Well, I’ll tell you one thing, they won’t do anything if you don’t! Performance enhancing drugs enhance… performance but they don’t magically give people biceps bursting out their sleeves and eight packs. Now, it’s up to you if you want to spend a part of your hard-earned paycheck on some powders with artificial flavors and food dye to make them actually look like “fruit punch.” Obviously, just like any other consumer good, there are better and worse products based on the principles and practices of the companies that create them. Without naming any names, I’ll say that companies that constantly talk about the science behind their products and are more transparent are safer bets. If a company relies on using sex, popular people, flashy labels, and other marketing tricks to sell their sub-par products, save your money. And, if you have any specific questions, feel free to send me an email!
There are a ton of pre-workouts that require you to use their products on an empty stomach. Well, food is probably the best pre-workout there is so always fuel up with some sort of meal before hitting a hard training session. Now, I’m not telling you to chug some whole milk before a long swim and ride on a hot summer day, but your body relies on those nutrients through strenuous activity. Good pre-workouts will allow you to consume food as well. One of my favorite go to meals or snacks before a workout is a high quality protein bar. Right now, I think that Chef Robert Irvine’s Fit Crunch bars are one of the best products on the market. They’re delicious, the macronutrients seem to be accurate, and they’re filling enough. Some bars are just too small and some, depending on your training, are too large.
Consistently providing your body with the right vitamins and minerals can keep you ready before, during, and after workouts to be in recovery mode. It’s similar to corrective exercise in terms of taking measures before hand to reduce the risk of injury and ensure you maximize your potential. You’ll see below a selection of pills, which include multivitamins, fish oils, and joint complexes. These are often more affordable from reliable sources than the products of the sketchy brands that were mentioned before. Typically, you can get all of these from food sources but if you don’t meal plan or prep like I, it’s a safe bet to provide yourself with this safety net.
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Finally, before and during that workout it helps to have something to fuel your mind and body. Labels will tell you all sorts of things, including that a product will increase your strength 328%. I know that Mark Bell drinks a choice energy drink, many people use pre-workout powers, Kris Gethin has his own line of supplements that are very simple and straight forward, and I personally love the taste of Red Bull. There are no clumps of powder, no awful tastes, and the product doesn’t spoil. Now they have a ton of new flavors and different products, which I love since I always would drink the original. From the moment I take the first ice-cold sip to when I finish the can a few seconds later, I already know that my training session is going to be dead serious and very productive. It wakes up my mind and body without breaking the bank, giving me stomach issues, heartburn or any other unexpected side effects.
So yes and no, pre-workouts can work but not by themselves. Find your best combination of foods and supplements before your training sessions to maximize your results. Keep a positive mindset, let that placebo effect take you to another level, but please, don’t let it burn a hole in your pocket. OH, and the next post about pre-workout supplements will discuss HOMEMADE ones! While I’ve done this before, it’s been a while and I was recently motivated to try it again as the result of stumbling across this post from Amanda’s Aprons and Sneakers. Go give her a visit! And remember, training hard is a sure-fire way to stay hungry & fit!
