Pre-workout supplements are one of the best-selling and constantly changing categories in the supplement industry. They give you the focus, energy, and stamina to grind through each and every workout. However, the vast majority of pre-workouts on the market contain some kind of stimulant. Now, this is fine if you workout early in the morning or aren’t sensitive to caffeine.
But, what if you’re working out late at night or the various cocktail of stimulants that are in most pre-workouts leave you feeling jittery and on edge?
The answer is simple, invest in a high-quality stimulant free product!
Stimulant Free Pre-Workout Benefits
While these may not deliver the same “kick” that a stimulant based pre-workout might, don’t for one second think that these products aren’t effective. Stimulant free pre-workouts can deliver all the same effects as its cracked out counterparts without any nasty side effects, including:
What’s in a pre-workout?
NO STIMULANTS to start with!
With the multitude of pre-workouts available, there are going to be A LOT of different formulas and concoctions that each company uses to formulate their product. However, there are a few tried and true ingredients that are nearly universal in the pre-workout market. A quality pre-workout will usually contain:
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Agmatine: increases blood flow to muscles by opening up (“dilating”) your blood vessels
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Beta Alanine: offsets the lactic acid (“muscle burn”) you feel when exercising and helps with endurance and power
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Nootropics: a.k.a. “smart drugs” these compounds help improve cognition and focus
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Betaine Anhydrous: increases strength, power, performance and lean mass gains
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B Vitamins: critical for energy production, inflammation reduction, and forming red blood cells in the body
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Electrolytes: maintain adequate hydration levels and support muscular contraction
There are many, MANY more ingredients that go into the various pre-workouts on the market, but these are a few of the essentials that you want to see on the label.
What to watch out for?
While there are many reputable pre-workouts available, there are a few things that you should be on the lookout for:
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Outrageous claims
”INSANE focus!”...“Skin-splitting pumps”...”ULTRA Endurance!”
These catch-phrases bombard every billboard, banner, and store window you come across. Take each of these claims with a HUGE grain of salt and realize that these are simply a ploy to sucker you into buying the product. Do yourself a favor and turn the tub around to the bottle. See what ingredients the product contains and choose based on that, not the claims on the front.
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Ineffective Ingredients / Dosages
This is another trick employed by companies trying to swindle the consumers. They either pad the formula with a whole slew of ingredients that are marginally effective at best or just put in a “sprinkling” of each ingredient without using the clinically recommended dose.
Bottom line: More isn’t better when it comes to the number of ingredients on the label. What’s more important is the actual dosage of each ingredient, which leads us to…
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Proprietary Blends
This goes hand in hand with the ineffective doses of ingredients mentioned above. Companies use the “proprietary blend” or “patented muscle matrix” title in the name of protecting their patented blend of ingredients, but all it does is hide the facts of what you’re actually buying.
These are just of the few things to keep in mind when looking through your local supplement shop and trying to determine where to invest your hard-earned dollars.
Are pre-workouts safe?!
This is a loaded question...when used appropriately and according to the directions, pre-workouts provide tons of benefits that will enhance your workouts! Best of all, you don’t have to worry about getting an overload of stimulants that could lead to further complications.
Takeaway
Don’t let your aversion to stimulants derail your weight training goals. A plethora of options awaits in the stimulant-free world. They are just as effective in delivering world-class workouts. Find one that fits the goals you’re looking for and be on your way to some massive gains!
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