If you have read my previous post in other forums on this site you know that I am on my way back for a lower back injury.

The injury will require me to change my workout from a heavy lifting bulking workout (high LBS & low REPS) to a toning/shaping style workout (low LBS & high REPS).

My question is, since I will not be bulking but toning, is creatine and protein necessary for this type of program?

Protein? Absolutely. I couldn't survive the average work week without my protein shakes.

Creatine? Never necessary, but it's a proven gainer for me. However, consider that lower weight, higher rep programs are more conducive to fat loss because you're not tearing down the muscle as much; this is a good time to focus on body fat reduction. At that time, I think creatine is a detrement (at least visually, and the mirror is how I do a lot of my measuring) because I bloat like a dead fish with all the water I retain during creatine use. It's around 4-lbs. for me, personally, and I'm just this side of a midget at 135-lbs and 66" tall.

If you've had good results with it, use it. If you've never tried it before and want to try it, give it a shot. It certainly won't hurt anything.

-R

From another thread: "herniated disk in my lower back".

Start off light, with high reps for a while. And build it up, not to quickly or to heavy or you might causing more injury.

Hi!

I think creatine will give a person most during low rep heavy weight training because it's involved in the whole ATP energy process. I think you can stay of creatine while doing high rep training and take it when you move towards a low rep heavy weight training cycle. It will give you more then.

You can still try it though. Probably you will see some effect and get a bit bloated like bluestreak said but I would save myself for heavier weeks. :)