Overcome Soreness
By Ross Enamait - Published in 2003
Boxing is a physical sport that requires intense training. Sparring, heavy bag work, calisthenics, and running are just a few choices on the training menu. These zealous workouts will push the body to its limits. Muscles will break down and rely on adequate nutrition and supplementation to ensure recovery. To foster this recovery process, we must follow a diet rich in protein and amino acids. Failure to replenish the body will lead to burnout, soreness, and fatigue. Fortunately, there are supplements available that can improve the recovery process.
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the blood. It is also the most abundant amino acid in muscle tissue. Glutamine comprises over 60% of the amino acid pool in skeletal muscle. It delivers muscle-building nitrogen into cells where it is synthesized for growth. Glutamine has been shown to assist with muscle growth, while preventing tissue breakdown. When we train hard, glutamine levels drop. Glutamine concentrations remain low until the recovery process is complete. This process varies in length, depending on the intensity of the workout.
After an intense training session, glutamine is drawn from muscle tissue. You become more prone to soreness and slower recovery. Have you ever conducted an interval training session and found yourself sore for several days? Excessive soreness takes away from your ability to train. Fighters must train hard, while minimizing soreness. Excessive soreness detracts from future workouts. As a competitive fighter, you cannot afford to miss valuable training sessions due to soreness.
Glutamine supplementation can assist with the recovery process. Glutamine supplementation can help counteract the drop in muscle protein synthesis. If you can minimize soreness, you can train harder, thus realize greater improvements in physical condition.
In addition, glutamine can improve immune system function. Muscles cannot grow and recover when valuable nutrients must fight off illness. Glutamine is thought to prevent sickness by fueling the immune system. Studies indicate that lowered levels of glutamine could result in a slower response to infection, which means more time off from training. Glutamine can also neutralize lactic acid generated during physical exercise. Lactic acid causes the “burn” experienced while training. Lactic acid build up makes muscular contractions more difficult and eventually impossible. Glutamine may increase the buffering capacity of the muscles, delaying lactic acid build up.
I have used glutamine with excellent results. When I used glutamine, I would typically take 5-10 grams immediately following an intense workout. Due to the intense nature of our sport, we need all the help we can get to overcome burnout and soreness. Glutamine is a great answer to this dilemma.
For more information regarding supplementation for enhanced recovery, refer to the link below:
Supplements For The Combat Athlete
About the Author - Ross Enamait is an innovative athlete and trainer, whose training style is among the most intense that you will find. Ross is committed to excellence and advancements in high performance conditioning and functional strength development. He has a sincere interest in helping today's athlete in their quest for greatness.