Improving Sports Performance | Get To Your Goal

From swimming to rugby to cycling, there are plenty of ways in which we can help you get the best performance from your body – whether that’s powering your dive start or your free kick. Whatever your level, with the right fuel in the tank you’ll be set for success.

Let’s be clear – there’s not a magic supplement that’ll take you from League 2 to the Championship overnight, and nothing can replace dedication to training, a healthy, balanced diet and a good night’s sleep. But, if used alongside all these things, the right supplements certainly be a welcome boost in the direction of that man of the match award.

In this article, we’ll cover:

Best supplements for before playing

THE Pre-Workout+

We’re all about starting strong. THE Pre-Workout+ is part of our latest trio of PhaseTech™ innovations — the next generation of sports nutrition.

It’s a hard-hitting blend created with an exclusive beadlet delivery system — this gives a dual-phased hit of energy that will last from the moment you kick-off, through to the final whistle.

Forget about trying to get a pre-match coffee down the hatch, the caffeine included in this will give you the buzz with none of the fuss. It’s a super-effective ingredient that studies have shown can delay fatigue,¹ increase power output,² and improve concentration³ – perfect to get you pumped and primed for any sport.

If you’re a bit wary of caffeine jitters, don’t worry – we’ve thought of that too, and included the amino acid L-theanine, which has been shown to reduce psychological and physiological stress responses.⁴

Creatine     

There’s been extensive research into the use of creatine supplements in sports, and it’s been proven to increase physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise.⁵

In a study carried out with football players in the Journal of Sports Sciences, creatine supplementation was shown to increase muscle power output, especially during intermittent sprint exercises.⁶

Another study, this time involving 18 male and female competitive swimmers, found that the group given creatine over the course of nine days of training were swimming significantly faster, with a significantly decreased swim time in their 100m sprints, compared to the group given a placebo.⁷

So, whether you’re at home on the pitch or in the lanes, put creatine to the test for your own discipline — we have a range of high-quality supplements for you to choose from, from super-convenient Creatine Monohydrate tablets, to finely micronised Creapure® Creatine powder.

Pure Caffeine

These are great to have on hand for whenever you need a little pick-me-up – and they come without the calories of a milky latte. Proven to delay fatigue¹ and allow athletes to train with more power, for longer,² caffeine is a really important pre-workout ingredient to help you kick-start your performance.

100% Instant Oats  

A great way to get your morning started, or to quickly refuel after a day at work – Instant Oats can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere for a convenient hit of carbs, which your body needs for energy.

They’re low in sugar, high in fibre, and have 11g of protein per serving too, which helps to grow and maintain muscle mass – supporting you through training sessions.

Best supplements for during

THE Amino+

Another supplement from our premium PhaseTech™ collection, THE Amino+ will help to transform your recovery time and elevate your mood — which can be especially handy if you find yourself on the losing side.

The blend contains 6g of BCAAs per serving, which are essential amino acids that your body can’t make itself. They’re a great support for your muscles throughout training and playing, as they’ve been proven to increase the rate of protein synthesis, while also decreasing the rate of protein degradation in resting human muscle.⁸ 

We’ve also included glutamine, which is an amino acid that plays a key role in protein synthesis and muscle contraction.⁹

Using our unique PhaseTech™ beadlets, all of these amino acids have been encapsulated in a fluidised coating – slowing down the digestion to give you a more sustained supply, rather than one spike at half-time.  

100% Essential Electrolyte

Staying hydrated is vital to any sport or exercise. And when you work up a sweat, it’s not just your water levels that need topping up – you lose important electrolytes too.

These are needed in the body to provide the electrical energy for all kinds of critical functions, including nerve reactions and muscle function.¹¹ Our 100% Essential Electrolyte is a blend of four essential electrolytes – sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium – and it’s super-easy to add to water or juice for a refreshing mid-session drink.

Energy Gel

Whether you’re halfway through a qualifying match, or miles in to your half marathon – you need a quick hit of energy to recharge your batteries with minimal fuss or effort.

