I'm Going To Pump You Up

It's two-a-days, ACDC's "Thunderstruck" is cranked so loud it's rattling the squat racks, and 35 team members have you surrounded with deafening cheers to lock out your 1-rep max.....If you're not pumped up for that then there is something wrong with you. Switch gears to February, in Minnesota, a blizzard in full-swing with -30 degree weather and you "can't find your workout clothes" so you shrug your shoulders and decide the gym can wait one more day.  Unfortunately the latter scenario is probably a lot more common. So what's the secret? How are you supposed to get pumped up for a workout? It was easy back in high school right? You either had a coach always on your case during practice/drills, or a team mate constantly fighting for your starting roster spot, or the pressure of looking bigger in your school uniform; but now you're 30, married, and the only person that sees you with your shirt of is your wife and she is legally bound to you forever.  One direction that a lot of people are turning towards are pre-workout supplements. 

What's In Them?

N.O. Explode, Redline, 1-More-Rep, C4 Extreme are all examples of pre-workout supplements that are common items found around the gym.  Most pre-workout supplements promote their products by saying they will give you a "pre-workout pump" or "it will get you jacked up!" etc.  In order to get this "pump" most manufacturer's put caffeine in their supplements to give you the notion of feeling pumped up.  The research is equivocal on whether or not caffeine will improve performance in the weight room.  Personally, I like taking caffeine before a workout because of its stimulatory effects. Whether or not it actually improves my performance is beside the point because I just feel better and more pumped up for a workout.  Another common ingredient in pre-workout supplements is L-Arginine which is an amino acid used in the production of nitric oxide.  Higher levels of nitric oxide in the vasculature has been purported to dilate blood vessels, thus allowing for an increase in blood flow or "pump."  Research has shown that nitric oxide supplements are relatively ineffective at improving blood flow or training adaptations.  Creatine is also found in pre-workout supplements.  Creatine supplementation has been shown to be successful in improving training adaptations (see previous article on creatine).  However, there really isn't an acute effect of creatine; meaning if you take it 20 minute before a workout, you won't see any improvements as it takes time to work its magic.  The same could be said for nitric oxide supplementation.  And last but not least, one of the newer supplements to hit the market: beta-alanine.  Beta-alanine is used to increase the buffering capacity of your muscles during high-intensity exercise. In other words, it will help delay that burn you get in your legs during your last set of squats.  Again, this supplement needs time to take action so popping it 5 min before your workout won't really do much.   However, you will fell a slight tingly sensation upon ingestion which I personally enjoy before a workout.

 

In summary, there are several pre-workout supplements available on the market and some of them actually work! However, as previously mentioned a lot of them do not really have acute effects and need time to take effect. In other words, they really aren't PRE workout supplements and more just supplements.  Caffeine is the one ingredient that can get you "pumped up" before a workout as it does have stimulatory effects.  A lot of companies will combine a lot of these ingredients into a magic powder but it's important to read the labels to see what's really in them.  My personal favorites are Redline Extreme, C4, and NO-Shotgun. Unfortunately these are also rather on the pricy side.

Get your pump on!