Pre-Workout Supplements

What is a pre-workout supplement?

A pre-workout supplement is a combination of ingredients that are consumed prior to a training session or competition in order to provide the user with an increase in performance. Pre-workouts are usually designed to boost energy, enhance focus, promote blood flow to skeletal muscles and assist with maintaining a high level of performance throughout the duration of the athletic event. There are hundreds of pre-workouts on the market, ranging from high-stimulant to no stimulants at all and everywhere in between. Each brand usually provides a detailed breakdown on their ingredient profiles and flavour options, all claiming to be the gold standard pre workout formula. All this information is great, but it can make things quite confusing and overwhelming, especially for first time users. This blog post is here to give you a clear, concise overview of what pre-workouts are and how they can help you in your training!

What are the benefits of taking a pre-workout?

Whether you are taking part in a sport like football, tennis or rugby, or training in the gym, there are countless benefits to taking a pre-workout. First and foremost, pre-workouts that contain caffeine will give you a sharp boost of energy, which we all are looking for prior to training or competition. These supplements also contain ingredients that assist with shuttling blood muscles, enhancing focus and allowing you to train harder for longer. The best pre-workouts on the market are often a blend of these ingredients so that you get all of the fantastic benefits in one formula. Pre-workouts are also becoming much safer and more regulated, so you can be confident that were will be minimal, if any, negative side effects as long as you are following the dosing instructions. If you are looking to improve your athletic performance in your training or competition, you should definitely consider trying a pre-workout.

How is a pre-workout different from a fat burner?

Pre-workout supplements and fat burners are sometimes used synonymously however they have distinct differences which are important to be aware of if you are wanting to get the most out of your supplements. Fat burners contain ingredients that help increase energy, enhance focus and promote fat burning. They also contain thermogenic ingredients which help to increase the core body temperature and activate the central nervous system to increase caloric burn. Pre-workout supplements will also have ingredients to increase energy, but they are more likely to contain ingredients like beta alanine, citrulline malate etc. which are used to improve exercise performance. Therefore, if you are taking part in high-intensity exercise with short rest periods or cardio-based training where the primary goal is to burn calories, a fat burner would be more appropriate. However, if you are doing traditional resistance training, a pre-workout would be a better choice.

When should you take a pre-workout?

Pre-workout supplements are best taken around 30-60 minutes prior to commencing exercise. This is because the ingredients in the pre-workout (especially caffeine) take some time to be absorbed into your body where they will eventually have their desired effect. Therefore, it is important to give the ingredients the time they need in order to work properly. Another reason why you might want to wait at least 30 minutes after having your pre-workout before you train, is that to let the fluid you just consumed settle a little.

If you are someone who trains later in the day, it is important to consider how much caffeine you are able to take in without it having negative impacts on your sleep. If you are taking a high-stimulant pre-workout before your training session and it is keeping you up all night, you may want to consider taking a low-stim or even non-stim pre-workout so that you can still have a great workout without compromising your sleep quality. Sleep is absolutely essential to our recovery and more sleep is advantageous whether or not you are trying to gain muscle or lose fat. This is an important consideration for pre-workout timing.

What ingredients should you look for?

Caffeine is the key ingredient in most pre-workout formulas as it provides a boost of energy and also enhances focus. Caffeine is easily absorbed by the body and acts fast to get you ready for your session in no time at all. More does not necessarily mean better, so be careful when you are choosing a pre-workout and be mindful of your own tolerances. Whilst all caffeine gives you energy, there are different subtypes that act over shorter or longer time frames.

Beta Alanine is a popular ingredient that is commonly included in pre-workouts and is also known as the ingredient that gives you the trademark “tingling” sensation. This product helps to increase exercise performance by increasing muscular endurance, allowing you to train harder for longer. A lot of people refer to beta alanine as a “lactic acid buffer” which as you can imagine, is very handy if you are doing high rep sets or sprinting.

L-Citrulline Malate increases blood flow during exercise which shuttles more nutrients and fuel into muscles when they need it most. This can result in improved muscle strength and power whilst also improving recovery after the session ends. This ingredient can help improve nitric oxide synthesis in the body, which is great for improving the muscle pump experienced during the workout. Several studies have also shown l-citrulline malate to be effective for reducing fatigue whilst training.

L-Taurine is a very interesting amino acid and is mainly used for its positive effects on mental function. Taurine can enhance mood and boost concentration but has also shown promising effects in the weight management realm and therefore may be of use to anyone undertaking a dieting phase or contest prep. Taurine is essential to the development and function of the brain, retina and skeletal muscle and is also crucial for cardiovascular function.

