Can creatine really help tennis players?

brucie

Professional
Like the title says iv seen it and heard people use it in a training programme but will it help players anyway.

I was under the impression strong lean muscles are best for tennis players!

This is off a website I found:

2. What does it do and what scientific studies give evidence to support this?


Creatine is bodybuilding's ultimate supplement, and for good reason. For one thing, creatine can significantly increase lean muscle mass in just two weeks. It is also responsible for improving performance in high-intensity exercise, increasing energy levels, and speeding up recovery rates. It's no wonder athletes who use it have such of an edge over those who do not. Soon nearly every athlete who competes will use it (if they don't already). Creatine's ability to enhance energy reserves in muscles comes from its muscle protein synthesizing action, while minimizing protein breakdown. This occurs because creatine has the awesome effect of super-hydrating muscle cells with water. It enhances muscles' growth too-making muscle fibers bigger and stronger.

Quite a few studies have been done on creatine to figure out why and how it works so well. There have been over twenty double blind (meaning neither the researchers nor the subjects knew who was getting what), placebo-controlled studies conducted on creatine in the past five years. They proved that creatine increased energy levels, resulting in increased strength, endurance levels, and recovery rates. Another unexpected benefit attributed to creatine was discovered as well: creatine accelerates fat loss, while building lean body mass
3. Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?

First, anyone who is ready to have more energy, build more muscle faster, and have more endurance should try supplementing with creatine monohydrate. Next, anyone who would like to be more toned by increasing lean muscle mass, recuperating faster, and losing that extra little fat roll should supplement with creatine monohydrate. Last, anyone who is involved in intense physical activity, experiencing physical stress and fatigue, and likes incredible results should supplement with creatine monohydrate.

Doesnt seem to be any cons to using it:

Q: Are there any unfavorable effects with using Creatine?

A: Creatine occurs naturally in many foods, with an especially high concentration in red meats and fish. While using Creatine, you may notice increased urination, but this is simply due to the extra volume of liquid you'll be drinking when mixing your Creatine. If you do not wait three to four hours between doses, you may experience some stomach discomfort. This is easily resolved by spacing your Creatine dosages throughout the day or cutting dosages in half for one to two days.
 

Osteo UK

Rookie
I used to use creatine as a track sprinter (retired in 2000) and would say it was helpful. I have been using a very low level of creatine supplementation in the past year and am off it now for the whole of month of July to see if I feel any difference with my fitness (I no longer do any gym, just tennis). At the moment I am not convinced one way or the other and will see if I my % body fat or body weight changes or not.

Creatine certainly helps in muscle power and muscle strength (I am sure someone will give you the full details - it's all about ATP and ADP + P etc)

In principle, creatine is beneficial for power production rather than endurance, but there are enough studies and (scare stories if that's your cup of tea) to confuse anyone.
 

Osteo UK

Rookie
brucie said:
Anyone else had any experiances.

Lets hear scare stories too!

Some have claimed issues with liver and kidney function with prolonged use. I used it optimally from about 1994 to 1999 with no ill-effects before or since and have used low level supplementation for extended periods since.

BTW, taking creatine is no miracle recipe - you still have to train your socks off to get any benefit. Sitting on your bum won't help. ;)
 
I used it for a brief time in college, and definitly was able to increase muscle mass and the amount i bench press. I only used like a 1/3 of the "rec. use" on the bottle.

I am not sure its great for tennis though, you gain some water weight and mass, not always helpful for tennis.
 

brucie

Professional
sameermd said:
I used it for a brief time in college, and definitly was able to increase muscle mass and the amount i bench press. I only used like a 1/3 of the "rec. use" on the bottle.

I am not sure its great for tennis though, you gain some water weight and mass, not always helpful for tennis.

Well I have quite a muscular body however at 5ft10 i am 65kg, and want to increase my body mass muscle mass, whatever want more power! So i hit serves over 110mph (new target). Anyhow 65kg is quite high for me, i play every day! and workout when i have chance can do it at home or gym. Last week my weight had dropped like 4kg i was 61kg, which is too low! I figure that often the bigger lads hit with more weight (No pun) and power, which is what i wish to do.
 

Fred132

Rookie
It can help you perform those last few reps in your training program...that's where the benefit comes from.

It is also notorious for causing muscle cramps.
 
F

fast_server

Guest
This stuff does not help eye hand coordination - & the next step after this is to consider HGH ... web has lots of horror stories.
 

chroix

Rookie
..and making people highly irritable and volatile. One of my best friends was taking it and turned into a bear.. he would snap at people and was quic to fly off the handle. IMO the stuff is bad.
 
I tried creatine for about a week. It works as far as adding muscle mass. However it wreaked havoc on my, uh, digestive system. Let's just say I quit after a week and all my problems were behind me.
 
Z

Ztalin

Guest
brucie said:
Well I have quite a muscular body however at 5ft10 i am 65kg, and want to increase my body mass muscle mass, whatever want more power! So i hit serves over 110mph (new target). Anyhow 65kg is quite high for me, i play every day! and workout when i have chance can do it at home or gym. Last week my weight had dropped like 4kg i was 61kg, which is too low! I figure that often the bigger lads hit with more weight (No pun) and power, which is what i wish to do.

5'10" and 65 kg is actually below average weight. It's actually pretty skinny. I'm 5'9" and 77.3 kg, and still fairly thin, IMO. Bigger than your average ATP pro, but not muscular by any means.
 

chess9

Hall of Fame
To the best of my knowledge there are no studies that indicate creatine is beneficial for muscular endurance. Any running under 10 seconds might be helped and any powerlifting will be helped in most folks, as I recall the somewhat equivocal research.

