If you’re looking to work pre-workout into your fitness schedule, we’ve got you covered with all of the tips you need to maximize your routine with this ultra-popular market of products. Keep reading on for how to get started on an effective pre-workout schedule to take your sessions to a whole new level.
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How Important is a Proper Pre-Workout Schedule (Workout-wise)?
A proper pre-workout schedule is quite important for several reasons, impacting both your performance during the workout and your recovery afterwards. Here's why:
- Enhances Performance: A well-structured pre-workout routine, including warming up, can significantly enhance your performance. Warm-up exercises increase blood flow to the muscles, prepare your cardiovascular system for increased activity, and can help improve flexibility, all of which can lead to a more effective workout.
- Injury Prevention: A pre-workout schedule that includes stretching or a warm-up routine helps to gradually increase the heart rate and loosen the joints and muscles, making them less susceptible to tears, strains, or other injuries.
- Mental Preparation: This time can also be used to mentally prepare for the workout ahead. Setting goals, visualizing your workout, or simply clearing your mind can improve focus and motivation, leading to more effective training sessions.
- Nutritional Optimization: Proper nutrition and hydration are key components of a pre-workout schedule. Consuming the right balance of nutrients (e.g., carbohydrates for energy, proteins for muscle repair, and fats for endurance) and staying hydrated can significantly impact your energy levels, endurance, and overall performance.
- Improves Recovery: Starting with a pre-workout routine that includes dynamic stretching can not only prepare your body for the workout to follow but also improve your recovery process by reducing the likelihood of muscle soreness and injuries.
- Optimizes Workout Efficiency: By preparing your body and mind before starting the main workout, you can ensure that you're working out at your maximum potential from the start, rather than taking the first part of your workout to get up to speed.
Tips for a Proper Pre-Workout Schedule
A proper pre-workout supplement schedule can vary depending on the individual's fitness goals, health condition, and the type of supplement being used. However, there are general guidelines that can help maximize the benefits of pre-workout supplements while minimizing potential side effects.
Tip #1: Starting Off with the Right Supplement
The first thing you need to do is choose the right supplement. After all, taking pre-workout religiously at the right time means nothing if what you’re putting into your body isn’t actually effective – let alone safe.
Initially, you want to choose the product type, as you can buy pre-workout gummies, shakes, powders, or capsules. Most people today prefer gummies, because they feel less “heavy” in the stomach, and because they’re very easy to take and dose with – not to mention, they’re quite travel-friendly.
As you probably already know, pre-workout products can vary a lot in terms of their active ingredients. They can contain any combination of the following ingredients:
- Caffeine: You will find that the majority of pre-workout products contain caffeine in various concentrations. It’s one of the most effective natural stimulants, so it can boost energy and endurance, as well as mood and focus. Some pre-workout supplements use caffeine alternatives, turning to other natural stimulants to produce energizing, yet milder effects.
- Beta-Alanine: Some pre-workout is made with beta-alanine, a naturally occurring amino acid that helps prevent the muscles from fatiguing. But, because some people feel itchy from it, less companies use it now than they once did.
- Creatine: A nootropic that can boost energy levels, creatine can be found in many pre-workout products, and it can improve muscle mass as a nice bonus.
- Branch-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): Known as BCAAs, branched-chain amino acids consist of valine, isoleucine, and leucine, which are critical to increase muscle growth, boost energy, and reduce muscle fatigue mid-workout. These amino acids also improve immunity.
- Nitrates: Nitrates are a very common compound in the foods that we eat, and they allow the body to produce nitric oxide, which improves circulation. The result of that is a lower heart rate, more muscle contractions, and improved breathing, all of which can support you while you exercise. The most commonly used nitrates in pre-workout are L-arginine and L-citrulline. Because beets are naturally high in nitrates, you will also find beetroot as a common ingredient in pre-workout.
- Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamins (B, C, etc.) and minerals (magnesium, potassium, etc.) can be found in many pre-workout products, offering numerous benefits, cumulatively.
- Herbs/Mushrooms/Botanicals: A number of pre-workout products contain herbs, botanicals, and/or mushroom extracts, all of which can offer valuable effects to performance – like adaptogenic herbs that reduce stress and boost mood, or mushroom species known to enhance energy levels.
