Since women first started lifting weights and slaying the gym, the pre-workout drink has been the go-to to ensure an absolutely fiyah workout.

We know it’s incredible for getting that explosive power in your lifts, but is pre-workout for cardio really a thing?

SpotMeGirl investigates to find out whether a pre-workout can really impact your cardio session.

[Related Article: Best Pre-Workouts for Women 2021]

What is pre-workout

A pre-workout is designed to help your body stay energized, make every movement powerful and keep you focused as you work out.

Each ingredient should work to help you optimize your physical performance in every workout. It should be taken between 30-60 minutes before you go to the gym and give you a boost to help power through heavy lifts, sprint faster and increase your endurance too.

Pre-workouts are usually created as a powder and mixed with water to be consumed as a shake.

How does pre-workout work?

Behind every great pre workout is a well-researched formula. It’s the ingredients in this formula that help you get the best from every workout, girl. Each one should support your body function in a way that boosts performance.

A good pre-workout should work in the following ways:

Boosts energy levels.

A good pre-workout should give you a powerful energy boost that will last by stimulating adrenaline release and inhibiting your adenosine receptors. It should be able to help you lift heavier, go for longer and tackle every workout with intense energy. A pre-workout usually uses caffeine to provide this powerful edge.

[Related Article: Caffeine Anhydrous Explained- What is it and How Does it Work? ]

Makes you feel more powerful.

If you’re going to get the best out of every workout, you need to feel powered up every time you hit the weights room.

Vasodilator ingredients like L-citrulline DL-malatemwill help give you a boost of power in every workout. With more blood pumping through your muscles, you’ll experience muscle pumps that will make you feel stronger and ready to take on a huge workout.

Gives you more focus.

On those days when you just don’t want to head to the gym, your pre-workout should help you get there. An effective supplement should give an extra edge to your cognitive function that will help you stay motivated for a killer workout.

They do this by stimulating the neurotransmitter: gamma-aminobutyric acid or GABA.

Avoids crashes.

An intelligent formula should be created to give you a clean lift, without jitters, side effects or any nasty energy crashes.

Check out this article on pre-workout side effects (and how to avoid them).

Ultimately, by taking a pre-workout before you head to the gym, you can power up your body and take your performance up a notch in every session. But does it work for cardio workouts too? Let’s find out, girl.

Why should you do cardio?

Cardio refers to just about any exercise that puts your cardiovascular system to the test. Anything that raises your heart rate for a longer period of time, increases your body temperature and gets your lungs working hard is typically a cardio exercise.

If you’re pretty familiar with your fitness terminology, you’ll recognize this definition as an aerobic activity. That translates as any exercise that relies on oxygen to help use the fat and glycogen stored in your body for fuel.

Although strength training holds a special place in our hearts, we can’t deny the benefits of cardio.

If you want to lose fat, check out this cardio workout for fat loss.

Here’s a few of the reasons you should try to include cardio in your workouts:

What types or cardio are there? 

Traditionally, when you think cardio, an image of someone plugging away on the cross trainer for an hour comes to mind. Or a runner hitting a marathon. Well, girl, we’re here to tell you that that’s not the only way to cardio.

LISS accounts for long runs, two-hour cycle sessions and just about anything that requires you to keep drilling away at a steady rate.

HIIT is very different to the traditional view of cardio. Its main focus is on the intensity of an exercise rather than the duration. You’ll be performing short, explosive bouts, then taking a short rest period before repeating several times to ensure a hard workout.

Both types of cardio are beneficial, you just need to choose the right one based on your fitness goals.

If you’re an endurance athlete, your focus will be on LISS training. The more you do this type of training, the more your body adapts to that particular challenge, making LISS training ideal if you’re after stamina in the long run.

If you lift weights and want to lose fat, without losing your gains, a HIIT program will be the most effective option as it supports power over duration. That means your muscle will be protected, while the workout blasts away any unwanted fat.

Learn more about this style of training with this article on the benefits of HIIT. 

Why use a pre-workout for cardio?

Whatever your discipline, effective cardio calls for intensity. If you’re an endurance athlete, that intensity if usually the distance or length of the workout. If you’re a sprinter, the intensity comes from speed and power.

The best pre-workout for cardio should be able to help you smash your cardio session.

Traditionally, pre-workouts have been mainly known as a supplement to help weight lifters get more power behind their workouts. However, they can offer countless benefits to cardio workouts too. Science shows that caffeine, one of the key ingredients of many pre-workouts, can improve an athletes ability to train harder, for longer [1].

Another study found that combining caffeine and creatine helped to increase both strength and muscle contraction, along with endurance performance too [2].

If you’re using LISS to lose fat, a pre-workout with a stimulant in the mix can also help to boost your metabolism. Bonus.

Although you won’t need the power element of a pre-workout, you may still benefit from improved stamina, mental focus and you should keep fatigue at bay too.

When it comes to HIIT, a pre-workout is perfect. There’s so much research out there to support its use for a high intensity workout.

A recent study shows that pre-workouts containing caffeine, citrulline malate and creatine help to improve maximum oxygen consumption, lean body mass composition and even boosted the running speed at high intensity [3].

How to take pre-workout for cardio

If you’re taking pre-workout for cardio, you should aim to consume it as per the recommendations from the manufacturer. Take the suggested dosage 30 minutes to an hour before you head to the gym and you should benefit from all the energizing goodness.

The final word

Although it’s always been closely linked to weight training, the benefits of a pre-workout can be transferred to a cardio. It should make you feel stronger, more energized and boost your endurance, no matter what your workout, girl.

