Pre workout supplements have come a long way since the first product, “Ultimate Orange,” was formulated in 1982. Today, the pre workout market is a billion dollar industry, and it’s only getting bigger.
And it’s no surprise. Products like Red Bull and other energy drinks have also become massively popular, displaying the need most of us have to get a boost of energy to get through the day, or a workout.
What Are Pre Workout Supplements?
Pre workout supplements are a mix of ingredients specifically designed to:
Stimulate the nervous system (mobilize energy)
Increase blood flow to active muscles (give you a “pump”)
Delay Fatigue (let you work out harder, longer)
Make you stronger/more powerful
Help gain lean mass/lose fat
Do They Work?
The short answer is, yes, they work.. and we’ll discuss the specifics later. The problem is that they only work if the correct ingredients are present, and at clinically relevant doses.
“Proprietary Blends”
Many supplement companies list a “proprietary blend” of ingredients. This allows them to not disclose how much of each ingredient is present. So, they can say: “Proprietary blend: Caffeine, Creatine, Taurine, Beta Alanine.”
These ingredients can all have beneficial effects, but only if enough of the ingredient is present. Without the amount being listed on the label, you have no way of knowing exactly what you’re taking.
I currently use bulk supplements. They send you pure ingredients, in much larger amounts at a much better price. This way I know exactly what I’m taking and how much.
How Do Pre Workout Supplements Work?
Below are the ingredientsshown by research to have a positive effect on your body and your performance, along with the minimum amount needed to create a training effect (clinical dose).
Ingredient
Benefit:
Clinical Dose
Caffeine
Improves Cognition and performance during endurance, power and resistance training
300mg
Taurine
Improves muscular endurance during resistance training. Longer term use improves endurance performance.
1.5g
BCAA’s
Studies show little performance or muscle building enhancement. Can help spare muscle tissue during intense/longer duration training.
5-10g
L-Citrulline Malate
Precursor to Nitric Oxide Increased blood flow to active muscles. Increase vasodilation, improved performance in both endurance and high intensity training.
6-8g daily
Creatine
Increase intramuscular phosphocreatine levels by 30%. Improved high intensity exercise performance. Improved strength/power. Improved gains in lean muscle mass Proven safe, best taken after workout.
3-5g daily
Betaine
Increased rate of creatine synthesis Elevated Nitric Oxide levels (improved blood flow, vasodilation, pump). Enhances repetitions to fatigue (can do more work).
1.25-2.5g
Beta-Alanine
Precursor to Carnosine Improves high intensity exercise performance. Acts as a buffer, clearing out acidic byproducts of intense exercise, delaying fatigue.
4-6g/day for at least 2 weeks
You’ll notice, if you compare these doses to most pre workout supplements, that the only ingredient they’re usually giving you enough of is caffeine. You get the energy boost, but never really experience the true benefit of all the other scientifically proven performance boosters.
So, Is Pre Workout Bad For You?
What Research says
Research has been somewhat limited in scope. The FDA does not require studies on the safety of these products to go beyond 8-12 weeks.
There is still plenty of research to look at. Here is what studies say about long term use of pre workout supplements (> 10 weeks).
The Good
Greater increases in fat-free mass
improved aerobic performance among sedentary and fit individuals.
Improved force production
Increased Growth Hormone and Testosterone during training.
The Bad
Some may experience side effects (headache, jitters, anxiety, upset stomach.
Studies have not found a link to kidney or heart problems. Keep in mind the limited scope of current research due to the low level of regulations and safety requirements by the FDA.
Caffeine and other stimulants do speed up heart rate. This can place extra stress on the heart during endurance type training.
The other dark side of long term pre workout use
Research aside, I think it’s important to logically take a look at the potential for harmful effects of chronic pre workout use. There are several reasons why I feel it can definitely be bad for you. Let me explain:
Taking heavy stimulants causes a massive release of stress hormones in the body, such as adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol. These hormones are responsible for releasing energy. It’s a survival response.
This causes the body to be in a sympathetic (fight or flight) state. This is more commonly referred to as, “stress.” Constantly taking pre workout and other high stimulant energy drinks keeps your body in a sympathetic state.
