As climbers, we all want to get stronger, but we also want to stay light and lean. Attempting to balance these desires has made climbers look at main-stream exercises supplements, like protein shakes, with some serious suspicion. Climbers often feel that consuming protein supplements will cause weight gain through “bulking up” with lots of new muscle mass. However, these concerns are irrational. Using protein shakes to help supplement a healthy diet can help athletes, including climbers, meet the nutritional demands of their sport.

To debunk the “bulking up” myth for good, here’s an article by Andrew Bisharat of Evening Sends. In it, Bisharat looks at what is actually required to put on muscle mass as well as the real role of protein supplements in sports nutrition.

“Strength gains and increases in muscle mass are the result of sticking to a proper training regimen and coupling your workouts with optimal eating habits.”

“This misconception about the relationship between protein and muscle is likely born from marketing campaigns that mislead consumers to believe that by simply taking protein powders, your arms, shoulders, and chest will magically grow into mountains of muscle. It’s just not true.” – Andrew Bisharat

Will Protein Supplements Make Me Too Bulky to Climb?

As he clearly states above, Bisharat’s main point is that putting on muscle mass is extremely difficult. Because of this, increasing your protein intake, whether from food or supplements, isn’t going to make you bulk up.

However, Bisharat goes beyond simply pointing out that protein supplements alone won’t cause muscle gain. He also delves into the actual protein requirements of climbers as athletes. This information is where this article is really helpful as it gives climbers a concrete framework to help manage their protein intake.

Ultimately, Bisharat doesn’t argue that all climbers should be taking a protein supplement. However, he is suggesting that there is a danger in consuming too little protein and very little danger in consuming too much. As a result, climbers shouldn’t shy away from using high-quality protein supplements if it helps them meet their overall nutritional needs as athletes.

Click through below to read the full article and learn more about the role of protein in sports nutrition.

Full Article: Evening Sends – Will Protein Supplements Make Me Too Bulky to Climb?

(photo courtesy of eveningsends.com)

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