What is Pre-Workout & Everything You Need To Know About Timing, Ingredients & Benefits

What is Pre-Workout & Everything You Need To Know About Timing, Ingredients & Benefits

What is Pre-Workout & Why Does it Matter?

You’re walking into the gym after a long day at work. You were up early to finish that report, barely got a lunch break to fit in an extra meeting, and you’re feeling spent.

 

You feel flat, tired, like you’d rather be anywhere else.

 

Good thing you’ve got a brand new tub of pre-workout in your gym bag - the perfect solution to boost your energy, focus and endurance.

 

But what is pre-workout? Is it a supplement? A steroid?

 

This article will cover all of that - what’s in a pre-workout supplement, when you should take one, how they can benefit you & which ones you should consider - and more.

 

 

 

 

Understanding Pre-Workout Supplements

 

A pre-workout supplement is exactly that - a supplement you take before you begin to workout. They’re designed to help with improving performance, strength, energy, focus and training intensity, whilst masking any feelings of fatigue.

 

Typically, they’ll come in powder form to be mixed into water, ready-to-drink bottles or even capsules. Whilst they’re used by different types of athletes, lifters & fitness enthusiasts, there’s really no limit to who might benefit from using a pre-workout supplement, if you’re after an increase in focus, energy and intent, without feeling tired.

 

 

 

Best Time to Take Pre-Workout For Maximum Effect

 

20-40 minutes before you train seems to be the sweet spot from a digestion and absorption perspective. Everybody is slightly different, so experiment within this window for maximum effectiveness.

 

Any shorter than that, and it’s unlikely you’ll be able to feel the effects before you begin your workout, and any longer than that and you might find yourself missing out on some of those benefits towards the end of your workout.

 

As a word of warning - most pre-workout supplements do tend to contain reasonably large quantities of caffeine (we’ll get into exactly what this is and what it does shortly), so if you’re somebody who trains in the evening or closer to the time you go to sleep, you might want to think about taking non-stimulant pre-workout supplements or taking a smaller serving.

 

 

 

Proven Ingredients That Power Performance

 

Whilst there are countless pre-workout supplements available, that all contain a variety of different ingredients in different dosages, there are a number of evidence-backed ingredients to look out for when choosing a pre-workout supplement:

 

 

 

 

The Truth About the ‘Strongest’ Pre-Workout

 

 

There’s a common misconception that the ‘strongest’ pre-workout supplement is the best pre-workout supplement, but not everybody will be able to tolerate the formulas that contain the ‘most’ amount of active ingredients.

 

Typically speaking, most gym-bros will look at how much caffeine a pre-workout supplement contains and assume more is always better - but if you have a low tolerance to caffeine this simply won’t be the case for you.

 

There is a legal and safe limit to how many mg of each active ingredient can be included in pre-workout supplements, and it’s always wise to shoot for a ‘quality over quantity’ approach & figure out what works best for you.

 

 


 

What Are The Real Benefits of Pre-Workout?

 

Increased Focus:

  • Sharper mind muscle connection, reduced distractions and the opportunity to maintain better form as a consequence.
  • Ingredients responsible: caffeine + Neumentix

 

Increased Energy:

  • Helps push through fatigue to train harder & complete tougher workouts.
  • Ingredients responsible: caffeine, creatine & beta-alanine

 

Improved Endurance:

  • Helps with maintaining strength, energy and performance for longer by reducing the feeling & effects of fatigue.
  • Ingredients responsible: beta-alanine

 

Improved Strength + Power:

  • Helps with giving your body more charging stations to recharge your energy stores & perform more explosive movements, like lifting weights.
  • Ingredients responsible: creatine

 

 

 

Gold Standard Pre-Workout: No Noise, Just Proven Ingredients

 

Use Case: General training to serious performance goals or new to pre-workout supplements.

 

Gold Standard Pre-Workout is banned substance tested (so anybody including professional athletes can take it), Informed Choice certified and focuses on a clean profile of ingredients.

 

It contains caffeine from natural sources, creatine & beta-alanine.

 

Fuel your workouts with proven ingredients —> RIGHT HERE.

 

 

 

 

Pre-Workout AMPED: Energy You Feel, Time To Get Amped

 

Use Case: Designed for serious athletes, hardcore lifters and fitness junkies.

 

Pre-Workout AMPED is an advanced, high-stimulant pre-workout made for intense training, and is not for the faint-hearted.

 

It contains:

  • 300mg of caffeine + Neumentix for focus
  • 6g of L-citrulline for bigger muscle pumps and enhancing exercise performance and recovery (8).
  • 3.5g beta-alanine for endurance purposes and minimising the effects of fatigue.
  • Electrolyte blend for hydration purposes.

 

If you’re looking to take your training to the next level, this is the product for you. Unlock your next level with Pre-Workout AMPED —> RIGHT HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-Workout Questions Answered

 

Q: Is pre-workout safe to take every day?

A: Yes, when used directed and not abused. Make sure to take any other potential caffeine consumption into account.

 

Q: Can beginners use pre-workout?
A: Absolutely - although it’s recommended to start with lower stimulant formulas or smaller doses to build tolerance.

 

Q: How long does pre-workout last?

A: Everybody is different, but typically 2-3 hours depending on your tolerance and the formula of the product you’re taking.

 

Q: Does pre-workout build muscle?

A: Not directly, but it does help with boosting performance and energy, which in turn could help you train harder in order to build more muscle.

 

Q: What happens if I take pre-workout too late in the day?

A: May interfere with sleep due to the caffeine content, so as best practice, try not to consume pre-workout (or any caffeine source) within 5-6 hours of bedtime.

 

 

 

Pre-Workout Matters: Make Every Rep Count

 

So what is pre-workout?

 

Your new best friend when it comes to increasing your focus, energy, performance and endurance during a workout. Taken within 20-40 minutes of your training session, evidence-based pre-workout supplements provide considerable performance benefits, and contain the ingredients scientifically proven to train harder, for longer and to take your training further.

 

Make your workout count by choosing pre-workout supplements backed by science and trusted by athletes.

 

 

Sources:

 

  1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39032921/
  2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8949037/
  3. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpcell.00447.2021
  4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6093191/
  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32916658/
  6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33388079/
  7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33966405/
  8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31977835/