high5 4.1 energy drink

andy610

ive been using the high 5 4.1 drink since late summer, is this the only drink i will need on rides and can i use it after ride for recovery drink.

Chip \'oyler

That's all I use on rides. For recovery drinks look for something with more protein in it - a ratio of at least 3:1. I find Maximuscle's Recovermax very good. It's actually pleasant to drink!

FunBus

High 5's 4:1 EnergySource is the best "allround" energy drink. It depends how hard you're training/racing as to whether its enough for recovery. In most cases, yes, it is. But for stage races, say over a few days the High 5 Protein Recovery is better as you can mix it with milk for a slower release into your system.

Protein recovery drinks mixed with water do their stuff, but only last about 2 hours, protein recovery can be drank just before bed with milk and can help muscles recover overnight.....milk makes it tastier as well.

....however, if you use 4:1 all the time, your muscles will grow stronger and become more explosive, so heavy doses of whey protein for recovery arent so necessary.

Monty Dog

I think folks are over-estimating the powers of the stuff - it's the effects of training that improve strength and endurance, otherwise we'd just lie on our couches drinking High-5 and dreaming of race results!
What the right supplements do is allow us to do it to train harder / longer / more intensely. I use protein recovery drinks after intensive / hard sessions, mainly to maintain training intensity - the drink per se doesn't make me 'faster'

springtide9

Just got some... will try it out this weekend in anger.
I have had a taster - just to check it didn't give me any cramps etc.

I was hoping that I could just drink this by the bucket load and not to have to do anymore exercise.. that's disappointing

Scrumple

Ha ha ha...

You will "wee" out most of it.

Most people take on waaaaaay more sugar and poor quality protein than they need during sport. Besides, you could make your own 4:1 for pennies in comparison.

Nothing removes the need for a good diet and hard work. Energy drinks are just there for long or very intense rides when you can't eat as often as you might. They do more to keep you going than "make you stronger and faster" - although that is a consequence of keeping going! They don't make huge differences to anything.

Chip \'oyler

Monty Dog wrote:

I think folks are over-estimating the powers of the stuff - it's the effects of training that improve strength and endurance, otherwise we'd just lie on our couches drinking High-5 and dreaming of race results!
What the right supplements do is allow us to do it to train harder / longer / more intensely. I use protein recovery drinks after intensive / hard sessions, mainly to maintain training intensity - the drink per se doesn't make me 'faster'

Really. I thought it was the 'recovery' after training sessions that made you stronger?

Training actually breaks down your muscle - recovery builds it back up but overcompensates so that you end up stronger and fitter.

The recovery drink helps to speed up this process

mattshrops

Chip \'oyler wrote:

Monty Dog wrote:

I think folks are over-estimating the powers of the stuff - it's the effects of training that improve strength and endurance, otherwise we'd just lie on our couches drinking High-5 and dreaming of race results!
What the right supplements do is allow us to do it to train harder / longer / more intensely. I use protein recovery drinks after intensive / hard sessions, mainly to maintain training intensity - the drink per se doesn't make me 'faster'

Really. I thought it was the 'recovery' after training sessions that made you stronger?

Training actually breaks down your muscle - recovery builds it back up but overcompensates so that you end up stronger and fitter.

The recovery drink helps to speed up this process

allegedly.
it probably speeds it up compared to not consuming anything, but is it any better than if you eat good quality protein and carbs etc ? i suspect not(obviously as long as youre in the 20 min period this is probably the main reason for a recovery drink if you dont have time to sort real food out. your choice anyway but i prefer real food when poss.

Valy

Yeah basically recovery drinks are good as they are fast to make. What they do is allow you to not feel as tired the next day supposedly.

OP - maybe higher protein content after exercise . A good meal with carbs and protein is the best bet.

TMR

Chip \'oyler wrote:

That's all I use on rides. For recovery drinks look for something with more protein in it - a ratio of at least 3:1. I find Maximuscle's Recovermax very good. It's actually pleasant to drink!

