How often should I take preworkouts?

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I'm breaking up my workout schedule because it's easy for my busy life. I plan on doing cardio in the morning and strength training in the evening. I'll have a protein shake after each, but is it a bad idea to take a pretty workout before each too? If not, which one would be more beneficial to have a preworkout for?
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Replies

  • mgalovic01
    mgalovic01 Posts: 388 Member
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    I found pre- workouts ruined my workouts. They raise your heart rate, and wear you out. How are you supposed to go to sleep if you take it in the evening?
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    You don't need pre-workouts or protein shakes after each session. Just eat normally , making sure to get enough protein during the day. Timing around workouts is not important for most people.
  • xNausicaa
    xNausicaa Posts: 61 Member
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    mgalovic01 wrote: »
    I found pre- workouts ruined my workouts. They raise your heart rate, and wear you out. How are you supposed to go to sleep if you take it in the evening?

    Pre workouts don't really mess with my sleep. I would take it at 7 and head to bed at 10:30
  • mgalovic01
    mgalovic01 Posts: 388 Member
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    I used to be into pre- workouts. Not anymore. They're a waist of money from a results standpoint. I know they get you worked up, but I don't like that in my workout. I would take them in place of coffee in the morning. Now I drink black tea. I just feel like they'll burn you out.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    never taken pre-workouts . . . but in your shoes i think i'd get started with the routine, find out how it's working for me and then start experimenting with pre-workout for any points in the day where it seemed like it might be useful.

    i don't think there's any 'everyone' rule.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    Preworkouts and post workout shakes probably won't give you noticeable results. :+1:
  • jolive7
    jolive7 Posts: 283 Member
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    Whatever you decide make sure you have a break from them, they can do really bad things to your digestive system if taken for long periods of time. Check the caffeine content as well - some have the same amount as the max recommended daily intake - not good!! I use this for a natural energy boost https://pranaon.com/pb-2/ and have found I feel much better than using the artificial ones
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Go back a step first.... Why do you think you need pre-workouts and post exercise protein shakes?
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
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    I do C4 with creatine every morning before my workout LOVE IT!!! Post workout stuff is a myth if your getting enough calories (Macros) through out the day
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Depending on the amount of time between your morning workout and breakfast you may want to consider some kind of recovery snack or drink but that relates more to glycogen replacement than anything else otherwise you could skip the protein shakes & pre-workout and try to hit your macro goals through food (cheaper & tastier).
  • mgalovic01
    mgalovic01 Posts: 388 Member
    edited November 2016
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    I do C4 with creatine every morning before my workout LOVE IT!!! Post workout stuff is a myth if your getting enough calories (Macros) through out the day

    You know C4 has Creatine in it. Are you cycling the Creatine? Also, I think the post workout shakes actually feed your body, unlike the pre- workouts, not that you can't get that from food, but they do produce some results.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    Pre-workouts do nothing for your body composition but they can provide a "boost". I personally like the high caffeine and beta alanine mix in any PWO's I take.
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    edited November 2016
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    mgalovic01 wrote: »
    I do C4 with creatine every morning before my workout LOVE IT!!! Post workout stuff is a myth if your getting enough calories (Macros) through out the day

    You know C4 has Creatine in it. Are you cycling the Creatine? Also, I think the post workout shakes actually feed your body, unlike the pre- workouts, not that you can't get that from food, but they do produce some results.

    Of course I know C4 has Creatine in it so does the 1-1.5 lbs of meat I eat everyday and my Macro/calorie shake has 2 grams of creatine. Do I cycle creatine I don't think so why would I?

    Any calories through out the day benefit the body the question is does a Post workout drink give you any more benefit than a well balanced diet throughout the day would. The answer has been proven NO!

    Daily Macro's weekly Calories
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
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    Pre-workout has been my savior in the mornings. I get up at 4:30am to get to the gym by 5 and I'm not sure I could have as effective a workout as I do without it. I've used pre-workouts for evening sessions before, but sometimes the energy from food is enough for a good workout. If it doesn't keep you awake I don't see the harm in it. Also, play around with the dosage. The one I use had a dosage of two scoops, but I only need one.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    leajas1 wrote: »
    Pre-workout has been my savior in the mornings. I get up at 4:30am to get to the gym by 5 and I'm not sure I could have as effective a workout as I do without it. I've used pre-workouts for evening sessions before, but sometimes the energy from food is enough for a good workout. If it doesn't keep you awake I don't see the harm in it. Also, play around with the dosage. The one I use had a dosage of two scoops, but I only need one.

