Pre-workouts are amazing only if you are taking them the right way
Are pre-workouts the most popular workout drinks ever? A question with debatable answers, even though their popularity might be making some of you nod in the affirmative already. However, we will leave the answer to this question up to your imagination, and focus on more pressing matters. And one of the most frequently asked questions about pre-workouts is how they should be guzzled down. Sounds weird but trust us, it is a FAQ! Now, there are only two possible ways of drinking a pre-workout, which are sipping or chugging the formula in one go. We are leaving out the straws because that is just pure sissy! In this discussion, we put an end to this debate forever by explaining the pros and cons of both chugging and sipping and more importantly by underlining the style you should adopt.
Better answer the “when” queries before we jump to how, eh? Ideally, a pre-workout should be gulped down at least 30-60 minutes before you plan to hit the gym. This is a safe range, the actual time varies from person to person, depending upon their BMI, type of workout, and the type of pre-workout in question. For how long is it going to do its magic for your body? Again, a question with an answer that is influenced by multiple variables. However, we are going to play safe by giving you a range i.e. 1-4 hours. The variables that we mentioned earlier are not the subject matter of this discussion but you should check for them anyways, for example, caffeine concentration in your pre-workout.
What happens when you don’t read & research stuff? Rookie mistakes, which sounds like an innocuous term but is far from it. A simple blunder on your part can have devastating effects on your gym routine and your body in general. And drinking the formula the wrong way is one of the mistakes! But we will come to that bit in a minute. The first thing that you need to get in order is the timing of the drink. Yes, we have mentioned the ideal time before you should gulp down the pre-workout. But not many are aware of this information. All they are concerned with is buying the bomb product in the market! Another common mistake made by aspiring fitness geeks who rely on pre-workouts to get them through a gym session is taking them on an empty stomach. This is just the equivalent of drinking coffee on an empty stomach. Jitters and light head, we are sure you’re too familiar with the feeling if you are a 9-5 job person! And now for the mistake, every second gym geek is making these days. Drinking it the wrong way!
Chugging vs sipping: Why does it even matter?
Because you are not a robot. You see, the human body needs time to metabolize the ingredients that are present in complex supplemental formulas like pre-workouts. If you are washing down everything in a matter of milliseconds, you are not allowing the catabolic pathways to break down the product properly and let your body benefit from them the most. On the other hand, well-measured sips allow your body to warm up nicely for what’s incoming through the esophageal route! Chugging everything makes sense when you are a bit short on the time. But to assume that chugging a complex formula like pre-workout in one go will help your body in any way whatsoever can only be described as a foolish assumption at best. What is more, pre-workouts can take as long as 30-60 minutes before they kick in. So, we don’t get the rush here. Sipping is only going to take as much as five minutes extra, right? What are you planning to do in that time, save the world eh?
So which decorum should you follow?
We think you can already guess which way our verdict is tilting already. Sip it. Admittedly, some of the pre-workout formulas have a very nasty taste, so we daresay you are allowed to guzzle them down your throats in one go. But if you are following the practice for the tasty products as well, then it is a mistake that you are making. Take a swig, complement your progress, take another swig, and plan on your day’s workout plan. What’s the rush here? It is the advertisements in which heroes gulp down the entire bottle in one go, the real world is a little less glamorous than that! So, if you were to follow our advice, you will be a team sip from now onwards forever!
Is your pre-workout magical enough?
Sometimes, the reason why athletes guzzle down the entire cup or bottle full of such stimulants in one go is primarily linked to their repulsive taste and smell. You won’t believe these words until you come across such a product yourself! When we say magical, we are talking about a pre-workout formula that provides you with the kick you are after in a bearable manner. Otherwise, pinching your nose and holding back your bitter emotions every time you drink your pre-workout can be quite a challenge. Make sure you are purchasing the product you can actually drink and not just shelf, that’s all we are saying!
Summary
Pre-workouts are amazing as long as you are taking them the right way. That’s the key takeaway from this discussion. We know it is starting to sound a little redundant by now. But well, that’s how things are. Well, folks that would be all from this discussion. We wish we could have rambled on a bit more about the pre-workout etiquette in detail, but the limitations of time and space force us to conclude this mini brief right here. Nevertheless, we are quite optimistic that you learned something if not everything new from this article about how pre-workouts should be drunk. And on that optimistic note, we bid you farewell from this discussion.
