Pre-workouts are a sports supplement designed to help you increase your performance while you’re working out — you can push yourself harder, for longer, maximising the workout in the process. They’re usually sold in powdered form, similar to protein powder, though there are also capsulated pre-workouts, pre-workout drinks and pre-workout drinks available.

Not exactly. Although pre-workouts are broadly created to help you achieve the same goal — helping you maximise your potential during a workout — there are a wide variety of different formulations available in order to help you achieve specific goals with your workout. For example, if you’re looking to build muscle with your workout, you might be best served by opting for a Pump pre-workout. If you’re looking to lose weight or reduce fat with your workout, there are other options for pre-workout which would better suit your specific needs. You may find that you experiment with a few different varieties before finding one that’s best suited for you.

Additionally, not all pre-workouts are designed to provide an equal energy boost — you may want to vary the pre-workout you’re utilising, depending on what your goals are and what stage of your workout cycle you’re currently in. At Elite Supplements, we offer a wide variety of different Australian pre-workout options, including:

• Low Stimulant Pre-Workout

  Although caffeine is one of the most commonly used stimulants in pre-workouts, some people wish to avoid using it as part of their workout routine. This can be for a variety of different reasons; a pre-existing sensitivity to caffeine, wanting to avoid sleep disruption, a health condition that may be exacerbated by caffeine use or simply a desire to avoid any potential adverse effects. In these instances, a low stimulant pre-workout blend may be preferable. Here at Elite Supplements, we stock a variety of pre-workout supplements for those who are looking to avoid caffeine (1, 2).

• Medium Stimulant Pre-Workout

  Offering you some of the benefits of caffeine in your pre-workout whilst not being totally overwhelming, is a medium stimulant pre-workout which can be a great way option for people who are in the process of upping their workout game or making a return to the gym for the first time in a while. Using a Pre-workout can be an excellent way to help you get into the swing of things and help you step up your exercise game. Stimulants such as caffeine can be effective in giving you a longer drive and push than you may normally have, helping push you harder in your workout and allowing you to reach new heights in your health and wellbeing goals (3).

• High Stimulant Pre-Workout

  Caffeines ability to assist in muscular endurance has made it immensely popular as a key component in many pre-workout products. High stimulant pre-workout supplements can help provide you with that additional boost to enable you to work out harder for longer periods. Perfect for those who prefer to exercise in the morning and maintain that buzz throughout the day, you can get the boost you need and ensure that you’re always bringing your A-game (4).

• Super High Stimulant Pre-Workout

  When you’re at the top of your game, you’ll look for just about anything to give you that extra edge in performance. That’s where our range of super high stimulant pre-workout can come into play. Fully geared with all of the elements you need in order to reach your maximum potential — and then continue to raise the bar — these pre-workouts are designed for those who are truly at the top of their game and looking for the edge to stay there. Pre-workout supplements can significantly improve anaerobic power performance through the reduction of lactic acid build up, helping you push yourself harder and reach the highs of performance that you’re seeking (5).

• Pre-Workout for Women

  Men and women often have slightly different nutritional needs, and that’s no different when it comes to pre-workout supplements. Additionally, high-stimulant forms of pre-workout supplements aren’t always suitable for pregnant women and advice from your healthcare practitioner should be sought before using. That’s why here at Elite Supps, we stock an extensive range of pre-workout products that are tailored to helping women achieve their workout goals as part of a wider health and wellbeing program. Our products feature a range of vitamins, supplements and additives designed to help meet a woman’s unique needs and will help you push yourself to the limit while also looking after yourself.

For more information about which is right for your specific needs, speak to one of our friendly staff — they’ll be more than happy to share details with you about how you can achieve your specific health and fitness goals and which products will best aid you in the process.

You should take a pre-workout supplement around 20 to 30 minutes before beginning your workout. This will help give you an extra boost of energy before undertaking your workout, as well as potentially boosting your concentration and focus during your workout period. After your workout, you should also have a protein shake in order to help your body recover from the exertion — it’s a two-step process to ensure that you’re both maximising your ability to perform during a workout, while also giving your body the necessary tools to recover rapidly.

