Pre-training complex

The right nutritional supplements taken before exercise can significantly improve athletic performance. Not sure which drugs to use before going to the gym? Don’t worry – sports nutritionists have done all the necessary research and created a special pre-workout complex.

What is a pre-workout complex

Supplements from the category of the so-called pre-workout complex are one of the most popular groups of sports drugs. This is a mixture of ingredients that amateur and professional athletes take before training in an attempt to improve the quality and effectiveness of their workouts. Properly selected supplements can increase endurance, add strength and improve concentration. That is, the pre-workout complex helps to increase athletic performance and achieve an optimal level of physical fitness. The pre-workout helps the athlete, so to speak, go beyond their physical capabilities and become better.

This group of products includes powders, tablets and capsules, which are supposed to increase concentration, improve muscle blood flow, accelerate fat burning, reduce recovery time and promote muscle growth.

Sports nutrition includes various complexes of substances useful for athletes, including pre-workout ones. They can consist of a single ingredient or are a mixture of additives.

All pre-workout complexes can be divided into two categories:

• pre-workouts with creatine and its derivatives;
• pre-workouts without creatine.

Pre-Workout Creatine Supplements

A lot has been said about creatine. Creatine is a widely used sports supplement that increases the body’s endurance. Modern supplements may contain different “versions” of this substance. The most common are creatine monohydrate and creatine chloride.

Creatine Free Pre Workout Supplements

Despite the incredible popularity of creatine, as they say, there is life without it. Especially since manufacturers of sports supplements regularly create hundreds of new options. Many creatine-free supplements are a mixture of well-known ingredients in the sports world. Among them are the so-called proprietary blends. Most of them are proprietary formulas, complexes created specifically for certain sports nutrition brands. As a rule, the ingredients of such an additive are indicated on the label, but the most important thing is that their proportions usually remain the secret of the manufacturer.

Natural pre-workouts

But not everyone (as a rule, this applies to novice athletes) uses special mixtures of additives before training. Some rely on a specific power scheme. In particular, large portions of carbohydrates taken before training also guarantee a burst of energy and the level of glycogen necessary for effective exercise. Another component of a pre-workout nutrition program can be creatine. In addition, to increase the tone 15 minutes before training, you can drink a cup of black coffee.

Pre-workout supplements: what are they made of

As already mentioned, today manufacturers of sports supplements are increasingly entering the market with new products – they offer exclusive drugs created according to specially designed formulas. By the way, many companies may use similar ingredients, but their proportions may vary significantly.

So, let’s figure out together which ingredients are most often included in the pre-workout and why.

Creatine complex

Creatine is known in the world of sports as a substance that gives muscles strength and volume. And most manufacturers add creatine to their pre-workout complexes as an important biologically active ingredient. By the way, more and more often in supplements they use not one, but several variants of creatine.

Amino acid complex

BCAAs and other amino acids are included in dietary supplements to improve metabolism. In addition, they help transport fluids and minerals throughout the body, add energy and improve focus. BCAAs are one of the most beneficial pre-workout ingredients as they improve muscle protein synthesis.

B-vitamin complex

An important role in pre-workout complexes is assigned to B vitamins. Their function is to improve metabolism, supply the body with the necessary energy reserves.

Stimulant Complex

Substances with a stimulating effect are part of any pre-workout complex. As a rule, in pre-workouts this group of components is represented by caffeine, betaine and beta-alanine, other components may be contained in proprietary formulas. The stimulating complex provides the body with additional energy and strength, which is why it is so important before any workout.

Endurance Complex

To withstand a grueling workout, the body needs endurance. This function is well performed by the combination of creatine and citrulline. Meanwhile, many pre-workouts do not contain citrulline, although in fact it is an important ingredient.

Complex for pumping

Here, the key role is assigned to arginine, which is important for the synthesis of nitric oxide, on which the quality of pumping actually depends. Other NO production-activating ingredients are AKG and L-histamine.

Feature Components

These supplements are important for increasing muscle strength. A pre-workout should include at least a few of these ingredients.