Take your run, cycle or swim to the next level and find a pre-workout for cardio. You might just crush your personal best.

Check out our guide on the Best Pre-Workouts for Women 2021

Disclaimer time. We want to start this article by saying that, if not taken correctly, pre-workout can have side effects that may have a negative impact on your health. If you have any concerns at all about taking a pre-workout or suffer from any illnesses, you should consult your doctor first.

Sure, they can help you feel stronger, go further and generally feel more energized at the gym. However, we’d be lying if we’d said we’d never felt a side effect from a bad pre-workout.

Luckily for you girls, we’ve learnt from our pre-workout side effects and are here to bring you the science on how to avoid the unwanted extras.

Related Article: Check out our guide to the Best Pre-Workouts for Women in 2019

The final scoop

Whether you’re already using one or scoping out the market, it’s always a great idea to be aware of any potential pre-workout side effects. A pre-workout has the power to help you go further and achieve more, but if they’re making you feel ill you won’t get the best out of them.

Once you know what these side effects are and how to minimize their impact on your body, you can start to really benefit from the pre-workout. Try out our helpful solutions now and maximize the effectiveness of your supplement.

Looking for more myth-busting articles? Check these out:

• A Girls Guide to Metabolic Conditioning
• Target Heartrate for Fat Loss: Truth or Myth?

Sounds amazing right? Us fitness girls just want to reach our absolute peak in every workout, and a quality pre-workout can be an excellent way to get the most out of every lift. We’ve just got to find the perfect one.

Sounds simpler than it actually is though girls. You might start your search, but it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of choice, the countless reviews and the promises of next-level results. But how do you know what’s actually going to work and what will just give you a next-level headache?

It’s information overload out there girls and it’s no wonder many of us just don’t know where to start.

At SMG, we know the struggle. We’re always on the lookout for the best products and we’ve gathered all of our experience and expertise to bring you this guide to pre-workouts for women.

From what pre-workout is, through to the ingredients you should be looking out for, we’ve created an all-encompassing, definitive guide to pre-workouts for women.

Article Preview

• What is pre-workout?
• What does pre-workout do? 
• What makes a good pre-workout?
• Ingredients
• Caffeine dosages
• Research
• Quality
• Should you go for pre-workouts designed for women?
• FAQ’s
• The final scoop 

What is pre-workout?

A pre-workout supplement is usually a formula designed to help you reach optimum levels of success in your workout. It’s usually available in powder form and can be mixed with water to enjoy as a shake before you head to the gym.

In an ideal world, a good pre-workout can help you push harder in the gym. It can improve your ability to focus on what you’re doing and should increase your ability to make gains. All of this combines to help you get the most out of every workout and push you right to the upper limits of your potential.

That’s the dream girls.

The reality of the situation is this market is extremely saturated. It appears that just about every fitness brand out there has their own tub of pre-workout on the shelves.

Because there are so many varieties available, it’s hard to know what to look for in a formula. Although they may all be under the umbrella term of pre-workout, the ingredients list rarely looks the same from brand to brand. Don’t worry, we’ll get to ingredients later, girl.

The one thing all of these pre-workouts have in common is they’re all claiming to boost your physical performance in the gym. But what does that mean?

What does pre-workout do?

Girl, there are tons of pre-workout supplements on the market. It’s so easy to get lost in a world of promises, false guarantees and half-assed products. Don’t worry though, we’re here to look out for you.

To help you stay on the right track and filter the real deal out from the crap, we’re going to talk about what you should expect from a high-quality pre-workout and what “boost your performance” really means.

A good pre-workout should be able to do the following:

Improve energy levels.

They should contain ingredients that boost your energy levels for your workout. However, this shouldn’t be a quick increase and a sudden crash. A good pre-workout should give you explosive power and improve your endurance without jitters or headaches. Aka don’t go for something that’s just a big hit of caffeine.

Make you feel stronger.

To really push your strength to the limits, a smart pre-workout will contain creatine. This is one of the most highly researched ingredients in the world of supplements and it can make you feel stronger and your muscles feel bigger.

It boosts your ATP production, which is your bodies main source of energy. On top of that your body can use creatine as a fuel, so by supplementing it, you’re dramatically increasing your sources.

If that wasn’t good enough, this handy ingredient also improves muscle cell hydration. This can improve protein synthesis for a more efficient repair process, and it makes your muscles look bigger too. Bonus.

Improve focus.

The more focused you are on your workout, the more likely you are to reap results. No more giving up half way through a set or feeling unmotivated – a pre-workout should give you the support you need.

Now, a lot of pre-workouts out there say they achieve this, by pumping their formula with a hell-uv-a-lot of caffeine. Although caffeine will increase your energy levels and ability to focus, if you’re sensitive to it, you can experience some pretty intense crashes and even jitters if you’ve had too much. Caffeine should be carefully dosed, not maxed out.

No crashes.

An intelligent pre-workout formula should only use ingredients that work in harmony together to bring you a clean, yet powerful lift. We’ve said it before, but if it’s just pumped full of caffeine you probably won’t be benefiting from a smart formula that gives you a well-rounded experience. You might just get a migraine.

Key Point: A good pre-workout will make you feel stronger, more energized and won’t give you a nasty, jittery crash halfway through your workout. 

What makes a good pre-workout?

We’re pretty familiar with the pre-workout market and we’ve reviewed countless products.

