The Best Pre-Workouts For Every Training Goal You Have
Gym life comes with a litany of code words and phrases that can baffle the ears of an outsider. Wander into any high street gym, and you can be forgiven for not quite knowing your DOMS from your WOD. Let alone understanding the difference between ketogenesis and tabata.
It’s not just the movements that can be confusing, either. And while we’ve already broken down exactly what the humble protein powder is, and why you should take it, we thought it’d be a good idea to turn our attention to pre-workouts. Specifically, what are they, when should you take them, and how can they help you get pumped?
What Exactly Is A Pre-Workout?
Everyone wants to get the most out of the time they spend exercising, and pre-workout supplements claim to help you do exactly that. “Put simply, a pre workout is a supplement you take before carrying out a workout, used to enhance your performance. They usually have a combination of supplements in, that have different effects on your body,” explains Third Space personal trainer Leo Savage.
Taking in the right fuel for your body at the right time is vital, as it will influence how you feel, how you perform and your recovery, adds Tim Hayes, PT and founder of the training app, Peach. “The purpose of having a pre-workout is to stabilise your blood sugar during exercise which will help prevent glycogen depletion and reduce muscle protein breakdown during your workout.”
“Pre-workouts can come in a variety of forms, typically a powder that can be added to water or a supplement pill,” continues Harley Street Nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, author of Re-Nourish. “The ingredients will depend on how they make work and what effect they have on the body. Ingredients may include caffeine, BCAAs or creatine for example.”
Lambert goes on to explain that several studies have shown that taking either creatine or caffeine, may be a great aid to boost performance. The data around BCAA’s on the other hand, is a bit more shaky. While they may contain ingredients that increase blood flow, increase heart rate and increase blood flow to the skin, these effects don’t in and of themselves help make people bigger, stronger, or faster.
