Pre-workout - It's More Than You Ever Imagined

Loaded with stimulants, is pre-workout notably that big of a game-changer? How much should I take? When should I take it? What exactly does it do?

Through the contents of the article, you will further learn, and understand what pre-workout is and how you can use it to enhance your performance!

What Exactly Is Pre-Workout?

In short terms, Pre-Workout is utilised to lower your levels of fatigue throughout your workout. It is meant to give you a short burst of high energy in order to optimize your workout performance.

Here are the main components of Pre-Workout:

Caffeine

Most pre-workouts have a range of around 150 mg - 300 mg of caffeine per recommended serving. In terms of comparison this is around three standard cups of coffee, which is a considerable amount, especially given that it is taken in one dosage, within such a short period of time. With high levels of caffeine being mixed with L-Theanine, the typical jittery or agitated sensation associated with energy drinks is minimized.

Beta-Alanine

In addition to being accessible as an independent supplement, Beta-Alanine can be found in the majority of pre-workout supplements. Despite being a non-essential amino acid that your body naturally produces, an increase in Beta Alanine can boost the compound carnosine, which is a chemical most typically found in brain and muscle tissue. Carnosine is a pre-workout component that aids in endurance during high-intensity exercise. Beta-Alanine is also one of the causes of tingling sensations, which are generally considered to be innocuous. (Any severe or out of the ordinary sensations should be discussed with your doctor or a health expert.)

Nitrosigine®

"Nitrosigine is another patented ingredient" in pre workouts that improves attentiveness ("How Does Pre Workout Help You Reach Your Goals"). It also plays an important function in increasing blood flow throughout muscles, which boosts muscular endurance. L-Citrulline, another pre-workout substance, contributes to enhanced blood flow by physically relaxing arteries, allowing them to expand and boost blood flow. It is also important to note that unlike other stimulants in the market, supplements with Nitrosigine reduces the crashes and the fast increase in anxiety that is seen with other stimulants.

Other ingredients found in pre-workouts include Creatine, TeaCrine, Taurine, and Electrolytes, which contribute to the accumulation of higher energy, better muscular endurance, increased oxygen flow, and more.

How Much and When Should I Take it?

Most pre-workout labels state that you should take it around 30 minutes before the start of your workout. This period is certainly dependent on your body and how you naturally break down the contents of the supplement, but the usual time for the body to break down caffeine is 15 to 45 minutes. That time is proportional to the time required to digest other nutrients and minerals as well.

Over time, your body will naturally metabolize the caffeine faster and more efficiently, resulting in a reduction in the effects and an increase in energy levels. In such cases, many individuals either increase the dosage, although this must be done with caution because caffeine overdosing can have fatal repercussions, and I would personally advise against doing so.

Do I Really Need It?

The short answer is no. Pre-workout products, like many other supplements in the fitness industry, are fully optional, and it truly comes down to what your body needs to enhance your performance both in and out of the gym safely. It is a beneficial supplement that has been extensively explored in the fitness industry. Although pre-workout would be a fantastic addition to your regimen, skipping it can be just as beneficial.

Just remember to subscribe to HustleNow for more information about other supplements in the fitness industry!

Works Cited

Contributors, WebMD Editorial. “Pre-Workout Supplements: How It Can Benefit Your Overall Well-Being.” WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/health-benefits- pre-workout-supplements. Accessed April 20. 2022.

“How Does Pre Workout Help You Reach Your Goals.” ProSupps.com. ProSupps®, n.d. Web. www.prosupps.com/blogs/articles/how-does-pre-workout-help-you-reach-your-goals. Accessed April 21. 2022.

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How to Convince Your Parents Protein Powder Isn’t a Steroid

Throughout this article, I'll explain what protein powder is, how much to take, when to take it, and why your parents, unlike mine, shouldn't think it's a steroid.

What Exactly is Protein Powder?

