Pre workout supplements are one of the most commonly used supplements in the fitness world, alongside protein. They give you the energy boost and durability needed to keep pushing yourself when working out by enhancing blood flow and improving your focus. However, with the supplement market being so huge, it can be difficult for beginners to pick the right type of pre workout supplement. Figuring out what works best for you is the first step, and it may take a while before you figure out what that is. The best way to find out this is by trying out different types at the gym’s bar before you actually buy a tube yourself. However, there are two basic types of pre workout supplements that most people use, and knowing the difference between them should narrow down your choice. The two types are pump-based and stimulant-based pre workout supplements.
Pump-based pre workout supplements usually have no or low stimulants in them. Instead, they contain Citrulline and agmatine which produce nitric oxide within your muscles. Pump-based pre workout supplements can also be found as low stim pre workout supplements, and they’re used by people who aren’t too fond of drinking coffee or want to cut it out of their regimen completely. Moreover, low stim pre workout supplements may be ideal for people who work out late in the evening and just want to shower and go to bed right after they are done. Although both pump-based and stimulant-based supplements contain some of the same ingredients, there are still significant differences between them.
Stimulant-based supplements, on the other hand, contain caffeine and they do precisely what their name implies – they stimulate you. The caffeine, plus the combination of the other stimulants, improve your energy levels and focus. You may think that drinking coffee would have the same results, as caffeine is the main ingredient, but that can’t be farther from the truth, as stimulant-based pre workout supplements contain more concentrated caffeine, beta-alanine, L-Citrulline and other ingredients that improve your performance in the gym. It’s best you study all the ingredients contained in the supplement of your choice separately and figure out what each of them does before you make a choice, just to ensure you aren’t taking anything that may be harmful.
That being said, doing your homework before you decide which type of pre-workout is better for you is key. It can take some time and trial and error to figure out what type works best for your body, but once you figure it out, you’ll be able to push yourself extra hard when working out and reach your fitness goals much faster.
