There's nothing that screams "I'm a bodybuilder" than a pre-workout. Bodybuilders practically live off this stuff. It's like cocaine to them, except fruitier. For those of you, who are so lost right now, and don't even know what pre-workouts are, allow me to explain.
Pre-workouts are a bunch of shit bundled up together, usually in a powder form, to help boost your performance in the gym. Sounds pretty cool, right?
Well, let's delve a little bit deeper into what the average pre-workout is all about.
Almost all pre-workouts contain these 3 ingredients: Citrulline/Arginine, Caffeine, and Creatine. They're basically like the holy trinity of the bodybuilding world.
Citrulline & Arginine
Citrulline & Arginine are those names you keep hearing about from your local meathead, but you don't have a clue what they're talking about. You know when you see someone at the gym and they've got those veins protruding out of their arms like no tomorrow? Well, there's 3 reasons for that. They're just naturally lean, thus making their body fat % non-existent, really forcing those veins out. It's even more prominent as you get older, but no one wants a mental image of a veiny, old dude. Gross.
Two, they have an IV filled with steroids hooked up to their body 24/7. And of course if you've got that, you'll always look like you're competition ready. Good news about that though, is that you can save a whole bunch of money on under wears, since all you'll be wearing from now on is tiny toddler ones because that's the only thing your thing will fit in.
Three, it's got to do with that citrulline, baby! This and arginine are there to increase your 'fight or flight response,' increase the size your vessels resulting in a more blood circulation. Starting to sound like a drug yet?
Some reasons you should be avoiding Citrulline/Arginine at all costs is probably the most obvious one; our bodies already make enough of it. If you're sincerely looking to get that veiny look, first cut the fat first. Either through a rigorous workout plan or nutrition. If you've talked to your doctor about taking Arginine and she says it's ok, chances are she's not a very good doctor. I'm kidding! (listen to your doctor)
Another reason why you should keep Citrulline & Arginine away from you is because of the pretty serious side effects associated with it. These side effects include horrible things such as abdominal pain, bloating, & diarrhea. And if you've got asthma, make sure this is far away from you, as this has been known to cause your breathing to get worse. Which is the complete opposite of what you're trying to achieve. [1]
I've actually personally experimented with L-arginine back in my bodybuilding days, and I thought it was a complete waste of money. I tried it for several months and there was no significant weight loss or any indication of veins popping out of my arms. The only thing that did get worse was my asthma as I had gotten my first asthma attack in several years. It could have been other factors contributing to this, but seeing as it only occurred when I was taking L-arginine, you just have to connect two-and-two together.
Caffeine
Who doesn't love caffeine? Well, except maybe Mormons. But for the most part, many people can't live without it. It's an essential part of our mornings, and some of us go through great lengths to prepare our coffee a certain way, so instead of tasting like bean water, it tastes like fancy bean water! These guys are what I like to call pretentious. I live in Toronto, so we have these guys run rampant everywhere like wild, snobby animals.
Anyways...
My point is caffeine is great! But when does it become too much? As many of you know, you can only have a certain amount of caffeine each day, otherwise you might end up in the hospital. And that's exactly why I'm against pre-workouts so much. There's way too much of it!
Your typical pre-workout has anywhere between 200-300 g of caffeine in it. That's like 3 cups of coffee. And let's say you had about 2 cups of coffee throughout the day. That's about 500 g of caffeine you're ingesting!
The recommended intake is only 400 g per day.
"But Sean, why should that be an issue?"
It's an issue because it triggers a lot of the side effects associated with caffeine, especially if taken in larger doses. These include but are not limited to irregular heartbeats, headaches, chest pain, & anxiety. In other words, the whole shebang.
But get this, it gets worse in powder form. In coffee, the caffeine content is pretty tame because it's diluted with the water. But, when you take it straight from the source, now that's a problem. That's when the anxiety kicks in & with the added bonus of some pretty nasty jitters. [2]
"Well Sean, what the hell am I supposed to take now?! I need my caffeine!"
Yeah, I get that. And I completely understand that you can't be drinking coffee all day, namely cause it's not very effective in "curing" your tiredness. For a longer lasting energy boost that keeps me running throughout the day, I use Energy Boosters. Now, I know what you're thinking.
"Isn't that the same thing as pre-workouts?"
Not even close. Energy Boosters are 100x better & not to mention, safer. It's caffeine content is still present but it's a lot less than that of a pre-workout, and the reason why it's better than coffee is because there's also a host of awesome, natural ingredients included to get over those midday crashes.
Make the switch to energy boosters today & witness what true energy feels like.
Creatine
Creatine, my old nemesis, we meet again. If you've been following me for quite some time, you know my absolute disdain for creatine. I HATE this supplement, and I could never fathom why anyone would buy it, let along physically ingest it. If you've never heard of creatine before, you've probably had a million bodybuilders come up to you and preach it's non-existent effectiveness.
Let me take some time to give you some further insight on what these meatheads are raving about. First, let's get rid of some confusion. Yes, creatine already exists in our bodies and it's main purpose is for us to produce energy rapidly. But here's the thing, our bodies already produce enough creatine. Adding more when there's plenty is just unnecessary and it seems like overkill.
You're probably thinking, "but Sean why do the athletes use it then?"
Competitive athletes use it because they are trying to increase 0.0003% in their performance. For an example, if you're a sprinter that percentage makes all the difference. But for the rest of us, the normal folk, we're not sprinters or competitive athletes. When was the last time you ever competed in the Olympics? Exactly, which is why creatine is a complete waste. [3]
Creatine also makes you gain weight. That's the exact thing we're trying to prevent over here!
Most dudes (and gals) who use creatine will pull more water into their muscles, resulting in a shit ton of unwanted water weight. It may make your muscles look bigger, but it'll definitely feel like a water bed from the '70's.
Take it from a guy who's actually had first hand experience with creatine, it just isn't worth it. The weight gain is one thing, but you'll feel nauseous, your stomach will twist & turn, your muscles will cramp up, and creatine has been shown to affect the kidneys in such a way that it results in lifelong damage. [3]
Pre-workouts are all-in-all a supplement specifically designed for bodybuilders. They need all the energy they can get to lift (and grunt) as much as they can. That's fine but you guys aren't bodybuilders.
I know that & that's the exact reason why you came here in the first place. You came to distance yourselves from that culture because you felt like you didn't belong. With the all noise going on in the supplement industry, it's hard to find something that works with you. Pre-workouts don't do that. All it is excessive junk that gives you less than stellar results, and ends up in more damage than you started off with.
Be smart about what you put into your body, and try something different. A great alternative to pre-workouts are energy boosters. Give you shockingly great amount of energy, but it keeps you going and grooving for the entire day. No crazy crashes. No excessive stimulants. And most importantly, NO BS!
Go ahead and try one today!
References
[1] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VL8yaz_AE42GA9QRV3WqkImuhf6H_Jar168TWvauiYI/edit?usp=sharing
[2] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WhAdn9_ANM7_VPqkaSR_zDwdQ9AT_FlWXYmSqsTFvAc/edit?usp=sharing
[3] https://docs.google.com/document/d/15HvpEF06r3PbvDE-yUTsEuDDFB0SQwtb9pFIiFSthWo/edit?usp=sharing
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