Coffee and tea have been in a long-standing fight for supremacy in the weightlifting world for a very long time. It is well known that both can play very important roles in your overall strength and power throughout your training.
On one hand, caffeine (from coffee) can be an effective pre-workout supplement and may even help to increase strength. In contrast, tea, especially green tea, has been shown to be effective for recovery and can promote relaxation during off-day training.
In this article, we are going to help break down which is best for strength and ensure that you can optimize your training and strength with critical information.
Caffeine - The Original Pre-Workout
Caffeine is the first pre-workout. Before we had fancy amino acid shakes, blood thinners and all the other ingredients in pre-workout formulas, the likes of Frank Zane would use caffeine, from coffee or caffeine anhydrous to improve performance during a workout.
Unfortunately, it's not all sunshine and rainbows with caffeine, especially from coffee. Some research has shown that caffeine can actually inhibit some of your bodies ability to metabolize creatine.
From the perspective of strength and power, many of us will be supplementing with creatine. If we are consuming caffeine on a regular basis and not allowing our body to adequately absorb creatine this could potentially put a damper on performance.
This science is not yet completely conclusive, and we are still huge advocates of caffeine for strength and power.
There is clear research that shows those who use caffeine prior to a workout can not only run longer (as long as they are hydrated) but also lift heavier due to an increase in gross motor performance.
Green Tea - Perfect for Recovery
Many people forget about recovery. We all get overly focussed on having the best workouts possible, but we forget that allowing our body to rest and recover is just as important. Without adequate rest, you will struggle to put on mass and will likely bring yourself into unnecessary injury territory.
Green tea is perfect for recovery.
A study conducted in 2015 on Male sprinting athletes found that by supplementing green tea extract, runners were able to reduce oxidative stress and increase their run performance and decrease recovery time.
It is, however, important to mention that this study was conducted using green tea extract - not a cup of green tea. The difference may not be significant, but it is important to mention the small details.
What's Best for Strength?
Both are effective tools for increasing strength and size. Both are effective tools for recovery and both can be effective tools for limiting body fat.
The biggest difference between the two is that caffeine has the ability to increase gross motor performance - that is, big lifts.
Supplementing with caffeine may help to literally increase your bench and squat, whereas green tea seems to be more effective in limiting oxidative stress.
If you are looking for a way to get both of these amazing supplements in one unique package look no further than RESSURECTION.
Increase performance through Caffeine and Green Tea by supplementing RESSURECTION with every workout.
