Made from Scratch Pre-Workout

I have tried many pre-workouts, and I have a hard time with the strong flavors. Watermelon, bubblegum and tropical punch are just hard flavors for me to swallow, especially with how strong those flavors are in pre-workout. Plus, I don’t like adding sugar, artificial sweetener, or “propitiatory blends” of stimulants into my diet. So, after some research and experimentation, here is my recipe. I find this combination has given the best results as far as workout endurance and strength/muscle building. I talk about these ingredients in my Supplement post as well, click here to read it.

I won’t be listing exact dosage here. I recommend you follow dosing on the Bulk Supplements packaging. There are usually three levels of dosing. Start at the lowest and increase each supplement one at at time to see how it is tolerated. For instance, Beta Alanine can cause a tingly, flushing,  sometimes very itchy reaction in the skin when you first start it. This is a normal harmless side effect that usually subsides with use, but can be alarming at first.

WARNING: this pre-workout mix does not taste nice! If you are looking for something that tastes like cool aid, this isn’t it! It is pure unadulterated supplements mixed in their raw form. It tastes kind of like squeezing an old lemon with beets in your mouth. I am currently experimenting with flavoring, which I added to the ingredients below, and it works great!

All of these supplements can be purchased through my Bulk Supplements affiliate link. I am super picky about the supplements I use, and this company has pure, clean supplements that are just what they say they are. Click the banner below to use my link, or click on the link for each supplement.

FIRST STEP: Get yourself a nice cup of fresh coffee and drink it about an hour before you plan to workout. Caffeine can increase alertness, sharpen focus, improve mood, improve tolerance for pain caused by exercise, help burn fat, and help athletes do more work for longer periods. I prefer to get my caffeine in a nice cup of hot joe, or in a refreshing cup of cold brew. If you prefer to add the caffeine to the pre-workout, you can get the powdered supplement by clicking this link Caffeine (Synthetic) Powder.

SECOND STEP: Buy the rest of your supplements and have them ready to pre-mix. Here are the ones I use, all of which are from Bulk Supplements.

Creatine Monohydrate (Micronized) Powder Creatine helps to boost energy, lean muscle mass and exercise performance.

Beta Alanine Powder Beta Alanine increases the amount of work you can perform at high intensities.

Taurine Powder Beta Alanine and Taurine compete for uptake in the body, so it makes sense to take Taurine if you are taking Beta Alanine.

HMB Powder HMB has been found to increase muscle building as well as inhibit muscle breakdown, and works best to help build muscle if taken in addition to creatine.

L-Citrulline DL-Malate 1:1 Powder Research suggests that L-Citrulline Malate can protect the body from symptoms of acidosis and from muscle fatigue after physical exertion.

BCAA 2:1:1 (Branch Chain Amino Acids) Powder Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) refers to three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAA supplementation can promote muscle protein synthesis and increase muscle growth over time. I am likely not going to continue adding the supplement to my pre-workout as I also take Hydrolyzed Collagen (Bovine) Powder, and it contains these amino acids plus more. Adding this ingredient is optional.

Beet Root Powder or Extract  I am currently using the Beet Root Powder but plan to switch to the Extract for convenience. You can use either. You can also use juice. Only use the dosing suggested, and if you use juice, use about a shot, otherwise you may be running to the bathroom. Beet root can boost performance, improve blood and oxygen flow to tired muscles and increase endurance.

Now, this mix tastes like super sour, beet flavored lemon with some other scary undertone. But, I have found a great way to cut the sour and enhance the flavor all while adding some electrolytes. I use Ultima Replenisher in Cherry Pomegranate and it really, really helps. The link is below..

THIRD STEP: Get some nice small containers so you can pre-mix daily doses that you can carry with you to the gym. I make 6 days worth at a time and keep them in my locker at the gym. Otherwise, I am in the gym kitchen playing mad scientist trying to get my pre-workout mixed. I found these containers at Target, and they fit a double serving of pre-workout, as my workout partner and I share the mix.

FOURTH STEP: Dump the pre-mixed container of pre-workout into your favorite shaker bottle, add water or juice, shake well and chug.

FIFTH STEP: Take a swig of raw honey. It gives you a nice energy boost!

SIXTH STEP: Go get your workout clothes on and get that pump going!