The fitness industry has progressed by leaps and bounds. Today, there are specialized fitness solutions available to cater to the needs of people and help them achieve the perfect body and enjoy a healthier lifestyle. These products famously termed “Fitness supplements” provide quick and safe benefits to their users. They are a faster solution for individuals with busy routines or those who find it difficult to prepare time-consuming meals.
Although these products are ideal for all, they are particularly popular and common among those associated with the sports and performance industry. Athletes, bodybuilders, and weightlifters all indulge in intense training sessions for prolonged periods. Their diets, routines, and goals are different from common people’s, and they need different supplements to help them meet their targets and goals. Among these miraculous supplements, pre-workout supplements are a top choice. This article tells you all about pre-workouts, what they are, what they do, and why they are such a sought-after supplement.
What are Pre-workouts
As the name indicates, pre-workouts are fitness supplements that gym-goers consume before they begin their workout routine. They have the necessary ingredients that provide energy, alertness, nutrition, and support to the user. Typically, they are consumed half an hour before beginning the workout. This allows enough time for all ingredients to absorb in the body and perform their magic.
What is in a Pre-Workout
Although some ingredients and ratios of common ones vary with brands, manufacturers, and product lines, a typical pre-workout contains the following ingredients:
Caffeine: do you crave your morning coffee the moment you open your eyes? Ever wondered why that is so? Well, that is because caffeine provides an energy boost and alertness to a tired and lazy body. Caffeine is a stimulant of the nervous system which blocks adenosine and by doing so, prevents laziness or drowsiness. This is particularly necessary for people who engage in regular intense exercise, as exhaustion causes laziness and a general unwillingness to continue the workout regimen.
Nitric Oxide Precursor: Nitric oxide is naturally produced in the body and acts to improve blood flow through the vessels by relaxing the vessels. There are some compounds that stimulate the production of Nitric oxides, such as L-arginine and L-citrulline. Both these compounds are present in pre-workouts. Beetroot juice is also an excellent Nitric oxide precursor. Dilated blood vessels encourage increased transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the body and consequently improve performance.
Creatine: creatine is also naturally produced by the body and plays a key role in maintaining muscular strength. It is also a source of energy. Creatine is present in pre-workouts because it acts to provide support and recovery to exhausted muscles. Since it is stored in the skeletal muscles, a higher amount of creatine increases muscle mass and strength too.
BCAAs: the BCAAs are a group of amino acids known for their exclusive actions for muscle support and regeneration. The BCAAs are a significant component of pre-workouts since they are crucial for muscle growth.
Beta-alanine: when body muscles are exposed to stress by continuous physical activity such as running, lifting weight, or other exercises, the muscles produce lactic acid because of chemical reactions. The build-up of lactic acid causes fatigue. Bet-alanine prevents the build-up of lactic acid which means the muscles are less fatigued and can go on exercising for a longer time.
How Pre-Workouts Work
Pre-workouts are carefully measured blends of all aforementioned ingredients. All these ingredients enter the body before the beginning of an exercise routine and begin working their magic. In totality, they provide mental alertness and energy to the body to perform the workout training, and during the process, make sure the muscles do not suffer fatigue and lethargy in order to allow athletes and trainers to successfully complete their session.
Why Use Pre-workouts
To a common gym-goer, a pre-workout may seem like an unnecessary supplement. However, from the standpoint of professional elite trainers, pre-workouts are like much-needed fuel. Heavy weightlifting, prolonged strength training, and static exercises, all take a toll on the body. The body experiences fatigue accompanied by lethargy. It is difficult for an already tired body to prepare for another tiring workout session. However, regular training is crucial to achieving desired results. With world-class championships scheduled, athletes can neither reduce nor skip their workouts.
The pre-workout supplements combat all these symptoms. They not only prepare the body for exercise but also help to complete a training session successfully. In short, pre-workouts are a trainer’s trusted partner.