There’s understandably some confusion around the difference between a pre-workout and protein shake — it’s not totally surprising, as they’re both usually sold in powdered form and they’re both associated with working out! But there are some key differences between the two types of supplement.

While protein shakes are heavily associated with images of the gym, they’re actually more multifaceted. Typically, protein shakes are designed for one of three purposes — as a meal replacement for weight loss, for building muscle or supplementing nutrients in your eating program. They’re a standalone product; their efficacy is definitely enhanced by taking them in conjunction with an exercise program but it’s not always strictly necessary in order to see results.

While a pre-workout can definitely assist with any of those three needs, they’re specifically intended to provide you with an energy boost in order to maximise your performance during a workout. Unlike a protein shake, they’re not a “dietary” supplement in themselves; taking them on their own without working out won’t yield any particular benefits.

Absolutely! Although pre-workouts won’t help you lose weight solely on their own, they can be incorporated into a wider healthy eating and exercise program in order to help you achieve your fitness goals. We stock a variety of pre-workouts online and in-store that are geared toward weight loss.

When used correctly and by following the directions for use on the label, pre-workout supplements should be safe for consumption and enhance your workout routine. However, it should be noted that a number of pre-workout supplements can have side effects as a result of consumption. We’ve noted some of the most common and likely causes of side effects here:

• Caffeine

  Although caffeine is generally safe for consumption by healthy adolescents and adults, some people experience negative or unwanted side effects. This may be the result of caffeine-related allergies or connected to other underlying health conditions, such as heart problems. Additionally, pregnant and breastfeeding people are usually advised to avoid excess caffeine consumption to ensure the wellbeing of both themselves and their babies.

  Another common side effect is an interrupted sleep cycle, as it’s a stimulant that is designed to increase your energy. In any of these instances, it may be preferable to opt for a caffeine-free pre-workout supplement instead. Here at Elite Supplements, we stock a wide variety of both low-stimulant and caffeine-free options to suit your needs (6, 7).

• Multi-ingredient pre-workouts and performance enhancements

  One thing to be aware of — particularly if you’re performing as a professional athlete at any level — are the ingredients contained within any blended pre-workout. It’s not uncommon for supplements to include a number of different additives in order to create a synergistic effect and enhance your overall performance. Although preliminary research backs this effect to some degree, it’s also important to be aware of which particular substances and supplements may be banned within your particular league. We’ve all seen situations where professional athletes find themselves in trouble due to their use of seemingly innocuous substances, so it’s important to be closely monitoring the ingredients list for any potential issues (8, 9).

• Xylitol

  One of the most common — though not always regularly discussed — side effects of using pre-workout is related to our stomachs. Many pre-workout supplements utilise xylitol as an artificial sweetener, which can potentially cause stomach upsets or diarrhea when consumed in large amounts. Although a pre-workout shouldn’t cause gastrointestinal issues, when it’s combined with multiple other products (such as protein powders or post-workout shakes), it can lead to a flow-on effect potentially upsetting your stomach. If you’re aware that you’ve got a sensitivity to such ingredients or have had previous issues, it may be worth opting for a pre-workout with real sugar instead (10).

  Broadly speaking, though, most people don’t encounter any issues when taking a pre-workout. They’re not designed as a solution on their own, and they’re not mandatory for achieving your fitness goals either; they’re simply designed to give you that extra boost to help you hit your goals more quickly. So if you think they might not be for you — particularly if you have any pre-existing conditions — that’s no problem at all.

  Additionally, we always recommend reading the label and ingredients before using any kind of health or wellbeing supplement. If you’re looking to make significant changes to your lifestyle, eating habits or exercise program, it’s always worth speaking to a health professional beforehand to ensure that it’s right for your current state of fitness. Achieving your maximum potential is a marathon, not a sprint.