It is impossible for the body to build muscle, recover or improve while in this state. As a result, I suspect the long term implications can be very negative. Check out this video below by Christian Thibaudeau, one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the world.
The Real Problem: Why Do You Need Pre Workout?
The root problem to look at with pre workout use is, why do you need it? If you’re using it for long periods of time, why do you not have the energy to work out without it?
The fact that your energy is lagging is a symptom of a bigger problem, and taking energy supplements is masking that problem. You could be training too hard and/or too often. Maybe You’re not be sleeping enough. Perhaps you may have too much stress in your life, or are simply not recovering properly.
Either way, masking the problem with stimulants is causing a massive debt to be incurred over time, and sooner or later you’re going to have to pay up. Energy will be borrowed from other systems, such as the immune system, your organs, your cognitive function. It’s worth taking a look at, and with the right interventions, you may not need the stimulants as often. As a result, you can then use them more strategically for your most intense sessions.
Conclusion
Research clearly shows many benefits to taking properly dosed pre workout supplements, and they aren’t inherently dangerous in the short term. However, if you’re taking them because you NEED them to work out, then I would definitely recommend taking a step back an analyzing why your energy is so low. There are most likely issues that need to be addressed, and failing to do so may have consequences in the long term.
Thanks for reading! Here are some other articles you may find helpful. Till next time, keep moving towards that best version of you.
Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach and personal trainer. I’ve run boot camps and served as the wellness coordinator for a fortune 500 company. Currently a Federal Agent in San Diego, CA, and an Infantryman in the Army Reserve.
Can you get faster, stronger and in better shape as you get older?
Is age really the limiting factor to what you can achieve physically? I say it isn’t, and I’ve got plenty of reasons and experience to back it up.
In fact, you can achieve things you may not have believed possible well into your 30’s and 40’s, and probably beyond. I know this because I’m still doing it in my late 30’s, and because studies show it’s achievable.
The Age Myth You Sell Yourself
It’s common knowledge, right? We hit our prime in our 20’s and then it’s all downhill physically. Everyone has stories of how fit they were back in the day. How much they used to lift, how fast they used to run.
If you’re one of these people, then I have to ask you.. Why can you no longer do those things? Is it because you got older? Or is it something else?
Regardless of what you may tell yourself, the real answer is that it isn’t a priority for you to do them anymore. Other things have taken precedence. Work, family, hobbies.. Netflix (ok, guilty on that one).
These are all important things, of course. But I’m writing this article to tell you that if you desire to work out harder and push yourself past previous limits, you can. I repeat.. You CAN!
First, I want to highlight 2 critical aspects of continuing to train as you age.
Training and Exercise Reverse Aging and Decrease Risk of Dying.
#1 Exercising as You Age Reverses Aging
A study from the University of Birmingham and King’s College, London, revealed that those who continuously exercise throughout life literally defy the aging process in several ways. The study found that those who continue to train into their 40’s and 50’s and beyond:
Did not lose muscle mass or strength
Had the immune function of a person in their 20’s
Did not increase body fat or cholesterol levels
Maintained testosterone production of a younger person
Maintained or surpassed the aerobic capacity of a younger person
If you’ve been out of the game for a while, Getting yourself back into training could literally help to rewind the biological clock. It’s never too late.
#2 Aerobic Fitness Decreases Risk of Mortality From ALL Causes
A Study looking at over 122,000 patients found that:
“cardiorespiratory fitness was inversely associated with all-cause mortality without an observed upper limit of benefit.”
The Importance of this cannot be overstated. This study found that increasing aerobic fitness lowers a person’s risk of dying from all causes. The study found that there was no upper limit of benefit, meaning that the more you increase your aerobic fitness, the less chance you have of dying, period.
