Benefits of Pre-Workout: Should I Take Them?

How Pre-Workout Can Improve Performance

The benefits of pre-workout for men and women cannot be understated. There is a wealth of evidence pointing to how well-formulated pre-workout supplements can improve overall performance. Take a look at just some of the benefits of pre-workout for women and men:

Greater Anaerobic Output - Anaerobic power refers to the amount of energy your muscles can output over a short period of time but one marked by great physical exertion. The National Institutes of Health published a report that confirmed that “Acute ingestion of a pre-workout supplement significantly improves anaerobic power output and attenuates muscular fatigue during repeated sprint cycling.”

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Better Physique - Over time, using a good pre-workout supplement can have a significant effect on your body composition. Pre-workout supplements help you burn more fat and boost muscle power during exercise, leading to better results.

Faster Muscle Recovery - If you have ever felt drained after a few reps at the gym, pre-workout supplements with creatine can help you build muscle. A good pre-workout supplement will help improve protein synthesis in the muscles.

Your muscles need a good supply of protein and the means by which to process it in order to recover after strenuous physical activity. So pre-workout products can help your muscles recover and get you back to lifting sooner than usual.

Greater Muscle Resistance - Everyone knows that the key to building bigger muscles is to increase resistance training. According to an NIH study, pre-workout supplements can improve upper-body resistance performance.

Better Endurance - Once again, the NIH has confirmed in a comprehensive study that pre-workout supplements appear to increase overall physical endurance and energy levels. They elucidate their findings by saying, “Several studies have reported performance enhancements in both aerobic and anaerobic capacity after ingesting an energy supplement prior to exercise in a wide-variety of participants ranging from recreationally active to resistance trained athletes.”

Stephanie Hnatiuk

Stephanie Hnatiuk, Performance Dietitian and Running Coach, was quoted in Outside Online magazine article says,

“The potential benefits include increased blood flow to the muscles, reduced pain response, improved mental stamina, and muscular endurance,”. “Basically, they allow us to run faster or for longer without tiring—without muscle (or mental) fatigue.”

Fat Loss - Some pre-workout supplements have ingredients that can increase your resting metabolic rate and spark thermogenesis in the body - a process by which your internal temperature is increased to burn more calories and fat cells.

Better Circulation - Many pre-workout supplements contain the amino acid known as L-arginine. Multiple studies have confirmed that L-arginine supplements increase nitric oxide levels in the blood cells so that they flow more freely throughout the body. Improved circulation equals better gains for your muscles, more energy, and enhanced mental focus while working out.

Benefits of Pre-Workout for Different Goals

Another good thing about quality pre-workout supplements is that they play a role in a variety of fitness and wellness goals. For instance:

Athletic Training - Whether you are training for a half marathon, or full marathon, or simply want to improve your athletic abilities, pre-workout supplements are a great aid in any kind of athletic training.

Weight Loss - The advantages of pre-workout supplements cannot be understated if you are trying to lose weight. They can boost your physical energy levels and increase your metabolism to make it much easier to burn fat and shed pounds.

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Better Sleep - Working up a sweat at the gym with pre-workouts can even help you sleep better at night because your body tends to rest better when it has been physically spent.

Cognitive Benefits - Working out is as much a mental game as it is a physical game. Sometimes, you simply don’t have the mental focus to push your body to its physical limit. One of the underestimated pre-workout powder benefits is that it can help sharpen your mental focus.

Also Read: Best Cognitive Supplements

Choosing the Right Pre-Workout

The right pre-workout supplement for you will depend on your goals. For example, some of these products focus on providing more physical energy so you can endure longer workouts. Others are predicated on feeding your muscles for more strength gains. Some do a little bit of everything.

So choose a product that closely aligns with your fitness and wellness goals. Also, make sure the pre-workout supplement you choose does not contain any dubious ingredients. For expert guidance, be sure to talk to your healthcare practitioner before choosing a product.

Check out this video from the YouTube channel Sports Illustrated that talks about pre-workout supplements