If you’re trying to up your workout game and go for more intensity so you can build your muscles and strength faster, you’ve probably tried a few different techniques, but if pre-workout supplements aren’t on your list yet… let’s find out why they should be!
A pre-workout supplement is designed to give you everything you need to get through an intense workout session. It’s looking to boost your energy and endurance, power your muscles, and possibly even give you a mental boost that lets you make the absolute most of your exercise slot. Lots of people use these, and for good reason.
There are only so many hours in the day for getting to the gym and most of us want to make the absolute best of the time we have there. Pre-workouts are thought to give you an edge in this sphere, so let’s take a look at how they help.
What Are Pre-Workouts?
A pre-workout supplement is something you take about 30-45 minutes before you exercise. This gives it time to get into your body and start having a noticeable effect. Many of these can actually be consumed at any time of the day (check the instructions if you’re unsure about this), but you’ve got to make sure. They’ll generally last for at least 4 hours, but again, check specific products for their time estimates.
There are both stimulant and non-stimulant versions of pre-workouts, so this is something to look into before you settle on a brand. The stimulant options, not surprisingly, tend to contain a specific stimulant such as caffeine, designed to help energize your body and help get you through your exercise period. The non-stimulant options won’t contain things like caffeine, and instead stack up amino acids, nitric oxide boosters or liquid glycerol to provide similar benefits.
People all over the place use pre-workouts to give themselves a boost come exercise time, but how do these things actually help? Let’s find out!
How Do Pre-Workouts Help With Intensity?
Pre-workout supplements aren’t designed to build muscle themselves; they are designed to give you the energy you need to build the muscle through longer, harder exercise sessions. We all know that pushing ourselves further gives us better results and faster muscle growth, so it’s clear why this kind of thing could help.
These products usually contain many ingredients that will help with all the different elements of a workout, letting you up the intensity. For example, they often have B-vitamins, carbohydrates, caffeine, amino acids, and antioxidants in them – though you should always check the ingredients to make sure you’re getting everything you expect.
You may also see creatine in your pre-workout supplement, and this is designed to help your muscles actually develop, as it has been proven to accelerate muscle growth. However, you still need to put in the work, so don’t dismiss this!
It’s also worth noting that some of these products are specifically formulated for men, and these will include things like beta-alanine and nitric oxide, which can give you the real boost you’re looking for by elevating your testosterone levels.
How Do Pre-Workouts Help With Motivation?
Interestingly, it’s thought that taking pre-workout supplements could also help with your workout motivation. There’s something about taking a product that is designed to help you push through an intense session that can also help you get to the right space mentally.
When you take one of these supplements, you’re putting yourself into the “exercise space” and giving it priority in your day, reminding yourself that it matters. You’re psyching yourself up for a tough but rewarding session – and we all know that being there mentally as well as physically is critical to getting yourself through a really long workout session.
Do I Need To Use Pre-Workouts?
Nobody “needs” to use pre-workouts; you can take other approaches to boosting your motivation and your intensity if you like. However, remember that your body does need fuel in order to get through a workout effectively, and a lot of people take the perspective that you’re essentially just adding the fuel here.
If you don’t want to use pre-workout supplements but you do still want the boost, it’s a good idea to think about what you’re fueling your body with in the last hour before you exercise. Sugar is no good; you’ll burn through it fast and experience a crash that makes it harder – not easier – to keep going to the intensity you want.
Instead, you should go for a carbohydrate and protein-rich snack that will give you the fuel to burn throughout an extended session. However, bear in mind that you won’t get the exact same effects as you might with a supplement, simply because you won’t be consuming all the ingredients that are designed to give you the boost.
And if you’re wondering about pre-workouts versus protein powder… well, a pre-workout tends to be used before you exercise, while protein powders are more often taken after. Protein powders are designed to help with the repair and recovery of the muscles, rather than offering you fuel that will help you get through intense exercise.
Conclusion
Pre-workout supplements are an ideal way for men to give themselves the push they need to get some really great workout sessions in. You may find that you benefit in several ways from these supplements, and from thinking about what you eat in the hour before exercising. After all, if you fuel your muscles with the right ingredients, they’re much more likely to be able to perform as you want them to – and that can contribute to the overall journey of muscle gain and strength training for you.
