Taking Pre-Workout For The First Time? Know These 7 Things

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Thinking about trying pre-workout for the first time? It can seriously boost your workouts, or leave you feeling jittery and uncomfortable, depending on how you use it. 

As a certified nutritionist, I’ve seen how easily beginners can get tripped up with pre-workout supplements. These 7 simple tips will help you choose the right product and avoid the most common first-time mistakes.

Key Takeaways

• There are hundreds of pre-workout products available on the market. It is important to take the time to assess your workout performance needs and choose a pre-workout whose ingredients match what you are looking for.

• Even experienced caffeine consumers should start with low-stimulant formulas and half-scoop servings to assess their pre-workout tolerance. 

• Finding a pre-workout that is third party tested and avoids proprietary blends can help guarantee that you are getting a product that is both safe and effective.

Not All Pre-Workouts Are the Same

Pre-workouts aren’t one-size-fits-all. There are several types, each designed for different goals, so the best strategy is to identify which one matches your needs.

Full-Spectrum Pre-Workouts

This is the most broad sub-category of pre-workout. A full-spectrum pre-workout is one that typically contains between 5 and 15 different ingredients and may be very high in caffeine.

These ingredients will provide a full range of performance-enhancing benefits including increased energy and mental focus and improvements to strength, power, blood flow (pump), endurance, hydration, and recovery. Key ingredients in these formulas include caffeine, beta-alanine, citrulline, taurine, and betaine.

Generally speaking, the scoop sizes of these pre-workouts are fairly large to accommodate the larger doses and quantities of ingredients. 

These pre-workouts also might not taste as good as those in other categories because a lot of the most common ingredients naturally taste very sour or bitter. It can be hard for companies to mask these unpleasant flavors without making their pre-workouts extremely sour or sweet. 

Stim-Free Pre-Workouts

Stim-free pre-workouts are still full-spectrum, but they have removed ingredients that affect alertness and wakefulness, like caffeine. 

They will still contain multiple ingredients like citrulline, beta-alanine, and betaine which will support strength, endurance, blood flow, and recovery. 

These pre-workouts are ideal for individuals who work out late in the evening and can’t take full-spectrum pre-workouts because the caffeine will prevent them from falling asleep. 

Stim-free pre-workouts are ideal for anyone who gets anxious from caffeine or wants to save their caffeine intake for other sources like coffee or energy drinks.

For reference, some of the typical full-spectrum pre-workouts can contain up to 375 mg of caffeine per full dose and the FDA recommends a safe upper limit of 400mg daily. 

Pump-Focused Pre-Workouts

This category of pre-workout is also stim-free, but has one key thing separating it from the others.

While other stim-free pre-workouts target overall performance, pump-focused ones use fewer ingredients that are mainly meant to boost blood flow to support performance and recovery. The key ones to look for are arginine, citrulline, and glycerol.

Another pleasant side effect is that these pre-workouts can provide the muscles with a “fullness” or “pump” that is aesthetically pleasing. 

Pump pre-workouts can be used on their own, but many companies will formulate them to also be used in tandem with their full-spectrum pre-workouts. 

For example, Transparent Labs has a full-spectrum pre-workout called Bulk and a Pump-focused pre-workout appropriately called Pump. You can choose to take Bulk on its own, or you can choose to take Pump on its own. Experienced pre-workout users can pair them both together to optimize performance and muscle pump. 

Nootropic Pre-Workouts

On the opposite side of the spectrum from pump-focused pre-workouts, we find the nootropic pre-workouts. These are products which focus on ingredients to increase mental alertness, cognitive energy, and mental focus. 

Instead of adding a blend of ingredients for strength and endurance, these pre-workouts will use ingredients like alpha-gpc, huperzine, and lion’s mane to support motivation and mental focus. 

These pre-workouts are a great option for individuals who work out early in the morning and have trouble getting up and going in the morning. 

These pre-workouts might also be more appealing for people who do primarily cardio or hiit-based workouts and don’t care about having ingredients for strength, power, or pump. 

From an experience perspective, these nootropic based workouts can often be some of the better tasting ones. 

