People want the most out of their workouts, otherwise what
would be the point. They want more reps, more distance covered, more weight, so
usually any advantage we can bring to the gym is welcome. The supplement
industry is built around this desire for peak performance, and one particular
type of supplement that is becoming increasingly popular is pre-workout.
When looking through blogs and other fitness magazines, it’s
recognisable that pre-workout is soon or is going to be a must have for the Gym
heads out there. What the companies say that pre-workout does- increased focus,
strength and endurance for the duration of your workout, resulting in better
all-round performance and ultimately better results. But are they back? I basically
want to give you an idea of it so I'm going to look at the pros and cons of
pre-workout.
The Pro’s
Most pre-workouts are based around caffeine,
which is used everywhere! And well everyone knows what effects caffeine has on
you (increased alertness, focus, and energy levels).
The typical dose of caffeine is usually between 100-300 mg,
which is about the same as a couple of cups of strong coffee. So if your drink
well over 5 cups of coffee a day it might not effect you as much as say someone
who drinks 2 a day. If you are a big Coffee drinker I’d say to you to cut back
if you want the full effects of pre-workout.
Now to get more in-depth (Geek alert) there are other
stimulants, like Taurine and Methylhexanamine, and this is to help give users
that extra boost. Some also use creatine & BCAA’s to help muscle recover.
Pre-workout can help you get a more out of your workout, but
don’t use it every time you go to the gym you’ll develop a tolerance and won’t
get what you want out of it in the end. If I was going to say use it, do it
before a heavy lift session not all the time.
The Cons
There are reasons to avoid pre-workout supplements, like the
increase in blood pressure can be dangerous for so many people, so people with
heart & cardiovascular issues should avoid pre-workout.
A lot of people just react well to these, they tend to get
side effects like headaches and sickness. However drink a lot of water may help
you. If still getting side effects I’d recommend you to stop taking them.
Another big complaint that I have heard is that it effects people’s sleeps, so
if you take it you have to stick to the same rules as coffee (don’t take 6
hours before bed).
So basically the main points are; only use
before your heavier workouts and those days where you’re really struggling for
energy. Misuse it and you’ll most likely feel the side effects. Don’t use if
you have heart and cardiovascular issues, & don’t use before bed.