triceps Dips or Pushdowns: 1 set to failure

Abdominals

• Machine Crunches: 1 warm-up, 1 set to failure
  
  

👉 With workouts like this basic routine, you’re in and out of the gym in under an hour, yet training at a level of intensity most people never reach.

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The Role of Recovery in HIT

Because HIT workouts are so demanding, recovery becomes even more important. This includes:

• Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours per night. Sleep is when growth hormone and testosterone peak.

• Nutrition: Fuel your body with enough protein (1g per pound of body weight is a solid target) and balanced carbs and fats.

• Rest Days: Don’t fear them — embrace them. Recovery days are when muscle repair happens.

• Supplements: Creatine, whey protein, and quality multivitamins can support recovery and performance. See my The Ultimate Supplement Book for more supplement recommendations.

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Who Should Try HIT?

HIT is perfect for:

• Lifters who are tired of long, high-volume programs

• Busy professionals who want maximum results in less time

• Older lifters who need joint-friendly, efficient workouts

• Athletes looking to break through plateaus

It may not be ideal for those who love spending hours in the gym or thrive on high-volume programs. But for most, it’s a game-changer.

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Final Thoughts

High-Intensity Training isn’t about doing less work; it’s about doing the right kind of work. By trading endless sets for maximum intensity and smart recovery, you unlock muscle growth without wasting time or risking burnout.

In a world where “more is better” dominates fitness culture, HIT is a refreshing reminder that sometimes, less truly is more.

So next time you step into the gym, remember: train with intensity, push to your limits, and then rest. That’s the formula for lasting results.

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💪 Next Step:
Ready to maximize your HIT workouts with proven methods for lifters of all ages?
Check out my 9-Book Bodybuilding Collection — a complete guide to safe, scientific High-Intensity Training for rapid muscle growth, or my two-Book Collection, Extreme Intensity and The Ultimate Supplement Book.

HIT Recovery Secrets for Maximum Muscle Growth

 High-Intensity Training (HIT) is one of the most time-efficient and effective ways to build muscle. In just one all-out set per exercise, you push your muscles to the absolute limit, triggering maximum growth stimulus.

But here’s the truth: the real gains from high-intensity weight training happen during recovery, not in the gym. Without proper High-Intensity Training recovery, you’ll stall progress, feel constantly fatigued, and risk injury.

In HIT bodybuilding, recovery isn’t just important — it’s the other half of the program. Let’s dive into the proven HIT recovery tips that will help you grow faster than ever.

Why Recovery Matters More in HIT

A true HIT workout pushes muscles to total momentary failure. This creates deep fatigue, micro-tears in muscle fibers, and heavy stress on the nervous system.

• Greater recovery demand: HIT bodybuilding creates more stimulus per set, so your body needs longer to repair.

• Risk of overtraining: Without enough rest, performance and strength gains will plateau.

• Total body impact: Recovery affects not only muscles, but also joints, connective tissue, and mental readiness.

Bottom line: A HIT workout recovery plan is essential if you want sustainable, long-term results.

Sleep Tips for Muscle Growth

Sleep is the number one tool for muscle recovery. During deep sleep, your body releases growth hormone, repairs muscle tissue, and replenishes glycogen stores.

Sleep Optimization for HIT Recovery:

• Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep nightly.

• Keep a consistent bedtime and wake-up schedule.

• Avoid screens 30–60 minutes before bed to improve melatonin production.

• Keep your bedroom cool (65–68°F) and dark.

• Consider magnesium or calming herbal teas to promote relaxation.

Best Post-Workout Nutrition for HIT

Your body is primed for nutrient absorption after high-intensity weight training — what you eat now will directly affect recovery and growth.

Post-Workout Fuel Checklist:

• Protein: 25–40g of quality protein (whey, eggs, chicken, lean beef).

• Carbs: 30–60g of carbs (fruit, oats, rice, or potatoes) to restore glycogen.

• Hydration: Drink water; add electrolytes if sweating heavily.

• Supplements for HIT Recovery:

  • Creatine monohydrate for strength and cell hydration

  • Omega-3 fatty acids for inflammation control

  • BCAAs or EAAs if training fasted

  • L-Glutamine for recuperation

Active Recovery and Rest Days

In a solid HIT workout recovery plan, you’re often training each muscle group only once every 7–10 days, sometimes less often
. That downtime is for rebuilding, not sitting completely still.