Power amplifiers and force activators

Betaine

It is also trimethylglycine, a modified amino acid derived from beets. Research results claim that this substance is an effective booster – it increases strength reserves by almost 25%.

Beta-alanine

This amino acid is important for creating carnosine and a dipeptide (double amino acid protein) that increases muscle strength. Researchers claim that taken before a workout, it helps increase muscle strength and endurance. By the way, one of the signs that a cocktail contains enough beta-alanine is a slight tingling or itching around the lips (a sign of high-quality beta-alanine).

Creatine

Some take creatine as a standalone drug rather than as part of a pre-workout supplement. But in pre-workouts, it also occurs regularly.

Energy Boosters

These are stimulants that actually increase stamina and affect the central nervous system. By the way, good pre-workouts should include at least two ingredients from this group.

tyrosine

This amino acid has been scientifically proven to increase energy without any side effects. In addition, it increases stamina and improves concentration. The body uses tyrosine as a raw material for the production of a number of important hormones and neurotransmitters such as adrenaline and dopamine.

Taurine

Studies show that taurine can increase muscle endurance by up to 50 percent. This is achieved by acting on the heart: taurine helps the heart muscle pump more blood to the muscles. The observation confirmed that athletes who consumed taurine before training could perform more repetitions of the bench press than athletes from the placebo group. If the pre-workout complex does not contain taurine, then it must contain other components from this group.

Rhodiola rosea

This herb is also known as golden root and in sports nutrition as a stimulating adaptogen. It was included in sports nutrition as a component with a stimulating and tonic effect. Rhodiola extract increases physical endurance and muscle strength, stabilizes blood pressure and heart rate. Many endurance supplements contain Rhodiola Rosea.

This component maintains adequate levels of growth hormone, testosterone, dopamine and hormones produced by the thyroid gland. It also inhibits the activity of cortisol, a hormone that reduces testosterone levels, as well as causing muscle loss and accelerating fat gain.

Chinese Schisandra

The berries of this plant have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. In sports nutrition, lemongrass extract is useful as a means of increasing endurance, improving brain function and regulating cortisol levels (in the direction of decreasing).

Vitamins of group B

Vitamins B6 and B12 are essential for energy production. For this reason, B vitamins are an important component of pre-workout supplements. And if these substances are not included in the complex you have chosen, it is advisable to take them yourself.

Stimulants

Some of them can cause side effects in the form of headaches. But most often this effect occurs against the background of the abuse of stimulants.

Caffeine

Not only is it perhaps the most popular energy product in the world, but it also promotes endurance and adds muscle strength. In addition, researchers have found that caffeine helps to dull muscle pain, which gives athletes a chance to go beyond their pain barrier.

For the most powerful results, it’s best to take the anhydrous version of caffeine, either in tablets or capsules. Caffeine from guarana, green tea, or coffee is also good, but many find it less effective for athletes.

Geranamine (1,3-dimethylamylamine)

This substance in sports supplements can be found under the name “geranamine” or “geranium extract”. It is obtained from a variety of geranium growing in southern Africa. For some time, there was an opinion that geranamine was a synthetic drug, since one of the side effects from its use is euphoria. In addition, some admit that 1,3-dimethylamylamine causes temporary impotence (as do preparations with ephedra). By the way, preparations with geraniums are currently prohibited, at least during competitions. Although you can use these supplements during training.

As a rule, pre-workout complexes with geranamine are used by those involved in power sports (weightlifters, bodybuilders, athletes). Complex manufacturers often combine geranium extract with caffeine (the most famous stimulant supplement with this chemical composition is Jack 3D).

1,3 dimethylamylamine got into pre-workout complexes due to its properties, reminiscent of the action of adrenaline. It also enhances fat burning into energy without affecting muscle glycogen stores and increases endurance.

Mate (Paraguayan holly)

Its leaves contain a unique combination of xanthine alkaloids: theobromine, theophylline and caffeine. Working together, they give strength, vigor and increase endurance before training. In addition, the Paraguayan holly extract inhibits the production of lactic acid in the muscles, prevents muscle spasms, and accelerates metabolic processes in muscle tissue.

