Introduction:

Pre-workouts can be a good option for those people who would like to take their performance in the gym to the next level and get that extra “Boost” in the gym.

While pre-workout is definitely not essential at all in order to see progress in the gym, it can help you feel more energized and help you last longer in the gym to help you get out extra sets and reps that you would normally be able to do, theoretically leading to an increase in muscle gain and or performance in the long run.

With so many brands out there offering a wide range of different flavors, ingredients and at all different prices, what is the best to go with and how do you use it effectively?
 

What makes pre-workout work?

Although there are lots of scientifically proven ingredients that can go into pre-workout, the one that people should most typically be concerned about having is caffeine.

Caffeine is the main ingredient responsible for that ‘boost in energy’ that people want to feel when in the gym.

Some other notable scientifically proven ingredients for pre-workout include:

-Beta-Alanine

-L-Theanine

-Citrulline Malate

-L-Arginine

-Choline

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How often should you take pre-workout?

Because of the way pre-workout makes you feel in the gym, many people understandably want to take it before every training session. Although this seems good, it is probably better off that you don’t take it before every single workout. This is because it could actually lead to a tolerance being built up to caffeine. Meaning that the more that you take it on a regular basis, the more your body will start getting used to its effects and you will start to slowly not feel the effects anymore. The only way that you would be able to feel its effects is to increase the dosage that you take.

Some research has shown that eventually you will get to a point called an “Insurmountable tolerance to caffeine” Which means that increasing your intake of caffeine will no longer help you to overcome your body’s tolerance to caffeine. This means that at this point, having a pre-workout would be pointless and it would have no effect on your body other than a placebo.

In order to combat this problem, it is advisable to not take pre-workout for every single training session but to make it only 2 or 3 times a week. This will mean that your body will not get used to the effects of caffeine as quickly and the times that you do have it, will be more effective.

If you feel that you are already noticeably used to the effects of pre-workout and you have to increase your dosage in order to see an effect, it is advisable and shown in studies that you should take at least 1-2 weeks off from any caffeine intake. This will help your body get used to a lower dosage of caffeine and help you feel more of a ‘boost’ whenever you do take pre-workout.

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How much pre-workout should you take?

This really depends on your current body weight and how much your body is used to the effects of pre-workout.

To get to most effective results when having caffeine for a workout, it is advisable to take between 3mg-6mg of caffeine per kg of body weight.

How much caffeine you take should also depend on the amount of caffeine that you are already taking through other sources such as coffee/ energy drinks.

For example, you have already consumed 200mg of caffeine through other sources in the day, you will not feel as much as a benefit from pre-workout as if you had not consumed any caffeine at all that day.

This means that when you have an intake of caffeine for your pre-workout, you should first take into account how much caffeine you already have on a regular basis. If you already consume some caffeine daily, you will most likely need a little larger of a dose in order to feel its effects

If you don’t already take caffeine on a regular basis or you have a high sensitivity to caffeine, there is no need to have a high dosage of caffeine. Instead, start with a low dosage of caffeine (2-3mg of caffeine per kg of body weight) and then if you feel like you need to, you can increase the caffeine dosage to a sensible amount.

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How to take pre-workout effectively:

Taking pre-workout too early before your workout could mean that the peak of your energy happens before you’ve even got into the main part of your workout and not last throughout the whole training session. And taking pre-workout too late could mean that you only feel the effects after you’ve gone through your main sets of the workout.

Most studies say that caffeine can have an immediate effect on your body in about 10 minutes and it will reach its peak in your bloodstream around 30-45 minutes after consuming.

When taking pre-workout prior to your workout, remember to take into account the time it takes you to get to the gym and go through your warmup routine. You want it to kick in just as you are starting your main sets, not as you are warming up.

If you train in the evening, you may want to reconsider taking pre-workout for your training session. The half-life of caffeine is around 3-5, so if you have pre-workout within 5 hours before you go to bed, you might find it hard to go to sleep, leading to reduced sleep quality and the time taken to fall asleep. Given that sleep is very important when it comes to muscle repair and growth, we wouldn’t recommend taking pre-workout if you are sleeping within 5-6 hours after your workout.

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Overview:

-Try to only have pre-workout 2-3 time a week

-If you find that you are tolerant to pre-workout, try to take at least 1-2 weeks away from any caffeine consumption.

-Take between 3-6mg of caffeine per kg of your body weight, taking a low a dosage as possible but still feeling the effects.

-Try to take pre-workout about 30-45 minutes before you start your main set in training

-If you can, try to take your pre-workout with a decent amount of water for absorption.

-Try not to take pre-workout too closely to your bedtime (below around 6 hours)