If you pick up any fitness magazine giving advice on how to build muscle fast one of the first things you will notice is the frequency of adverts for pre-workout supplements. Today we are going to look at how necessary these products actually are, to help you to determine whether they are worth your money.
Just like any other business, it's all about money. The sales talk and marketing pitches are what make the supplement industry go around and that's why you will often see claims of ridiculous results with every new product on the market.
While the last three decades has seen countless improvements in our knowledge of fitness and nutrition, the basic rules of building a leaner, more powerful physique have remained largely untouched.
With pre-workout supplements costing an average of 30 for a month's supply, getting hooked on finding the next big thing can turn into a very expensive bad habit. It's a craze which has really taken off in the last two years in gyms around the world yet, despite the huge financial outlay involved, most people complain at a lack of physical results.
When you take a look at the actual job of a pre-workout supplement, some of that hype clears instantly.
When it comes to pre-workout supplements you have one very simple task at hand. They are created to increase your energy before a gym session, that's it.
The hardest part, of course, is being able to tell which one is the best for you.
If you just go off the marketing claims and slogans you'll literally waste a ton of money trying every product on the market. The first thing you should check if you want any factual information is the nutritional information for the product in question.
There are two ingredients which appear in most pre-workout products today. Those are caffeine and nitric oxide boosters. They're designed to give you a quick spike of energy which, if applied to a gym session, could increase your ability to lift a heavier weight and therefore lead to more hypertrophy.
One area where this particular niche of products are not so great is science. There isn't a whole lot of scientific data to back up the need for a fitness enthusiast to take this kind of supplement, with a lot of exercisers using them purely through personal choice.
While it is nice to boost your energy before any strenuous physical activity, there is a massive over-importance placed on the shoulders of pre-workout stimulants in today's society. If you desire to learn how to build muscle you can definitely succeed without spending your hard earned cash on a caffeine supplement, despite the big claims it might make to you.
Just like any other business, it's all about money. The sales talk and marketing pitches are what make the supplement industry go around and that's why you will often see claims of ridiculous results with every new product on the market.
While the last three decades has seen countless improvements in our knowledge of fitness and nutrition, the basic rules of building a leaner, more powerful physique have remained largely untouched.
With pre-workout supplements costing an average of 30 for a month's supply, getting hooked on finding the next big thing can turn into a very expensive bad habit. It's a craze which has really taken off in the last two years in gyms around the world yet, despite the huge financial outlay involved, most people complain at a lack of physical results.
When you take a look at the actual job of a pre-workout supplement, some of that hype clears instantly.
When it comes to pre-workout supplements you have one very simple task at hand. They are created to increase your energy before a gym session, that's it.
The hardest part, of course, is being able to tell which one is the best for you.
If you just go off the marketing claims and slogans you'll literally waste a ton of money trying every product on the market. The first thing you should check if you want any factual information is the nutritional information for the product in question.
There are two ingredients which appear in most pre-workout products today. Those are caffeine and nitric oxide boosters. They're designed to give you a quick spike of energy which, if applied to a gym session, could increase your ability to lift a heavier weight and therefore lead to more hypertrophy.
One area where this particular niche of products are not so great is science. There isn't a whole lot of scientific data to back up the need for a fitness enthusiast to take this kind of supplement, with a lot of exercisers using them purely through personal choice.
While it is nice to boost your energy before any strenuous physical activity, there is a massive over-importance placed on the shoulders of pre-workout stimulants in today's society. If you desire to learn how to build muscle you can definitely succeed without spending your hard earned cash on a caffeine supplement, despite the big claims it might make to you.
About the Author:
About the Coach: Russ Howe PTI is a popular fitness coach. See how to build muscle with our new video guide showing the five principles to a more powerful physique and creatine.