Our Energy Gel sachets are the perfect thing to have waiting for you on the side-lines, as you’ll barely have to pause to enjoy them. There’s no mixing or prep required, just a simple tear and you can squeeze the gel straight into your mouth.

Loaded with 25g of fast-digesting carbohydrates, they’re a solution to replenishing muscle glycogen stores that won’t sit heavy on the stomach. Plus, they have an electrolyte blend to help replace the essential salts you lose through sweat, along with a vitamin B matrix to reduce tiredness and fatigue.¹²

Best supplements for after playing

Extreme Recovery Blend

Studies have shown that supplements which combine carbohydrates and protein are most effective at replenishing muscle glycogen after exercise,¹³ which is exactly why this high-impact blend should be part of your cool-down routine.

Extreme Recovery Blend is packed with 28g of protein per 100g, along with 47g of carbohydrates from waxy maize starch and maltodextrin — ideal for supporting muscle recovery.¹⁴

We’ve also included the essential amino acids, L-leucine and L-glutamine, which are key to muscle protein synthesis, and can help to reduce muscle damage.^9,15,16

THE Whey+

This ultimate protein powder is exactly what your body is calling out for after you’ve been put through your paces on the pitch, court, or track.

THE Whey+ is our premium blend of the purest whey isolate with GroPlex™ — a dynamic combination of fast- and slow-digesting protein — for a shake that delivers a sustained supply of protein, along with an instant hit to ignite muscle growth.

Plus, we’ve also included our unique phase-release beadlets of BCAA, leucine, and glutamine, which optimise recovery.^8,9,16 With this in your kit, you’ll be bouncing back in no time.

Injury prevention

It may sound obvious, but taking care of your body is a simple step you can take towards improving your sports performance.

Training and playing can put a strain on your body, especially your joints and bones, regardless of your age. Help protect yourself from serious injury, or an early reliance on a walking stick, and give these a try:

Glucosamine HCL & Chondroitin

Naturally occurring in the body, glucosamine and chondroitin are both components of cartilage, which absorbs impact and cushions the joints when you move.

There have been studies to show that taking glucosamine and chondroitin may relieve symptoms of knee osteoarthritis,¹⁸ and in one trial, patients with moderate-to-severe knee pain who took chondroitin also displayed a significant improvement in knee joint swelling¹⁹ – so try combatting those aches and pains with our Glucosamine HCL & Chondroitin tablets.

Calcium & Magnesium

These two essential minerals can be a really valuable training support as they both play a key role in normal muscle function and are needed for bone health. Magnesium is also involved in normal protein synthesis, making these convenient tablets perfect to work alongside your regime.³

Daily Multivitamin

Keeping on top of your vitamins is super-important for your general health as well as your sports performance, as they’re involved in many important functions in the body, so can help you return to training feeling fit and healthy.

Our Daily Multivitamin tablets are a quick and convenient way to make sure you’re hitting your recommended daily intake for seven essential vitamins — supporting your immune system, nervous system and metabolism.³

Plus, vitamin C and E are both antioxidants, which means that they can help to reduce inflammation after strenuous exercise. A study in Sports Medicine on the role of antioxidant vitamins in the prevention of exercise-induced muscle damage concluded that these vitamins could be recommended to those performing regular, heavy exercise.¹⁵

Compression clothing

You might be tempted to pull on some comfy joggers and a hoodie first thing after a hard match, but trust us, compression clothing can do a whole lot more for your recovery.

Quality compression clothing applies pressure which helps to improve circulation, keeping the muscles warm and increasing blood flow. This can help to provide relief from inflammation or a build-up of lactic acid.

A study in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that tissue oxygenation in a group of sportsmen was significantly higher in those who wore compression tights compared to those who didn’t¹⁷ — so it may be worth updating your kit.

We've got a strong range of high-quality compression clothing to help you bounce back to training — check out our Charge Compression Tights and Long-Sleeve Top. Both are made with a next-to-skin fit for ultimate support, along with mesh panels and sweat-wicking technology to keep you cool and comfy.