Bone Broth
Collagen
|
|
Time to read 7 min
Progress in training isn’t just about the muscle you see in the mirror; it’s about the tissues that hold everything together. Tendons, ligaments, cartilage and skin take the brunt of impact, rotation and friction every time you lift, sprint, skip or change direction. Collagen is the primary protein scaffold for those tissues. Making it part of your daily routine is a small habit that helps you train consistently, recover smoothly and keep your skin on side during busy blocks.
Table of Content
Every session creates tiny stresses in connective tissue. That’s a good thing, it’s how the body adapts, but only if you give it the raw materials to renew itself between sessions. Collagen peptides provide the specific amino acids (notably glycine, proline and hydroxyproline) your body uses to rebuild the protein matrix in tendons and ligaments, and the springy, water-holding network in cartilage. When that matrix is continually topped up, joints tend to feel better supported under load, change-of-direction work feels tidier, and you’re less likely to be distracted by “background niggles” that chip away at momentum.
Skin is part of the recovery picture too. Training means sweat, showers, kit friction and exposure to the elements. Collagen supports the dermal structure that keeps skin resilient and bouncy, which is why many active people notice improved comfort in high-rub areas and a healthier look to their skin across an eight-to-twelve-week block.
Think “little and often”. Hunter & Gather Collagen Peptides are pure, unflavoured and heat-stable, available as bovine (Types I & III) and marine (Type I). They disappear into hot drinks, smoothies, yoghurt or soups without affecting taste.
Most people notice the subtle wins first: joints feeling steadier on stairs; less “scratchy” stiffness the morning after familiar sessions; skin that stays comfortable under kit. Because collagen works with your training rather than replacing it, the timeline is the same as any sensible block: give it 8–12 weeks of daily use. Track something tangible — your post-session knee feel, how your calves respond to skipping volume, or skin hydration around straps and waistbands. Progress shows up as small, cumulative improvements that add up across the block.
Strength blocks. Lower-body days load the patellar and Achilles tendons; upper-body days stress elbows and shoulders. A pre-load serving on these days keeps those tissues topped up as volume climbs, so you can focus on clean lifts and predictable recovery.
Running, team sport and conditioning. Repeated impacts and sharp changes of direction rely on springy connective tissue for smooth force transfer. Collagen supports the matrix that underpins that “snap”, and skin resilience matters here too — fewer distractions from rubbing or chafing means better sessions.
Return to training and deloads. When you’re ramping back up after time off, the muscle often comes back faster than connective tissue. Daily collagen gives that slower-adapting system steady support while you rebuild tolerance with progressive loading.
Busy life weeks. When sleep or scheduling isn’t perfect, the simplest nutrition habits win. A scoop in your morning coffee and another in an afternoon smoothie keeps your background recovery moving without fuss.
Pick the option you’ll happily take every day. Bovine peptides (Types I & III) are a versatile all-rounder for joints, tendons and skin. Marine peptides (Type I) have a lighter mouthfeel many people love in hot drinks. Both are unflavoured, dissolve cleanly and are heat-stable, so you can stir into coffee, tea or porridge without clumps or off-notes. Because the product is a single ingredient, there’s no clash with the rest of your routine and no sweeteners or emulsifiers to contend with.
Mon (Lower body strength): 10–15 g collagen + a vitamin C source 45 minutes pre-session; optional second serving later with dinner.
Tue (Easy run or mobility): 10–15 g any time of day.
Wed (Upper body strength): 10–15 g 45 minutes pre-session; citrus or berries alongside.
Thu (Rest or conditioning): 10–15 g with breakfast; hydrate well.
Fri (Plyometrics or sprints): 10–15 g 30–60 minutes before drills.
Sat (Long run / match / metcon): baseline serving in the morning; fold another into your post-session meal.
Sun (Rest / walk): baseline serving with a hot drink; prep the week’s portions.
Collagen won’t shout about its impact — it works in the background, helping the tissues that make training feel smooth and sustainable.
Build the habit, time a serving before connective-tissue-heavy work when it matters, and give it a full block to show you what it can do.
The payoff is consistency: stronger-feeling sessions, calmer joints and skin that keeps up with your pace.
Hunter & Gather
Hunter & Gather are an ancestrally-inspired lifestyle brand that fuses ancestral wisdom and modern innovation to guide your journey to better health. Our mission is to give you the tools to thrive for life. We create real food and supplements that are free from refined sugar, grains and inflammatory seed oils, while championing premium quality and taste.
No. Collagen is naturally low in leucine and lacks tryptophan, so it’s not ideal for stimulating muscle protein synthesis on its own. Your post-workout anchor should be complete protein from food or whey/plant blends. Collagen can still sit alongside that routine to support connective tissues and help you feel ready to train again tomorrow. If you like a “shake and scoop”, have your normal protein after lifting and add 10–15 g collagen at another time of day, or before tendon-heavy sessions.
Both are hydrolysed to small peptides and absorb well. Bovine collagen (Types I & III) is a versatile, everyday option. Marine collagen is predominantly Type I, the most abundant type in skin, tendons and bone; some people prefer it for skin-focused goals or if they avoid bovine products. Functionally, choose the one you’ll use consistently; mixability and purity matter more than the animal. Hunter & Gather offers pure, unflavoured versions of both, so you can pick based on preference and routine.
Plan on 8–12 weeks of daily use to judge skin changes like elasticity and hydration, based on RCT timelines. For connective tissue comfort, many people notice indirect benefits within a training block as sessions feel smoother and recovery more predictable, but this varies and depends on smart loading, sleep and overall nutrition. Track something concrete like morning stiffness or how your shins feel on week-to-week runs, rather than just waiting to “feel different”.
If your target is tendons/ligaments, take collagen 30–60 minutes before the session and include vitamin C. That timing has been shown to raise circulating collagen-building amino acids during loading and to increase markers of collagen synthesis. For general use, any consistent time works — many people stir a scoop into morning coffee or their evening wind-down drink. Post-workout, prioritise your complete protein first; collagen can come later.
No supplement replaces progressive loading, good programming and sleep. That said, research and practitioner experience suggest collagen can be a useful adjunct for connective tissue alongside a structured plan. Trials and reviews report improvements in joint comfort and positive changes in tendon characteristics when collagen is combined with training over weeks to months. Think of it as supportive nutrition, not treatment. Always work with a coach or clinician for persistent pain.