Another study examined declining exercise capacity due to aging and found that:
“By participating in a training program, you can raise your aerobic capacity 15% to 25%, which in our study would be equivalent to being 10-20 years younger.“
Jennifer Warner. WebMD
What Happens as We Get Older
What Studies and Common Beliefs Say
There are some real physiological changes that take place as we get older. I am certainly not denying this. Studies have shown that aging is associated with:
Decreased Muscle Mass
Increased Body Fat
Decreased strength and muscle elasticity
Decreased Aerobic capacity
Decreased Immune Function
Decreased Testosterone
Studies show this to be true.. but studies also frequently look at people who are not vigorously exercising on a consistent basis. Don’t just accept your fate because it’s being sold to you. You can do something about it, and you are capable of much more than you may think.
What Really Happens
What actually happens to most of us as we get older is that our lives become increasingly more stressful. Our careers take over. Kids take over. The demands coming in at us from all angles takes an extraordinary amount of energy, and there is only so much to go around.
The key point to take away is that Stress from any source, be it physical or otherwise, causes a sympathetic response in the body (fight or flight). Stress hormones like Adrenaline and cortisol are released. Our sleep suffers, we become less resilient, and we don’t even realize it happening over time.
This chronic level of stress is what causes a majority of the symptoms we associate with aging. It is imperative that we counterattack this problem somehow, and fitness is a huge part of the answer. You can read the studies for yourself. Learn to manage stress, work out, and recover.. and you will have a powerful new weapon to take with you.
You Can Surpass Previous Limits, Even in Your 30’s and 40’s
As I’ve aged, I have consciously refused to accept that aging alone will reduce what I’m capable of. And, I have yet to disappoint myself. At 38, I’m still pushing past physical limits, and am in far better condition than I was in my 20’s. However, there is a caveat to this:
You have to learn to train smarter. There is some truth to the fact that you were able to recover faster when you were younger. And a huge part of that is that you had far less stress and responsibility when you were younger. You have to accept this, adapt, and overcome.
You have to make your training a high priority. It cannot come last, or only when you have time. There is always time. If I had to get up at 3am to train, I would (and have). You CAN do it! You just need some new habits.
Age is not the limiting factor in what you can achieve physically. The inability to adapt to changes, along with not prioritizing your fitness, is the limiting factor.
Training smarter doesn’t have to be complicated. But it does mean being purposeful in how you go about your workouts and training. Learning to train more intelligently can be the difference that allows you to reach higher levels than you ever have before.
This is really important. In the past, chances are your workouts weren’t optimal. As you get older, you can learn to fine tune things and push even further than you ever have before by being purposeful vs. spinning your wheels.
Ensuring that you prioritize recovery is the real game changer. You can still train hard and with high intensity, but follow those days with a day of low intensity training. This is called the “high-low” method of training, and it can allow you to experience continuous progress without burning out or getting injured.
Training smarter means being aware of the fact that you’re getting older, and implementing proactive strategies to keep injuries away and to keep progress moving forward.
It also means being conscious of all of the stress in your life, and implementing strategies to ensure you are recovering, instead of pushing yourself into the ground.
Focus on improving mobility. In particular, hip and shoulder mobility. Youtube has plenty of great videos on this, and it doesn’t take much time.
Always warm up before every workout. Your warm up should include mobility work and light cardiovascular training.
Always cool down and get some good stretching in after you train.
spend time improving your aerobic fitness. This can be accomplished with low intensity cardiovascular training a few days per week.
Have Specific Goals, and Don’t be Afraid to Aim High
Whatever your fitness goals might be, don’t sell yourself short. You can do just about anything in your 30’s and even into your 40’s. Want to run a marathon? Fight in an MMA bout? Compete in Crossfit? These things are all doable if you really make it a priority and train intelligently. Insert whatever goal you want here ____________. I don’t like limits. They are meant to be CRUSHED! 🙂
Outline what it is you want to achieve, then break it down into smaller goals. Do some research. Become an expert in the details of what you’re trying to accomplish.
Don’t let Anyone Else’s Negativity Influence Your Goals.
I always say, keep your goals to yourself. Other people have a way of passing their beliefs onto us, and you never want to let someone else influence your own personal goals. The seeds of negativity can grow deep roots in our mind. Stay away from negative people, and do the things you know deep down you want to achieve.
