Whether you live for life-affirming open-water swims or love to rack up laps in the pool, swimming is one of the best full body workouts around. But it's essential to keep yourself fuelled if you want to smash those PBs. HERMOSA is here with our guide to the best protein powders for swimmers, which are guaranteed to fuel your swimming kick. Let's dive in!
What Does Protein Powder Do For Swimmers?
Protein is the essential macronutrient we all need to repair and build muscle tissues. When you exercise, your muscles are broken down and need protein to repair themselves and grow back stronger. That’s why we call protein the "building block" of muscles. Swimming is a high-intensity activity, which means swimmers need more protein than most to help repair and rebuild their muscles after a strenuous swimming session.
How Much Protein For Swimmers?
The amount of protein you need depends on a number of factors, including your age, activity level and muscle mass. Look online and you’ll see plenty of different opinions about how much protein we need. But the current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram (0.36 grams per pound) of body weight. This means that a person who weighs 68 kg (150 pounds) needs to consume 54 grams of protein per day just to function properly.
However, if you’re a swimmer or any other athlete who regularly takes part in high-intensity exercise, you’ll need more protein to help your muscles recover and grow. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that athletes consume 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram (0.5-0.7 grams of protein per pound) of body weight. This means that a 68 kg (150-pound) swimmer would need around 75-105 grams of protein per day to fuel their training.
Protein Shake After Swimming Or Before?
So, should you take your protein after swimming or before?
It’s best to take protein after swimming, since your muscles are broken down and need a fresh supply of protein to repair and rebuild themselves. Drinking a protein shake before swimming can also help to prevent muscle breakdown, but it’s more effective at promoting muscle growth and recovery after exercise. Many experts recommend getting protein onboard with the 30-minute “anabolic window” after training. But we say take your time, enjoy every sip of your HERMOSA protein powder you’ll be recharged and ready to dive in again in no time.
What Is The Best Protein For Swimmers?
The best protein for swimmers is essentially a two-lane race between whey and vegan protein. But whether you take whey protein after swimming or a plant-based protein, both provide a similar hit of protein just in a different package. So the best protein for you if you’re a swimmer really comes down to your personal preference. Let’s take a closer look at each of these protein supplements for swimmers to give you the scoop on what to expect.
Whey Protein For Swimmers
These days you can pick up various different types of protein powder, from whey to casein, soy, pea and hemp. Whey is still the most popular type of protein powder among athletes and bodybuilders because it’s quickly absorbed by the body and is a complete protein. That means it contains all the essential amino acids that your body needs to build muscle. So it’s a really efficient source of protein for swimmers looking to build muscle.
Vegan Protein For Swimmers
Vegan proteins, like pea and hemp, are a great option for vegan swimmers or those allergic to dairy. Plant proteins are often combined to make them complete proteins and are usually slightly lower in calories and saturated fat than animal proteins, making them a leaner option. Plant proteins can also be easier to digest than animal proteins for some people. Plus, they’re also usually gluten-free and sugar-free, making them a cleaner and greener option.
Protein Shake For Swimmers
With HERMOSA in your support team, you’ll be raring to dive back into the pool, or wherever you get your swimming fix, just to get that delicious protein shake reward at the end of your workout. So we’ve teamed up with our friends at Barry’s Bootcamp (who’ve been using HERMOSA in their world-famous Barry’s post-workout shakes at their UK Fuel Bars since 2014) to bring you one of our favourite protein shakes for swimmers.
PBJ
Who can resist the classic taste sensation that is peanut butter and jelly? Bursting with protein and vitamins, the PBJ is your go-to protein shake to refuel those hard yards of lung-busting effort. This is definitely one of the best protein shakes for swimmers around. It’s like a hug in a shaker cup! (And if this doesn’t exactly tickle your tastebuds, check out some other tantalising shakes from the Barry’s team)
Ingredients:
½ a cup of frozen blueberries
½ a cup of frozen strawberries
½ a cup of ice
1 tbsp of peanut butter
8oz of unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop of HERMOSA Vanilla Whey or Vegan Protein
Method:
Just blend all the ingredients together until the consistency is creamy. Put your feet up, savour the flavour and bask in the afterglow of your swim training. The PBJ will make all that hard work worthwhile. Enjoy!
Benefits:
Just like your water-based training sessions, this Barry’s Bootcamp shake is all about maximising your gains. Peanut butter jelly time has never tasted or felt this good! The PBJ is packing nutrient-dense blueberries rich in antioxidants, strawberries loaded with Vitamin C and gut-healthy flavonoids, and that protein powerhouse: peanut butter. Combine with HERMOSA Vanilla Whey or Vegan Protein for a seriously tasty post-swimming pick-me-up.
HERMOSA For Swimmers
If, like us, you get your kicks from a regular dip, you’ll want your nutrition to work just as hard as you do. HERMOSA protein powders are designed to fuel active lifestyles, giving your recovery the extra boost it needs to keep you feeling amazing and ready to dive back in for more. With sustainably sourced whey from grass-fed cows and GMO-free vegan protein, not to mention all-natural stevia flavouring, every scoop of HERMOSA is pure quality.
So, why should you add HERMOSA protein powder to your swimming routine? Well, we're pretty sure we've created the best tasting whey and vegan protein powder out there. In fact, our HERMOSA whey protein was awarded The Telegraph's 'Best Tasting Protein Powder' for 2022! With every serving of HERMOSA you’ll get 20g of high-quality protein and all nine essential amino acids, including those essential muscle-building BCAAs.
For the best protein powders for swimmers that are super clean, criminally smooth and so packed full of flavour they’ll soon become the main motivation for your water workout, shop the HERMOSA collection today.