Muscle builders

Some medications taken just before a workout can increase muscle growth. Perhaps the most famous substance for increasing muscle is creatine.

But there are other nutrients that effectively increase the volume of muscle cells during training.

BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids)

Leucine, valine, isoleucine are considered the most important amino acids for muscle growth. They dull the feeling of fatigue, and the muscles use these substances as a source of “fuel”. Many pre-workouts include only leucine, which in principle is not a problem.

Glutamine

After intensive training, depletion of glutamine stores can occur, which in turn impairs the ability of muscle tissue to grow, weakens the immune system, and makes the body more vulnerable to disease. Supplementing with glutamine increases the amount of growth hormone, dulls the feeling of fatigue and improves stamina. The mechanism of action of glutamine in stimulating muscle growth is to maintain a high level of leucine in muscle fibers.

Carnitine

As you know, carnitine improves blood flow to the muscles and promotes their recovery. In addition, this amino acid has been shown to stimulate androgen receptors, which, together with testosterone, are responsible for the growth of muscle tissue.

pumping

In addition to stimulants, many athletes also consume pump foods that affect nitric oxide levels in the body. The feeling of fullness and fullness of the muscles is exactly what many bodybuilders strive for. To achieve this, some components of the pre-workout complex will help.

Citrullin

The human body converts citrulline to arginine, which is then converted to nitric oxide. But why then consume citrulline and not immediately prioritize arginine?

Logic question. But only if you do not know that most of the arginine taken is used not by muscles, but by intestinal cells. And the use of citrulline helps to increase the level of arginine in the blood. The result from this is better than from taking only arginine.

arginine

As mentioned above, this is an amino acid that is converted into NO in the body. However, L-arginine is poorly absorbed by the body, so in the list of sports supplements this substance is also presented in other forms – arginine HCl, arginine-AKG or arginine ketoisocaproate.

GPLK

This particular variation of carnitine, also known as glycine propionyl-L-carnitine (GPLC), is a patented compound that combines the amino acids of glycine with an altered form of carnitine. This drug improves the absorption of carnitine in muscle tissues. Interestingly, the results of one study showed that taking GPLC for 4 weeks increased the level of nitric oxide in the body by almost 30% (compared to the placebo group).

Pycnogenol

The source of this flavonoid is the bark of the French maritime pine. Pycnogenol has a powerful antioxidant effect, protects muscle tissue from free radicals. In addition, it is a fat burner, and taken as part of a pre-workout, it activates the secretion of epinephrine in the body, the hormone responsible for burning fat.

Nitrates

Under the influence of microflora living in the oral cavity, nitrates are converted into nitrites, and subsequent enzymatic processes convert nitrites into nitric oxide. It is this effect that has prompted some pre-workout manufacturers to include nitrates in sports supplements. In addition, nitrates are found in vegetables. One of the most famous sources of the substance is called beets.

Glycerol

Glycerin usually forms the basis of triglycerides that we get from food. Like other pumping supplements, it enhances muscle pumps. And this happens primarily due to the pronounced osmotic properties of glycerin (the ability to attract liquid). In addition, glycerin prevents dehydration and improves temperature control during physical exertion in hot weather. Meanwhile, manufacturers of sports nutrition do not often include this substance in pre-workouts.

Brain Activators

Drugs from this group are also known as “brain doping”. Why is this group important to athletes? Studies have shown that the effectiveness of work in the gym and stimulation of muscle growth directly depends on the functionality of the central nervous system. And for this reason, brain activators have also been included in pre-workouts.

Mixed

This nutrient contributes equally to the functioning of muscle and brain cells. In particular, choline plays a critical role in the production of one of the most important neurotransmitters, acetylcholine.

The increased amount of acetylcholine promotes stronger muscle contraction for longer periods.

Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE)

In American and European sports nutrition, this substance is represented as Deaner, Deanol or Lucidril. Dimethylaminoethanol was first used in the 1960s as a supplement to improve learning ability in people with impaired concentration. Today, DMAE is known to increase choline levels in brain cells. By the way, it is believed that it is more effective to take DMAE than choline, since dimethylaminoethanol prevents the breakdown of choline and thereby further increases the level of acetylcholine. The result of these biochemical reactions is an improvement in thinking, an increase in mood, and an activation of the brain. In addition, DMAE has strong antioxidant properties, removes toxins from the body and prevents sagging skin.

Huperzine

This substance is an extract of moss. Its benefit lies in the fact that it prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain, improves memory and concentration, supplies the body with additional energy and improves immunity.

Fat burners

Even if weight loss isn’t your primary goal, fat-burning ingredients are useful in any pre-workout. These products allow you to save muscle mass, since the body uses split fats as fuel, and not protein from muscle tissue.

Green tea extract

Many complexes include green tea extract as it has many benefits. In particular, the active ingredient in green tea, catechin EGGG, increases fat burning by inhibiting an enzyme that degrades norepinephrine. The result is an increase in adrenaline levels, which in turn stimulates fat burning.

Synephrine

It is an alkaloid found in bitter orange. Its structure resembles adrenaline, and has similar properties. It is included in the pre-workout complex as a substance that promotes the breakdown of fats.

Yohimbe

It is an extract from the bark of a plant native to western Africa. The task of this component is to increase muscle endurance, promote greater fat burning, thereby providing the body with more energy. In addition, yohimbe extract has been shown to increase blood flow to tense muscles.

What should not be included

Artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners are things that ideally should not be in quality sports supplements. Although many manufacturers add these ingredients to sports nutrition to mask a bitter or too sour taste. So a perfectly clean, free of impurities complex is a rare “bird” in the sports nutrition market.

Benefits of pre-workout supplements

A good pre-workout complex should perform several functions qualitatively. Which ones – now we will consider.

Contribute to the production of additional energy

B vitamins (particularly B6 and B12), according to researchers, play a key role in energy production at the cellular level, and this supports muscles, increases their endurance during training. Creatine monohydrate and caffeine are one of the most studied components of the complex. Thanks to creatine, pre-workout will accelerate the recovery of ATP in muscle cells during and after the most intense exercise.

improve blood flow

A good pre-workout should improve blood flow to the muscles, heart, and lungs to increase oxygen circulation. Citrulline malate (found in watermelon rind) and pine bark extract do a good job. Pre-workout supplements should also promote vasodilation (by increasing the body’s nitric oxide stores).

By the way, improving blood circulation is important not only for strength training, this pre-workout function is also important for aerobic activity (useful for swimmers, good to take before running).

Increase resistance to lactic acid

The effectiveness of the workout can be greatly improved if it does not cause a burning sensation in the muscles (which is a side effect of the lactic acid produced in the muscles). Thanks to beta-alanine, this unpleasant sensation can be muffled.

Protect cells

Regular intense exercise can make cells vulnerable. Pre-workout supplements with antioxidants (citrus bioflavonoids, taurine) and betaine (found in spinach, beets, quinoa) protect and strengthen the body at the cellular level.

Activate muscle growth

BCAAs are the main component for accelerating muscle growth, leucine is recognized as especially effective in this regard. This amino acid activates muscle protein synthesis.

Burn fat

Pre-workouts containing caffeine have the ability to burn fat and activate the breakdown of more fat during exercise. In addition, caffeine is not only a fat-burning active ingredient, but also a substance that gives energy and endurance.

The only caveat is that you should not take caffeine supplements at night.

improve concentration

The quality of the training largely depends on the quality of the emotional mood and concentration. Caffeine and L-theanine (an antioxidant from green tea) are good pre-workout supplements. Well, do not forget about the benefits of choline, because, according to scientists, it not only improves cognitive functions, but also affects willpower.

Side effects

Insomnia. This is one of the main concerns with pre-workout powders. For some people, caffeine consumption disrupts the sleep cycle. Therefore, it is better to take caffeine-containing drugs no later than 8 hours before bedtime.

