Short answer: there's no single best pre-workout. The right one depends on when you train, how much caffeine you already drink, whether you want energy or pump or focus, and what you've tried before. At Supplement Giant we ask six questions to help narrow it down for you.
Walk into most supplement stores and ask what pre-workout you should take, you’ll probably be shown whatever is the employee’s personal favorite. Search the same question online and you get a list of ten products written by someone who's never met you.
That's backwards.
A pre-workout that's perfect for a guy training at 5:30 in the morning is the wrong product for someone training at 9 at night. A formula somebody swears by for the pump might do nothing for a person who really wants focus. Recommending before asking is guessing with confidence.
1. What time do you train?
We ask this first because it rules out more products than anything else.
Morning lifters can handle just about anything. After work, it depends. If you train at 9 or 10 at night, a high-caffeine formula can wreck your sleep, and bad sleep undoes most of what you went to the gym for.
So late trainers usually end up looking at non-stim or pump formulas. Morning trainers have the whole shelf open to them.
2. How much caffeine do you already drink in a day?
Most people underestimate this. Coffee at home, an energy drink at lunch, a pre-workout at 4pm. It adds up fast.
Tolerance is real. Somebody drinking 400mg a day won't feel a 150mg pre-workout at all. Somebody drinking none of it will get flattened by a 400mg one. We’re here to match the stimulant level to what you actually need.
If you're new to pre-workout entirely, this is where we usually tell you to start with a half scoop of something moderate and see how you respond.
3. What are you after in the gym?
Or, put another way, what are you looking to improve with your pre-workout?
Some people are dragging before they get to the parking lot. Some feel fine walking in and fall off a cliff on the third set. Some want to feel full and tight the whole way through. And some can't get their head in it at all, phone in hand between sets, ninety minutes to do sixty minutes of work.
Those are four different problems. They point at energy, endurance, pump, and focus, and those are built from different ingredients. Plenty of formulas cover two or three at once. Some do one thing very well.
Tell us what's happening in your workouts and we'll work backward from there.
4. Do you hate the tingles?
That prickly, itchy feeling on your face and hands is beta-alanine. Some people chase it. Some people can't stand it.
Neither reaction is wrong. It's a known, harmless sensation. But if you hate it, you won't finish the tub, and a tub sitting in your cabinet does nothing for you. If that's you, we'll point you toward formulas without beta-alanine or with lower doses.
5. What did you take last, and what did you not like about it?
This is the most useful question we ask and almost nobody asks it.
Jitters last time? We go lower on stimulants. Felt nothing? We go higher, or look at a different mechanism. Tasted terrible and you quit halfway through the tub? Then flavor is a real factor and we'll treat it like one.
Some people also come in wanting creatine in their pre-workout, and some specifically don't. Either way, tell us. It's an easy thing to sort for.
6. What do YOU want?
We'll give you our recommendation. That's the job, and we're not shy about it. But it's your training and your money, and you're the one who has to drink the thing five days a week.
If you already have something in mind, say so. Maybe a training partner put you onto it, maybe you saw it online, maybe you just like the label. We'll tell you straight what we think of it, including if we think there's a better fit for what you described. Then it's your call. We're not going to talk you out of something you want just to move what we'd rather sell.
Why we do it this way
Anybody can stock a shelf. Anybody can publish a top ten list. The harder part is having somebody behind the counter who asks questions before handing you anything.
That's why we call our stores Colorado's Pre-Workout Headquarters and Kansas's Pre-Workout Headquarters. We do carry a ridiculous selection. But the reason for the name is that we'll help you pick one.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best pre-workout for beginners?
Usually a moderate-stim formula, starting at a half scoop. It depends on your caffeine tolerance and what time you train. Starting with the strongest option on the shelf is the most common beginner mistake.
Can I take pre-workout at night?
You can, but a high-caffeine formula late in the day can interfere with sleep. If you train in the evening, a non-stim or pump-focused pre-workout is usually a better fit.
What's the difference between a pump pre-workout and an energy pre-workout?
A pump pre-workout is built around blood flow and muscle fullness. An energy pre-workout is built around stimulants.
Pump formulas usually lean on citrulline, which supports nitric oxide production and blood flow, and glycerol, which pulls water into the muscle for fullness. Energy formulas lean on caffeine and other stimulants for drive and intensity. Focus formulas add nootropic ingredients for mental drive. Plenty of products combine two or three of those in one scoop.
If you want better pumps, more caffeine isn't the answer. Those are separate ingredients doing separate jobs.
How long before a workout should I take pre-workout?
Most people take it about 20 to 45 minutes before training. The timing depends mostly on when you last ate and how quickly you personally feel stimulants.
What causes the tingling feeling from pre-workout?
Beta-alanine. The sensation is called paresthesia and it's harmless. If you dislike it, formulas without beta-alanine are available.
Do I need creatine in my pre-workout?
Not necessarily. Creatine is useful for strength and power support, but it works whether you take it in your pre-workout or separately. If you already supplement it, you don't need it in your pre-workout too. We carry monohydrate, HCL, gummies, and capsules at every store.
Where can I buy pre-workout in Colorado?
Supplement Giant has stores in Colorado Springs (Nevada Ave, Palmer Park, and Stetson Hills) and the Denver Metro area (Aurora, Centennial, Lakewood, Littleton, and Westminster). See Colorado's Pre-Workout Headquarters for the full breakdown by training goal.
Where can I buy pre-workout in Wichita and Derby, Kansas?
Supplement Giant has three Kansas stores: East Wichita, West Wichita, and Derby. See Kansas's Pre-Workout Headquarters for the full breakdown by training goal.
Come tell us how you train
Bring us these six answers, or just walk in and chat with us. Either way you'll leave with something picked for how you train instead of whatever we’re trying to move that month.
Find your nearest store in Colorado or Kansas and come see us.