Nootropic ingredients are measured out in tiny doses compared to other ingredients used in full-spectrum and pump pre-workouts, which makes it much easier to mask their flavor. The smaller ingredient lists and smaller doses result in a smaller scoop size and a more mild flavor. 

Dosing for Beginners

There is no room for a big ego when it comes to being safe with pre-workout consumption and choosing the product that is right for you. 

In my experience as a supplement store manager, I have seen many first time pre-workout users come in to buy pre-workouts that their friends take or that they saw on social media. Oftentimes these pre-workouts are some of the most highly caffeinated full-spectrum pre-workouts, which can lead to negative side effects like jitteriness, anxiety, and upset stomach. 

Regardless of your caffeine tolerance (i.e. even if you frequently drink coffee or energy drinks), I ALWAYS recommend starting with a half serving of your pre-workout for the first few times to be able to assess your personal tolerance. The type of caffeine used in pre-workouts (typically caffeine anhydrous) absorbs very quickly and your body may react differently to this type of caffeine. 

Finding a pre-workout that contains around 150 to 200mg of caffeine per serving is ideal for beginners. This is enough to give you a significant energy boost, but is well below the FDA’s recommended safe upper limit. 

I recommend starting with Transparent Labs Bulk if you want a clean, clinically dosed formula with 200mg of caffeine and no artificial junk.

Or Transparent Labs Stim-Free or Pump for late-night workouts or jitter-free energy (more below).

You Might Feel the “Tingles” (Beta-Alanine)

One of the most common side effects attributed to pre-workout use is skin tingling that ranges from a light flush, or tingle, to more intense itching. 

This is often incorrectly attributed to stimulants, but is actually a known side effect of an ingredient called beta-alanine. 

The side effect is officially called paresthesia, and you can think of it like a “pins and needles” sensation. This happens because beta-alanine activates specific receptors in the skin responsible for the sensation. This side effect is harmless, and usually wears off within about 30 minutes. 

Some individuals might find this sensation distracting or uncomfortable, whereas others really enjoy this sensation because it lets them know that their pre-workout has “kicked in” and the performance-enhancing ingredients are starting to work. 

So why include an ingredient that causes tingling? Beta-alanine boosts carnosine levels in your muscles, which helps delay fatigue, letting you train harder for longer. That’s why it’s in most pre-workouts, but if the tingling bothers you, here’s an article on the best pre-workouts without beta-alanine.

Time It Right

To optimize your pre-workouts effects, it’s important to consider the timing of ingestion. 

Most of the ingredients take around 30 minutes to start taking effect. There are several key ingredients like creatine and citrulline whose blood concentrations peak around 60 minutes after ingestion and start to drop off fairly quickly after that. 

Knowing this, the best time to take your pre-workout is around 30-45 minutes before training.

If you have a very thorough warm up routine, then you might want to time it so that you take your pre-workout around 45 minutes before you do your heaviest or most intense sets. If you have a modest warmup routine that lasts less than 10 minutes, then taking your pre-workout supplement in the 30-45 minute window is the best practice. 

Another thing to consider is what time of day you are working out. 

If you are working out in a fasted state or first thing in the morning, then the ingredients in the pre-workout may absorb more quickly than they would on a full stomach. It might take some trial and error to find your optimal fasted ingestion time. 

If you are working out in the evening, then it’s important to consider the time both before your workout and after your workout. Caffeine has a half-life of around 5 hours. This means that 5 hours after you ingest caffeine, you will still have half of that amount of caffeine in your system. 

For example, if you take 200mg of caffeine at 5pm, you will still have 100mg of caffeine in your bloodstream at 10pm. 

A general rule of thumb is to ingest caffeine no later than 5 hours before your planned bedtime, but this will vary from person to person. Some individuals will be able to take caffeinated pre-workouts in the evening and experience no significant effects on their sleep quality. 

If you find yourself struggling to fall asleep after taking a caffeinated pre-workout in the evening, or you feel like your sleep quality is suffering then consider choosing a stim-free pre-workout for your evening sessions. 

Check the Label (Know What You’re Taking)

A little bit of extra effort when choosing a pre-workout can save you a lot of grief in the long run. 

