Many of us consume caffeine; some might even go for coffee pre-workout. But what if the seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger unveils the harmful effects of pre-workouts? Arnie always bases his claims on evidence-based research, so let’s find out what the researchers have in mind this time. In his daily newsletter, Arnold’s Pump Club, the Terminator highlighted that some new research found out that pre-workout does help boost your strength in the short term. But pre-workout companies charge you top dollar, despite only caffeine being the main ingredient making the difference.
In some cases, they might add ingredients that contain forbidden substances. According to another study, researchers issued warnings for almost 800 supplements that contained numerous dangerous ingredients. Highlighting this issue, Arnie wrote, “In nearly every case (98%), the USDA found that the ingredients in question were nowhere on the label. (This is just one more reason we trust and recommend Momentous.)“
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The bodybuilding legend shared another study that was performed on a group of gym enthusiasts who were given a pre-workout consisting of caffeine, citrulline, creatine, and beta-alanine. The researchers thought of an idea, and instead of competing with anyone else, they competed with themselves. On some days, they were given a pre-workout, and on others, a placebo, without telling them what they were taking as a supplement. While comparing the results, researchers found that they performed better on the pre-workout days. On those days, they experienced less muscle fatigue and pushed themselves to their limits during workouts.
Moreover, their power and reps were also improved, but the catch is that we don’t know which ingredients made the biggest difference. Arnie explained why, elaborating, “Dozens of other studies suggest you need at least 3.2 grams of beta-alanine to improve muscular endurance, but the product in the research used just 2.6 grams per serving, meaning it was likely an inactive dose and didn’t play a role in the results.” He encouraged consuming only ingredients with better scientific results, like caffeine and creatine.
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What’s the best pre-workout one might take?
Sharing his expertise, Arnold Schwarzenegger further highlighted the need to refrain from third-party-certified supplements to avoid any complications. In a previous edition of his newsletter, he disclosed the best pre-workout for an ultimate gym session.
The Austrian Oak emphasized the importance of proper rest before a gruesome workout. He mentioned sleep as the best pre-workout anyone can take. “The best pre-workout might not be something you take right before you sleep. A recent review of 77 studies found that a good night’s sleep might be the best way to boost your performance,” explained Arnie. Continuing further, he shed light on the fact that sleep deprivation is a major factor in your poor performance during your workout.
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Arnold wrote, “Any type of workout will be worse when you’re getting less than 6 hours of sleep.” He even shared a study that highlighted that a person weighs 5 pounds more if he sleeps less than 5 hours in comparison to one who sleeps for 7 hours.
After getting valuable insights on pre-workouts from the industry goat, what changes do you want to make?