To help filter out the good from the bad, we’ve created a criterion of what we expect from a product as the bare minimum.

Transparent.

If you’ve started researching pre-workouts, you’ll start to see the ‘proprietary blends’ on a lot of labels. This is an immediate red flag for us, as a proprietary blend is an undisclosed mix of ingredients. It’s something manufacturers can use to cover up fillers in their product and we are not on board with it. We like to know exactly what we’re putting in to our bodies and unknown blends are an unnecessary risk.

Well researched.

At SpotMeGirl, we’re all about nourishing our bodies. We spend a lot of time planning what we’re going to eat and when, to ensure we get the maximum benefit from it. We’re also pretty clued up on why our body needs these foods too. When it comes to a supplement we take the same approach.

Needless to say, we ain’t no scientists. But we do want to see extensive research surrounding each ingredient to justify its place within the formula. The more of that we can see, the more confident we are that it’s a legit pre-workout.

Natural.

This is a big deal for us. There are so many ingredient labels packed with unknown, unpronounceable, factory-made nutrients. We’re not about that. Your body is designed and optimized to process all-natural ingredients, not synthetic chemicals. Plus, with a chemical you don’t know what side-effects you might experience. Overall, we’re not sold on factory manufactured “nutrients”.

Using these criteria, we’ve reviewed and compared a variety of products to find the best option for you. Check out our favorites here: 10 Best Pre-Workout Supplements for Women

Ingredients

When looking over the ingredients label, you should keep an eye out for natural products. The world is full of naturally-occurring nutrients, designed by mother nature to help you smash your workouts. Well, she might not have designed them for that specific reason, but they really do work either way.

To put it simply, your body isn’t designed to process synthetic chemicals. Instead, it will more readily absorb natural products that won’t clog up your system. You’ll be surprised at how much more alert and fresher you’ll feel with a natural option.

If you’re looking at the list of ingredients and the names are just strings of numbers and letters, it’s probably fake stuff.  Watch out for these, you could just be jamming up your body with synthetic crap.

To give you an idea of what a quality, all-natural pre-workout should contain, here are a few ingredient examples:

Caffeine and L-Theanine: Caffeine alone is a great way to improve energy levels and boost performance, but the addition of L-Theanine (an amino acid found in tea leaves) takes it up a notch. According to the experts, these two ingredients work together in perfect synergy to boost power output and increase mental awareness.

L-Citrulline Dl-Malate: Extracted from watermelons, this can help you dilate the blood vessels, pumping up your muscles and delivering more oxygen to key areas for a longer workout.

Rhodiola Rosea: Traditionally used in Chinese medicine, this Scandinavian herb combats bad moods and even fatigue. So, your mood will be boosted, and you’ll be motivated to smash your workout.

[infobox]Key Point: All natural ingredients will be better absorbed by your body and give you a clean lift. [/infobox]

Caffeine dosages

Energy is key to getting the most out of your workout, and caffeine is a great way to power-up beforehand.

However, some products take it too far and pump their supplements full of the stuff, leaving you with shaky hands, a headache and sometimes an intense crash. Too much caffeine has even been linked to insomnia [1] and anxiety [2].

You don’t need hundreds of grams of the stuff for incredible results. Instead, it should be just enough for a sweet energy boost and improved focus. Look for a product that keeps caffeine carefully regulated, so you don’t feel the negative side effects of too much.

[infobox]Key Point: You don’t need loads of caffeine in a pre-workout. They could leave you with negative side-effects. [/infobox]

Research

After you’ve found the supplements with ‘real’ ingredients, you need to find out why they’ve been used. You don’t want to spend your hard-earned money on filler ingredients, so head to the manufacturer’s website for more info.

Ideally, you should be looking for some science behind their decisions. Are they backing up their claims with studies and research or are they just putting it in there because most pre-workouts do?

Look out for the product that’s tried and tested, backed up by real science and heavily researched. Anything less than that is probably developed by a part-timer who’s looking to cash in on your fitness journey, and that’s not cool girls. We’re looking for experts only.

Quality

When it comes to a high-quality product, there are a few ways to tell the good stuff, from the shelf fillers. A quick and easy way is to look out for certifications.

 FDA approved: This means the U.S Food and Drug Administration has reviewed and tested the product to confirm that the benefits of it outweigh the risks of the items planned use.

cGMP certified: This notifies the purchaser that the product is created in a safe, controlled environment.

With these certifications to their name, you can rest assured you’re looking at a product that’s made it through a rigorous quality examination.

Should you go for pre-workouts designed for women?

When it comes to picking the right product for women, the truth is, a lot of companies will change their branding and even up their price to appeal to a female audience. But finding the right option for you as about a lot more than the color of the bottle.

Up until recently, the fitness and supplement game has been very male dominated, so a lot of the best products out there are focused on appealing to them.

Only recently have companies started making products specifically for women, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best option out there for you. A lot of the time, sellers will just change the color of the labels, the brand message and maybe even charge you extra for something pink.

Don’t be drawn in by that, girl. When you’re searching for the best pre-workout for women, don’t be put off if it seems like it’s made for a dude. As long as the ingredients tick all the boxes and it’s backed up by science, it has the potential to be an excellent pre-workout drink, for men and women.

[infobox]Key Point: Pre-workouts with women-centric packaging aren’t always the best option. Read the label and check out the ingredients to find the right brand for you.[/infobox] 

FAQ’s

Still got a few questions? No worries girl, here are a few FAQ’s about pre-workouts.

