Creatine update

[Toby]

It's been almost a month now since I started taking it. I started taking it right after Easter, so I'd put on a few pounds over the Easter weekend (too many hot cross buns and chocolate :p). I've maintained that excess and put a little bit more on - steady at 86kg now. I've felt strong but it could be one of several things:

(i) psychosomatic
(ii) recovering from my groin strain
(iii) lots of internal ;)
(iv) creatine
(v) 3kg weight gain

I managed 275 bench yesterday morning. Easily. Tried 285 and failed, but I came close and might've made it if it was my first lift. Made 365x4 DL - a new PR. The bench was a new PR too given my bodyweight. I could've made a heavier 1RM on the DL but I wasn't all that confident in the 365 despite feeling really good about DL lately. I paid the price on the 4th rep with too much fatigue resulting in a rounded back and lots of pain yesterday and today. I've also noticed strength gains in the CoC. Closed #2 5 times last night, might've made 6 in that set but I stopped after 5. A niggling left hand little finger injury has meant that I've been out of sorts on that side and haven't closed the #2 with the left for a looong time.

So is the creatine worth it? Dunno. I've had positive results so far, so I'll continue to experiment.

[maximus]

How much creatine per day are you taking?

[Toby]

Well, I dunno exactly. Maybe too much. I've got scoops that I use for protein powder and I know that one scoop == ~8g of whey and ~9g of calcium caseinate or vice versa so I've been having around 1/2 scoop of creatine. I have a sneaking suspicion that the specific weight of the creatine is a bit more than the protein, so I was shooting for <5g but I might be getting more than that. In the longer term I'll know because I'll know how quickly I go through it. It's been a month now and I'm gunna cycle for another month, then take a month off and take it from there.

[maximus]

I think the average dosage is roughly 5-10g a day. I'm now taking 5g a day myself. I'm curious to see if I truely notice a difference in my training.

[Toby]

I wouldn't be comfortable taking 10g/day. Especially given the amount of meat I eat.