Products such as Rich Piana’s 5150 and Applied Nutrition ABE are all great pre-workouts. They provide much-needed energy to your body, enabling you to train harder and longer. But, how do you choose the best one?
What is Pre-Workout?
As implied with the name, pre-workout is something you take before you exercise. Most people use it to help them with endurance but also can help to build muscle and increase strength. Most pre-workouts contain the amino acid, beta-alanine which is most commonly used for pronounced effects on high-intensity performance.
Pre-workout usually comes as a powdered substance that you mix with water and drink around 30 mins before you plan to exercise. They typically contain different combinations of ingredients, popular one include: Citrulline Malate, Creatine Monohydrate, Taurine, B-Vitamins, Caffeine & Arginine. Which makes them a very easy alternative to taking several different supplements before you hit the gym.
What Does Pre-Workout Do?
Pre-workout is designed to give you more energy in the gym, that will combat effects such as fatigue and muscle breakdown. Pre-workout has three primary goals that will aid your training session.
1. INCREASE FOCUS
The brain is a muscle that tires like any other muscle in your body. If your brain is fatigued it will wander quite frequently during your training, meaning that you are not getting the maximum return for the time you are putting in at the gym. Pre-workouts stimulate the brain allowing you to stay in your rhythm and maximise your workout due to increased focus.
2. IMPROVE WORKOUT DURATION
Like your brain, your body’s muscles can fatigue and break down leaving you unable to complete the goals you set at the start of the workout. Pre-workout addresses this issue by giving you more energy in your muscles, furthering the duration of your workout.
3. IMPROVE POWER
As mentioned above, when your muscles fatigue and break down you are less inclined to continue your workout at that level. As well as the duration, the power of which you are working out will also be affected. High-quality pre-workouts give you an immediate power boost as soon as you have taken it giving you a bigger boost to lift heavier weights and perform at peak level.
Common Ingredients
The most common ingredient found in pre-workout shakes is caffeine. This is because caffeine can improve muscle power and endurance, without increasing how difficult the activity feels. Therefore, you are able to accomplish a lot more within your workout without feeling like you’re pushing yourself too hard.
B Vitamins, like Niacin and Vitamin B12, are also a common ingredient found in pre-workouts. These vitamins are key for increasing energy and metabolism. Some also contain Creatine Monohydrate, which increases performance in short-duration, high-intensity exercises. It also helps with lean gains, when taken consistently.
Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) are sometimes taken before a workout and can be found in some pre-workouts. They may be included as either a single ingredient or as individual Amino Acids. Amino acids can help to prevent muscle tissue damage and muscle breakdown. They can also help prevent fatigue, which will have a positive impact on performance.
NO2-boosters (Arginine, Citrulline) these essentially expand your veins and arteries, making it easier for blood to flow around your body, delivering nutrients quicker and more efficiently.
In some pre-workouts you may find Taurine (found in meats like Salmon & Beef) it’s a sulfonic acid, it makes the effect of caffeine less of a jolt and crash, it reduces the jitteriness, helping to keep you more effective and productive.
Some pre-workouts contain carbohydrates to top off your available energy stores. However, some are sugar-free and calorie-free. If you’re only planning on lifting, though, you probably don’t need the sugar.
How to Choose the Best Pre-Workout
Choosing the right pre-workout can be daunting, pre-workout is not a universal product for people who want to just increase muscle or participate in a high-intensity workout – but each pre-workout has its own benefits suited to your own goals.
BEST PRE-WORKOUT TO LOSE FAT
You should look for one where caffeine is one of the main ingredients. Research suggests that caffeine can speed up humans metabolism up to as much as 10%. Cobra Labs The Ripper is classed as a fat burner but contains a high amount of stimulants which means it can be used as a pre-workout as well.
BEST PRE-WORKOUT TO INCREASE STRENGTH
Choose a pre-workout that contains a creatine monohydrate like Optimum Nutrition’s pre-workout. This will help boost your production of the molecule Adenosine Triphosphate – which is needed for muscular energy during heavy workouts and can support the increase in muscle mass.
BEST PRE-WORKOUT TO INCREASE MUSCLE SIZE
you would want to go for something like Mr Hyde NitroX. It contains Nitric Oxide which is used by bodybuilders and it is used to regulate specific processes in the tissue. The most common nitric oxide is Citrulline Malate, so as long as it contains that, you are heading in the right direction.
BEST PRE-WORKOUT TO INCREASE ENDURANCE
It should contain a good amount of Beta-Alanine. Applied Nutrition ABE is a great fit for those wanting to increase the longevity of their work-out. Beta-Alanine has been shown to increase the amount of dipeptide carnosine into your muscles which reduces lactic acid which leads to a reduction of fatigue.
BEST PRE-WORKOUT TO INCREASE MOTIVATION
The pre-workout you choose should contain a high amount of caffeine. The way it increases motivation is by firstly stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, which then stimulates your cardiovascular system. It also increases the levels of dopamine, which will cause stimulation in the brain. The highest caffeine pre-workout that we sell is Rich Piana 5150 – it contains 400mg caffeine. This pre-workout gives you ‘scary focus’.
BEST ALL-ROUND PRE-WORKOUT
Redcon1 Total War is a great all-round pre-workout, not only does it give you extreme energy, but it also supports focus and muscle pump. Whilst not being high in something specific, Redcon1 Total War is great if you just want a great tasting pre-workout that does everything.
Final Warning: When taking pre-workout for the first time, or a different product, it is very important to assess your tolerance. Having too little will hinder your workout, but having too much will have negative effects and make you feel uncomfortable. Always read the label.