Active Recovery Ideas:

• Light walking or cycling

• Gentle yoga or stretching

• Foam rolling or massage therapy

These activities improve blood flow, reduce soreness, and speed up muscle repair without taxing the body.

The Takeaway

High-Intensity Training recovery is the make-or-break factor in building muscle fast. By prioritizing quality sleep, strategic post-workout nutrition, and active recovery, you’ll see faster progress, avoid burnout, and keep strength gains climbing.

Remember: muscles grow when you rest — so train hard, then recover harder.

Want a complete HIT bodybuilding recovery plan built into a proven training system?
Check out my 9-Book Bodybuilding Collection or my Extreme Intensity/ The Ultimate Supplement Collection — everything you need to maximize results from high-intensity weight training.

7 High-Intensity Training Mistakes That Kill Muscle Gains

 

High-Intensity Training (HIT) is one of the most efficient ways to build muscle fast — short, brutally hard workouts that push your body to its limit, followed by enough recovery to grow stronger.

But here’s the truth: even the best HIT workout plan can fail if you make common mistakes. Do HIT bodybuilding the wrong way, and you can stall progress, waste effort, or even lose muscle.

After decades in high-intensity weight training, I’ve seen the same pitfalls derail lifters. Avoid these mistakes, and you’ll accelerate your gains while spending less time in the gym.

1. Going Too Light

HIT relies on maximum effort and intensity. If the weight doesn’t challenge you in the target rep range (usually 6–12 for muscle growth), your body won’t adapt.
Fix it: Use a load that makes the final rep nearly impossible without losing proper form. You should end the set knowing you could not have done one more clean rep.

2. Going Too Heavy

Loading the bar like a powerlifter can backfire. Excessive weight compromises form, reduces time under tension, and increases injury risk.
Fix it: Choose a weight heavy enough to push you to true failure in the target range — but light enough for controlled, full-range movement.

3. Rushing Reps

A HIT workout isn’t about moving weight quickly — it’s about controlling the weight for maximum muscle fiber recruitment. Fast, sloppy reps rob you of the growth stimulus.
Fix it: Use a deliberate tempo — 2–3 seconds up, 2–3 seconds down. Focus on feeling the muscle work.

4. Poor Form Under Fatigue

The final reps are where growth happens, but also where form breaks down. Allowing momentum to take over or cutting the range short can reduce results and increase the risk of injury.
Fix it: As fatigue sets in, double down on strict form. If you can’t maintain it, the set is over.

5. Not Training to True Failure

In HIT bodybuilding, "failure" means you can’t move the weight despite maximal effort — not stopping because it’s uncomfortable. Many lifters quit too soon.
Fix it: Train to the point where the bar literally won’t move, but do so safely — ideally on a controlled machine or with a spotter.

6. Skimping on Recovery

High-intensity weight training is demanding. Without enough rest, your body can’t rebuild muscle. Overtraining here is a real threat.
Fix it: Allow 7-10 days between training the same muscle group. Prioritize sleep, nutrition, and active recovery.

7. Program Hopping

Muscle growth needs progressive overload — not constant program changes. Switching routines too often prevents measurable progress.
Fix it: Stick with a HIT workout plan for a minimum of 8–12 weeks before making big changes. Track your lifts, reps, and recovery.

The Bottom Line

HIT bodybuilding is one of the fastest ways to build muscle and strength — but only when done correctly. Avoid these high-intensity weight training mistakes, train with precision, recover like it’s your job, and watch your gains skyrocket.

Next Step:
Want a proven HIT workout program backed by decades of experience?
Check out my 9-Book Bodybuilding Collection — your complete guide to building muscle fast with scientific High-Intensity Training.

How long does it take for my muscles to fully recuperate?

This is a great question. If your rest is inadequate your muscles will be unable to generate enough effort for maximum training effect but if you rest too long you risk strength and muscle size loss and general deconditioning.

Many high volume bodybuilders train 4-5 days per week, hitting each muscle group 2-3 times. Unfortunately, this doesn't allow the individual muscles enough time to properly regenerate nor the body's overall system to fully recharge.

As training intensity increases, it becomes even more important to properly rest between workouts. The HIT protocol, which I utilize, functions best when maximal intensity is used while training and the proper amount of rest is had.