Nausea, vomiting, itching, headaches. These symptoms occur against the background of individual intolerance to the ingredients of the drug. At the first signs of an allergy, it is important to stop taking the supplement.

Cardiovascular problems. Any pre-workout complex contains various stimulants that are prohibited for people with cardiac diseases. Excessive passion for pre-workouts, besides non-compliance with the recommended doses, can be dangerous for the heart of even healthy people, especially those over 40 years old.

Dehydration. Caffeine has diuretic properties. An overdose of the supplement can cause dehydration.

Some caveats

Some of the components that make up pre-workout complexes are quite well studied. Perhaps the least questions are caffeine, taurine, rhodiola, pine bark, creatine, beta-alanine and some other substances. Meanwhile, among the popular ingredients there are less studied ones. For example, geranium preparations were long considered safe until it was discovered in 2013 that they could be harmful to the heart. Also, some researchers have recently raised doubts about the safety of glycine propionyl-L-carnitine.

How to take and combine supplements

Most experienced athletes do not have questions like: “What is the pre-workout for?” or “Should I take pre-workout supplements?” Doubts about this may appear only among beginners. But another nuance raises even more questions: how to properly use sports nutrition in tablets, powders or capsules so that the benefits from it are maximum and the harm is minimal. Also, many are concerned about how to combine different sports supplements so as not to impair their effectiveness. For example, is it possible to take creatine monohydrate and caffeine at the same time, to combine caffeine and taurine, or is it better to prefer decaffeinated supplements. And now let’s try to find answers to all these “is it possible …”.

Ideally, a pre-workout supplement package should be ingredients selected by experts in the portions required to achieve a specific result. Therefore, it is important to choose only high-quality pre-workouts and not experiment by creating your own recipes (especially for beginners).

The benefits and harms of the complex depend not only on the quality of the product itself, but also on the dosage and its combination with other drugs. For example, for any problems with the heart or blood vessels, it is important to choose a caffeine-free complex and not take caffeine with hypertension medications.

When talking about the combination of pre-workout with another sports nutrition, they most often remember creatine. And although this component is part of many ready-made pre-workout complexes, athletes often take additional portions of the substance separately for even greater performance. But here it is important to recall: an overdose of creatine can be dangerous, and the amino acid itself has some contraindications. True, there is a third group of athletes who use either creatine or a pre-workout complex. But both products cannot be considered interchangeable. Predtren has a wider effect on the body.

How to drink properly

Pre-workout complex, as a rule, is taken an hour or two before the start of classes. True, the exact time of admission is a very individual indicator and depends on the metabolic rate. The essence of correctly timing the intake of the supplement is that it does not cease to act in the midst of a workout. In addition, it is important not to combine the drug with food – this will impair the absorption of the components of the pre-workout. You can dilute the drug with cold water or juice (traditional proportions: 150 ml of water per 1 scoop of powder).

Some manufacturers advise taking a pre-workout on non-training days as well. Actually, it’s just a marketing ploy. There will be no benefit from the pre-workout complex without training (well, at least it will definitely not affect the strength and volume of muscles).

How to choose

The sports nutrition market offers a huge number of pre-workout supplement options. Most manufacturers claim that it is their product that is “the most powerful”, “created according to a unique revolutionary formula”. Is it possible to somehow understand on your own which complex is worth attention and money, and which one is better to avoid?

Before taking a pre-workout complex, it is important to carefully study the composition and make sure that there is no allergy-causing substance among the declared ingredients. By the way, are you not sure how the body will react to one or another component of the complex? You can buy samplers from several manufacturers to start and watch how the body “responds” to different types of pre-workout complexes. This kind of test will help you make a choice: what is better to buy for regular use.

Experienced bodybuilders are also not advised to buy drugs that do not have a list with the exact concentration of ingredients on the labels. If this list does not contain information about the exact number of ingredients, then most likely the ingredients are listed in descending order of their number. This means that the first component can be several times larger than all the others, and besides, proportionality cannot always be maintained either. By the way, it is for this reason that if there is a desire to make the pre-workout mixture yourself, it is better to abandon this idea – at home it is difficult to keep the correct dosages.