Most people sell themselves short. They buy into the collective beliefs that aging is some sort of death sentence. It isn’t. It’s an opportunity. People sell themselves short and are threatened by anyone who might crush the illusion they hold onto. They might try to hold you down by discouraging you. Decide now to make a shield against that negative energy.
Conclusion
If you want something bad enough, you can have it. If you’re out of shape and want to run a 6 minute mile, you can. If you’ve always wanted to achieve something but never dedicated yourself to it before, being a little bit older doesn’t mean you can’t get there. You can get there, and beyond.
Here are a couple other articles that you might enjoy:
I hope this article was helpful, and maybe even inspiring. As always, my aim is to help find that perfect version of ourselves we’re always striving for.
Thanks for Reading!
Mike (SupaStrong)
Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach and personal trainer. I’ve run boot camps and served as the wellness coordinator for a fortune 500 company. Currently a Federal Agent in San Diego, CA, and an Infantryman in the Army Reserve.
This is a Strength and Conditioning workout I designed for combat athletes. It’s pretty brutal, and will definitely challenge your conditioning.
The Workout
Round 1: 3 minutes as many reps as possible of Man Makers.
Rest 1-3 minutes, depending on your level and how much you like a good kick in the balls.
Round 2: 3 Minutes as many burpees as you can do
Rest 1-3 minutes, depending on your level and how much you like a good kick in the balls.
Round 3: 3 Minutes as many rounds of MMA Drill 1 (see video) as you can do.
Rest 1-3 minutes, depending on your level and how much you like a good kick in the balls.
Round 4: 3 Minutes as many round as you can get of:
10 Push Ups
10 Squats
5 Pull ups (modify if you need to)
What This Workout is Designed to Do
This HIIT session is designed to improve aerobic power (the amount of oxygen you can use) as well as anaerobic capacity.
3 Minutes is a long time to go all out. Just like in a fight, you have to be able to keep going. Doing anything after man makers isn’t fun, especially burpees.
Workouts like this will definitely boost your mental toughness as well. It’s nice to know you can suffer so much and still put out. If you’re looking for more on mental toughness, check out this article
If you try this out, let me know! Thanks for being here, now go get some.
Mike (Supastrong)
Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach and personal trainer. I’ve run boot camps and served as the wellness coordinator for a fortune 500 company. Currently a Federal Agent in San Diego, CA, and an Infantryman in the Army Reserve.
We all have things we wish we would do more often. Maybe it’s working out… or waking up earlier to start the day. We know it would improve our lives. Yet making the change remains elusive. New habits are hard to keep.
We think about it, and maybe even dabble in it a little bit, and then it’s gone.
So how can we actually create a new habit and make it last? It’s a question worth asking, as our habits are what actually define who we are, what we accomplish and where we’re headed.
How Long does it Take to Create a New Habit?
In the 1960’s, a plastic surgeon named Maxwell Maltz observed that after an operation, his patients took about 21 days to adjust to their new look. Maltz published this finding in his book, “Psycho-Cybernetics,” which went viral and sold over 20 million copies.
And this is where the myth of “21 days” to create a new habit originated from. People like the idea of 21 days to make lasting change. It’s short and seems really doable.
Unfortunately, it’s not true.
How Long Does it Really Take?
A study in the European Journal of Social Psychology found that it took an average of 66 days to create a new habit. This study also found that:
Missing a day or two didn’t have any impact on successfully implementing a new habit.
More difficult habits, like doing 100 sit ups every morning, took longer than something simple like drinking a glass of water after breakfast every day.
Some People are more resistant to forming new habits than others.
5 Tips to Successfully Make and Keep a New habit
Armed with this new information, we can create a plan to change our lives with a positive new habit.
Tip #1: Identify a New Habit You’d Like to Implement into your life.
You can probably already identify at least one thing you wish you’d do more often, or every day. Make sure it’s something that you can actually do. If it’s something unreasonable, you may be setting yourself up for failure. For example, instead of trying to wake up 3 hours earlier every day, you can get up one hour earlier. Doing too much, too soon is what causes a lot of people to fail.
Tip #2 Use Psychology to your advantage.