Are there any side effects to pre-workouts?

Some very caffeine heavy pre-workout formulas can cause some side effects. You may feel jittery, dehydrated, you could suffer from headaches and your heartrate could increase. However, that’s usually the case with higher caffeine formulas.

For more information, read this article on pre-workout side effects.

Should you be cycling your pre-workout?

If you continue to take a pre-workout without a break occasionally, you may find you become less sensitive to it’s affects. To get the most out of your pre-workout, you should aim to have a week off once every 6-8 weeks.

Will it affect a drugs test?

As long as your pre-workout has entirely above board, natural and doesn’t contain any banned substances, it won’t affect a drugs test. Another reason you should avoid those nasty proprietary blends.

How much should you pay for a pre-workout?

When it comes to pre-workouts, you should be prepared to pay for quality. The best pre-workouts are usually at the higher end of the spectrum in terms of price, which isn’t always great for your account, we’ll admit. But it pays off in the end girl, trust us. As soon as you start dropping the price you’ll see huge helpings of caffeine and mysterious proprietary blends at every turn.

Will pre-workout affect my sleep?

Almost all pre-workouts have caffeine in them, so if you’re particularly sensitive avoid taking it close to when you go to sleep. We’d say don’t take a pre-workout within five hours of going to bed to avoid any affects on your ability to sleep well.

When should I take my pre-workout?

It’s up to you and how the pre-workout affects you. Some people take it 30 minutes to an hour before they workout, others drink theirs just 15 minutes before. Test it out for yourself, but don’t take it any earlier than an hour before you head to the gym, so you get the best out of the energy lift it gives you.

The final scoop

We’re hoping that after reading out guide you should know what pre-workout is and how it works. You should know what makes a good pre-workout, what you should avoid and which ingredients to look out for.

With all this information, you should have everything you need to find the best pre-workout for women to suit you and your fitness goals. Whether you’re a bodybuilding goddess or queen of the cardio, the right product can give you the perfect boost to get the most out of every session.

To help you find the best quality product, we’ve reviewed a range of pre-workout brands. Check out our favorites and head to our Top 10 Pre-Workouts page.

References:

Women are as empowered as we’ve ever been. It’s taken years and years but we’re finally now accepted in both the gym, and in competitive sport.

Even brutally challenging, demanding sports like boxing.

In fact, the fitness, stamina and strength of boxers needs to be so high that you’ll do anything to get that extra little bit from your tough workouts.

That’s where a pre workout for female boxers comes in.

If you want to smash through your goals and hit fatigue in the face with a fierce left-right combo, this is your best opportunity yet.

What Is a Pre Workout?

It was the greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali, that once said “I hated every minute of training, but I said don’t quit, suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion”.

When it comes to winning, the best female boxers will get their heads down in the gym and their hands up in the ring.

And you’re the same.

You’re here because you’ll do anything to get that belt. To fight the best you can do, and know that when push comes to shove you gave it your all.

Female boxers use pre workout supplements because they are winners

All of the benefits of a pre workout relate to giving you that winning edge.

The difference between holding the championship belt above your head, or trying to scrape yourself off the ring floor.

From focus to endurance, a pre workout takes your boxing fitness to a whole new level.

Pre workout supplements supercharge your stamina, focus, concentration and agility

How often do you get to the last round and you feel like your lungs are on fire? Your arms are like lead weights and your heart will tear straight through your chest?

What about your focus and clarity as punches rain at you like a hailstorm?

Elite level conditioning and concentration is what makes or breaks a female boxer’s performance.

Pre workout supplements use all-natural ingredients to ramp up fitness, energy levels and unrelenting endurance.

They’re like another coach in your corner, spurring you on to knock down your opponent.

Here are the nutrients you need in your pre workout…

Caffeine: Improve competitive edge and never back down

As a woman, you don’t have the same tolerance to caffeine as men. But pre workouts that use optimal caffeine for women help to make your workouts as rewarding as possible.

Caffeine is a neural enhancer that switches you from a feminine female to a don’t-f*ck-with-me animal in ring, within the space of a few minutes.

It’s a real game changer for athletes.

The benefits of caffeine pre workout on female boxers include:

• Clean energy with no negative side effects
• Significant improvement in physical and cognitive performance
• Enhanced athleticism. You feel sharper, fitter, stronger and in control
• Helps you deal with stressful situations better – like getting punched in the face

Aim for around 150-180 mg of caffeine for optimal results. Some of the harsher pre workout supplements will leave you feeling wired, tired and thickheaded.

L-theanine: Focus without distractions

Speak to world class boxers and coaches and they all say the same thing – what makes a champion stand out from the rest is the ability to think clearly and not get distracted – in both training and in the ring.

Great female boxers don’t just rely on pure fitness.

They also use tactics, resilience, motivation and skill.

But when that adrenaline kicks in and you find yourself swinging punch after punch without landing, it’s time to take a step back, a deep breath, and relax.

You might wonder how a pre workout with caffeine could also help you relax and focus? Well it’s all down to a nootropic compound found in tea leaves called L-theanine.

The benefits of L-theanine on female boxers include:

• L-theanine combines with caffeine to form the brain-enhancing ‘smart caffeine’.
• Relieves the jittery, nervous feelings of adrenaline so you can focus and channel your energy with nose-shattering precision.
• It helps with skill and attention so you can dodge punches… and land them like a pro.
• Reduces mental fatigue.
• Enhances reaction time and hand-eye co-ordination.

