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Pre-Workout 101

Whether you’re a beginner in the gym or a competitive athlete, sometimes you need a helping hand getting motivated to workout.

A pre-workout is a specially formulated drink that is consumed prior to your workout. Pre-workout can help get you in the zone and improve your focus, alertness, energy levels and reduce fatigue so you can get the most out of your workouts.

Why should I take pre-workout?

Pre-workout can help anyone who wants to improve their fitness levels. When combined with good quality exercise, nutrition and adequate sleep, pre-workout can increase training intensity and volume. A pre-workout could be the extra boost that you need to turn a good session into a great one! Remember, there is no such thing as a bad workout!

If you are someone who loves to achieve maximum results from their workout it’s time to consider a pre-workout.

Fortunately, here at PhD we have a range of research driven pre-workouts to support all of your exercise needs. You’ll be able to find one that fits your goals, whether that be lifting as heavy as possible or just getting more toned. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Pre-Wkt PUMP: As the name suggests, this is the perfect pre-workout to enhance blood flow and circulation to the target muscle, for achieving an awesome pump. Whilst having an immediate effect on appearance, Pre-Wkt PUMP’s formula aids delivery of amino acids and glycogen amongst other components more effectively to the working muscle.

Pre-Wkt PERFORM: For those who are looking for that little extra edge. Whether that’s to sprint faster, run longer, climb higher or punch harder. PERFORM is particularly popular in athletes participating in dynamic and explosive sports such as athletics, rugby and boxing.

Pre-Wkt BURN: Perfect for channelled focus and super-charged energy levels. An ideal supplement for fasted cardio or intense workouts. It contains CLA and L-Carnitine, both of which may help to support fat loss when used in conjunction with a calorie-controlled diet. Ideal for a gym goer who wants to drop body fat.

 

Important ingredients

PhD’s tailored formulas contain ingredients that enhance physical output for a variety of different activities. A few key ingredients to look out for in PhD’s pre-workout range are:

Caffeine:

Arguably the most important ingredient in a pre-workout. Caffeine helps to boost mental alertness and sharpens focus. It’s rapidly absorbed in the bloodstream and can improve endurance, power and resistance exercise performance.

Creatine:

Found naturally in bone and certain foods, creatine helps produce energy during heavy lifting or high-intensity exercise.

Beta-alanine:

An intramuscular buffer that improves high-intensity exercise performance by reducing muscle fatigue.

Citrulline Malate 2:1:

Supports the production of Nitric Oxide, a powerful vasodilator that leads to enhanced muscle pump, endurance and faster recovery.

L-Theanine:

A naturally occurring compound that occurs in green tea which supports improved mental focus and sleep.

When to take pre-workouts?

You should take your pre-workout 15 – 20 minutes prior to your workout; this allows the caffeine to really take effect. Mix 1 scoop with approx. 200 ml water in a shaker, shake well and consume completely.

Are there any side-effects?

Some pre-workouts on the market contain significantly high quantities of caffeine. Not only will this be detrimental to sleep if taking late at night but also means when the stimulant effects wear off often people experience a big ‘crash’, making people feel extremely lethargic. PhD’s pre-workout range has been expertly formulated to include enough caffeine to give you an extra boost but won’t cause a crash. Also, for the twilight gym goers – don’t worry, PhD have got you covered. The Pre-Wkt PUMP formula contains no caffeine, so your sleep won’t suffer if you are training late at night.

If you’re looking to really maximise your workouts and get serious with your gym goals, a pre-workout may be the perfect supplement for you.