Our brains are hardwired with a built-in reward system. Think about it. Habits like smoking or overeating are easy to adopt. They’re easy because they trigger the reward system in our brains, releasing chemicals and causing feelings of pleasure.
When we’re trying to create a new habit, we can use this to our advantage. Every time you successfully perform the new act, give yourself a reward. If you’re waking up earlier, your reward can be a cup of coffee. If you’re working out, the reward can be a piece of chocolate or any other food that normally triggers pleasure for you. In time, working out will feel good and will replace the chocolate anyways!
Use your body’s own design to get what you want out of it.
Tip #3 Use Microgoals to ensure you can’t fail
This is expanding on Tip #1, when we said we shouldn’t set an unreasonable goal. Setting small, achievable goals can ensure you’ll actually make a change successfully. Maybe you’d like to wake up 2 hours earlier, but the chances of making that last aren’t too great.
Willpower can only go so far, and it’ll never last for 66 days. Instead, try waking up 20 minutes earlier every day. Once you’ve established this new habit and it no longer takes any effort, you can work on another 20 minutes. Be creative and apply this principle to whatever your goal might be.
Tip #4 Don’t Let Yourself Fall Off The Cliff
When trying to start doing something new every day, you’re bound to miss a day here and there. Don’t be too hard on yourself, but never miss more than 1 consecutive day.
Once you’ve missed 2 or 3 days in a row, your habit is likely going to be broken and you’ll be starting from scratch again, which can be a really demotivating experience.
Instead, accept the temporary defeat of missing a day, then get back on the horse and keep riding off into the sunset.
Tip #5 Be Patient. Excellence and Greatness Don’t Happen Overnight
The whole point of creating a new habit is to improve yourself. We all have a vision of a best version of ourselves, and creating new habits is our attempt to get closer to becoming that person. By going after this goal, you’re on the right path. Have faith in that and embrace the journey. Every day that you complete successfully is another small victory.
Conclusion
Creating a new habit can be life changing. Like money in a 401k, small changes compound over time to become really big changes. Whatever it is that you’re trying to accomplish, I hope this was helpful and I know you can get it done.
Don’t wait another day. The time is never just right. The time is now!
Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach and personal trainer. I’ve run boot camps and served as the wellness coordinator for a fortune 500 company. Currently a Federal Agent in San Diego, CA, and an Infantryman in the Army Reserve.
If you’re reading this post, then congratulations.. you’re looking to improve yourself, and that’s what I’m here for. By following this 6 week beginners running program, you can start running and dramatically improve your fitness and running ability. You won’t be winning marathons, but you’ll be noticeably better and more fit. So are you in? Let’s do this!
You can skip straight to the actual running program if you want, but I highly recommend taking the time to read the article. You have a goal, and you landed here.. so soak it all up if you have the time.
Who am I To Write a Beginners Running Program?
I don’t usually feel it’s necessary to add a section like this.. but, when it comes to taking advice on anything fitness related.. I think I’d want to know who I’m taking the advice from. My Author Bio is at the bottom, so feel free to check it out.
Now let’s get on to more interesting topics…
Why This Program is Better Than Others
There are many ways to reach a goal, and many different approaches to start running. When I searched on Pinterest and google for “beginner running program,” I found a bunch of programs using nothing but intervals.
Every program I saw was: Day one, run 4 minutes, walk 2 minutes, repeat 5 times. Day two, run 5 minutes, walk 2 minutes, repeat 5 times…
This approach can work to some degree, but it is one dimensional and not a well thought out program. This program will build your aerobic power and capacity, strength, and endurance. It will improve your fitness on a much broader scale, using different methods and building you up over a 6 week period.
Common Mistakes New Runners Make When They Start Running
First things first, let’s discuss a few common mistakes people make when they start out with a new goal of starting to run. It usually looks something like this:
First, they think about starting for a long time. Then they finally get out there and start running. Having no program or strategy, they try to run too much, and end up either giving up, burning out, or getting injured. Or, they forget their orginal motivation and lose the desire.
The most common mistakes I’ve seen
Running too frequently: You have to build up to higher volumes of any physical activity so your body can adapt to it. More is NOT better.