L-Tyrosine is an amino acid that supports a range of metabolic functions in the human body, dopamine production being one of them. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter responsible for helping us feel good, so l-tyrosine is often used to increase focus, boost cognition and enhance mood. L-tyrosine is therefore known as a nootropic, which are a category of ingredients that are designed to have positive effects on the brain rather than the body directly.

Why use a non-stim pre-workout?

Pre-workout supplements are often sought after for the caffeine hit that they provide the user, so why on earth would anyone want to use a pre-workout that does not have any caffeine? Non-stimulants pre-workout supplements are becoming increasingly popular as more people become aware of their benefits. Pre-workouts that are free from caffeine or other stimulants are a great option for people who are very sensitive to caffeine or who simply do not want top ingest any caffeine but still want the host of additional benefits that come with having a pre-workout. Alternatively, you might be someone who trains after work and you can only get into the gym around 7pm, in which case taking in a large bolus of caffeine has the potential to negatively impact your sleep. This is where non-stimulant pre-workout supplements really come into their own, allowing you to get in an amazing workout without impacting your ability to get to sleep that night. At Power Supps, we have several great non-stop pre-workout options such as Ghost Pump, Redcon 1 Big Noise and Axe & Sledge Hydraulic.

What is in your pre-workout scoop?

The serving size of pre-workout supplements varies from 8-20g depending on the number of ingredients in each scoop. If you see a product with a larger scoop, it can sometimes be due to the fact that the company has included a serving of creatine monohydrate in the scoop or if there are just that many active ingredients in the product, all in their clinical dosages. In this case, a large scoop of a pre-workout is a good thing because you are receiving a high-quality product. However, some brands try to make it seem like their scoops are packed with a large quantity of active ingredients when in actuality, they have just filled the scoop with amino acids and other fillers. For this reason, it is a good idea to have a quick look at the ingredients on the back of the tub to ensure you are getting what you pay for when you grab your next pre-workout supplement.

Our TOP 5 Pre-Workout Supplements

Redcon 1 Total War is one of the most well-known pre-workout supplements in the entire world and has been trusted by everyone from bodybuilders to weekend warriors. Total War is the epitome of a classic formula with a good dose of caffeine and clinical doses of both beta alanine and citrulline malate. It also contains ingredients which help to boost focus and mental clarity, making it a true all-round pre-workout.

JD Nutraceuticals Altered State is not for the faint hearted and is one of the most potent pre-workout products available on the Australian market. Altered State really is a gold standard pre workout because of its incredible formula and amazing flavours. It has one of the most complete ingredient panels on the market and is designed to help take your sessions to the next level.

Ghost Legend is another great pre-workout for anyone regardless of whether or not they are focussed on fat loss or muscle building. Ghost are some of the best flavour creators in the game and their pre-workout is no different! This product has a very well-balanced formula which will be perfect for most gym-goers and it can also be stacked with Ghost Pump for the ultimate pre-workout experience.

Faction Labs Disorder is another product that is guaranteed to boost energy levels and have you feeling on top of the world before your next workout. This product is as high-quality as they come; no fillers, no amino acids, every gram of this powder is top notch pre-workout. If you are looking for one of the best pre-workouts on the market and one of the tastiest, look no further than Disorder!

Axe & Sledge Hydraulic is the non-stim pre-workout that took Australia by storm when this epic brand landed on our shores in 2020. This is one of the finest non-stim formulas on the market and users all report that they can’t believe how alert and energised they feel after taking a product with zero stimulants. This pre-workout also comes in a huge range of flavours, so even the fussiest of palettes are bound to find a flavour that they absolutely love. Stimulant-free formulas can be hard to come by but this is one you won’t want to miss trying for yourself.

Check out our guide on the best pre workout supplements for more information.

Summary

Pre-workout supplements are some of the most popular and most proven products on the market and as you can see, there is a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to your favourite formula. Next time you are deciding which pre-workout to buy, remember some of the important factors to consider which you have learnt about in this blog post. This includes choosing a pre-workout that suits your needs and training, choosing one with high quality ingredients and no fillers (amino acids etc.) and choosing one that has an appropriate amount of caffeine for the time you are having it. There is a great deal of information out there on each and every pre-workout, but we hope this blog post has helped to synthesis the important stuff so that you can make an informed decision. While you’re here, why not check out Power Supps’ epic range to find a pre-workout for yourself!