To Preworkout or To Not Preworkout?

June 5, 2019 8:39 AM

I am entering a new phase of training and I have some questions about preworkout, mainly if taking it makes any real appreciable difference, or if I'm just flushing money down the tubes. My trainer's response is "Do it if it makes you feel better" which while helpful in a general sense is not definitive. Googling this for me has been, possibly predictably, difficult due to promotional content, therefore I find myself Asking MetaFilter. Workout Mavens of MeFi, does preworkout make a difference? Post?

I workout in the evenings. This is non-negotiable, I do not get up early enough to workout in the morning and also I will not get up earlier to workout. I get a solid 7-8 hours of sleep and I am not giving that up.

Working out consists of weightlifting 4x/week - squat, bench, deads + accessory work; day 4 is an extra bench or back day. I do not do running or elliptical. I walk 1/2 mile to the gym when the weather is good; I drive if it's raining.

Sometimes, maybe half the time, when I'm getting ready to head out, I am just already bushed before I ever set foot in the gym. I've done preworkout off and on for the last 3-4 years and I am just not sure it actually helps. I've used C4 and Jym supplements in the main; for a while I used Uplift. They all taste horrifying. I kind of enjoy having a lemonade flavored Post-Workout to drink on the way home, but I have no idea if this stuff is actually helpful. Am I better off drinking some cold brew for the caffeine and saving myself the trouble of pre?

posted by Medieval Maven to Health & Fitness (9 answers total)

I'd say skip it. I do a similar workout. I'm not training for competition. I do not do supplements due to concerns raised by this Consumer Reports article.

I use coffee and a banana instead.
posted by bdc34 at 8:53 AM on June 5, 2019 [2 favorites]

Since you say that sometimes you're already tired/low energy, I'd suggest you do pre-workout , but just something with easily digestible to me calories. Examples, if I'm run-commuting home I'll have oatmeal+protein powder about 120 minutes before I headout so thing will mostly have left my stomach. As you're not doing much jostling, and doing lifting rather than cardio, maybe instead aim for something wtih protein and 25g of simple carbs 30-60 min before. Experiment with what makes you physically feel better, and feel free to look at budget/simple options.

On preview, banana would be great if your stomach handles them; however that late at night I'd caution against caffeine. It will definitely help pick you up, but I already have increased problems sleeping if I have my heart rate up less than 3 hours before bed - caffeine would likely push me into a worse time heading into sleep. Note, many marketed pre-workout things have caffeine.
posted by nobeagle at 9:01 AM on June 5, 2019

If you've done it off and on multiple times and haven't noticed a difference, if your trainer is "meh" on the practice, and you're happy with your workout schedule, I say skip the pre-workout and just have some caffeine in your preferred form. Especially if the pre-workout supplements are a drag because they taste gross. It would be different if you did see great results and a big difference in your workouts, but if you're not, then what's the point.
posted by Autumnheart at 9:03 AM on June 5, 2019 [1 favorite]

I don't have a preworkout opinion, but I'm about your age and I can't recover like I used to be able to. I'd consider backing off the fourth weightlifting session, if you're regularly tired before you even get to the gym.
posted by Kwine at 9:26 AM on June 5, 2019

Re: "do it if it makes you feel better", I've known a lot of people to use pre-workout supplements as a sort of ritual to get in the right mindset to work out. In fact I'd say most I've met use it that way. So if you can find some other ritual to replace it (ex music) that might be an option.
posted by ToddBurson at 9:46 AM on June 5, 2019

For the past several years I have used Optimum Nutrition’s Amino Energy. It’s similar to drinking one or two cups of coffee/green tea. It’s easy on my system (I am a morning-workout-person) and the BCAAs “help” me (placebo or otherwise). They have a variety of flavors and it’s relatively inexpensive as pre-workout supplements go. I am a fan of most of ON’s products because the price points are right and their stuff is tasty and digestible. You can find the larger containers at some Costcos, or you can order a preferred flavor from the internet. I don’t get a “pump” or the jitters from it, but just enough boost to get me started.

Good luck.
posted by sara is disenchanted at 11:34 AM on June 5, 2019

I used to take preworkouts - none in particular, just whatever turned up as a free sample in my protein orders - and they do give you a bit of extra zing for perhaps a couple more explosive reps at the end of a set, but then so does creatine supplementation and a can of Pepsi Max. Creatine is cheap as beans and has demonstrable and proven benefits (beyond weight training), and Pepsi Max is the ultimate soda, so...there you have it.

Most preworkouts are just concentrated caffeine, sugar, and reverse-engineered speed.
posted by turbid dahlia at 7:24 PM on June 5, 2019

If cost is the deciding factor and you do decide you want the caffeine, caffeine tablets would almost certainly be cheaper (depending on where you live and what type of coffee you can stomach ofc) and take less time.
posted by ToddBurson at 5:57 AM on June 6, 2019

Response by poster: Thanks for the thoughtful answers guys. I think I'm going to go with half a serving of Stok Protein Espresso Creamed Cold Brew Coffee (which I drank instead of pre at my last competition) and some banana, and see if that gives me a boost.

I was feeling like preworkout was a little bit of a scam, nice to see my instincts weren't off, other than that creatine is probably good for something.
posted by Medieval Maven at 12:22 PM on June 6, 2019