My Protein's Recovery XS is just as good and far cheaper.

TMR

mattshrops wrote:

allegedly.
it probably speeds it up compared to not consuming anything, but is it any better than if you eat good quality protein and carbs etc ? i suspect not(obviously as long as youre in the 20 min period this is probably the main reason for a recovery drink if you dont have time to sort real food out. your choice anyway but i prefer real food when poss.

After intense exercise you have a window of 15-20 mins to take a quality protein carbohydrate mix. Recovery shakes that contain the most quickly absorbed protein (whey isolate), together with a quickly absorbed sugar are best - whole food simply cannot be absorbed with the same speed.

The sugar spikes insulin and drags the protein into the muscles. The sugar replaces muscle glycogen and the protein repairs muscle damage (and will build it if you are eating a calorie surplus).

If you didn't want to use a recovery shake, then a banana and a glass of milk is better than nothing.

Chip \'oyler

The Mad Rapper wrote:

Chip \'oyler wrote:

That's all I use on rides. For recovery drinks look for something with more protein in it - a ratio of at least 3:1. I find Maximuscle's Recovermax very good. It's actually pleasant to drink!

My Protein's Recovery XS is just as good and far cheaper.

I'll look into that. I've used a lot of different protein recovery drinks and find the Recovermax easy to mix and not have the consistency of a lumpy milk shake!

springtide9

Hmmm...
http://www.myprotein.com/uk/products/re ... xs#reviews
Mixes badly. Tastes bad. But cheap?

Think I'll stick to my overpriced Forgoodnessshakes

@Chip* : Most people seem to have tried 'Forgoodnessshakes' - have you and how does it compare to Recovermax?

A tub seems more sensible in terms of cost (but the sachets are great for events)

acidstrato

april fools over now ladies

TMR

springtide9 wrote:

Hmmm...
http://www.myprotein.com/uk/products/re ... xs#reviews
Mixes badly. Tastes bad. But cheap?

Think I'll stick to my overpriced Forgoodnessshakes

@Chip* : Most people seem to have tried 'Forgoodnessshakes' - have you and how does it compare to Recovermax?

A tub seems more sensible in terms of cost (but the sachets are great for events)

I use Recovery XS and I am telling you it tastes fine and mixes well. You can order a sample from them, so give it a try. The nutritional profile is much better than For Goodness Shakes.

I don't know why people post stupid comments like that - they must have the most bizarre taste.

slowlanejane

"After intense exercise you have a window of 15-20 mins to take a quality protein carbohydrate mix. Recovery shakes that contain the most quickly absorbed protein (whey isolate), together with a quickly absorbed sugar are best - whole food simply cannot be absorbed with the same speed.

The sugar spikes insulin and drags the protein into the muscles. The sugar replaces muscle glycogen and the protein repairs muscle damage (and will build it if you are eating a calorie surplus).

If you didn't want to use a recovery shake, then a banana and a glass of milk is better than nothing.[/quote]"

Er, scientifically unsound dietary babble being espoused above, I think. Its been a long time since I did my nutrition qualifications and its a bit hazy now, but I remember enough to recognise twaddle when I see it, and this is twaddle. Except the bit about the banana & milk, which is a really good recovery drink. Add 2 tsp normal sugar to make it even better and definately better than those 'orrible powders.

TMR

slowlanejane wrote:

Er, scientifically unsound dietary babble being espoused above, I think. Its been a long time since I did my nutrition qualifications and its a bit hazy now, but I remember enough to recognise twaddle when I see it, and this is twaddle. Except the bit about the banana & milk, which is a really good recovery drink. Add 2 tsp normal sugar to make it even better and definitely better than those 'orrible powders.

I think your mind is failing you.

I've weight trained for years and the principles of port workout nutrition are exactly the same. Go on any body building web site and ask and you'll see I am right.

As an example:

You need to consume enough carbohydrates to promote a substantial insulin release. Insulin is the hormone responsible for shuttling carbohydrates and amino acids into the muscle. In doing this, carbohydrate resynthesis is accelerated and protein balance becomes positive, leading to rapid repair of the muscle tissue.

