In a day and age where everyone has begun to give increased importance to workouts and eating right, pre-workout supplements continue to get increasingly popular. While they are important in keeping one’s fitness routine right, they also ensure improved performances, high energy and a better muscle pump.
However, not all that’s supposed to be for the better is for the better, and given the number of options available, one must ensure that they choose the right pre-workout supplement. If you want to understand the right way to pick the right supplement before your workout, we’ve got you covered!
5 Things to consider while choosing your pre-workout supplement
Once you know what are the key factors that you must take care of, you will be able to make an informed decision and at the same time, get maximum results. When figuring out how to pick pre-workout supplements, you need to factor in a bunch of things, primary ones including the ingredients, formula, safety, etc.
Once you understand your goals, ingredients, and efficiency, you can make a choice and do what’s best for you because whatever it is you do, you should do it right, isn’t it? Check out our list!
1. The goal of your workout
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• The first step to picking the right pre-workout supplements is to identify what your ultimate goal is and how you want the supplement to support you.
• Depending on whether you need an energy boost, enhanced stamina, or accelerated muscle recovery, you will pick the supplement that caters to your objective.
• For example, if you want to build muscle mass, you want to look at supplements with creatine, Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), etc.
• Similarly, there’s at least a bunch of supplements that help you serve your purpose through the pre-workout supplements.
2. Understand the ingredients
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Once you know what your goal is, you need to understand the ingredients that the supplement you take must or must not have. Here’s a quick list of which component does what:
• Caffeine: Caffeine is known for the stimulatory effect it has, including increasing alertness, improving focus, and reducing exertion during the workout. However, if taken in excess, it may have adverse effects, including insomnia.
• Creatine: Creatine is naturally present in our body and plays a key role in producing energyduring the bursts of high-intensity workouts. Taking a supplement with creatine will enhance strength, help in gaining muscle mass and give you power.
• Beta-Alanine: The amino acid helps buffer lactic acid accumulation and also delays muscle fatigue, therefore improving one’s endurance while in the middle of intense training.
• BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids): They include leucine, isoleucine, and valine, and help muscle protein synthesis, reduce muscle breakdown, while also alleviating any fatigue that is caused during the workout.
• Nitric Oxide Precursors: Ingredients such as arginine and citrulline malate promote vasodilation, and therefore, increase the blood flow to working muscles.
Once you understand this, you can align them with your needs and of course, your tolerance level. Avoid items that mask ingredient quantities and instead, opt for transparent labels that specify the dosages.
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3. Prioritise safety and understand side-effects
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• While pre-workout supplements have visible benefits, it is also equally important to prioritise safety while making decisions.
• Ingredients like caffeine can have side effects, including ones that affect heart rate, blood pressure, among others.
• Knowing your sensitivity to such stimulants or pre-existing medical conditions must be kept in mind while selecting a pre-workout supplement.
• In addition, be careful of any banned or unregulated substances that might be a health risk or affect drug tests for those competing.
• Always pick products from popular and reputed brands that ensure that all the quality standards are followed.
4. Formulation and dosage
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• Pre-workout supplements can be available in various forms, including powders, capsules, and beverages.
• However, it is the powdered formulations that are the most popular as they offer versatility and also, one can customise the dosage, allowing one to adjust the serving size as per the requirement.
• In addition, if one sticks to the timing as instructed, the supplements can work a tad bit more effectively than otherwise.
• Ideally, when a pre-workout supplement is taken 30-60 minutes in advance, it serves as enough time for absorption.
• Also, it helps if you don’t eat large meals before workouts as it might interfere with digestion and nutrient absorption.
5. Work on a budget and preferences
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• Everything does eventually come down to one’s choice and the money they are willing to spend.
• The same goes for pre-workout supplements too.
• Not only must you understand what you like and whether it suits your taste, you also have to figure out other things like dietary restrictions, allergies, etc.
• And of course, you’ll find budget-friendly as well as premium options available, but it is up to you to decide as to how you want to work around it.
• Based on your priority, pick brands and pre-workout supplements that best suit you.
Things to remember before taking a pre-workout supplement
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Now that you know things to consider, here are a few quick things to remember when taking a pre-workout supplement!
• Make sure you are hydrated: It is important to be adequately hydrated before and after a workout. If you like, you can have electrolytes during the training.
• Eat properly: While some people can workout just fine without eating much, some need to eat properly and well, that is indeed the right way to go.
• Be consistent: While it is a good idea to be on and off pre-workout supplements for safety purposes, some of them need you to be consistent as they take more time.
• Mix and match: Work together with supplements that are stimulating and ones that aren’t. That way, you can get the best of both.
• Have a pre-workout ritual: Apart from the supplements, there should be other things that you ensure you do too, including having a certain number of steps in, the timing, etc.
• Get proper sleep: You could be doing everything right but if you don’t get adequate sleep, you might not get the desired results, so prioritise your sleep.
Having understood all of this, it is also important to know that pre-workout supplements will not do the job of a balanced diet, having your liquids, or training right. Everything needs to complement each other for a holistic approach to your fitness routine, and therefore, help you achieve whatever it is you want to do. If needed, consult with a professional to help you figure things out.
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