So, the main advice for a quality choice: no “branded” mixtures without information about the exact composition. Next, it is important to study the list of declared ingredients and their dosages. A quality product should not contain untested or ineffective ingredients.

The best pre-workout complexes

It is difficult to objectively judge which of the pre-workout complexes is the best, since all people are different and each body reacts to the components of sports nutrition in its own way. But research has shown that supplements that contain adequate amounts of BCAAs, B vitamins, creatine, betaine, arginine, and citrulline may be more effective than other blends.

Meanwhile, experts still compiled a list of the best pre-workout complexes from leading sports nutrition manufacturers. Among the effective ones are:

• NO Xplode (BSN);
• Jack3d (USP labs);
• Assault (MusclePharm);
• C4 Extreme NO (Cellucor);
• Mesomorph;
• Nitro Pump (GEON);
• Super Pump (Gaspari Nutrition);
• Anarchy (MuscleTech).

By the way, according to many bodybuilders, Mesomorph is one of the best sports supplements with a classic list of ingredients.

Looking for a product with a richer chemical composition? Then you can pay attention to the Detonator from Xcel Sports Nutrition. Also, many choose the Maximal Nutrition Atom pre-workout, which is suitable for both strength exercises and aerobic exercises (for example, for running). Assault is losing its popularity a little. The peak of his fame came in 2012, but even now he does not seem to be planning to leave the market. Moreover, MusclePharm is one of the most rated sports nutrition manufacturers.

Other popular supplements include Ronnie Coleman’s Myo-Blitz, designed specifically for fighters, athletes, and bodybuilders. The manufacturer presents this drug as a powerful complex for increasing endurance and growth of lean muscle mass. The supplement is a caffeine-containing powder, which, however, is not suitable for people with diabetes and hypertension, children and pregnant women.

Complex Psychotic (Psychotic) from Insane Labz enjoys the fame of “the most aggressive pre-workout complex.” Great for pumping, improves concentration and adds strength. A side effect (and the manufacturer does not hide it) is a feeling of euphoria.

But about the popular pre-workout Craze, you can hear a variety of reviews. Some call this complex the most powerful, and compare it with the extremely popular Jack 3D. Others argue that the drug gives the strongest effect after the first doses, and then its effectiveness goes to zero. In addition, the use of this supplement is accompanied by unpleasant side effects on the nervous system (insomnia, anxiety).

Pre-workouts for women

Experts say that, in principle, any high-quality pre-workout complex is safe for both men and women. But still, when it comes to the female body, there are some nuances caused by physiology. As a rule, the women’s sports nutrition set acts more gently, includes preparations for joints and ligaments, a complex with a fat burner, a special protein mixture, certain minerals and vitamins. But whether pre-workouts are needed for girls who are in love with bodybuilding, some doubt. And I must say – very in vain. And forgive the feminists, but the female body is still more fragile than the male. So, to increase the effectiveness of training, the fair sex really needs pre-workouts.

The female version of the complex should:

• speed up metabolism and fat burning;
• increase energy and performance;
• beneficial effect on the nervous system;
• nourish muscles;
• do not disturb the hormonal background.

These requirements are met by pre-workout complexes NO-Xplode, Animal Rage, Nano Vapor, StrongGirl Pre Workout, Olimp Work It Lady, Fitmiss Ignite Musclepharm and others.

Sports and nutrition (more precisely, proper nutrition) are key factors for bodybuilders. Sports nutrition supplements will help to restore the reserves of nutrients in the bodies of athletes and add strength. Pre-workout supplements seem to be more popular these days than ever before. Manufacturers are in a hurry to surprise with new formulas of drugs. Although, according to experienced athletes, chasing “revolutionary” new products is not always the right decision. Especially for beginners who do not understand what this or that component of the supplement gives. Although, perhaps, with the choice of a pre-workout complex, you should no longer have problems.