Wrote this a few years back. I mostly use caffeine pills now, but for those asking about pre-workout, you may find this helpful.
If you have ever used a quality pre-workout supplement, then you probably know the rush that comes from it. Some of my best workouts have occurred with this extra energy in my system.
Yet I have often chosen to use only caffeine pills or coffee before my workouts. The reason? Price. Most of these supplements are far too expensive given the frequency with which I would have to buy them.
Enter this recipe. I found it at musclehacks.com, and it has made it possible for me to use pre-workout on a regular basis. You see, one purchase of about 50 dollars lasts about six months!
An author I follow named Mike Matthews has opened my eyes to many things in the supplement industry, and two of them are important here.
-First, the markups are insane. There are a few different agencies that a supplement must go through between the creator and the consumer, and each person has to mark the price up in order to make a profit. So, if I make a pre-workout and each bottle costs me 10 dollars, my distributor marks it up a measly 15 dollars, and the retailer marks it up 20, then my 10 dollar supplement is now 45 dollars! And those are probably on the low end because everyone wants to make as large a profit as possible. Making your own pre-workout removes all of that. You buy the ingredients, mix them up, and drink them! Some supplements are harder to do this with (like whey protein), but the ones that are easy to make are definitely worth it. This to me falls into the same category as paying interest; you are giving some business your money for nothing.
-The second important thing is the shadiness with which many supplements are made. For instance, many supplement companies make “blends” to mask the fact that they are putting tiny amounts of the important ingredients into the product. Often, they may take effective ingredients, but include them in ineffective amounts, rendering them pointless. Making your own pre-workout removes this as well as you can individually purchase each ingredient in bulk and mix them at the appropriate levels yourself.
The recipe I have been using based off the first article I included is great, but I have since learned of some other ingredients that could be included or even substituted. You can do some research and find a mixture that works for you. For me, I definitely see the effects of the Beta Alanine and Caffeine, but AAKG does not seem to do much of anything for me. Next time, I will probably substitute it for Citrullone.
Oh, and you can flavor it with whatever you want to! I make mine like lemonade with water, lemon juice and Truvia.
Message me with questions!
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