As far as endurance is concerned, I'd suggest a basic running regimen instead. As for strength and power, again I think gym work and on court speed drills are much better.

Why take creatine when you can avoid all the side effects and get pretty much the same results?

Eat right and train hard.

-Robert
 
Z

Ztalin

Guest
chess9 said:
To the best of my knowledge there are no studies that indicate creatine is beneficial for muscular endurance. Any running under 10 seconds might be helped and any powerlifting will be helped in most folks, as I recall the somewhat equivocal research.

As far as endurance is concerned, I'd suggest a basic running regimen instead. As for strength and power, again I think gym work and on court speed drills are much better.

Why take creatine when you can avoid all the side effects and get pretty much the same results?

Eat right and train hard.

-Robert

Well, there aren't any known side effects other than mild diarrhea in some cases, but I agree that a proper training regimen is 100 times more important than any creatine supplement.
 

BattleAxe

Rookie
Search, and you will find threads like these....

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=92143&highlight=creatine

I've been taking small but regular doses of Creatine for almost 10 years now. I've never had any significant negative side effects. The positives definitely outweigh the negatives (negatives being....urinating more often during 5-day loading phase, actually remember to take it each day, etc)

The size and strength you gain will be quite noticeable and will help no matter what sport you play, unless you're playing poker, dominoes, darts, or some other activity which ESPN is now trying to pass off as a sport. It will even help your golf game!
 

GuyClinch

Legend
Useful..

It's useful but the effects are pretty modest. It won't help with pure aerobic performance but nowadays even events like Marathons have some anaerobic components - like when your trying to finish strong.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9662683

I think it would be useful for tennis as tennis is mostly anaerobic but I will say this again - if your not a high level player I think tennis MOSTLY comes down to skill - especially in doubles.

Your average fat lazy slob can cream a young fit player if that flat slob knows how to play tennis. Moreover some professional tennis players like say Andy Murray are quite scrawny. You don't need to be strong or fit to smack the heck out of the ball, IMHO. I have seen 99 pound weaklings just crushing forehands.

If your going to take creatine I recommend some of the "next generation" pills rather then the nasty tasting powder. It's called creatine ethyl ester. I think it works just as well if not better and it's alot less hassle.

Pete
 

brucie

Professional
Ztalin said:
5'10" and 65 kg is actually below average weight. It's actually pretty skinny. I'm 5'9" and 77.3 kg, and still fairly thin, IMO. Bigger than your average ATP pro, but not muscular by any means.
No but Im 16! And have lean muscles which are well toned in legs as i do lots of cycling and same in arms play 7 times aweek! Not to mention abs, what i mean is no real body fat. So that explains why im below average this is why i want to add a bit more bulk to trapezius, deltoid, tricep, bicep area.
 

Osteo UK

Rookie
chroix said:
..and making people highly irritable and volatile. One of my best friends was taking it and turned into a bear.. he would snap at people and was quic to fly off the handle. IMO the stuff is bad.

Sorry to disagree, but I must! ;)

To my knowledge this must be just your best friend, as I have never heard of anything described as such. Creatine is a natural food substance found in raw fish and meat and we usually ingest between 1 and 2g daily.

Although the loading process used to involve 20g daily for 5 days when I was using it (don't know what they recommend now), creatine is excreted when your body is maxing out. Typically by day 5 of loading, you are not taking anything more than 5g, as I recall. Even the maintenance dose of 5g leads to excretion.

Creatine is used as a "carrier" for extra phosphate availability in the body - can't quite see how "mood" problems could occur... but I am happy to be corrected! :mrgreen:

Also, I defintely remember the muscle cramps when I was sprinting! One of my training partners also suffered the same as me as hamstrings and calfs started to suffer.

Golden rule of creatine supplementation used to be "ingest more water... and then some more".

Simple question for me would be this: would I have an issue with a loved one using creatine? From what I know and have experienced, not at all! (Although I tend to have this mental limit of waiting to 18 y.o. to allow natural development anyway!)
 

Ganz

New User
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9662683



"Your average fat lazy slob can cream a young fit player if that flat slob knows how to play tennis. Moreover some professional tennis players like say Andy Murray are quite scrawny. You don't need to be strong or fit to smack the heck out of the ball, IMHO. I have seen 99 pound weaklings just crushing forehands".

I agree. I was beaten love and love by a fatso. He was overweight but had a great forehand and serve. My game wasn't good enough to move him around consistently.

That's the worst, losing to someone who is overweight. It shouldn't happen but it does. It's like seeing that fit looking girl with the ugly guy. It's an injustice, no?
 

Trinity TC

Semi-Pro
chess9 said:
To the best of my knowledge there are no studies that indicate creatine is beneficial for muscular endurance. Any running under 10 seconds might be helped and any powerlifting will be helped in most folks, as I recall the somewhat equivocal research.

As far as endurance is concerned, I'd suggest a basic running regimen instead. As for strength and power, again I think gym work and on court speed drills are much better.

Why take creatine when you can avoid all the side effects and get pretty much the same results?

Eat right and train hard.

-Robert
I agree with Robert. You're only 16 and chances are you will put on a fair bit of muscle mass over the next 6 or 7 years. 110 Mph serve? Post a clip of your current serve. I'm sure you can squeeze an extra 15-20 mph with a few tweaks.:cool:
 

Trinity TC

Semi-Pro
Ganz said:
That's the worst, losing to someone who is overweight. It shouldn't happen but it does. It's like seeing that fit looking girl with the ugly guy. It's an injustice, no?
No....it's irony.;)
 
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