Who couldn’t use an extra jolt of energy and endurance before their session of lifting heavy and taking names?
A Pre-workout ritual can be a helpful tool for focusing your mindset and revving your engine.
Whether it’s from powder in a can, energy drinks, loud music, or messages from your ex, everyone has their preference and desired outcomes based on their goals.
Speaking of goals, I believe that step one to finding your perfect match is to know your intention.
You can discover this through asking yourself a few questions to evaluate your situation. Questions like:
“Do I enjoy the tingling “itch” sensation of pre- with beta-alanine?”
“How intense do I plan on training today?”
“Would taking an energy supplement affect my ability to sleep tonight?”
You know yourself best, so take an objective look at your positioning and trust your gut as you are experimenting. Personally, I have tried just about every variety of the like. I enjoy the convenience of having pre-workout powder ready to scoop and I appreciate the consistency of quality in my workouts that results from it.
However, a word of caution to caffeine dependency, crashes, and tolerance building.
Energy drinks often yield similar results in my opinion, with one added obstacle of the carbonation possibly leading to an upset stomach as you start to move. But apart from those factors, the intensity, endurance, and enthusiasm that I feel when I partake in these options keeps me a recurring customer.
If you’re looking for a more natural or holistic route for your pre-workout ritual, there are total options for you too!
One trending practice is to swallow a tablespoon of honey before starting your workout.
I have loved the results of this one, I would describe the experience as a subtle but clean energy rush that’ll have you licking your lips. And if all else fails with these natural/not-so-natural enhancements, there’s nothing like prayer and meditation before blasting your favorite dopamine-releasing jams.
Once again, it’s about finding the right process for you and that requires listening to your body and being open to trying new methods to reach your goals.
So ask yourself questions, don’t be afraid to experiment, and in the sage words of Olivia Newton John: “Let’s Get Physical!”
