Pre Workouts: What are They and Why Should You Use Them?

Sometimes when we go to the gym, we don’t feel very great. There are days when we feel lethargic, lazy, and unmotivated. That is entirely normal, and it happens to the best of us. If that happens to you all the time, maybe you have already scoured the internet for a solution, and most probably, you found a list of the top pre workout supplements in the market. 

Pre-workouts are popular among health enthusiasts because of their effects on our bodies, especially our workout routine. If you’re curious about what pre-workouts are and what they do, you’re in luck because, in this article, we will be talking about the use and benefits of pre-workouts and why you should take them.

What is a pre-workout?

A pre-workout is any supplement that claims to boost your mindset and performance in the gym if you consume it beforehand like bodybuilding supplements and best fat burning supplements for women. It usually comes in different forms, but powder forms are most common. Many gym-goers use this supplement to aid with their performance and training.

Note that virtually every formula has its uniqueness. This means that every brand has its proprietary blend, and most of the time, it’s undisclosed. 

That said, there’s no definition of a pre-workout supplement since many companies just slap the term in their formulas. However, the main gist of it all is that it’s a product that is intended to boost your energy levels before you hit the gym.

What does a pre-workout do?

A pre-workout is a mixture of nutrients, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals alongside caffeine and sugar. It will enhance your training by giving you more energy to do a high-intensity workout. This is because, with these ingredients, your muscle will have more endurance and will make you less sore the day after. 

Pre-workouts contain ingredients that will increase the blood flow in your muscles, giving them more oxygen to work with. Because of this, your muscles will synthesize more muscle protein even after your workout. 

In short, pre-workouts are a way to prepare your mind and body by helping you be more focused and alert. It also improves your performance by making your muscles last longer in workouts.

What is in pre-workouts?

As this supplement is intended to raise your energy and focus levels, it should not come as a surprise that they contain sugar, caffeine, and other substances that can raise your blood sugar. 

However, brands tend to add more things to their formula to one-up competitors. But be wary of those brands that put things to the extreme, which is why you should always check the label. 

Here are some ingredients that are commonly found in pre-workouts.

Creatine Monohydrate: This is one of the most famous bodybuilders because it helps you grow more muscle mass and performance. This ingredient alone has its chain of pre-workouts and is usually the go-to ingredient when enhancing your muscle definition.

BCAAs: This is the most common supplement, and many brands advertise their formulas with this ingredient. Branch Chain Amino Acids are known to enhance performance during workouts, giving your cells more cellular energy and promoting your muscles to synthesize more muscle protein, allowing you to last longer in the gym.

Taurine: Taurine is a sulfonic acid that contributes a lot to your metabolic processes by metabolizing fats. It also helps fight oxidative stress, making you last longer during a workout. This ingredient is usually found in animal meat.

NO2-boosters: There are several NO2-boosters but let’s take arginine as an example. Arginine is a nitrogen dioxide booster that acts as a vasodilator. What it does essentially is to help expand your veins and arteries, promoting a more healthy blood flow and delivery to your whole body. With this, your body will improve when delivering vitamins and minerals to your organs, enhancing your performance further.

How long does pre-workouts affect your body?

When you start working out, you want to hit the ground running and never stop until you finish your routine. This is why you should be energetic and motivated when going to the gym. 

Of course, it doesn’t happen all the time. So, when taking pre-workouts, how much time should you take before starting the routine? This sweet spot is between 30 minutes to an hour for most people. This should give the supplement ample time to circulate through your whole body, making your session amped up.

Final Words

Pre-workouts, for the most part, are safe to be taken regularly. Although, you should still check out the label of how much you should take and its ingredients. This is especially true if you have an underlying condition or are allergic to something. But if you’re healthy and need a dire boost of energy before hitting the gym, then pre-workouts might just be the thing for you.