As protein powder continues to become a mainstream supplement and ingredient, numerous new businesses are developing various forms of protein powders. However, the majority of the powder is generated in the same way. Essentially, the finely packed protein is extracted and concentrated from a variety of foods (such as dairy products, plant-based products, meats, poultry, and so on...). After that, the powder is dried and flavors are added. Yes, it is that simple. Different types of protein powder have varying quantities of protein per gram, however, one scoop typically contains up to 20-30 grams of protein.

How Much Should I Take?

At the end of the day, the quantity of protein you consume is mostly determined by three factors: your level of exercise, your age, and your overall fitness objectives. The Dietary Reference Intake recommends 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for the average person (0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight). However, for a highly physically active individual who frequently exercises, the recommended quantity of protein is 1.4 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight (around 0.8 grams per pound of body weight).

The second factor to take into consideration is your age. What I mean is that the younger you are (teens to early twenties), the more protein your body will most likely require due to your degree of metabolism and general level of fitness. This may or may not change as you age. The most essential thing is to keep in sync with your body's requirements, listening to your body the more you workout or the more you eat.

The last thing to consider when setting protein intake goals is what your "end" objective is. Although protein consumption for cutting and bulking should be similar, the type of protein you consume may differ based on the number of calories in each protein.

The Main Benefits of Protein Powder

As previously said, most protein powders are just concentrated forms of protein obtained from other foods we eat on a regular basis. The main reason people use protein powder is that it is simple to incorporate into shakes, smoothies, and other foods and gives a high amount of protein while being light to consume. For example, if my daily protein goal is 130 grams, I would need to consume 10 eggs to fulfil that goal. Alternatively, I could combine 7 eggs and One 30 gram scoop of protein with water. This makes meeting my protein goal easier and gives me more flexibility with my protein and calorie consumption.

Meeting those requirements may be accomplished by keeping note of how much protein you consume on a daily basis.

Furthermore, many proteins, such as whey protein, are high in BCAA (Branched-chain Amino Acids). BCAA are necessary amino acids that can only be obtained from eating, and protein supplements usually contain these critical building blocks. High protein intake can have other beneficial effects on muscle growth such as the release of anabolic hormones, key to stimulating muscle growth and development.

Although some believe that protein powder can cause health complications such as weight gain, kidney damage, heart disease, and more, consuming measured doses of protein can lessen or even eliminate these troubles, and again, listening to your body and observing how your body reacts is critical to safely consuming both protein powder, and supplements in general.

Please keep in mind that this is only a simplified description of protein powder and how it works; if you have any more questions or concerns, I recommend consulting with a dietician or a health professional.

3 Simple Key Steps to Convincing Your Parents to Take

1. Communication

   1. This may appear obvious, but discussing what you eat, your fitness objectives, why protein powder is vital, and what precisely protein powder is are all critical things to ask and understand.

2. Understanding

   1. Understanding your parents' or guardians' viewpoint on protein powder is crucial, but as important is for your parents to understand and acknowledge your point of view on the supplement.

3. Education

   1. Educating yourself and your parents/guardians on what protein powder is and the science behind it may make a big difference in whether or not they allow you to use it. Often, it is preconceived notions about what protein powder is that keep people from using it.

Ways to Incorporate Protein Powder

Protein powder is available in a variety of flavours. Incorporating flavours such as chocolate, vanilla, and even coffee is now easier than ever. Most people mix protein powder into smoothies or milkshakes because the flavours combine well and it's healthy to digest, but there are other possibilities. One possibility is to use it as a flavouring in oatmeal or overnight oats. Many branded companies also manufacture protein or energy balls that can include other "superfoods" such as oats, walnuts, blueberries, and so on.

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Pick the Right Workout Split to See the Right Results: Here’s How

Importance of Workout Splits

I was 14 years old the first time I went into a gym. I had been instructed by someone who had gym experience to do a couple exercises, and I was under the impression that there were just three muscle groups to train - biceps, triceps, and shoulders. I worked every one of those muscles without any rest or recovery days for a couple of weeks. As you could expect, I became exhausted. I lost motivation after not seeing any results, and I was most perplexed by my lack of development.

