Amino Acids and BCAA's

   If you are trying to build muscle, you are (or should be) taking supplemental protein. But, it isn't the protein your body really needs. When you take your protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids during the digestion process. These amino acids are small enough to be absorbed into the blood stream and can be used by cells to repair muscle tissue, creating new muscle. There are twenty-two identified amino acids. Eight of which are essential amino acids, meaning your body can not synthesize them and has to obtain them through diet (milk, meat, and eggs).

BCAA's.

   While all essential amino acids are important to build muscular strength and size, some are more important than others. Valine, leucine, and isoleucine are known as branched chain amino acids (BCAA's) due to their molecular structure, which features branched chains of carbon extending from their primary carbon structure. BCAA's are unique because they are metabolized in the muscle, and not the liver. When an adequate amount of BCAA's are ingested, they promote an increase in protein synthesis. This results in an increase of muscle growth and recovery time.

Amino Acids as an Energy Source.

   When glycogen levels in the liver and muscles are low (common in low-carb dieting or overall low amount of calories), your body will tap into amino acids as an energy source. This potentially burns up amino acids that could be used in protein synthesis and to promote the building of new muscle tissue and faster muscle recovery. It is common to take BCAA's before a heavy cardio workout to prevent the breakdown of any muscle tissue.

  After your workout, your body is breaking down muscle tissue with a deficit in protein synthesis. This is the best time to take BCAA's. They will increase your body's rate of protein synthesis and aid in repairing your muscle tissue. Otherwise, your body might not be getting the most out of every workout.

                                                                                                    -AO


Source:
MuscleandStrength.com
BodyBuilding.com

All About Beta-Alanine

pH Levels in Your Body.

   As described in "All You Need to Know About Creatine.", your muscles burn up ATP as an energy source when contracting. The harder you work your muscles, the more ATP is used and the more lactic acid is produced. These reactions release H+ (hydrogen ions) into our muscles, causing our pH level to drop. A decrease in the pH level of your muscles causes them to fatigue. Not being able to maintain forceful muscle contractions and perform at your body's highest level during your workout lowers your ability to overload your muscles and achieve better gains.

Carnosine.

   To get our bodies to perform at the highest level, we need to reduce the amount of H+ in our muscles and get the pH level back to the normal range. Our bodies work to keep our pH levels regulated using various buffering systems. These work by absorbing the excess H+ in all parts of our bodies. Carnosine is the first line of defense for absorbing the H+ in your muscles. However, your body can not break down carnosine correctly when ingested alone.

How Beta-Alanine Helps.

   Beta-Alanine plays a huge role in promoting the synthesis of carnosine. Studies show that after supplementing beta-alanine for just four weeks, carnosine levels increased by 42-65%. This increase in buffering capacity (carnosine) from supplementing beta-alanine will result in an increase in strength, lean body mass, and an overall decrease in muscle fatigue.

                                                                                                      
                                                                                                               -AO

Free Weights vs. Machines

   One of the most common questions of people new to weight training is the difference between free weights and resistance machines. The truth is, there are advantages and disadvantages of both. However, both will promote an increase in overall strength. This article will help you decide which form of training is right for you.

Free Weights.

   Free weights are proven to give quicker strength than the corresponding machine. Unlike machines, they force your body to incorporate extra muscles to stabilize the weight as you lift it. They are also a lot more versatile, to do the number of exercises you can do with one set of dumbbells, you would need more machines than most gyms have available. The motion used with free weights more often resemble the motion you are to use in athletics. Being 6'6" tall, I have found a lot of machines don't allow a large enough range of motion for me to get as much out of the lift as I would when using free weights.

   Although free weights have plenty of benefits, there are also some disadvantages to consider. When training with free weights, not using the correct form during a lift greatly increases your risk of injury. Lifts like bench press, squats, and cleans require you to have a spotter, not everyone who wants to workout has the luxury of having a partner everyday. Free weights are harder to isolate one muscle, since they require more muscles to perform the lift. When becoming fatigued during a lift, it is very easy to start using your momentum to get the rep, rather than a steady contraction of the muscle.

Resistance Machines.

   When using a weight machine, it is much easier to isolate a target muscle because they provide no room for error in your form (making them a much better choice when rehabilitating an injury opposed to free weights). Machines are easy to use, which make them very appealing for beginners. For those of you working out at home, machines take up a lot less space than a squat rack or a clean station. If you are new to the weight room, I recommend starting out on resistance machines until you are comfortable with your form and strength. 

   Although machines are very safe compared to free weights, they also have a lot of disadvantages. They do not offer much versatility (most machines only offer one exercise). A lot of people find that they do not offer enough weight for core lifts (bench press, squats). If you are looking for a weight training program at home, machines are much more expensive than free weights and aren't nearly as versatile.

   Overall, I have found that I get the most out of free weights in almost every way, but still use the machines when having trouble targeting specific muscles. I believe that having a variety of both resistance machines and free weights in your workout will give you the best results. But, like I said before, anyone who is new to weight training should start with the machines until they are comfortable with their form.

                                                                                              -AO