Components of loops, obstacle courses, racewalking, relays, jumping events, throwing events, and combined events can be summarized under the term ‘Athletics’. It is not just running, as many people often mistakenly think. In Athletics, three groups are distinguished: throwing, jumping, and running. For this reason, Athletics is also called the mother of sports. Often, the emphasis in athletics lies on explosive exercises with high peaks in energy consumption in a short time. There are also events within athletics that are more constant in energy consumption, such as running.
The History of Athletics
The history of athletics has its origins in classical Greek times. In the year 776 BC, the Olympic Games were held every four years in honor of the chief god of Greek Mythology: Zeus. The games were in his honor and were celebrated festively for five days. During these five days, there were many different strength competitions, as well as competitions in the fine arts. There were events such as wrestling, javelin throwing, discus throwing, running, and long jumping. At that time, there were fewer and less strict rules than those we know today.
Together with swimming, athletics is one of the oldest sports known in our history. The inhabitants of the Greek island of Crete were the first to practice these Olympic Sports. Later, in the 17th century, the modern variant of athletics emerged in Great Britain.
Explosive Sport
An explosive sport can be described as a sport in which a lot of energy is delivered in a short time, often in rounds of less than 5 minutes. Various combat sports are examples of this, as well as many events in athletics. The difference with interval sports is that in interval sports, the sport lasts longer. Look at, for example, soccer; there are moments in the game that require more energy. Additionally, in these types of sports, more use is made of carbohydrates as fuel. When relatively the same energy level is maintained during a sport, we speak of endurance sports. Think of activities such as running and cycling.
In explosive sports, pure energy present in the cells is mainly used. This is also called ATP. This ATP is then immediately replenished by the present creatine in the cells. The ATP is also replenished by the combustion of sugars (with or without oxygen) and later by fats (with oxygen). Because the body has too little oxygen during these explosive peaks, it will have to replenish the energy again with creatine and the combustion of sugars without oxygen. The disadvantage of burning these sugars without oxygen (anaerobic) is that lactic acid is released. This means that acidification occurs in the muscles. And that is undesirable for athletes. Due to acidification, the enzymes cannot function properly. As a result, the output of energy and performance will decrease.
This can occur when there is insufficient creatine available. Therefore, in the past, creatine monohydrate was used, a substance that is poorly absorbed and also increases water volume in the muscles. This could be interesting when it comes to fitness and bodybuilding, but in sports, it is a disadvantage. This form of creatine, as mentioned, attracts water, which can disturb the balance in the body’s water management. One of the consequences is muscle cramps. There are of course remedies for this, but it is better to take creatine that is well absorbed into the muscles.
In explosive sports, and especially in athletics, there is a lot of pressure on the tendons and joints due to the high and explosive peaks. Another common phenomenon is overstretching. To avoid too much discomfort later on, it is advisable to use protective products.
Supplements and Athletics
Supplements containing creatine are used not only in strength sports but also in athletics. Of all supplements, creatine is one of the few effective supplements for people looking to improve their performance. When used correctly, these supplements can improve endurance and sprinting ability. Additionally, it shortens the recovery time after intensive training. When creatine is taken and is well adjusted to the intensity of the training, the energy level in the muscles will increase. And, as mentioned earlier, creatine facilitates faster recovery after training. The aforementioned effects thus lead to better performance.
Creatine is a widely discussed dietary supplement worldwide. Well-known athletes, such as Linford Christie, swear by the use of creatine. Many endurance athletes worldwide are familiar with the positive influence of creatine on their physique and condition. In 1997, the results of a study examining the effects of creatine on the performance of 10 well-trained middle-distance runners were published. This study was published by various scientists affiliated with the University of Rome.
There were two groups with which the study was conducted. One group took creatine, while the other group received placebos. Both groups ran intervals of 4×300 meters at 90-95% of their personal capacity and 4×1000 meters at 85-90% of their personal capacity on consecutive days. The breaks between the intervals were three to four minutes. The group that had used creatine had faster times on both 4×1000 meters and 4×300 meters. They also achieved better personal times than the group that had received placebos.
Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE)
Creatine Ethyl Ester is creatine monohydrate, linked to an ethyl ester molecule. This form of creatine is immediately absorbed by the body and transported to the muscles. As a result, the fluid balance is not disturbed, and (less rapid) cramping occurs. You can also use less of this because it is absorbed so well.
Pre-workout Energizers
In explosive sports, in addition to the above (CEE), you can also use an extra energy boost. Think of the effect that an energy drink can have but with substances specifically designed for sports. This gives you more energy, strength, endurance, and less acidification. These products, such as Smash and HemoDrailiX, are rarely found in athletics but are suitable for training or competitions.
Supplements that Aid in Recovery
After training, it is important that you can recover quickly. For this, your body needs to provide certain nutrients. It is not intended that your body has to use other parts of the body for this. This can happen if you consume too little protein after training. Your body will then use other muscles and take proteins from there to recover. This is not very serious; your muscles will always recover, but for someone aiming for results, this is not the ideal situation. That’s why it’s important to support the body. Ensure an adequate intake of vitamins, fatty acids, and minerals. This prevents the body from being limited in recovering from training.