Doing the same thing every time you work out: Variety is necessary to improve your aerobic fitness and work capacity. Repetitive stress injuries are a real thing.
Not having enough desire, or having unclear goals.. They go hard for a couple weeks, then fizzle out.
Trying to do too much, and losing motivation when they see no progress: Progress = Motivation. Read that again.. small goals are achievable and add up to big goals. You don’t get from A to B overnight. Seeing progress is the most motivating thing that can happen. This running program is built around that concept.
3 Things To Do Before You Start Running
Write down your “Why.” In one sentence.. Why do you want to start running? Having a why can be the difference between quitting and winning.
Have you failed in the past? Why? Write down what you’ll do this time when you are in that same situation.
Commit to finishing the 6 weeks. Finish what you start, no matter what.
Here is your 6 week beginners running program. There are a few terms you might want to get familiar with. Nothing too complicated.
Terms
Long Slow Distance (LSD): An easy run or cardio session. You should be able to carry a conversation. If you cannot run for 20 minutes, then walk fast. You can also use any cardio machine.. elliptical, stair climber..etc..
Continuous High Intensity: Run for the prescribed time at as fast a pace as you can maintain for the whole time (8 minutes for week 1).
Max Reps: As many as you can do with good form. If you can’t do a push up, do them elevated.. like on a table or a bench.
Intervals: Periods of higher intensity followed by periods of low intensity. Basically, sprinting then walking. When walking, focus on breathing and recovering. When sprinting, work as hard as you can. The biggest improvements will come from these sessions.
Rest: Relax, go for a walk, light stretching.. no training.
Week 1: Start Running
Week 1 starts off with a test. Go out and run a mile and a half and see how long it takes. Don’t stress about it. If it’s slow, that’s fine. If you have to walk part of it, that’s fine too. Just get it done, record the time, and take a victory for the day.
**Tip: Save these pictures so you can easily pull them up and know exactly what you’ll need to do each day. This is why I chose to use this format, and I hope it is helpful.
Week 2: Getting in the Zone
Hope you’re rested from the weekend. Remember your Why. Each training day completed is a small victory. Do your best, and don’t worry about your performance.. as long as you’re putting in effort, it’s a victory. You’ll notice We’re adding just a little bit each week. That’s called progression.
We’re introducing intervals in Week 2. Just run fast for 30 seconds, then walk for 60 seconds. Keep moving.
Week 3: Movin on Up
More of the same. Push on, have fun. Have faith. Your fitness is improving and you’re almost halfway through the program.
Week 4: The Crucible
I’m calling week 4 the crucible because this is around the time a lot of people quit. They get sidetracked, make excuses or forget their original motivation. Don’t be that person. Finish what you started. This is the last week before we move to 4 training days/week. Remember your Why!
Notice the intervals have changed to 60 second sprints with 120 seconds walking.
Week 5: Almost There
2 weeks left in the program. We will now begin training 4 days per week. Adding an additional day is a big step in a program. You can reap more benefits from the additional training, and can do so without running yourself into the ground… because you’ve earned the work capacity.
Week 6: The Home Stretch
Your final week. If you made it here, I salute you. I get goosebumps when people have the discipline and heart to see things through. The last week will be the hardest, but you should be ready for it by now.
What’s Next?
If you finished this 6 week program, I have no doubt that you’ve made some big improvements to your overall fitness and in your running ability. After a good weekend of rest, Retest yourself in the 1.5 mile run.
The next thing you MUST do is let me know the results!
If you’d like to learn more about training and fitness, I have a few articles that I think would benefit you a lot: I love the science of strength and conditioning and how the body adapts and improves.. it’s all really amazing.
I hope you enjoyed this article. If you did, I’d love to hear about it. Follow this blog and I can promise I’ll do my best to get you quality content that can help you continue to improve your fitness and get to that best version of you!
Thanks for being here!
SupaStrong
Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach, personal trainer and formerly an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. I’ve run boot camps and served as the wellness coordinator for a fortune 500 company. Currently a Federal Agent in San Diego, CA, and an Infantryman in the Army Reserve.
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