Hello Folks,
I'm a whole foods kinda' guy. It's following the basics of how humans are designed physiologically, which is to eat foods, not isolated nutrients. I'm not saying that isolates are bad, far from it. Sometimes a quality whey protein or L-glutamine supplement is awesome, I'm just going from my own reference point.
For what it's worth, I totally agree with Beach Man. Good quality whey is highly assimilable and an excellent choice for a protein isolate. L-Glutamine is great for athletes for GI support, joint support, and for muscle building potential.
I've seen great results with a combination of high quality bee pollen (I really dig the Y.S. Organic Bee Farms brand) goji berries, and shelled hemp seed. This is an awesome combination for quality protein, antioxidants, and EFAs.
The bee pollen works as a low potency but very high absorption multivitamin, with quality protein (small amounts but easily utilized by your body).
https://www.ysorganic.com/morepollen.html
This is a sales site, so it could show some bias, but it backs up with other research I've done into bee pollen and other bee products.
Goji berries are awesome for athletes because of the tremendous antioxidant profile, always good for folks who are working their bodies hard. They also have a great range of amino acids, which are of course building blocks of protein.
https://www.gojijuices.net/nutritioninformation.html
This is a pretty good site that seemed to do a good job of staying away from the hype that is so popular with superfoods.
Shelled hemp seeds are a great source of quality protein, an amazing profile of Essential Fatty Acids, and they taste fantastic. I put a tablespoon on salads (leafy greens are also great for athletes), warm cereals (like quinoa and amaranth), and smoothies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp#Nutrition
This page does a good job of being objective but informative about the EFA profile and some other basics. Again, without buying into hype.
I've worked with quite a few athletes and all of them have been pleasantly surprised at the positive effect they've had from this unlikely combination. This combination of bee pollen (1tbsp), goji berries (one very small handful), and hemp seeds (1-2 tbsp) works really well in a smoothie. I use either almond milk or fresh juice as a base and add 3-4 ounces of organic plain yogurt, a banana, and a cup of frozen or fresh blueberries. Its digest easily, provides a feeling of fullness, and works nicely as a breakfast drink or an post-workout shake.
Remember to stretch, remember to breathe. Good luck with your workout!