accelerade

[ACvault]

I saw the ad for accelerade here on the forum, has anyone tried it and what do you think?

[VTechVaulter]

tastes like gritty gatorade

doesn't do much extra. stick with water and such and youll be as good as with anything else

[rainbowgirl28]

tastes like gritty gatorade

doesn't do much extra. stick with water and such and youll be as good as with anything else

Well it can be a good post-workout recovery drink (I think) but it's probably a lot cheaper and tastier to either make your own protein smoothie or bring like a turkey sandwich with you and eat it after you work out.

[decanuck]

I second what Becca said...Before using accelerade or any supplement for that matter, consider whether it's really worth it and if you are eating well enough for it to make a difference. Nutrition may or may not be the weak link in your training, but if it is, read on...

Accelerade is sold as an endurance product and is an innovative yet rather obvious combination of sugar and salt (like gatorade), and whey protein isolate (like a whey protein isolate). It would make an okay post-workout shake, but it's carbs are all sugar and its protein is milk-based. You're better off using it as a light sport drink that you consume while you exercise.

Even though it's best use is to extend endurance, it's still good for speed and power athletes to consume during workouts because of the protein. But as a pole vaulter (i.e. not an endurance athlete) it's hard to justify spending that much money on what is mostly an endurance product. I have a low-budget suggestion that's basically the same.

Buy a tub of gatorade powder and a tub of fruity-tasting whey protein isolate like this one (I think it's Canadian only but I'm sure there are others just like it). Add 4 parts gatorade and 1 part whey isolate to water and voila, you have that ideal 4:1 carbs to protein ratio Accelrade likes to claim they have patented. Don't mix it too strong though...use only enough powder so as to make it about half the strength of regular gatorade at most. It shouldn't be thick, overly sweet, or hard to see through. Drink it during your workout instead of straight water.

What you eat after your workout should keep about that same 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein (up to 3:1 is also okay for post-workout), but it should contain more complex, slower-digesting varieties. Instead of the sugar and whey in Accelerade or my ghetto-budget alternative, complex carbs and soy- or meat-based proteins are in order. These will be absorbed into your system over a longer period of time than the quick-digesting sugar and milk-based protein in Accelerade. It doesn't really matter where you get these from so long as its within an hour of finishing your workout (i.e. when you stop moving, not when you leave the track). You can just consume them in your next meal or get them in a supplement. My favourite is this one. Just look for something with carbs from maltodextrin and protein from more than just whey-based sources (e.g. soy, egg, casein, meat)

Remember, supplements are only one piece of the training puzzle, and the puzzle will only be complete when all the other pieces (training, technique, healthy eating, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep etc.) are in place.

[powerplant42]

I'm curious to see what the nutrition facts/ingredients are. But I defininetly agree with decanuck. Fo sho. It may help with a long workout however...

[rainbowgirl28]

I'm curious to see what the nutrition facts/ingredients are. But I defininetly agree with decanuck. Fo sho. It may help with a long workout however...

http://www.accelerade.com/products/Nutr ... ation.aspx

[theczar]

i'm definatly going to use that "ghetto-budget" alternative...thanks for the post!

[powerplant42]

So really all this drink is is watered down sugar-milk with a few acids and vitamin E + protein. you could make that in your own kitchen. Definitely try the more simple 4:1 approach. Simpler and more effective.