Citrulline malate boosts the winning combo of blood flow and strength

When fatigue kicks in you need to deliver as many nutrients to your working muscles as you can.

Now’s not the time to suffer heavy legs or lose that power punch finisher.

Found in watermelon, citrulline malate is an amino acid that speeds up the delivery of oxygen and nutrients right where you need them most.

Even at high-intensity, citrulline malate stamps on fatigue and hits it below the belt. You’ll be light on your feet, agile and energetic as you bob and weave right through to the last round with this all-natural, healthy compound.

Studies show that 6,000 mg of citrulline malate improves both maximal and average strength and power in elite athletes.

And when your job is to knock someone off their feet, power output is a priority.

The benefits of citrulline malate on female boxers include:

• Reduced fatigue and greater power output.
• Enhances recovery so you can make the most our of those between-rounds breaks.
• Improves high-intensity maximal aerobic capacity and muscle oxygenation.

Red beet will turn you into a super lightweight superwoman

This nutrient-filled food is a great source of inorganic nitrate compounds.

And when the intensity of your fight is at a high, you use these compounds to dilate your blood  vessels and pump more blood to where it’s needed – your muscles and your brain.

The combination of red beet and citrulline malate lead to an imposing, dominating muscle pump that’ll blow up your muscles and make you look like the mean, female fighting machine you really are.

Not only that, it also enhances athletic performance too.

The benefits of red beet on female boxers include:

• Powerful, commanding muscle pump that shows your opponent who’s the real boss.
• Enhanced aerobic endurance, stamina and resolve.
• Lowers fatigue – even in the last round.

Is Pre Workout Safe for Female Boxers?

By now you’ll definitely be excited to give a female boxer pre workout a try. After all – if it enhances your athletic performance and boosts your chance of victory, so why wouldn’t you?

But is it safe and legal for boxers to take it?

The answer is yes.

Most definitely..

Pre workouts such as 4 Gauge don’t contain banned or illegal substances.

And as a premium product packed with all-natural nutrients such as caffeine, L-theanine, citrulline malate and red beet, you know you’re getting the best pre workout out there.

• More energy, stamina and fight
• Make intuitive decisions with better focus
• Enhance skill, power, agility and speed
• Work harder in the gym and make your target weight with ease

Use the ballistic, pump-action power of a pre-workout to train hard and fight easy.

Load up your guns…

The championship belt is just around the corner.

Check out our guide on the Best Pre-Workouts for Women 2021

Others work a bit like Leatherface, clambering into your skull and swinging a chainsaw around. Giving you a violent and uncomfortable buzz and terrible energy crash as he cuts his way out the back and waits until his next attack.

Movie references aside, there are clear differences between pre workouts and the experience they offer. One easy way of figuring out if a pre workout is going to make you feel like a cracked out gym girl, or future Ms Olympia, is to take a look at the ingredients.

What are you looking for?

You want natural pre-workout ingredients. That are derived from a natural source.

We’re going to use a classic analogy here;

Imagine your body is a car. And let’s say, to keep the environmental activists happy, that this car is an electric one. To keep this car running and to keep it performing at it’s best it’s going to need electricity.

If someone came along and drilled a hole in the side of that car and pumped it full of diesel it’d break. Obviously.

Think of your body as an electric car. You don’t want it pumped full of stuff that does harm to it. You certainly don’t want to break during a workout.

Now that awkward and slightly weird analogy is over let’s take a look at what you should be looking for when it comes to a natural pre workout.

Best Natural Pre Workout Ingredients

So you know you need to buy natural. As an electric car nothing else will do. Sorry, as a human being nothing else will do.

But the confusion is that among all the side effect free natural ingredients there’s a load of crappy ingredients that won’t really offer much of a benefit and could instead just give you a heap of unwanted side effects,

Cutting through this monumental powder pile of bullshit can be both time consuming and expensive. The amount of pre workout powders you’d have to buy would put you in the same league as Pablo Escabar. Just with pre workouts and not narcotics.

As a group of guys who love to lift though, we have a team of people who’ve tried and tested a ton of pre workouts ingredients and formulas.

Here’s what we’ve found works best:

Caffeine Anhydrous

Caffeine is essential in any pre workout. It’s a naturally occurring central nervous stimulant, that can both give you a good source of energy, but also help boost metabolism and improve focus.

The only risks with caffeine are if supplements contain too much of it. In which case you will end up with some uncomfortable and unwanted side effects.  Jitters, energy crashes and even headaches and nausea.

Look for around 150mg in a single serving. Anything over this can turn a workout into a nightmare.

L-Citrulline

L-Citrulline is essential if you want to experience increased blood flow to your muscles during exercise. We all know what Arnold said about muscle pumps, and if you want to find out every time you hit the iron, then make sure you have upwards of 3000mg of this amino acid in your pre workout.

It’s naturally derived from watermelons, so there’s no reason to worry about any adverse side effects either. It works by increasing the amount of nitric oxide in your blood.

This increases vascularity and blood flow which means you won’t just get a pump, but also have more nutrients being delivered to muscles.

L-Theanine

This is another amino acid. Think of L-Theanine as the calm and collected partner to caffeine.

Whilst L-Theanine is technically a stimulant, it provides a clear and calming effect too. So if you have a good balance of caffeine and l-theanine, you end up with what’s known as ‘smart caffeine’.

With the right amount of l-theanine in a pre workout, you’ll be able to focus and push harder than ever before. And it’ll also reduce unwanted side effects.

