Being fit and active is not necessarily only down to how you train, what you wear, or being seen at the latest spinning class. For most professional and competitive athletes it comes down to what you put inside your body.
I am not talking about injecting yourself with high-level steroids, although some people do that to compete in events at the top levels and should be done under medical guidance and with experienced hands-on advice. No, I am looking more to performance enhancers and boosters to give you that little bit extra to help reach your goal.
We are taking a look at workout supplements, more so those that are taken before hitting the gym or that cardio class, and how they can benefit you, increase endurance, and which is best for you.
If you are new to the game of capsules and taking pills and are daunted by the multiple varieties available have no fear, you are not alone in feeling like this, take a quick minute to check out the reviews on the most popular brands and options and take it from there. Knowledge is power and the more you know the safer you can perform.
Everyone has been at the first step when it comes to trying something new, the main objective is that you are willing to give it a try to be the best version of yourself you can be. Look the way you envision, and if it means getting a helping hand from a pre-workout powder or tablet that tastes like strawberry, then so be it.
What is a pre-workout supplement?
In simple terms it is a performing enhancing product that increases endurance and focus when completing a workout session, most of these products contain stimulants such as caffeine allowing better concentration and stamina, and as you increase in athletic ability the potency of the products can increase too.
The great feature about these pre-workouts is that they come in a mixture of products such as capsules or tablets, liquids, powders, and my cousin’s favorite, bars. With the different packaging, it makes life that much easier.
Having to take a mixer shaker and the powder and mineral water with you on a business trip is a bit of a mission, but simply throwing in a few protein bars into the luggage and there is no excuse to miss a gym trip while away. It also mixes things up if shakes every day starts to become tedious.
We could chat all day about the range of the products and if you had the kettle on with some biscuits I would, so now when you have a minute or two on your lunch break check out an in-depth look here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-workout on all things pre-workout from history to discovery and uses.
The main idea is to keep healthy and fit, and seeing progress motivates you to push further and harder, using a pre-workout can get you to where you want to be.
There are many elements involved when beginning your supplement journey, lifestyle and nutrition are two of the top components to keep in mind and on track with to get the full effect of the product you are using.
Choosing a supplement for you.
The shelves are lined with boxes of bars, liquid gel packs, and every powder flavor you can think of, so before jumping in a suggestion would be to do some homework and research and see what perks you hope to receive from the product as well as the side effects, if any, you may experience.
Knowing what to look for before you go shopping will save you time, money, and a whole lot of health issues down the line if finding out about it wasn’t in your plan, to begin with.
Features to consider when supplement shopping.
- These days most products are pumped full of chemicals and ingredients with names that are 10 letters long and unpronounceable so check the label, anything you don’t recognize look it up, see reviews about it, is it safe? You also don’t want a banned substance if you are a competitive athlete.
- Most approved and FDA regulated products will have their stamps and signage of approval on the packaging if something says ‘proprietary blend’ it should immediately raise a red flag and may indicate that the company is trying to cover something unsafe or illegal for athletes. Best to look elsewhere.
- This is the quickest way to find out who is using which brand and what others have to say about it, we know we like to have an opinion on everything, and someone will soon point out a half-cast product if it is mentioned in a blog or forum.
You can see some ‘ideas’ on the subject in this link and hear how people feel about it, whether they are using it or not, and if they believe it is something to divulge into while on your health kick journey. Take it with a pinch of salt, at the end of the day it is your life to do with what you like, and you know what your body can and cannot endure.
- Different products contain a variety of ingredients to do certain jobs within the body, so deciding and focusing on what you hope to achieve at the end of your program will make the buying process that much easier.
Personalizing your product to gain the end objective is the best method when using a pre-workout option. You don’t want to be taking something that aids muscle building and bulking when you are doing hours of cardio to drop body fat and need the endurance boost.
Some people believe the body can do what you train it to do without the aid of products, and for some, this may be true, others not so much. Motivation plays a key factor when trying to stay active and focused and when using supplements it can give you that mental cheerleader you may need to get up and hit the gym when you don’t feel like it.
