PUMP AND GRIND

By Angela Garrity, Guest Blogger

Whoever would’ve thought people would be encouraged to drink coffee to have a better workout? We fully support the idea of “Caffeinate and crush it”.

Mind Body Green discusses this concept further.

“Drinking coffee before a workout can help with both mental and physical energy levels, exercise science and nutrition expert Shawn Talbott, M.S., Ph.D., says. In fact, he sometimes drinks his iced coffee during a workout.  

Pop cold brew can, open mouth, pour. 

"The high content of polyphenols in coffee can help with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection, as well as blood sugar balance," he says. Each of these aspects is important for exercise performance and especially for post-exercise recovery and tissue repair.

Along with the polyphenols, the caffeine in coffee has performance-enhancing properties. In an overarching review of caffeine and exercise, researchers analyzed 4,800 people across 300 studies and found that exercise performance increased up to 16% after participants drank caffeine.

The stimulatory effects of caffeine have also been shown to help the body burn fat. So if weight loss is one of your exercise goals, drinking coffee beforehand may help.”

Give yourself about 30 minutes for the caffeine to kick in and then dive into the gains.

Is there too much of a good thing? Well, maybe.

A standard cup of Joe has about 100mg of caffeine. Talbot goes on to explain “That 100 mg of caffeine and associated polyphenols will boost mental and physical performance starting at about 30 minutes and lasting for about two to four hours," Talbott explains, though the exact time depends on your personal ability to metabolize caffeine, which differs between people.

One study found that participants who drank 4.5 milligrams of caffeine per kilo of their body weight saw a 15% improvement in athletic performance. For example, a 140-pound person would need to drink 285 milligrams, which is about one 20-ounce cup of coffee.

And even if you're a heavy coffee drinker, research says that doesn't change the positive effects caffeine has on athletics.”

All in all, using coffee as an enhancement is common sense – stay hydrated throughout and listen to your body.

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