This article was co-authored by Ross Dempsey and by wikiHow staff writer, Nihal Shetty. Ross Dempsey is a Personal Trainer, Health Coach, and the Host of The Progression Health Podcast. With over six years of experience working with clients in one-on-one personal training, Ross uses science-based health coaching to help individuals achieve their goals. He holds a Bachelors degree in Sports and Exercise from the Waterford Institute of Technology and a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the National University of Ireland, Galway.
There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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You might have seen other people at your gym or on social media carrying around pre-workout drinks, but should you join them? Pre-workouts have become popular in recent years, and many athletes and casual exercisers report feeling more energy and focus after taking them. If you’re reading this, you probably have some questions, like whether it has benefits, what its pros and cons are, and how to drink pre-workout for maximum benefit. We’re here to answer all of these questions and more in our complete guide on how to take pre-workout.
Steps
How to Take Pre-workout
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Take pre-workout 30 minutes before your workout. 30 minutes is how long it takes the pre-workout to kick in and the caffeine to be fully absorbed into your system. If you plan on having a longer gym session, you might decide to instead take it at the beginning of your workout and wait for the pre-workout to give you an energy boost midway through your routine.[3]
- Use pre-workout at least 6 hours before you go to bed since it could negatively affect your sleep.
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Start with a dose of 150 mg of caffeine. A scoop of pre-workout has around 200 mg of caffeine, but it’s a good idea to start taking it at a smaller dose, unless you’re already a heavy coffee drinker who is used to the caffeine. When 150 mg (about ¾ of a scoop) doesn’t seem effective anymore, you can start taking the standard dose.[4]
- Studies have shown that the effective dosage of caffeine for athletic performance is 3 mg per 1 kg of bodyweight (2.2 pounds). So, if you weigh 160 pounds (72.5 kg), your eventual dosage might be around 217.5 mg of caffeine.[5]
- You can slowly move up your caffeine consumption until you reach the level recommended for your bodyweight. As you stop feeling the effects of your pre-workout, move your dosage up by around 10 mg of caffeine until you feel the energy boost again.
- Public health officials recommend that adults should limit their caffeine intake on any given day to 400-500 mg. Avoid exceeding this amount.[6]
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Mix the pre-workout with water, then drink it. Although there are viral trends of people eating pre-workout powder dry, do not do this. Eating dry powder is a choking hazard. Instead, mix in your scoop of pre-workout with a cup of water, following your product’s guidelines.[7]
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Supplement or replace your pre-workout with nutritious food. Ultimately, the best fuel for your body during a workout is calories gained through healthy food. Before a workout, eat a meal that contains the supplements that pre-workout claims to have. Your body will have an easier time absorbing them. Some foods to eat before a workout include:[8]
- A whole-grain sandwich with a lean protein, like chicken
- Turkey
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Eggs
Expert Q&A
Tips
References
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4947244/
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dry-scooping-tiktok-trend/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/does-taking-a-pre-workout-actually-work/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223795/
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dry-scooping-tiktok-trend/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/does-taking-a-pre-workout-actually-work/
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/does-taking-a-pre-workout-actually-work/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/does-taking-a-pre-workout-actually-work/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/does-taking-a-pre-workout-actually-work/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3805807/#
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23515510/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6343867/
- ↑ https://www.gq.com/story/pre-workout-supplements-guide
- ↑ https://www.mensjournal.com/nutrition/strongest-pre-workout