Take a look at the different pre-workout products that are out there, and then find the one that suits your needs based on the goals you have, what you’re trying to achieve (more energy, better strength, etc.), and which ingredients you think you can tolerate best.
Tip #2: Knowing When to Take It
Just about all pre-workout products recommend taking a serving 30 minutes prior to exercise. This is about the length of time it takes for the most commonly used pre-workout ingredients (caffeine, amino acids, etc.) to peak after consumption. But, what about the time of day? Taking pre-workout supplements can be beneficial regardless of the time of day you choose to exercise, but there are certain considerations for morning, afternoon, and evening workouts that can help you maximize their benefits and minimize potential downsides.
Morning:
- Benefits: Taking pre-workout in the morning can help wake you up and provide the energy needed to tackle your workout with intensity, especially if you're exercising on an empty stomach or feel lethargic upon waking.
- Considerations: Ensure it doesn't cause any digestive discomfort, especially if you plan to eat breakfast soon after. Also, the caffeine found in many pre-workout supplements can interfere with sleep patterns if taken too late in the day, but morning use typically avoids this issue.
Afternoon:
- Benefits: An afternoon dose can help combat the midday energy slump and improve focus and motivation for those who prefer to exercise later in the day.
- Considerations: Be mindful of the caffeine content. Taking pre-workout gummy too late in the afternoon, especially for those sensitive to caffeine, can disrupt sleep quality. Aim to take it at least 6-8 hours before bedtime to minimize potential sleep disturbances.
Evening:
- Benefits: For evening workouts, pre-workout can provide the necessary energy boost to perform effectively, especially after a long day.
- Considerations: This is the most critical time to consider caffeine intake. Many pre-workout supplements contain high levels of caffeine, which can significantly affect your ability to fall asleep or achieve deep sleep if consumed too close to bedtime. If you do workouts in the evening, consider a low-caffeine or caffeine-free pre-workout alternative.
Tip #3: Be Consistent
Many of the ingredients in pre-workout work cumulatively – that is, while they can offer short-term, immediate effects, they become more effective when taken over the course of several weeks, such as certain vitamins, amino acids, and minerals. This means that the longer you take pre-workout, the more it can become effective over time.
Because of this, we recommend sticking with pre-workout each time you exercise. Yes, you can take time off if need be, as skipping a few doses won’t wreak havoc on your fitness plan. But, overall, sticking to a consistent regimen will yield the best results.
Tip #4: Bulking vs. Shredding
One thing to consider is that you may need to adjust your pre-workout formula depending on if you’re in a bulking or shredding stage. Certain formulas are more geared toward one or the other based on their unique blend of ingredients (although many pre-workout products are neutral, so this only applies to formulas that are advertised for one or the other).
In that case, you will need to have a pre-workout for bulking, and a pre-workout for shredding, and take them in accordance with what stage you’re at in your fitness plan. Of course, if you don’t follow a bulk/shred cycle, you don’t have anything to worry about.
Tip #5: Know When to Up Your Dosage
You can develop a tolerance to certain ingredients, like caffeine, or certain amino acids. In that case, it may be wise to up your dosage by the next increment, once you feel that you’re no longer getting the results you once did. Read the directions on the label to find out how much pre-workout supplement you can safely take per serving, to avoid taking too much of a certain ingredient.
Bottom Line: A Proper Pre-Workout Schedule is Easy to Maintain
Overall, pre-workout can’t get any easier – especially when you go with pre-workout gummies, since they provide the perfect dose in one bite. Simply take a pre-workout gummy 30 minutes prior to each time you exercise, and you’re pretty much good to go, with a foolproof routine that covers your fitness bases beautifully. Bounce Nutrition carries a variety of all-natural, vegan, and highly effective pre-workout gummies for your new fitness regimen.
Remember, the effectiveness of pre-workout supplements can vary widely among individuals, and not everyone will benefit from every ingredient. It's important to research and possibly experiment with different supplements (or ingredient combinations) to find what works best for you. Always start with the lowest dose to assess your tolerance.