If you’ve ever had a beer or two after a workout because, hey, you earned it… we have some bad news.
All that exercise you did was for naught.
A new study from the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research (the “official research journal of the National Strength and Conditioning Association”) on the effects of alcohol consumption after exercising concludes that “alcohol should not be ingested following [resistance exercise] as this ingestion could potentially hamper the desired muscular adaptations to resistance exercise by reducing anabolic signaling, at least in men.”
Meaning, the chemicals you need to build muscles are affected negatively by immediate booze consumption.
Meaning, those 12-oz. curls you’ve been doing are not building your biceps (though they may be bulking up your gut).
“If you’re doing heavy resistance training, if you’re going to go out drinking that night, don’t go to the gym right before,” says the study’s co-author Jakob Vingren. “It’s possible the next day you’re going to be worse off than if you hadn’t gone to the gym.”
One more excuse not to workout on a Friday.
Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Sign up for our new wellness newsletter today.
