The Best Pre Workout Supplement For Less Than 5 Bucks

Update: Aug 17, 2016

Let’s face it: Most preworkout supplements are nothing but over hyped bullshit.

Whether it’s the latest Super Ultra Mega Cobra Pumper 8000 that just hit the market, or some new patented blend concocted by ancient Chinese scientists, most preworkout supplements are nothing but over hyped shiny containers.

But what if I told you there was a preworkout supplement that did 90% of what your current expensive supplement does and it does it for less than 5 bucks?

This preworkout is in my opinion the best preworkout supplement because it makes up the foundation of all the expensive preworkouts you see on the market at only the fraction of the price.

So what’s the best pre-workout supplement?

[divider style=’left’]

Caffeine. More specifically caffeine pills.

If you already take any pre-workout supplement, then I guarantee it already has caffeine in it. Just look at the label of any preworkout supplement, and I guarantee you’ll find caffeine in there.

Caffeine is the foundation of all preworkout supplements and it is what drives the energy boost people feel when they take any conventional preworkout supplement.

This is why I recommend caffeine pills – because by taking caffeine pills you’re getting 90% of the benefits of a preworkout supplement at a fraction of the cost. When most people go to the gym, they simply need an energy boost to wake them up and caffeine pills are perfect for this.

They’re basically coffee on steroids.

So are actual preworkout supplements useless?

[divider style=’left’]

Well it really depends.

Not all preworkout supplements are as evil as I make them out to be. Granted there are some popular ingredients in preworkouts that have been shown to be effective.

For example, beta-alanine has been shown to improve muscular endurance and reduce fatigue. While L-tyrosine has been shown to increase energy when combined with caffeine. This site actually does a half-way decent job with its supplement reviews.

But honestly, if you don’t want to stress out over the complicated scientific details of what you should and shouldn’t take before a workout then just take a damn caffeine pill.

Because like I said, caffeine is in most pre-workout supplements and it gets the job done.

How much should you take?

[divider style=’left’]

It depends.

Most caffeine pills come in doses of 200 mg of caffeine per pill so start with this.

So take the caffeine pill and wait about 10-15 minutes, if you don’t feel the effects and energy boost kick in, then bump it up to 300 mg (cut the pill in half).

I definitely don’t recommend jumping to 400 mg right away. I’ve tried this multiple times and while you get an insane energy rush, you experience a pretty nasty crash after the workout along with a “I’m going to puke” feeling that lasts about 30 minutes. Note: I take my caffeine pills fasted so that could explain the crash effects after the workout.

Some notes about caffeine pills

[divider style=’left’]

Look, I’m not a doctor but caffeine pills are super concentrated forms of caffeine. So use some common sense like:

• Caffeine pills are essentially super concentrated forms of caffeine. One 200 mg pills is the same as drinking 2 cups of coffee so don’t be stupid with this stuff.

• Can you take too much caffeine? Yes, but I wouldn’t worry unless you begin to hit upwards of 1000 mg in a single day. But I don’t see any reason why you would do that. Most people shouldn’t need more than 500 mg MAX to have a great workout.

• What’s the best brand to buy? It doesn’t freaking matter. Unlike other supplements such as whey protein where quality actually matters more, caffeine is caffeine and virtually any brand will do. Whether you get from Walmart or Amazon, it doesn’t matter. For those curious, here’s the brand I take (currently $5.70  USD on Amazon).

So what do you guys think? Do you think caffeine pills are the best preworkout supplement? Do you take caffeine pills? Let me know in the comments below.