MaxiNutrition has relaunched its Maximuscle range – designed ‘for the few’ in that it targets people who really want to excel with their workouts.
For boxers, this is welcome news. MaxiMuscle is a sub-company of GlaxoSmithKline, and the pharmaceutical giant has leant its science-led approach to the new range, meaning it is specially formulated for athletes and is tested by Informed-Sport.
Obviously, this could all sound like overly complicated jargon – but the good thing about MaxiMuscle is that most of us have experienced it before. It’s one of the UK’s best-selling ranges and was at one point the dominant force on supermarket shelves. But after a rebrand, MaxiNutritition aimed itself at a more general fitness audience. MaxiMuscle renews the focus, and for combat sport athletes it’s a welcome thing. We got our hands on the new product trusted by the likes of Amir Khan to try it out…
Their whey protein concentrate is an ideal source of protein – cold filtered, spray dried and delivering fast-release protein for a post-workout boost. It’s got a 90-97% protein concentration depending on the flavour. We like the Raspberry one, but there are three available (chocolate and strawberry). All three are easy mixing whether you go for milk or water, and all contain over 20g of protein per 30g serving.
Whey protein is usually chosen for its fast-release properties, making it the best choice for a post-workout shake. When it comes to boxing, athletes typically work out every day, whether that’s cardio, sparring, bag work or anything else. Each of those activities expends energy, and most also affect your muscles. Even if you only associate protein with lifting weights, you’d be surprised to learn that protein helps athletes recover from a wide range of activity. Virtually any workout a boxer can do will benefit from a post-workout shake.
The MaxiMuscle protein we tried stands out from the usual crowd as it contains Sunflower Lecithin, which helps the powder dissolve quickly so that it is absorbed by the body. Again, this makes it mainly targeted towards post-workout usage – but you could also enjoy it at multiple times a day if you’re looking to add muscle mass.
One final thought, which is handy for boxers on a weight cut, is that the shake provides a key macronutrient but at a fraction of the calories – so you can help meet your body’s protein needs whilst still dieting. With just 1.7g of sugar per serving, you don’t need to worry about too much of an insulin spike from high GI content either.
All in all, MaxiMuscle protein concentrate does what all protein says it does on the tin. It’s there to support a healthy diet and keep you from feeling too broken down after workouts. However, thanks to a science-led approach and informed-sport testing procedures, professional boxers need not worry about any potential scandals from supplements being mistaken as performance-enhancing drugs. After all, that’s why the brand is so trusted by the likes of Amir Khan, Anthony Yarde and Anthony Ogogo.