    Same here. I don't take my pre-workout on rest days (obviously), and I sometimes skip it on weekends if I've had plenty of sleep and have had enough coffee, but during the work week at 4:45am it's a must for me to wake up and be successful getting done what I want to get done in the next 2 hours. I generally give myself about 15 minutes to wake up, take my pre-workout (which has creatine, beta-alanine, caffeine, etc.) and within 30 minutes I'm going at it. Without it, I start slow, and run out of energy fast. Mine doesn't have much of a crash later so it does a good job for me.
  • mgalovic01
    mgalovic01 Posts: 388 Member
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    mgalovic01 wrote: »
    I do C4 with creatine every morning before my workout LOVE IT!!! Post workout stuff is a myth if your getting enough calories (Macros) through out the day

    You know C4 has Creatine in it. Are you cycling the Creatine? Also, I think the post workout shakes actually feed your body, unlike the pre- workouts, not that you can't get that from food, but they do produce some results.

    Of course I know C4 has Creatine in it so does the 1-1.5 lbs of meat I eat everyday and my Macro/calorie shake has 2 grams of creatine. Do I cycle creatine I don't think so why would I?

    Any calories through out the day benefit the body the question is does a Post workout drink give you any more benefit than a well balanced diet throughout the day would. The answer has been proven NO!

    Daily Macro's weekly Calories

    Every article I read about Creatine recommends cycling it.
    The post workout shake is just a quick and easy way to get some very bio-available nutrients to your muscles when they need them most. That being said, you never know what contaminants may be in there, so food might be a better way to go.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    mgalovic01 wrote: »
    Every article I read about Creatine recommends cycling it.
    The post workout shake is just a quick and easy way to get some very bio-available nutrients to your muscles when they need them most. That being said, you never know what contaminants may be in there, so food might be a better way to go.

    I have no idea what 'science' may be behind that, but if you're eating red meat regularly you can't really stop taking in creatine. I don't know about C4, but my pre-workout only has 1.5g/scoop so it's not a lot, more of a maintenance level. The only affect I see from not taking my pre-workout with creatine in it for a couple of days is I drop all the added water weight (usually up to 3 lbs extra). It goes right back on when I start using the pre-workouts with creatine in them again. /shrug
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    mgalovic01 wrote: »
    Every article I read about Creatine recommends cycling it.

    i must have read others, or additional ones. i found the 'cycle' advice too when i first checked into it, but there's also plenty of literature that says you don't have to bother with either loading or cycling. so i don't bother. i just take 3-5 grammes of it daily and call it a thing.

    i don't listen seriously to the not-with-caffeine thing either. i assume those were instructions based on more early research, though don't quote me on that.

  • mgalovic01
    mgalovic01 Posts: 388 Member
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    I'm thinking that cycling is more conducive to hypertrophy, because you get greater muscle cell volumization through expansion. Plus I like the idea of getting some time off of it, since you never know what it could be contaminated with.
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
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    mgalovic01 wrote: »
    mgalovic01 wrote: »
    I do C4 with creatine every morning before my workout LOVE IT!!! Post workout stuff is a myth if your getting enough calories (Macros) through out the day

    You know C4 has Creatine in it. Are you cycling the Creatine? Also, I think the post workout shakes actually feed your body, unlike the pre- workouts, not that you can't get that from food, but they do produce some results.

    Of course I know C4 has Creatine in it so does the 1-1.5 lbs of meat I eat everyday and my Macro/calorie shake has 2 grams of creatine. Do I cycle creatine I don't think so why would I?

    Any calories through out the day benefit the body the question is does a Post workout drink give you any more benefit than a well balanced diet throughout the day would. The answer has been proven NO!

    Daily Macro's weekly Calories

    Every article I read about Creatine recommends cycling it.
    The post workout shake is just a quick and easy way to get some very bio-available nutrients to your muscles when they need them most. That being said, you never know what contaminants may be in there, so food might be a better way to go.

    Try this
    http://examine.com/supplements/Creatine/#scientific-research
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