It’s impossible to turn up for every workout with a full and healthy body. Sometimes, you’ll arrive at the fitness center exhausted, depressed, and unmotivated, and If that’s the case, choosing the right pre-workout could be the only thing needed to get you through the training slump.
Are you skeptical about the effectiveness of pre-workout? Well, a study published within the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that the combination of pre-workout and HIIT workouts resulted in significant increases in the volume of training, VO2 max, and lean body mass also speeding up the rate at which moderately trained recreational athletes shed body fat.
But, if you decide to participate in the pre-workout action you will need to know how to go about it safely and effectively. This is why we’ve developed an easy-to-follow guide to the top pre-workout supplements available that include everything from a professional sports nutritionist’s view to the pros and cons of boosting your nutrition with lifters’ favorite pick-me-ups.
The guide also provides a list of products that give you a natural pre-workout booster, and also the top pre-workout supplements that money can buy, as tested through our Men’s Health Lab.
What Does Pre-Workout Do?
If you don’t fuel your body appropriately prior to exercises or intense exercises, you’ll end up feeling less energized, and weaker, and you’ll be more tired as compared to normal. This is a fact. Pre-workout is designed in order to combat this issue, and to help you push yourself harder and for longer and is usually made in a form of electrolyte powder. Therefore, the supplement is available in a variety of formats — from meals to shakes to pills and much more each one is designed to boost your energy levels and enhance concentration.
Many pre-workout supplements are typically mixed with an alcoholic drink, and taken about 30 minutes before the start of an exercise. Because they provide your body with more carbohydrates and sugars, the glucose that you consume in the pre-workout aids in raising blood sugar levels and gives you an extra boost of energy when you work out. In essence, they’re more energizing than a banana or a shot of espresso, or a black cup of coffee.
What’s in My Pre-Workout and Is It Safe?
As a pre-workout is designed to aid you in completing any workout that is particularly difficult, it shouldn’t be a surprise to discover that they fill your system with caffeine, sugar, and other stimulants to boost energy levels.
It is important to check the ingredients list before you purchase a new pot of pre-workout. Caffeine is the key ingredient to keep an eye on as the levels can range between moderate and too excessive, and in extreme instances, excessive levels of caffeine could trigger serious health issues such as insomnia, anxiety, and high blood pressure.
When Should I Take Pre-Workout?
The crucial question is: If you’re hoping to increase your workout performance by using pre-workouts, what is the best moment to begin? As we’ve already mentioned the majority of people consume pre-workouts between 30 minutes and one hour prior to working out however, simply because it’s called a pre-workout does not necessarily mean you have to consume it prior to your workout. “For longer sessions,” suggests Lovell, “you could delay until an hour into the session.” Always check the tag on your pre-workout for the exact details.
Can I Use Coffee as a Pre-Workout?
As we’ve mentioned, coffee and pre-workout share the same main ingredient- caffeine. It has been proven to have an impact on athletic performance It also doesn’t have the ingredients and additives that other supplements for pre-workouts may have. Studies have proven that caffeine concentration peaks in the 45th minute after ingestion, with effects lessening in the following time.
Simply put — Yes, you can drink coffee for a pre-workout.