It is also very important to realize that even though there is a general guideline of  this, each individual will need a different  amount of rest depending on genetics, age, diet and supplementation. Certain supplements such as Creatine, L-Glutamine and the like all effect recuperation in a positive way. 

I suggest initially resting each muscle 7-10 days between sessions and not training more than 3 days per week. Keep a close eye on the amount of weight you're using in each exercise, reps, etc. If you aren't progressing or at least equaling the amount of weight and reps in each session increase the amount of rest days. If muscles are still sore at the beginning of the next time you train add three additional rest days and see what the effect of that is. Remember, train hard, brief and allow the proper amount of rest for optimal gains.      

 DR HIT

                                                     

                                             

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Boost muscle building by 25% if you balance your protein intake at each meal

Boost muscle building by 25% if you balance your protein intake at each meal

Find out the most effective way to distribute your daily protein intake

by Jeff S. Volek, Ph.D., R.D.

Boost muscle building by 25% if you balance your protein intake at each meal A lot of effort has been placed on comparing different protein sources and amounts, but new research has identified another important variable to consider – distribution of protein across meals. Most people consume their largest meal at dinner containing approximately 3 times more calories than breakfast. Researchers recently questioned whether such an unequal (skewed) distribution of protein is optimal or whether a more balanced approach with equal protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner would be preferred.

Healthy men and women were fed two identical diets each for one week. The diets contained enough calories to maintain body weight and included approximately 90 grams of protein (1.2 grams per kilogram body weight). The only difference was that during one week, protein was distributed evenly at breakfast (30g), lunch (30g) and dinner (30g), whereas the other week it contained less protein at breakfast (10g) and lunch (15g) and more at dinner (65g).

On days 1 and 7 of each diet, muscle protein synthesis was measured after breakfast and over a 24-hour period. The muscle protein synthesis response to breakfast when protein was distributed evenly (30g) was 30% higher than when protein was skewed (10g). When muscle protein synthesis was measured over the entire day, it remained significantly higher (about 25%) when protein was distributed evenly versus skewed. In other words, the large amount of protein consumed at dinner during the skewed trial did not make up for the reduced response to breakfast. These results suggest that a more favorable response in muscle protein synthesis can be achieved when total protein intake is balanced across three meals as opposed to consuming the majority at one meal.

Reference: Mamerow MM, Mettler JA, English KL, Casperson SL, Arentson-Lantz E, Sheffield-Moore M, Layman DK, Paddon-Jones D. Dietary Protein Distribution Positively Influences 24-h Muscle Protein Synthesis in Healthy Adults. J Nutr. 2014 Jan 29. [Epub ahead of print] 

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Creatine supplementation boosts muscle glycogen synthesis 82% higher than placebo after exercise

Creatine plus high carbohydrate diet enhances performance and metabolic recovery

by Jeff S. Volek, Ph.D., R.D.

A large body of evidence over the last two decades has shown that creatine supplementation improves strength and muscle gains. While the primary function of creatine is to provide more efficient fueling of high-intensity exercise, there remains interest in identifying other beneficial metabolic effects.

One intriguing finding in previous studies was the observation that muscle glycogen was higher in subjects supplemented with creatine. Researchers from the United Kingdom recently studied this phenomenon in greater detail.

They had a group of healthy men perform an exhaustive bout of cycling to decrease muscle glycogen. For 6 days after exercise they consumed a standardized high-carbohydrate diet. During the 6 days of recovery, half the subjects started a creatine-loading regimen consisting of 20 grams of creatine monohydrate per day. The other group of subjects received a placebo. Muscle biopsies to determine creatine and glycogen levels were performed immediately after exercise, and after 1, 3 and 6 days.

As expected there were no changes in muscle creatine content with placebo, but creatine supplementation increased total muscle creatine on day 1, 3 and 6 by a total of 9%, 14% and 24%, respectively. The exercise bout caused a significant depletion of muscle glycogen, that then increased markedly during the first 24 hours of recovery in both groups. The rate of glycogen synthesis during this first day of recovery was an astounding 82% higher in the creatine group. Thereafter, muscle glycogen continued to increase at a similar rate at day 3 and day 6 such that muscle glycogen remained higher in the creatine group.

