To use pre-workout or not?

jazzy_45
jazzy_45 Posts: 101 Member
edited November 8 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all, I'm a beginner at lifting aka Noob, so I'm a little confused at some things.
I know some people take a pre-workout but others don't. Why is this?
Why do you take pre-workout or why don't you? Should I take it?
Also is creatine the only pre-workout thing, or are there others?
Thanks all, sorry for the noob questions. :P

Replies

  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    Why do you feel you need a pre?

    I take a pre because I feel it gives me energy for early morning workouts or late evenings sessions, whether perceived or real, who knows, but it works for me. I mx it with creatine and glutamine and those two items I could not stomach with just water so it serves the purpose of disguising the taste. Creatine, I have seen strength gains on but not sure as a beginner if it's something you want to take. I'm sure others will offer opinions on that. Also, I am not a coffee drinker which others suggest is great pre workout.
  • Char231023
    Char231023 Posts: 700 Member
    I take NO2 Black right now, before I work out. I am not sure if it would be considered a pre-workout. I like it for the extra pump it gives me.
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,280 Member
    I do use a pre-workout drink to help with focus, energy and drive. The best I ever used was No-Xplode which has lots of creatine, glutamine and some caffeine. Be careful how much you use because I used the max dose the first time and was ready to jump out of my skin and start literally eating the free weights.
  • MoeHameed
    MoeHameed Posts: 260 Member
    I take a pre workout when I'm tired or sleepy after work.
  • brucewayne48910
    brucewayne48910 Posts: 54 Member
    I tend to work out EARLY in the morning (like 5:30 AM before heading to work) and they help me get warmed up and moving
  • jazzy_45
    jazzy_45 Posts: 101 Member
    VegasFit wrote: »
    Why do you feel you need a pre?

    I take a pre because I feel it gives me energy for early morning workouts or late evenings sessions, whether perceived or real, who knows, but it works for me. I mx it with creatine and glutamine and those two items I could not stomach with just water so it serves the purpose of disguising the taste. Creatine, I have seen strength gains on but not sure as a beginner if it's something you want to take. I'm sure others will offer opinions on that. Also, I am not a coffee drinker which others suggest is great pre workout.

    Well I struggle with my energy. I'm always feeling tired. I also do my workouts late at night too, and somethings I'm just lacking energy even when I hit the gym. I always do my workout anyways though. I'm wondering if pre-workout could help push me harder during my workouts.
  • jaquelynny
    jaquelynny Posts: 94 Member
    they all contain different things, bcaa creatine etc
    i love them and i use them only for am workouts esp if you are stim sensistive
    try it it wont hurt you just follow recommended dosage
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Why not use caffeine instead?

    A pre can help some, but if it's lacking stims, you won't get the effect you want.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited November 2014
    I don't take anything labeled "preworkout". But I do take a half scoop of protein powder and half a banana about an hour before. I find that to be the perfect preworkout for me. Same with recovery drinks. I have chocolate milk nothing labeled "recovery drink". I just havnt found anything premade with ingredients that seem better than what I'm already doing. They are also super expensive. At least here in Canada. Almost all health supplements I find are about 50% cheaper in the States.
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    edited November 2014
    jazzy_45 wrote: »
    VegasFit wrote: »
    Why do you feel you need a pre?

    I take a pre because I feel it gives me energy for early morning workouts or late evenings sessions, whether perceived or real, who knows, but it works for me. I mx it with creatine and glutamine and those two items I could not stomach with just water so it serves the purpose of disguising the taste. Creatine, I have seen strength gains on but not sure as a beginner if it's something you want to take. I'm sure others will offer opinions on that. Also, I am not a coffee drinker which others suggest is great pre workout.

    Well I struggle with my energy. I'm always feeling tired. I also do my workouts late at night too, and somethings I'm just lacking energy even when I hit the gym. I always do my workout anyways though. I'm wondering if pre-workout could help push me harder during my workouts.


    Can't hurt to try them! I know in my area supplement stores will give you samples. I always like to try before I buy. I alternate between about three different ones depending on what my workout will be.
  • jaquelynny
    jaquelynny Posts: 94 Member
    MsHarryWinston wrote: »
    I don't take anything labeled "preworkout". But I do take a half scoop of protein powder and half a banana about an hour before. I find that to be the perfect preworkout for me. Same with recovery drinks. I have chocolate milk nothing labeled "recovery drink". I just havnt found anything premade with ingredients that seem better than what I'm already doing. They are also super expensive.

    by pre workout she is not talking about a meal or shake its not a nutritional component, its a product marketed toward improving your workout by increasing energy stamina etc
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    jaquelynny wrote: »
    MsHarryWinston wrote: »
    I don't take anything labeled "preworkout". But I do take a half scoop of protein powder and half a banana about an hour before. I find that to be the perfect preworkout for me. Same with recovery drinks. I have chocolate milk nothing labeled "recovery drink". I just havnt found anything premade with ingredients that seem better than what I'm already doing. They are also super expensive.

    by pre workout she is not talking about a meal or shake its not a nutritional component, its a product marketed toward improving your workout by increasing energy stamina etc
    Right, generally the good ones with have a decent dose of

    (maybe) Creatine
    Beta Alanine
    Caffeine
    and possible something like an l-tyrosine or I think i've seen B12 a lot?

    No nutritional value in an energy sense.
  • jazzy_45
    jazzy_45 Posts: 101 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    Why not use caffeine instead?

    A pre can help some, but if it's lacking stims, you won't get the effect you want.

