Pre-Workout supplements are a rather new concept in the supplement industry. A Pre-Workout is usually a powder mixed into water/juice before a workout that gives some added benefits:

Improve Performance
Increase Strength
Increase Endurance
Improve Energy
Improve Focus

and a few other benefits. Some people take it for the energy needed when they are tired. Some take it because it gives them a great amount of focus. Some take it because they like the increase in endurance which allows them to workout longer.

Whatever the reason, a Pre-Workout supplement can really aid anyone in a strength training program that involves lifting heavy weight. What exactly do they do?

Lots of Pre-Workouts include some ingredients to aid in all the things listed above, or only a few. A popular ingredient is creatine monohydrate – creatine aids in building muscle/strength.

BCAAs (branched amino acids) are popular in PWOs to aid in muscle growth as well, repairing muscle after being broken down.

Since a huge part of a PWO is energy – caffeine is a very common ingredient. Caffeine is one of the most popular CNS stimulants known to humanity – and its because it works.

Another popular ingredient in a PWO is beta-alanine – an amino acid helps reduce fatigue in muscles as you train, giving you that endurance. It does cause a tingling sensation in the skin – this bothers some people, but gets others pumped up. You can find PWOS without beta-alanine.

Citrulline is another popular ingredient, used to increase blood flow, which in turn makes your body appear more vascular when working out. Also known as a “pump”

A Pre-Workout is not needed. Though it definitely can help, immensely in a weight training program. You should cycle your PWO – take it for 6-8 weeks, then go 2-3 weeks off.

If you want to be in the “zone” every time you workout, work harder, longer, heavier then ever, then look into a PWO. Be sure to consult with your doctor first as some people are very sensitive to stimulants.

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By Jon Bannister

A pre-workout supplement can make all the difference in the gym when trying to get energy. Some are not familiar with pre-workouts and do’nt know what they do, or the power they have.

To find out more about pre-workout supplements and how they can drastically improve performance in the gym, see this article: What is a pre-workout supplement

We base our top 10 list on a few critera:

1) Ingredients in supplements
2) Price
3) Servings per container
4) Energy Gained
5) Focus Gained
6) Pump Increase
7) Creatine included or not
8) Taste/Mixable
9) Crash or no crash
10) Side Effects/Upset Stomach/etc

A good preworkout can help you immensely – but they aren’t for everyone. Talk to a doctor before you use one – and see our article on what a pre-workout supplement is for.

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Jon Bannister has always had an interest in the latest technology and gadgetry. A graduate of the Georgia Tech computer science program, Jon has a very technical and working knowledge on how computers interact with and improve… See more about Jon

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Best Protein Powder

Protein Powder is a great supplement for someone looking to put on mass or even just get a good extra amount of protein in an easy to drink form. They’re tons of different protein powders on the market and we picked our favorite brands for you… [more]

Can I build muscle with protein powder?

Whey Protein is a special form of protein powder which is a by product from cheese. It gets separated from the cheese and goes through a purification/scientific process to make a dry powder form. It is a supremely good source of protein and called the “gold standard” of protein… [more]

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