Take some time to learn about the different key ingredients found in pre-workout supplements so that you can identify which ingredients will deliver the specific results you are looking for. 

I have put together a guide of more than 27 different pre-workout ingredients to help you. You can find that resource here. 

Here are 5 quick tips on what to look for when reading supplement labels

1. Is this product third party tested?

Third-party testing means an independent lab checks the product for accurate dosing and contaminants. It’s not a guarantee of quality, but it does add an extra layer of safety and trust.

Some key third party testing certifications to look for are: Informed Choice, Informed Sport, and NSF Certified. 

Alternatively, you can see if the company publicly discloses their testing results on their website. Transparent Labs, for example, has all of their testing results available online. 

2. What is the serving size

Pay close attention to the ingredient label to see what the true serving size is. Some pre-workouts will use 1 full scoop to equal 1 serving (which, in my opinion, obviously makes sense).

There are many companies, however, who use a half scoop as a single serving and a full scoop would equal two servings. 

This is very important to pay attention to, especially when it comes to caffeine content. You do not want to take 2 full scoops of a product that has a ½ scoop serving, as this would mean you are actually taking FOUR servings of this product in one dose. This puts you at increased risk for adverse side effects like jitteriness or heart palpitations. 

3. What is the total stimulant content

Check the label for all sources of stimulants, some pre-workouts use multiple types of caffeine to extend energy and avoid a crash. If total caffeine isn’t listed, scan for other stimulants like guarana, green tea extract, yohimbine, theobromine, or synephrine.

4. Does this contain proprietary blends

A proprietary blend is one where multiple ingredients will be grouped together under a category. The company will identify the total dose (in grams or milligrams) of the blend, but they do not disclose the exact amounts of each ingredient within the blend. 

For example, this C4 Ultimate label has ingredients split into “blends”, but also clearly identifies what the doses of each individual ingredient are. This is NOT a proprietary blend, and this allows you to make the most informed decision for yourself about whether this product is right for you.

This label, on the other hand, for USP Labs Jack3d, uses proprietary blends which makes it impossible to know for sure how much of each ingredient you are getting. It does say that caffeine is 135 mg per scoop, but there are other stimulants like geranium extract and yohimbine, plus you have no way of knowing if you are getting clinical doses of the key performance ingredients like creatine and beta-alanine. 

5. Does this have clinical doses

If you’re spending money on pre-workout, make sure it has clinically effective doses, the amounts proven to work in high quality research trials. That’s the best way to know you’re getting real benefits, not just fancy labels.

You can review my full resource of pre-workout ingredients where I share the clinical doses for more than 25 different products, but here are some of the key ones to look out for that you will find in almost every pre-workout supplement: 

• Beta-Alanine: 3-6g daily for a loading phase, then 1.6g daily afterwards for maintenance
• Creatine Monohydrate: 5g daily
• Citrulline: 6-8g, taken 30-60 minutes pre-workout
• Betaine: 2.5g daily

Stay Hydrated

Some of the most common ingredients found in pre-workout can have a slightly dehydrating effect on the body. The key culprits here are caffeine, creatine, and glycerol. 

Creatine and glycerol both draw water into the muscle cells, which is good for cellular hydration within the muscles but it is important to replenish that water so that your other organ systems remain hydrated. 

To avoid cramping, upset stomach, or fatigue, make sure to stay well hydrated throughout your workout with water or an electrolyte beverage like Biosteel. 

The amount of water that you should consume during your workout will depend greatly on a variety of factors including body size, how much you sweat, and how intense your workouts are. 

An easy recommendation is to consume around 12oz of water for every 30 minutes of exercise. A typical supplement shaker bottle is around 24oz, so a simple visual is to consume one water bottle for every hour of exercise. 

Pre-Workout Doesn’t Replace Nutrition or Effort

One aspect of supplement use that I cannot stress enough is that these products are supplements, not replacements. 

No supplement can ever replace proper nutrition and hard work. I spent more than 400 days straight testing different pre-workouts for Feastgood.com and one of my biggest takeaways was that the times where I had the best performance was when my nutrition and training were dialed in. 

There is no substitute for consistency, and even the best pre-workout supplement isn’t a shortcut for hard work.  

