Pre-Workout

Pre-workout supplements are a category of performance-based supplements designed to help you train harder and get more out of your workout. Learn what pre-workouts do and what the ingredients mean.

Pre-workout guide

In this article, you’ll discover how pre-workouts function and what you can expect if you choose to use one for your training. We will then discuss the ingredients used in GymCrate pre-workout, and give you solid guidance on how to use pre-workout.

How does pre-workout work?

Pre-workout supplements typically come in powder form which you mix with cold water and drink shortly before your workout. This is the most popular and effective way to take a pre-workout. You might also see individual pre-workout ingredients (like caffeine) as capsules or tablets in some stores.

Most people choose to take pre-workout in drink format because it’s easy to use, tastes good, and the liquid means your body will digest it more quickly. You can therefore drink pre-workout 30-60 minutes before training and you will feel the effects. If you feel the effects earlier than this, you may absorb the active ingredients at a faster rate and can train before this window.

How pre-workout can provide significant benefits to training intensity

It’s not always possible to feel energised and focused for training sessions, even if you have slept well, avoided stress, and fuelled up properly. On days when you need an extra boost or know you have a tough training session ahead, a pre-workout will help.

Pre-workout supplements have one main purpose, and that is to improve your training session. A good pre-workout will give you the physical and mental support to focus and train with more intensity so your training session is optimised.

Our ingredients and why we chose them

You should always check the ingredients list of a pre-workout to be sure you are using ingredients with proven benefits. GymCrate pre-workout formula is built around caffeine and beta-alanine which are two of the most scientifically-proven performance ingredients, plus other well-respected active ingredients.

In 2010, a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-7-10) looked at aerobic and anaerobic effects of pre-workout supplements combined with HIIT. The study found that this combination increased lean body mass through increased training volume capacity.

Key active ingredients

GymCrate pre-workout contains active ingredients including caffeine, beta-alanine, taurine, arginine, and l-glutamine which are safe, researched, and trusted. This 2012 study, published in Nutrition and Metabolism, looked at the effects on reaction times, muscular endurance, and training fatigue after taking a pre-workout containing caffeine and beta-alanine. The paper found that a supplement with these ingredients significantly improved energy, focus, and alertness and reduced both perceived and actual fatigue.

(https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-9-28)

Caffeine is a compound that’s well known for acting as a stimulant. In pre-workout formulas, it may improve focus, alertness, energy levels, and training performance. If you are on a calorie-controlled diet, it can even help you lose more body fat than without caffeine.

Beta-alanine is one of the amino acids that are the building blocks of the protein itself. When you take beta-alanine in supplement form, it produces carnosine which your body needs for power and endurance. Supplementing with beta-alanine can help prevent lactic acid build-up in your muscles, so you can train for longer.

Taurine is often found in energy drinks and it is a good addition to pre-workout supplements. Experts think it can reduce muscular fatigue, so you can train harder for longer. It may also boost the amount of force your muscles can generate.

Arginine is a non-essential amino acid that can help increase your body’s nitric oxide levels, which in turn can support muscular endurance and give a good muscle pump.

L-glutamine is another amino acid that is good for supporting muscle tissue growth. It helps transport nitrogen around your body to regulate anabolic processes including muscle growth.

When to consume pre-workout

A good quality pre-workout supplement will be absorbed into your body quickly, so you will start to feel that energised buzz. It’s best to take your pre-workout 30-60 minutes before training. Remember, if you train in the evening and find caffeine prevents sleep, avoid taking pre-workout for those sessions.

How much pre-workout should you take?

The ingredients in pre-workout are designed to have a noticeable effect on your mind, body, and energy levels. So it’s important not to take too much. We recommend one scoop (10g) of GymCrate pre-workout in 350mls cold water.

Get to know your personal caffeine tolerance level so you understand how much of a time gap to leave between coffee and other caffeinated drinks and taking pre-workout.

Who can have pre-workout?

Pre-workout supplements are designed for anyone who needs an extra boost for training or sport. The ingredients in GymCrate pre-workout are all safe, tested by HASTA, and scientifically proven. But you should take extra care if you are sensitive to caffeine. If you have ever been told you should avoid caffeine, then this product is not recommended for you. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid this product simply because of the caffeine level.

Summary

• Pre-workout supplements are designed to boost your mental and physical energy so you can train harder and for longer
• Look for key ingredients which are backed by science
• Research-backed pre-workout ingredients include caffeine, beta-alanine, taurine, arginine, and l-glutamine
• GymCrate pre-workout gives you 150mg caffeine, 1.3g beta-alanine, 1.3g taurine, 1.1g glutamine, and 940mg arginine in a 10g serve
• If you are sensitive to caffeine, modify your intake of this product and do not use it within 6 hours of bedtime
• Do not use this product if you are pregnant or breastfeeding