    So you mean coffee? Well I do my workouts late at night, would that be helpful?
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    jazzy_45 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Why not use caffeine instead?

    A pre can help some, but if it's lacking stims, you won't get the effect you want.

    So you mean coffee? Well I do my workouts late at night, would that be helpful?

    No, I mean caffeine. Coffee is one way to get it. It also depends on how it affects you, you'd have to test and find out. However, what I'm seeing is really someone saying, "I'd like to try something that will wake me up for my workout."

    Stims do that.

    Caffeine Anhydrous is a cheap and efficient method. You can get it off Amazon, little 200mg tabs. I'll take 3 or 4 before a workout, about an hour or so out. When I get out of my workouts, I'm hang dog tired, so being kept up from it has never been a problem for me.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    edited November 2014
    jazzy_45 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Why not use caffeine instead?

    A pre can help some, but if it's lacking stims, you won't get the effect you want.

    So you mean coffee? Well I do my workouts late at night, would that be helpful?

    If you lift late at night and you're going to sleep afterwards, you may not want a PWO. Nobody needs a PWO drink and many of them just contain a bunch of crap and not enough BCAA's to even matter. Since you train at night, just have some food about 90-minutes before you train and at most take some Creatine-Monohydrate (one of the few proven supplements to do anything). Plain coffee is a good stimulant in itself, just gauge for yourself when you can take it without affecting your sleep patterns. Sleep is necessary for recovery, don't want to mess that up.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    jaquelynny wrote: »
    MsHarryWinston wrote: »
    I don't take anything labeled "preworkout". But I do take a half scoop of protein powder and half a banana about an hour before. I find that to be the perfect preworkout for me. Same with recovery drinks. I have chocolate milk nothing labeled "recovery drink". I just havnt found anything premade with ingredients that seem better than what I'm already doing. They are also super expensive.

    by pre workout she is not talking about a meal or shake its not a nutritional component, its a product marketed toward improving your workout by increasing energy stamina etc


    I know exactly what she's talking about. I was just saying that I don't use those. That's what I said, I don't use any of the things labelled as a specific "preworkout". But instead have a "preworkout" mini meal/snack thing which I find is the perfect combination to increase my energy stamina without having to spend money on specific preworkout drink powders. And that I have yet to see a preworkout mix that has swayed me away from what I'm already doing. Same with specific recovery drinks vs simple chocolate milk. Just thought I'd tell her what I have found to work well for me. :smiley:
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Yeah, chocolate milk has a long and storied history for folks who are lifting to bulk. It's good stuff.
  • Telsera
    Telsera Posts: 19 Member
    If you take a preworkout supplement, you might want to keep in mind that the "recommended dose" is usually formulated assuming you are an athletic male. If you are not a big burly bro dude, that dose is probably waaaay waaaay too much for you (at least until you know how it affects you).

    I would take half or a 1/4 of the recommended dose the first couple times you try it to see how your body reacts to it. They're all a little different. The first time I took a preworkout I took the one scoop as directed and I was wired and couldn't sleep for an entire day and a half! And uncomfortably tingly haha. I worked up from 1/4 scoop to a 1/2 scoop and that is the perfect amount for me. As a bonus the container lasts twice as long so I get to save money.

    Don't let me scare you, I love my preworkout. I just wanted to pass on a lesson learned :P
  • philwrightfitness
    philwrightfitness Posts: 122
    Bcaas, coffee and creatine ( if you taking pre workout carbs) the problem with pre work outs is that manufacturers chuck all sorts of stuff in at varying doses.... I would carefully research the ingredients and ensure you are happy with what you are taking. For instance high doses of beta alanine can cause taurine deficiency in animals ( no long term studies for humans) yet many PWs give one without the other usually because they can be seen as antagonistic- I.e. Compete for the same biochemical pathways. Also beta alanine appears to blunt the testosterone spike caused by creatine ( although in combination they still increase lean mass) as with all things do your research before messing with your body's chemistry...and take what you need for your particular goals.
  • bebekitten
    bebekitten Posts: 1
    I wouldn't rec taking a pre for late night workouts if you plan on sleeping. LOL
    I do take a pre every morning for my early am workouts. Definitely helps me w/ energy and focus.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I use C4 for my workouts because it helps me focus and not look around the gym and lose my concentration. It also helps some with energy. Personally I just really love the tingle feeling it gives me.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    philwrightfitness wrote: »
    Also beta alanine appears to blunt the testosterone spike caused by creatine ( although in combination they still increase lean mass) as with all things do your research before messing with your body's chemistry...and take what you need for your particular goals.

    Do you have the Journal article and authors that display this result? I'm curious because I've read three primary-source journal articles on the effect of beta-alanine on training and hormone function and nothing was mentioned about that, nothing was even eluded to this occurring.
  • philwrightfitness
    philwrightfitness Posts: 122
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    philwrightfitness wrote: »
    Also beta alanine appears to blunt the testosterone spike caused by creatine ( although in combination they still increase lean mass) as with all things do your research before messing with your body's chemistry...and take what you need for your particular goals.

    Do you have the Journal article and authors that display this result? I'm curious because I've read three primary-source journal articles on the effect of beta-alanine on training and hormone function and nothing was mentioned about that, nothing was even eluded to this occurring.

    Examine.com seem to be saying this but their language is a bit woolly....they cite Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006 Aug;16(4):430-46. but I cam only see the abstract which again is unclear on this particular point....if I've miss quoted then many apologies
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