The amount of pre-workout ingredients can seem bewildering at a first glance, but the actual details are fortunately far simpler. Probably the most important element is the stimulant; in most pre-workout powders, this tends to be caffeine-based to provide you with an extra boost of energy, though some will utilise other stimulants such as taurine or matcha. Caffeine, in particular, is well-known for its consistent effects on an athlete’s performance. These effects can range from its ability to reduce the sensation of effort to the positive effects it can yield on an athlete’s energy levels while also positively influencing weight loss efforts (11, 12).

But it’s not as simple as just having energy; it’s also about having the endurance to complete the workout. Accordingly, many pre-workouts also include a variety of different amino acids to help you keep powering through and replace lost amino acids during strenuous exercise.

Many pre-workout supplements also feature artificial sweeteners. This is largely due to the desire to avoid needless carb intake and avoid sugars, but if you have existing digestive issues, it may be worthwhile choosing options that feature real sugar or moderating your intake. In some instances, they can cause side effects such as upset stomachs, excess flatulence or diarrhea (13).

We understand that selecting the right pre-workout can sometimes be a tricky proposition. Having a range of choices is important, particularly when everyone’s fitness requirements are so distinct. That’s why right here at Elite Supplements, we stock a wide variety of different pre-workout supplements, including:

• Amino Acid Pre-Workout

  Amino acids are common in many health and well-being related products — probably the most obvious example is protein shakes. Protein is made up of amino acids, so protein shakes are essentially designed to supplement your body’s existing store of amino acids in concentrated form. However, there are other amino acids too, and these can be particularly useful in pre-workout supplements. For example, creatine has shown some promise in enhancing exercise performance, reducing post-training recovery and potentially aiding with the ability to cope with heavy training. Our range of amino acid pre-workout supplementation products are designed to help you enhance your performance both in the moment and afterwards; that way, you’ll be able to reach your full exercise potential (14).

• Beta-Alanine Pre-Workout

  Whether you’re new to the workout game or are a seasoned athlete looking for an additional edge, incorporating beta-alanine into your workout routine can potentially offer you a number of different benefits. It’s known to attenuate muscular fatigue, which can enable you to keep working out harder for longer periods. It may also be beneficial as a means for supplementing both regular exercise and shorter bouts of high-intensity activity. Accordingly, it can be an excellent addition to your pre-workout supplementation (15, 16).

• Citrulline Malate Pre-Workout

  Citrulline Malate is frequently included in pre-workout supplements with the aim of enhancing blood flow — and in turn, the ability to work out for longer and recover faster. Though its full effects are still under investigation, it does appear to show some promise for metabolic and muscle health, particularly among older people. Accordingly, it may be possible to derive some benefits for your own workout by including it as part of your pre-workout supplementation (17).

• Taurine Pre-Workout

  Arguably best known for its inclusion in energy drinks. Taurine nonetheless may yield benefits during your workout thanks to the significant energy boost that it can provide. In turn, this may enhance your overall performance. It’s also shown some preliminary promise for benefitting heart health, though further research is still pending (18)

  Each of these varieties of pre-workout has its own particular benefits for your workout program. Sometimes you may need to try a few different options before settling on the one that’s best for you. However, if you’re not sure which of these is right for you, get in touch with our helpful team at Elite Supplements. We can walk you through which is best for your individual needs and help you find the pre-workout that will benefit you the most. We understand that hitting your personal health and wellbeing goals can be a complex, interconnected process. Accordingly, we want to be able to provide you with the right tools in order to achieve them in a safe and sensible way.

You can buy pre-workout supplements right here at Elite Supplements! We’re one of the leading stockists and suppliers of Australian pre-workout supplements. We’ve got more than 40 stores around the country and also have an extensive range of products available online. In fact, we’ve even put together a list of our top 10 best pre-workouts as a handy guide — so no matter why you’re looking for a pre-workout, you’ll be able to find the perfect one to suit your specific lifestyle and needs.