L-Theanine is also a naturally occurring part of tea leaves. Making it perfect for any natural pre workout.

Natural Pre Workout Ingredients to Avoid

Remember we spoke about the crappy ingredients that won’t really have any effect on your performance and are instead just the product of clever marketing, biased studies and ancient witch doctor practices?

Well here are the three big ones that are just a waste of time when it comes to pre workouts:

L-Arginine

L-Arginine is touted as something that can help with muscle pumps and increase no2 levels. And whilst L-Citrulline is converted to L-Arginine in the liver, when you supplement L-arginine it is broken down straight away by the stomach.

So it doesn’t actually get chance to be used to help improve performance as well as a high dose of l-citrulline.

Synephrine (Bitter orange extract)

Synephrine is commonly touted as a stimulant and fat burner. The risks associated with it are high though. It has similaraties to banned substance ephedrene which can cause adverse side effects when supplemented.

What’s worse is that this ingredient, although natural, can interact negatively with caffeine and make you feel pretty shit. Avoid.

Beta Alanine

Beta alanine is an amino acid that can improve endurance if you are training weights. Whats the issue?

Beta alanine can cause that horrendous skin tearing side effect known as paresthesia. This is very annoying and distracting and can actually ruin a workout if it comes on too strong.

Better alternatives for improving muscular endurance are out there, creatine being a major one.

Additives in Natural Pre Workouts

So you’ve found a supplement that won’t break your electric car….or break you. Well as well as naturally occurring and effective ingredients you should be cautious of nasty flavourings and food additives.

To find a true natural pre workout you want to be looking for natural sweeteners and colourings.

Artificial colours and flavours can have a negative impact on your health and overall results from training. Plus can add an excess of calories to any pre workout blend.

The Best Natural Pre Workout

When it comes to a top of the range natural pre workout there simply isn’t anything that can beat 4 Gauge.

It comes miles ahead of Pre Jym, Grenade and others when it comes to delivering a low calorie and completely natural pre workout experience.

4 Gauge delivers an unbeatable muscle pump and also clean, level amount of energy that won’t see you gurning through your workout then fainting at the inevitable energy crash afterwards.

4 Gauges Effects

• Skin splitting muscle pumps
• Rapid increase in performance
• Clean focused energy
• ZERO side effects

For the best natural pre workout the will give you the best workout of your life, head over to 4Gauge to see more testimonials, a full ingredients breakdown, and more.

Don’t take our word for it, see for yourself this high quality safe and natural pre workout.

>> Visit 4 Gauge <<

It’s tough to build up the momentum to make changes to your body.

For the first few weeks of any fitness program it can be challenging enough  to even get to the gym. Let alone work hard when you’re there.

That’s where a pre workout comes.

Even if you don’t see yourself winning the national athletics championships, playing competitive sports or competing in a bikini or figure competition, it doesn’t matter.

We all need a boost no matter what level we’re at.

In this article we break down the benefits of a pre workout for beginners and tell you the nutrients you need to aim for to make the most out of your gym workouts.

Read on if you want to completely transform your body and mind and break the beginner cycle…

Beginner exercise is all about building positive habits

Unfortunately many beginners to exercise don’t achieve their goals. According to statistics from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, only 20% of women achieve successful weight loss.

Why?

Because it’s hard.

You start off full to the brim with motivation and willingness to get where you need to be. You maybe lose a few pounds to begin with too.

Great.

But as the weeks pass, the gym gets slightly less interesting than it used to be. You aren’t progressing as quickly and each workout gets harder as you try to push your body to new heights of fitness.

Not only that, the diet you’re following is leaving you low on energy too.

All of a sudden it’s getting tough to get off the settee and make that long drive to the gym.

You need motivation!

And you need it fast.

What Is a Pre Workout?

Pre workout supplements help you fight daily fatigue and get your body ready for the best workout ever.

Made up of all-natural vitamins, minerals and nutrient compounds, pre workout supplements supercharge your body in a number of different ways.

• Increased energy, stamina and endurance – you can work harder, for longer, without fatigue or exhaustion.
• More strength and power – escape the embarrassing feeling of beginner weights by ramping up your abilities from day one.
• Improved blood flow – good pre workouts help deliver more oxygen and nutrients to your working muscles, helping you tackle even the most challenging of classes or workouts.

What to look for in your pre workout

Pre workout supplements target every strand of your physiology. They cover all bases, optimizing results by triggering hormonal, neural and physical changes in your body that give you the best workouts possible.

In other words, they’ve got you covered from all angles!

Pre workouts jolt your heart and vascular system to give you energy and hack your brain to keep you on track and tuned in to the job at hand. Your muscles receive the nutrients they need to keep on working, and your nervous system receives the signals it needs to really ramp up power, speed and strength.

Much like any other kind of supplement, you’ll get some that contain only low-dosed nutrients. And you’ll get those one in a million products that tick every box and make you feel inhuman.

You have to do your research.

The best beginner pre workouts use stimulants such as caffeine to switch off the adenosine receptors. This helps to boost workout power by enhancing bran activity and sharpness.

L-theanine and rhodiola rosea are often added to help you avoid caffeine over-stimulation and increase focus.

Red beet and citrulline malate improve blood flow and aerobic performance. And if you get a superior product that has added creatine added to it, you can expect to see your strength fly off the chart too.

A pre workout takes you from a beginner to athlete standard

We remember it well. Those first few weeks at the gym are horrible because you’re exhausted easily and even light weights feel like you’ve entered a powerlifting competition.

