Collagen, so you know, is the most important protein building compound in our bodies, comprising over 30%. For the past couple years I have been using it, studying it, and writing about it. Most of you whom I have spoke to... are already taking some version of it. Collagen peptides, proteins, and other forms of the product can be used specifically in your life to bring about more benefits faster. Here are 4 tips to optimize your collagen intake to look and feel your best.
1. Drink Collagen before bed to optimize sleep.
The holy grail of youthful appearance and optimal health is to get a good nights sleep. If you don't know that by now, sorry... its not cool to run on 2-4 hours as a human and especially as an athlete. What we put in our bodies before laying our heads on the pillow has a lot to do with sleep quality and length. Toxins from food, alcohol, heavy proteins, all have an effect on our bodies as it tries to recover and prep for the next day of training.
Collagen is especially kind to the GUT and the digestive process. As the body recovers during sleep, you want to make sure that the digestion happening in the GUT is allowing resources to re fuel your brain and muscles instead of working hard to break down dense animal proteins, or figuring out what to do with all the extra glucose from your potatoes and ice cream dessert. Finishing dinner early, and then taking a scoop of collagen peptides before bed will allow for the brain to be fed, GUT to remain happy (not so acidic!!), and muscles to rebuild.
2. Double Down on Natural Collagen Foods and Peptides before going in the sun.
Nowhere is Collagen more talked about than in skin care. Collagen is the protein that keeps the skin looking SUPPLE (I love that word) and youthful. The reason we get wrinkles and lines in our skin as we age is because our bodies don't produce collagen protein as much. Sun damage is a tag line that every beauty product line touts as a big problem and a reason to buy their shit. I say, double down on your collagen peptides, and protein powders along with food rich in natural sources of LYSINE and PROLINE .
If you are planning a Beach day or even a day out on the slopes skiing, you should eat foods like Salmon, eggs, sprouts, beets, greek yogurt, papaya, apricots and avocados. Having these nutrients available for synthesis by your body when it needs them can help decrease sun damage, free radical damage, and collagen breakdown. Remember that supplementation is just that... eating a whole food diet that supports all your bodies functions should always be your first line of defense.
3. Add a tablespoon of Honey for Brain Fuel!
Your brain is the most essential component of training and being the best possible athlete. No matter the size of your muscles or body composition, you are pretty useless if your brain is not firing. Your brain is a sugar hound. The brain eats glycogen (sugar) produced by the liver and RAW HONEY is the best possible sugar source synthesized by your liver... (This is not a scientifically proven statement, I just love honey)
For those of you who are doing Intermittent Fasting for body composition or for cleansing purposes, adding honey to your Collagen peptides will support your metabolism and brain function so that you can keep on schedule. Fasting is all about optimizing nutrients in the body and while hydration is priority, making sure you keep stride with your daily routine is a very close second. Collagen can be added to your lemon water, with a bit of honey for amazing results. Also, there isa link between collagen and honey and better sleep. As I stated before, your brain is gobbling up glycogen during sleep so RAW HONEY with COLLAGEN could be a useful tool in making sure the recovery process happens seamlessly.
4. Combine Collagen with Whey Protein Post Workout.
Breaking down muscle during training is a fact of life. Rebuilding muscle Post Training is essential! When you break down Collagen and Whey proteins you find a tongue twisting list of Amino Acids that are all (in my opinion) essential to health. While I must refer back to my statement about the benefits of a whole food diet, I do see a very real need in taking a post workout protein supplement. Collagen and Whey have similar amino acids but both are unique in specific ways. While collagen is essential for the connective tissue in our bodies, it lacks the ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS of Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine which are responsible for MUSCLE GROWTH and REPAIR. I can get in a more lengthy discussion about what kind of Whey is best but I better not. The main take away is that combining both products will give you the best recovery potential possible.
I recommend taking 2 scoops of a Collagen Peptide ( I use Vital Proteins ) and 1 Scoop of Goats Whey (for digestive purposes). The amino acids will work in conjunction with your GUT process to deliver recovery results that you can feel within 20 minutes.
