Back on creatine. Being careful not to pull a muscle again...

[Longhorn85]

I am gaining fast, but I can feel tenderness in some muscle bellies, especially the calves. I pulled one before, don't want it to happen again.

Advice? I know, lots of water, careful with the running.

 

[bignate73]

slow the rep speed down, if you fear pulling a muscle. only reason i can see you would pull a muscle is if you are jerking the weight because you feel "stronger".

careful bro, the increased atp will get you a few more reps but wont heal an injury.

 

[Longhorn85]

Thanks for the advice. I don't fear I'll hurt it in the weight room as much as while doing cardio. Last time it happened while I was finishing an uphill leg of a run. Funny thing is I felt great and I was doing interval training that day and it happened when I was almost done.

Major stretching. Major H20 for me.

 

[MrMuscle]

creatine and running. well, a REAL warm up, with lots of stretching, and plenty of water..thats about it..so you really pulled the muscle instead of it cramping up on you? i always cramped up at night, my calf would turn into a ball of muscle and it hurt like a mother..but i never pulled it.

 

[Longhorn85]

Yeah, it felt like a cramp at first, but it was a torn anterior tibialisis. It heal quickly, I couldn't do anything with it for about 4 weeks.

I've done a lot of running since with no problem, and I lift as heavy as I can. Like I said, just started creatine again and will run for the first time on Monday.

 

[MrMuscle]

yeha just take care from the cold man. its easier to pull stuff when its cold.

 

[Longhorn85]

You're right. Good thing about this is it gives me an excuse to get a complete body massage from the missus.

 

[gymtime]

How long have you been back on it?

 

[Longhorn85]

I started a week ago, loaded for 4 days w/20g a day. Now I'm taking 10g/day.

My body responds well to it, I just have to be careful with all the running that I do (3 to 4 x week).

 

[MrMuscle]

so you do the loading phase? ive never done that. everyplace ive read about it, it says its not needed.

 

[gymtime]

I started a week ago, loaded for 4 days w/20g a day. Now I'm taking 10g/day.

My body responds well to it, I just have to be careful with all the running that I do (3 to 4 x week).

I run into similar problems during the first week after starting up on creatine. I go 8-10 weeks on, 4 weeks off. Usually goes away after that though.

 

[cure]

I experienced that also. I was always doing full body workouts but not doing cardio since i was on a bulking cylce. Then soccer season started and i went to play my first game. I stretched properly but my muscle weren't use to it. Everything was fine after our first game but the next day i got really sore. 5 days passed and we had another game. Yet again i stretched properly but was still a little sore. First kick i took, i strained my groin. It's been 3 months i still haven't gone back because i know it is still weak yet i can still squat all kinds of weight. Nothing like actual physical activity.

 

[Longhorn85]

so you do the loading phase? ive never done that. everyplace ive read about it, it says its not needed.

I have read that too, but I want to do it by the numbers this time and get a good idea of how it affects my performance. Plus at 6' 205 I figure I probably need a little more than 5g a day to saturate.

 

[cure]

At 5'10'' 198 lbs i'm taking in about 10-12 grams a day no matter if it's a gym day or not. I also take about 10 grams of glutamine also for aiding in recovery. Glutamine and creatine would work wonders for what you were saying about feeling tenderness in some muscle bellies.

 

[Longhorn85]

At 5'10'' 198 lbs i'm taking in about 10-12 grams a day no matter if it's a gym day or not. I also take about 10 grams of glutamine also for aiding in recovery. Glutamine and creatine would work wonders for what you were saying about feeling tenderness in some muscle bellies.

Great tip! I will look into adding gluatmine tommorow. Thanks.

 

[Longhorn85]

I had a great run this am! 3 miles with a real strong finish. I stretched out real good and drank a lot of water, no cramps, although my legs were real tight. Ran a few short sprints afterwards, then hit the weight room for chest and bis. Weight and reps are up, I feel the creatine is helping.

I feel great, can't wait till the next workout!