You start off with hopes of smashing the gym, when really you’re so tired that you hardly put a dent in you workout, let alone push yourself to your limits.

Gyms can be intimidating too as a beginner.

You feel out of place and conscious of you weaknesses.

As a female beginner, you might feel out of place and not completely sure if you’re working hard enough to make gains or reach your goals. Or where you need to be to work efficiently and reach your targets fast.

A pre workout gives you the energy to reach levels of fitness to match the most experienced gym goer.

Pre workouts gives you the mental resolve to not give a sh*t about being a beginner. And it takes you to athlete-like levels of stamina and strength that’ll blow the doors off your limitations.

Not all pre workout supplements are aggressive

One concern you may have as a beginner is that your pre workout might be too much to handle.

Much like giving a new driver a supercharged turbo sports car, some of the more aggressive can be difficult to handle.

The best pre workouts for women use balanced and clinically-dosed ingredient profiles – even for beginners.

So don’t worry – there are products out there just for you.

Best pre workout for female beginners

There are a lot of pre workouts out there. And while they don’t all market to beginners, it’s can still be confusing when it comes to making the right choice.

We know exactly what’ll make you tick… and what’ll make you sick.

Luckily for you, the SpotMeGirl team have spent hours and hours trialing and testing pre workout supplements targeting beginners.

And we know the best choice for you…

4 Gauge – Our number one female pre workout for beginners

Specifically designed to boost strength, stamina, endurance and motivation, 4 Gauge is our number one beginner’s pre workout choice.

Formulated with only natural, clinically-dosed nutrients such as citrulline malate, red beet, rhodiola rosea and just enough caffeine – 4 Gauge will tear off the shackles of being a beginner and help you explode as a more experienced, competent gym-goer.

• Clean energy – Channel your energy without a cloudy head or jitters.
• Focus and motivation – Make your workouts count, time and time again.
• Stamina and endurance – Achieve near-athlete levels of cardio and weight training ability.

Key features – why it’s out number one

4 Gauge contains only 150 mg of caffeine per serving. That’s enough to give you a sharp boost in energy, without the side effects.

The added L-theanine helps to push energy to where you need it most, by synergizing with caffeine to form an effective, brain-powering nootropic effect.

This premium supplement doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners. Instead, it’s flavored with coconut water (which also provides electrolytes) as well as other natural flavorings.

Its fruit punch taste is energizing, fresh and easy to drink when you’re in a rush.

The ingredients in 4 Gauge come together to form the best pre workout that we’ve used in a long time… and we’ve tried a lot. It might come with a slightly heavier price-tag than some of the lower-dosed products out there – but you’re definitely getting what you pay for here.

To Buy, Visit
» www.4Gauge.com «

Or discover our list of the best on the market, right now.

And there’s no shame in it…not much anyway. You’re either not working hard enough, or you’re not supplementing right. Luckily for you though, we’ve found the absolute best pre workout for pump.

A muscle pump is a feeling of extreme pleasure. Alpha female confidence, puppy excitement and psycho motivation flood your brain as those endorphins get released.

It’s ace. But in order to truly achieve this pysiological zen, you must first understand what they actually are….

What is a muscle pump?

A muscle pump is when your muscles swell up during a workout. This is because in order to keep working your body is firing blood to that particular muscle in use. They occur when the time the muscle is under tension increases, with the excess blood flow stretching out the muscle in use.

The benefit of a muscle pump isn’t just so you feel absolutely jacked though, it actually helps prevent the breakdown of muscle through enhancing protein synthesis. As if that wasn’t enough though, dat sick pump can also decrease the natural breakdown of muscle over time.

Brad Schoenfield, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., co authored a study covering exactly this. And the scientific reasoning for the gains made from a pump is; “Your cells have to adapt to the extra pressure by reinforcing the strength of their walls,”.

So aiming for a pump when you train a certain muscle is pretty important, especially if you want to be packing on gains.

For best results you want to be hitting isolation exercises and keeping the tension up on the muscle for longer than normal. Work hard. Then work harder than that. Pussy.

Best pre workout for pump

If you’re chasing that pump then a pre workout can give you the biggest kick above anything else you can do. With the right exercises and a pump focused pre workout, you can achieve a monster muscle pump easier than ever before.

To achieve a monstrous pump, that is probably even better than cumming you need to be checking out 4 Gauge by Roar Ambition.

4 Gauge uses a blend of 10 scientifically dosed ingredients and rigorous athlete testing to ensure a pre workout that delivers a pump like no other.

• Best muscle pumps we’ve had
• Workout for longer, harder 
• No energy crashes or pre workout comedowns
• 100% natural ingredients, nothing artificial

-Visit 4 Gauge- 

Ingredients that give you muscle pumps

You can get a muscle pump without any supplements at all. But where is the fun in a short lived or completely missed pump? Getting a pre workout with the right blend of ingredients in guarantees you that thick pulsing feeling in your muscles as you go for max on your bicep curls.

Not all ingredients are created equal when it comes to an immortal pump though. But luckily, we’ve experimented with most. If only you could see our veins as we hammer at the keyboard like a laptop weilding thor.

So here’s 3 essential ingredients to keep an eye out for that’ll get you an insane pump.

#1 L-Citrulline

We should just be listing this ingredient 3 times over here. L-Citrulline is an amino acid that is found in watermelons. It boosts up nitric oxide and gets blood vessels dilated.  This increases muscular endurance and increases blood flow. Your veins become thick and you become powerful. It’s up to you whether or not you turn green and rip your clothes off as the monster pump kicks in.