Collagen products are important for all manner of athletes and even for the casual exerciser over 30 years old. Supplementing your whole food diet with the product and combining it with the foods I listed above is a great way to stay healthy, recover better and look younger. The path towards your most optimal self is one in which we need to understand the science of supplementation. Do your own research and make your health a science experiment. Make both subjective and Objective findings a way to steer your nutrition. Keep kicking ass and spread love wherever you go!
I love you all, E.
Programming Notes 12/11-12/15
12/11
Baseline:
Dynamic ROM of the shoulder.. ensure you address any rotator cuff issues .
2X:30
Push Ups
Mountain Climbers
Kip Swings
Squat+ Tuck Jumps
Hip Touches
Gymnastic Strength:
5X 12
Ring Dips
*Super Set with 6 1 arm DB Floor Press (each Arm)
WOD;
EMOM 24
A- 15/12 Box Jump Overs (lateral BJO is fine)
B- :45 Paralette Pass Thru
C- 15/12 Chest to Bar Pull Ups
D- Rest
12/12
Baseline:
3X
500m Row
12X Banded Good Mornings
12X Elbow To Instep Lunges
12X Banded Press + Rip
Hamstring Priming : (to be done for quality, not speed)
3X8
Single Leg Barbell RDL 95/65
Bent Over Row
Thruster
WOD:
18-15-12-9-6
Cal Bike
DeadLift
Wall Ball Shots
*the weights will change on the deadlift each round,
18X 185/135
15X 225/155
12X 275/ 185
9X 315/ 205
6X 345/225
12/13
Baseline:
400m Run
3X
10 Reverse Lunge To High Knee Pull
10 Squat Therapy
3 Wall Climbs
Squat Flow: Squat Flow: Kang Squat, Internal Rotation, Ankle Roll Out, Bootstraps, PNF Stretch, Squat W/ T Spine Stretch
Strength:
Overhead Squats
3-3-3-3
*across all sets
WOD:
3 Rounds For Time
400 M Run
15 Hang Snatch 115/75
*for novice athletes, program a Heavy American KB Swing In Lieu of the Snatch
12/14
Baseline:
Agility Warm Up @ 10m Each
High Knee Pull
Quad Pull
Squat 180 **stepping the leg high over hip, swing opposite leg to 180, squat
High Knees
Butt kickers
Marching High Kicks
Groiners
Straight leg shuffles
Fig 4 Drill
Lateral Shuffle
Carioca
Lateral Bounding
Sprint W/ Change of Direction
Intensity Sprints:
5 X 100m
Rest 2:30 between intervals
WOD:
“Drop 10”
50 Squats/40 Sit Ups/30Lunges/20Pull Ups/ 10 Push Ups
40 Squats/30 Sit Ups/20 Lunges/ 10 Pull Ups
30 Squats/20 Sit ups/ 10 Lunges
20 Squats/ 10 Sit Ups
10 Squats
12/15
Baseline:
*spend 3-5 minutes rolling out sub scapula, deltoids, and pectorals
4X
6 Burpee
8 Cal Bike
10 Piked Handstand Push Ups
Rest :20-:40Between intervals
**these are designed to prime the heart rate so each interval should be more intense than the last
Clean Warm Up: (W/ Barbell)
7@ Each
-Romanian Deadlift
-Muscle Clean
-Front Squat
-Tall Clean + Thruster
-Hang Power Clean + Press
-Clean + Push Jerk + Split Jerk
Clean Complex:
7 attempts or 10 minutes
-2 Clean Lift Offs
-1 Hang Clean
-1 Touch and Go Clean
-2 Jerks
*add weight each round
WOD:
“13.4”
7 Min AMRAP
3 Clean and Jerk 135/95
3 Toes TO bar
6 C+J
6 T2B
9…
9…
12…
12…
…and so on.