The night after I was about to give up, I stumbled upon a video made by Bradley Martyn. The video, if I recall correctly, was about a protein shake. Although it was not necessarily tied to the gym, I realised, with a bit of research, that their was a lot more to weight lifting than I had previously understood.

That's when I started doing my own study and devised a workout regimen that I'd follow. I began by doing a full-body split, this time exercising more than just my arms... I saw progress, gained confidence, and began working on my muscles individually, transitioning to an upper/lower body split. To keep my athletic ability, I eventually went to a PPL split.

But, as cliche as my experience may seem, it demonstrates that I, like many others, most certainly began my fitness journey on the wrong foot. Unfortunately, many people aren't as persistent as I was and have given up on weight lifting entirely. I've chosen to write a short article regarding exercise splits. This is something I wish I had known about before I started, which is why I urge all of you to read this.

To begin, exercise splits are simply the method you split or divide the numerous muscle groups you train, typically over the course of a week. Each workout split is distinct from one another. Choosing the proper one is critical to growth, and as the story above shows, the choice of exercise split may make or break your progress, regardless of how hard you train. Below you will find essential information about which split matches with your goals, as well as the overall advantages and downsides of the top 5 exercise splits I would recommend.

What to Consider When Picking the Right Split?

First and foremost, you need to establish your objectives and availability. Consider the following questions:

• What do I want to take from fitness (mental or physical)?

• How many times per week will I take time out of my day to workout?

• How long can I spend on each workout?

• What are my specific goals?

Once you've grasped the fundamentals, you can move on to learning about the different possible workout splits and how they may be tailored to your specific preferences.

Pros and Cons of My Top 5 Recommended Workout Splits

1. Full Body Split

Advantages:

• Forces you to commit to compound lifts (fastest way to get stronger, and helps with functionality)

• Flexibility in terms of schedule

• Easy for variation

• Great for beginners

Disadvantages:

• Focus on compound lifts, can lead to lack of precision lifting

• Each muscle is trained less frequently

2. Lower/Upper Body Split

Advantages:

• Can be used as strength or hypertrophy training

• Flexibility (can vary the amount of weekly sessions)

• Simplicity

• Great for beginners

Disadvantages:

• Recover time can easily be neglected

3. Push-Pull-Legs Split

Advantages:

• Great for athletes (strengthens and develops athletic movements)

• The split structure allows for faster recovery

• Good feeling of balance (motions aren’t overlapped)

• Relative flexibility and volume training

Disadvantages:

• Can become repetitive (can lead to lack of motivation)

4. Bro Split

Advantages:

• Very long recovery periods

• Focus on certain muscle groups more than others

• Heavily strength bed

Disadvantages:

• Low frequency training of each muscle group (not ideal for muscle growth)

• Very long recovery periods (Yes, it’s also a disadvantage. Long recovery periods can hinder progress and prevent maximum performance as the Muscle Protein Synthesis Process (‘MPS’) deteriorates 36 hours after training.)

• Less flexibility

5. Arnold Split

Advantages:

• Great to focus on strength training (agonist/antagonist training)

• A lot of focus on each muscle group (helpful for imbalances)

• Very high-volume

Disadvantages:

• Less flexibility

• Requires a lot of time + energy to commit to every training session

What Now?

Hopefully, after reading over each of my proposed splits, you have a better idea of which split you want to go with. Each split is equally good, thus choosing your split is ultimately determined by your specific goals.

If I were you, I would read through the questions just above again to acquaint yourself with your objectives, and then make a selection.

Your next step is to design your own program. This was the most difficult thing for me to complete in all the years I've been weight lifting. I had no idea which exercise was the best, and I had no idea how many sets or reps each exercise required. Fortunately, HustleNow has set up a page just for you. Visit the 'Create Your Program' tab to get a customised training program made especially for you!