So what do we think about coffee and exercise?

[Ken Sington]

As this is supposedly beneficial, I thought I would give it a go. There is a Starbucks next to my gym, so I popped in there this afternoon and supped on a double espresso. I then did an hour's cardio training. Can't say that I felt I worked any harder or better than I normally do, although when I finished, I did feel a little clearer mentally. Whether this was real or imagined I don't really know though. What say the exercise collective?

[RemainAllHoof]

The caffeine is supposed to act as a catalyst, encouraging the body to burn fat before anything else, hence the caffeine pills you can buy. The problem is that caffeine has a dehydrating effect (IIRC) so you need to make sure you have water to sip while you train.

[Ordinary_Chap]

If you drink several cups of tea/coffee per day you'll probably not notice anything, I certainly don't.

If however you're easily affected by stimulants and don't take a lot of caffine in then you should get a boost.

I personally don't really use anything except when I'm tired (usually after long days in work) then I will use some of my friends Jack3d!! Then I feel a boost although I'm not very sensitive to stimulants so whilst it does help quite a bit I obviously don't get the same effect as others do with it.

http://monstersupplements.com/store/p/4182/1/USP-Labs-Jack3d---250gr---FREE-SHIPPING-

Lee

[mcelliott]

For me personally the two go hand in hand. I always get a huge craving for coffee after exercise especially long hard cycle rides. Not sure of its beneficial effects, if any at all, if my body is craving for something I'm quite happy to answer its call.

[fatpasty]

In my gym, they hang posters up saying about having a cup of coffee before you train etc and they have a fancy coffee machine in the reception area. I don't normally have a cup before I train but I have spoken to guys in the gym who gives it the thumbs up. Will have to give it a go!

[didelydoo]

I hate coffee, but usually neck a table spoon or 2 of instant coffe in cold water prior to training.

[BoRED S2upid]

didelydoo said:

I hate coffee, but usually neck a table spoon or 2 of instant coffe in cold water prior to training.

That must taste foul.

[didelydoo]

BoRED S2upid said:

That must taste foul.

I add juice to it, but yes, it does.

[RemainAllHoof]

didelydoo said:

BoRED S2upid said:

That must taste foul.

I add juice to it, but yes, it does.

Yuck. It must be even worse with juice. Orange juice and coffee all in one? *shudder*

Do you like honey? Try coffee with a big dollop of honey. *licks his lips*

[Shinobi]

I stopped training for a while due to an injury and when I started again I tried some Jack3d which I used to use every session and it was madness, downside was no sleep for me so horrible next day. Now I have a 2 tea spoon black coffee and wait ten mins then I go in the Gym seems to help although I do drink about 3 pints of water an hour in the Gym.

[Tiggsy]

didelydoo said:

I hate coffee, but usually neck a table spoon or 2 of instant coffe in cold water prior to training.

Try it with hot water and a splash of milk....you might not hate it so much!

[Podie]

Tiggsy said:

didelydoo said:

I hate coffee, but usually neck a table spoon or 2 of instant coffe in cold water prior to training.

Try it with hot water and a splash of milk....you might not hate it so much!

[RemainAllHoof]

[balders118]

A cup of coffee is unlikely to have any real effect. From researching caffeine quite a bit (my MSc dissertation is on how caffeine effects power in olympic lifts) the smallest dose of caffeine proven to give a beneficial effect in terms of an ergogenic aid is around 2mg/kg of bodyweight. For a 75kg guy I think that's around 1.5 red bulls. So one cup of coffee (which has much less) is unlikely to see any real effect. Best effects have been shown to be around 3-7mg/kg. Up to ~9mg/kg has been shown to be effective and safe. That's a lot of redbull! I don't drink tea or coffee and can notice a small benefit from a tin of redbull, but two tins gives a really noticable effect.

[Meoricin]

didelydoo said:

I add juice to it, but yes, it does.

Could you not just use a caffeine supplement? Tastes just as bad, but at least you've only got to take a tablet.

[didelydoo]

Meoricin said:

Could you not just use a caffeine supplement? Tastes just as bad, but at least you've only got to take a tablet.

Only reason I'm using instant coffee at the mo is because I'd run out of Jack3d a while back, and I've never got round to ordering more.. May do it just now

[bazking69]

Love coffee. Not mad on the gym.