You'll find the rest of the article here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi4.htm

Apologise when you've finished reading :P

Monty Dog

I think slowlanejane's moniker is appropriate - sticking to her own dietary advice is probably why she lives up to her reputation. The 20 minute window is a well-known fact, not just body-builders but with endurance athletes of all persuasions.

springtide9

Back to the OP: High5 4.1 drink = good.

Used it yesterday for the first time and was a great replacement for my usual (unresearched) Lucozade Body Fuel (which was far too sweet and had too much colouring)

Seemed to do the trick on the 100 mile event.

Squillinossett

To back up the Mad Rapper, up until 3 years ago I was a very serious Bodybuilder, and as such, looked into nutrition to a great extent (there is a lot more focus put on that element within the BB community than cycling)

You can make you own shakes up alot cheaper than buying pre mixed ones.

A simple shake is simply Whey Isolate and Dextrose. You can pick up tubs of Dex for next to nothing on MP. You could also use any milkshake from a supermarket as well, as its pretty much the same thing.

Solwlanejane, I am sorry, but most qualified nutritionists disagree with you, there are a number on Muscletalk who are active posters in the nutrition section (BTW my name on there is "Squill") who prep National Pros for comp. but maybe they are all wrong, and I got to 18 stone @ 11% BF by chance alone....

OP, best option is to make your own as I suggested above, or if you want an easier option, get some isolate and eat a couple of bananas.

springtide9

TBH, the main reason why I've stuck with Forgoodnessshakes and now High5 4.1 - is convenience. I'm sure it's just a case of mixing the right stuff together in the right proportions, but I'm happy to pay my money for someone to do it for me.
It's not that I'm lazy, just lack of time due to family commitments.

I have also tried a few of the bars, gels and 'fuel'. Not all agree with me and have had stomach cramps in the past. Gels seem to be the worst... and I avoid if I can. Regardless of whether one product is slightly better than another, it's more whether they agree with me or not. Reading some of the posts on the forums, it seems I am not alone in this area.

cougie

I use recovery drinks but not after every session.

dgstewart

Chocolate milk and a banana as soon as you get in from a hard training ride. Doesn't get any easier than that, and chocolate milk is very tasty! Then after a shower (and maybe bike clean) have some proper food, like pasta, sandwich, rice, etc with some lean protein and veg also.

Also it's the ideal opportunity to eat some tasty high GI carbs like baked potatoes or white bread/bagels, which I wouldn't eat at normal meal/snack times. Usually I'm after slow release carbs, but for recovery fast release is better.

bobinski

I have read this with interest.
i am currently doing a short 4.5 mile commute to work in London which with red lights etc takes 18-19 minutes each way. in addition i do 30 -60 minutes on the turbo 4 weekday nights , either 29-30 min high intensity for a distance of 10miles according to my Garmin, or a sufferfest video for a bit of torture. At weekends family commitments mean i can cycle more no more than 2 hours early in the mornings.
i eat well, all home cooked, non processed food with a good mix of low and high gi carbs, pulses, fish and white meat, red meat perhaps once a fortnight. i love cake and much is homemade and lies in wait to grab me as i walk past
i an gradually loosing weight without really changing my diet.
i eat before 6pm with my family most nights, good mix of food, and then after a turbo session i will have bran flakes in lactose free milk-sometimes mixed with crunchy nut cornflakes
i have it as an alternative to a shake etc as described above.
would i be better off with a shake or something? or would i have to work much harder to justify a shake or similar?
cheers

tigerben

Small tip - if you use High 5 -wash out your bottles thoroughly afterwards.... I recently forgot and after a couple of weeks gestation period there was something furry growing at the bottom of my bottle.

ShutUpLegs

tigerben wrote:

Small tip - if you use High 5 -wash out your bottles thoroughly afterwards.... I recently forgot and after a couple of weeks gestation period there was something furry growing at the bottom of my bottle.

Was it Victoria Pendleton?