Related Article: I took pre-workout for 400 days. Was it worth it?

Many of the side effects that individuals are seeking from pre-workout, like energy and blood flow, can also be achieved through dietary strategies. 

Carbohydrates are a fantastic energy source and research shows without a doubt that consuming carbohydrates before, during, and after exercise have positive effects on performance and recovery. Furthermore, citrulline which is one of the most sought after nitric oxide boosters is especially abundant in watermelon. 

What to Look for in a Beginner-Friendly Pre-Workout

Best Full-Spectrum: Transparent Labs Bulk

For individuals looking for a caffeinated, full-spectrum pre-workout, Transparent Labs Bulk is my go-to. It has 200mg of caffeine per serving, and has clinical doses for 8 out of 8 key ingredients including citrulline and beta-alanine. 

Transparent Labs Bulk is available in 9 different flavors and does not contain any artificial flavors, sweeteners, colors, or preservatives. 

As I mentioned above, Transparent Labs is third party tested, and Bulk is Informed Choice Certified. 

Best Stim-Free: TL Stim-Free

Transparent Labs offers an incredible stimulant-free formula, aptly named Stim-Free. It offers a virtually identical formula to Transparent Labs Bulk described above, with the key exception that they have removed the caffeine and stimulants. 

In place of caffeine, Stim-Free has added an ingredient called elevATP™ which has been shown to increase the body’s production of ATP, the body’s energy molecule. 

Transparent Labs Stim Free is available in 4 different flavors and is third party tested, Informed Choice certified, and contains no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.

Best for Pump: Transparent Labs Pump

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, there is one brand who really stands out when it comes to producing high quality, clinically dosed, third party tested pre-workouts. 

I have thoroughly tested all of the Transparent Labs pre-workout lineup and I have found their products to be incredibly consistent with no negative side effects. 

Transparent Labs Pump is no exception. While I do believe that Transparent Labs Bulk and Stim-Free provide better all-around formulas for increasing athletic performance, if you are just looking for a product to provide muscle pump and nitric oxide production, then opt for Transparent Labs Pump. 

It has all of the same quality assurances and third party testing that the other pre-workouts have, but has a targeted formula for increasing blood flow, nitric oxide production, and hydration. 

Transparent Labs Pump is stimulant-free and also doesn’t contain beta-alanine. If you are worried about any potential negative side effects, then Transparent Labs Pump offers a great option for any time of day workouts. 

Best Beta-Alanine Free: Blue Star P.P.K.

If you like the appeal of a caffeinated, full-spectrum pre-workout but you fall under the category of individuals who don’t want to feel the skin tingling from beta-alanine, then I suggest Blue Star Pump Power Kick (aka P.P.K.)

Blue Star P.P.K. is clinically dosed with ingredients to support energy, pump, strength, endurance, and mental focus. In place of the paresthesia-causing beta-alanine, P.P.K. uses an ingredient called PeakATP® to increase muscular energy and endurance. 

Note that this pre-workout is higher in caffeine than the other pre-workouts mentioned on this list with 300mg per scoop, compared to 200mg in Transparent Labs Bulk and zero caffeine in Stim-Free or Pump. I recommend starting with a half scoop serving (or less, if this is your first time ever taking pre-workout) to assess your personal tolerance. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take pre-workout on an empty stomach?

Yes, you can take pre-workout on an empty stomach. This might cause the ingredients to absorb more quickly, so consider taking your pre-workout only 15-30 minutes before your workout. If you experience upset stomach or nausea, consider having a small snack first. 

Can I take pre-workout for non-gym activities (like sports or cardio)?

Pre-workout can definitely be beneficial for increasing energy, performance, and mental focus during non-gym activities. You might consider having a few different types of pre-workout on hand with more targeted formulas depending on the activity type and time of day of your varied activities. 

Is it safe to mix pre-workout with coffee or energy drinks?

The FDA suggests a safe upper limit of 400mg of caffeine daily. As long as you are aware of the caffeine content of everything you are consuming in a day and stay within that limit, you can safely consume both a pre-workout and coffee or energy drink in your day. Reduce total caffeine intake if you experience negative side effects like jitteriness or anxiety.

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