Weightlifting is often very physically demanding, so it is only normal to seek things that can help you make your workout less arduous. Many weightlifters look to pre-workout to find this fuel for workouts because of its stellar reputation. However, it is not enough to take pre-workout as you also need to take it at certain times before the workout for optimal benefits. As a result, you may wonder how long it takes for pre-workout to kick in, and this article will provide an answer.
What is pre-workout?
Pre-workout is a substance that weightlifters take just before a workout to get an extra energy boost and assist them with endurance. For some bodybuilders and other similar weightlifters, pre-workout is necessary if they want an effective workout on especially tough days. The substance is usually a caffeine-based supplement but may also include other stimulants.
Pre-workout is usually in powder form that you mix with water, similarly to how you take protein powder. However, some variations of pre-workout are usually pills. What is important is that it provides you with ample energy for your workout. As a result, it could simply be an energy-packed meal or an energy drink.
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How long does pre-workout take to kick in?
Because you need the energy from the pre-workout to assist in your resistance training, it is essential that you know how long it takes to kick in so you can time it perfectly to ensure that it kicks in when you need it during your workout.
How long it takes pre-workout to kick in primarily depends on its active ingredients. For example, a caffeine-based pre-workout will take about thirty minutes to an hour and thirty minutes. Furthermore, your tolerance to caffeine also affects how long it takes the pre-workout to kick in. The story is largely the same with pre-workouts based on other active ingredients like creatine and beta-alanine. These pre-workouts also need about a half-hour to kick in.
Nevertheless, most pre-workouts commonly have their peak periods. The peak period is when all the active ingredients in the pre-workout are circulating through your body after your body has absorbed them all. Peak periods generally vary but are anywhere between an hour to two. As a result, you may feel its effects halfway through your program, depending on when you take it.
Following the above, the best time to take your pre-workout is on your way to the gym. However, if you use a home gym, you could take your pre-workout about thirty minutes before you hit the gym. However, you can always determine the best time for you to take pre-workout through trial and error and observation.
💡 Quick Tip: If you are a home gym person, I recommend the Rogue AB-3 Adjustable Bench to help you with several exercises and variations, especially if your home gym still needs a bench with this feature
Rogue AB-3 Adjustable Bench
Other FAQs about taking pre-workouts
Here are some other common questions regarding ingesting pre-workout:
Taking pre-workout on an empty stomach
Taking pre-workout on an empty stomach is not advisable as it may make you feel dizzy, blowing your chance at hitting the weights. As a result, you should eat something before you take pre-workout. Other than helping you stave off the tricky side effects of taking it on an empty stomach, eating a meal will also provide you with extra fuel and calories to help you work out and build muscles. For optimal benefits, you can take energy-filled meals as your pre-workout.
What happens when I take a pre-workout without working out?
Taking pre-workout without working out will not cause you any side effects. However, it is advisable that you are certain about working out before taking it to ensure you do not get a sudden burst of energy at a time when it may have more bad than good effects.
How long would I feel the effects of pre-workout?
Similar to how the active ingredients determine when pre-workout kicks in, the same ingredients determine how long its effects last on your body. Furthermore, and similarly again, how long you feel the effects also depend on your tolerance level. As a result, if you have decent tolerance levels, you may feel the effects for about six hours. With less than decent tolerance levels, you may have to deal with the effects for much longer than six hours.
Besides pre-workouts, you can also incorporate protein shakes into your weight program for optimal benefits. As a result, here are some of the best times to use protein shakes.
As a supplement for your meals and beef tendons
Protein shakes can act as occasional alternatives to meals. This means you can generally rely on them if you are too busy to prepare a regular meal. Despite this, if you want to employ your shake as an alternative to a regular meal, ensure you add healthy fat, vegetables, a serving or two of fruit, and a few protein powder scoops of protein powder.
However, you should note that despite its ability to serve as a substitute, this is still not perfect, and you should not view the shakes as an actual alternative to a traditional meal. They simply complement regular meals. You can also buy and use whey protein, and I recommend the Isagenix IsaLean Shake Packets.
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Right after working out
Right after working out, a small window enables optimal nutritional benefits if you consume the necessary nutrients within it. As a result, the window is a great time to consume your proteins, either as beef tendons or as protein shakes. You may need a bottle to carry your protein shake with you to the gym to facilitate this period. I recommend the BlenderBottle Shaker Bottle Pro Series.
💡 Quick Tip: You can increase your overall strength by starting small and using simple, portable gym equipment. I recommend the Hex Dumbells for this, as they are cheap and easy to use for beginners
Hex Dumbbells