The researchers performed several other measures to determine how creatine might be augmenting muscle glycogen but were unable to attribute the creatine-induced glycogen enhancement to any known mechanism. These findings confirm in a very well-controlled experiment that creatine supplementation in combination with a high-carbohydrate diet augments muscle glycogen levels. For athletes consuming a high-carbohydrate diet, it seems prudent to incorporate creatine supplementation to not only enhance performance, but also metabolic recovery.

Dr. Jeff Volek is a registered dietitian and Full Professor in the Department of Human Sciences at The Ohio State University. He has published 270 articles examining health and performance effects of low-carbohydrate diets and other dietary supplements including seminal work on creatine, carnitine and whey protein. 

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Extra protein before bedtime can boost muscle building

Past studies have shown that you need at least 20g of protein per meal to maximize muscle protein synthesis, but results from this recent study suggest that you need even more right before you go to sleep

Two proven ways to boost Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) are to eat protein and to exercise (especially weight training). After reviewing the results of multiple studies, researchers commented that 20g of high quality protein per meal (with a maximum of 4-5 hours between each meal) is the best way to maximize MPS during the day. More protein may be needed for those with more muscle, those who are older or those who do full body workouts. 
This frequent protein timing pattern has been relatively well documented, and researchers wanted to determine the effect of ingesting protein over longer periods of time because the adaptive response to weight training lasts more than a few hours. If you consume protein every 4 hours during the day but have a big gap at night while you sleep, are you truly maximizing your muscle gains to the fullest extent? That’s what these researchers set out to determine. (Figure A)

The researchers hypothesized that taking protein right before sleep would boost MPS throughout the night. To test this theory, they had recreational athletes drink 20g of protein as a recovery drink immediately after their typical afternoon exercise. This was to prove that protein intake after a late afternoon workout does not diminish the benefits of more protein right before sleep. Next, the athletes were split into two groups and took either 40g of protein (from casein) or placebo right before going to sleep.

As expected, the casein group not only increased MPS 22% higher than placebo, but they also improved whole-body protein balance throughout the night. (Figure B)

They repeated this test in a later study, but with 10g less protein (30g of pre-sleep protein). Surprisingly, the changes were much smaller than what they observed in their previous study. The researchers commented that due to the long period of time (8 hrs) spent sleeping compared to the typical time between meals (4-5 hrs), larger amounts of protein (40g or greater) are required to produce a robust stimulation of MPS during overnight sleep.

Their advice to maximize MPS is as follows. Aim to ingest enough protein at every meal to maximize MPS until your next meal. Just because you eat a large amount of protein at one meal, does not mean you can skip protein the next meal. Each meal is a unique opportunity to stimulate MPS, and these responses may be additive. Take 40g protein before bed if you are doing resistance-type exercise (weight training) and are looking to maximize your muscle building potential by improving the adaptive response to exercise training. 

Reference: Nutrients; Dec 2016, Vol. 8, 763. 

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Enzyme therapy improved recovery

Wobenzym helps resistance trained men had less pain after exercise

Muscles damaged by exercise can become sore and painful later, slowing training and reducing performance. In this study, 72 male athletes, age 20 to 50, took Wobenzym—a combination of bromelain, papain, pancreatin, and trypsin—or a placebo 72 hours before and 72 hours after a day of exhausting quadriceps exercises designed to damage muscle. Some of the men were less resistance-trained, others were endurance trained. Compared to placebo, the less resistance-trained men who took the enzyme were able to maintain strength and had less pain after exercise. The endurance athletes had less inflammation, and signs of beneficial effects on metabolic and immune function.

Reference:  BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine; 2017, e000191, Published Online.

Cranberry aided exercise recovery

Inflammation and oxidation can slow recovery after intense exercise

by Newsletter Editor

In this study, 16 members of the Polish Rowing Team took a placebo or 1,200 mg of cranberry extract for six weeks. The team performed a strenuous 1.24-mile rowing test before and two weeks after taking the supplements. After the second test, several types of inflammation had increased only for placebo, including signs of systemic inflammation, muscle cell damage, and excess levels of a hormone in the liver that can interfere with iron stores in the blood. Doctors also measured antioxidant levels and found those taking cranberry extract had significantly higher total antioxidant capacity at rest, after exercise, and after recovery. Taking cranberry extract before strenuous exercise can boost total antioxidant capacity, help control inflammation, and reduce oxidative stress during and after recovery. 


Reference: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition; 2017, 14:7. 

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