#2 Red Beet Root Extract

While L-Citrulline is the king of pumps, Red Beet is the queen. Basically Red Beet will massively support the L-Citrulline you’ve supplemented by increasing plasma nitrate in your body.

This then leads to an increase in nitric oxide and increases blood flow. Pump time.

We’ve put red beet on this list as it’s one of the only natural extracts that can be directly attributed to getting you a pump.

#3 L-Arginine (Sort of)

We’ve got a sort of here, because this is one of the most widely used amino acids that’s thought to get you a pump. Whilst there are some benefits to l-arginine supplementation, when it comes to pumps it’s a bit of a deflated pump.

In short, when you supplement l-citrulline, it’s converted in l-arginine in the body. It’s this that helps deliver the pump. So it’d make sense to supplement L-Arginine directly right?

Sadly not.

L-arginine isn’t as effective as l-citrulline as when it reaches the stomach it’s broken down and not used to raise levels of nitric oxide, or at least not as effectively as l-citrulline.

How to get the ultimate arm pump

Now you know which pre workout is going to deliver you that unreal muscle pump, we want to make sure you go out and get that skin splitting feeling you’re aiming for.

What better muscle to get a pump in than your arms??? Other than maybe your dick.

Combining 4 Gauge pre workout with this short arm workout is going to get you feeling absolutely jacked. You’ll have to turn sideways just to get out of the gym door.

Here’s our simple, yet aggressive workout to deliver the ultimate arm pump:

EXERCISE 1 and 2
Superset 1
A1 BB drag curl
A2 EZ bar preacher curl
8-15 reps on each

3 sets in total

For drag curl you focus on pushing your elbows back and literally dragging the bar up your abs towards your lower ribs.

EXERCISE 3 and 4
Triceps superset
A1 Cable rope extensions – 8-15 reps
A2 Decline DB skullcrusher – 6-10 reps

3 supersets in total

EXERCISE 5
Seated incline DB curls – mechanical drop set
Start with a weight that pushes you to fatigue within 15 reps
Set 1 – bench at 60 degree
Set 2 – bench at 45 degrees
Set 3 – bench upright
Set 4 – lean forwards slightly

2 rounds in total

EXERCISE 6
Narrow grip dips
As many reps as possible ‘AMRAP’

3 sets in total

Finish and feel that pump. And also cry tomorrow when you can’t lift your arms over your head. Or hold your loved ones.

How to get a muscle pump with 4 Gauge

As we’ve mentioned 4 Gauge is without a doubt the best workout to deliver a godlike muscle pump.

In order to get the most out of it, we found a few tips for supplementation to get best pump results…

#1 Take your pre workout 15 minutes before you start training

Pre workouts might recommend you take them 30 minutes before training. But we prefer the full force of the supplement to kick in after our first few exercises and carry through to the end of the set. This ensures you’re getting pumped up and hammering out reps for days after your muscle is first fatigued…

#2 Take 1 scoop before, 1 scoop during

If you’re going to be hammering through a big session then this works well. Take 1 scoop before your workout and keep levels topped up by having a second scoop as you first work through. This way you’ll be keeping levels of nitric oxide, caffeine and everything else topped up.

Just keep pushing and chase that pump.

#3 Don’t overdo the water

300ml is the absolute max. By adding millions of gallons of water, you’re diluting it down and making it more likely you’re going to have to go to the toilet constantly through your workout. Don’t take this point the wrong way and end up a pre workout pumped dehydrated mess though.

-Visit 4 Gauge- 

All of us women are pretty guilty of online shopping and being sold-to on that extra lipstick or pair-of-shoes we probably didn’t need. It’s hard to resist things that look great…

Well, it’s important to take a different approach when looking at supplements. It might look nice and pretty on the outside, but as your mother always told you, it really is what’s inside that counts.

We don’t want you to become a victim of the pre workouts that come in pink packaging (but otherwise have no other reason to be labelled as a female-friendly product). So we’ll take you through the most important factors when choosing a pre workout.

You’ll learn:

• What are pre workout supplements?
• Things to avoid
• Best pre workout for women
• Conclusion

What Are Pre Workout Supplements?

There’s a good chance you know what these supplements are if you found this article on google. But just in case, we’ll give those that don’t know a quick summary of what pre workout supplements are.

Simply put, pre workouts are supplements that are designed to improve your performance in the gym.

How? By delivering these benefits:

• Energy boosts
• Increased strength
• Raised endurance
• Reduced fatigue

Ultimately, these are the main things that you should be looking to achieve from taking pre workout supplements. After all, why else would you consume them?

But the problem is that many pre workouts contain potentially harmful or ineffective ingredients (we’ll expand on this in the section below).

[Related Article: Caffeine Anhydrous Explained – What is it and How Does it Work? ] 

Things To Avoid

We just mentioned above that many pre workouts actually contain ingredients that you don’t want to consume. But the bad news is that companies add some controversial nutrients to try and make their product the ‘strongest’ on the market.

Basically, after suffering from jitters, itchy skin and nausea from taking bad supplements, we want to save you the hassle.

So here’s the things to avoid when choosing a pre workout supplement:

Proprietary Blends

If you haven’t seen or used many pre workouts before, then you might not be aware of what proprietary blends are.

What are proprietary blends?

In a nutshell, they’re mixtures of different ingredients (usually between 5-20) that are presented to you in 1 overall amount. This means you have no idea about the dosages of individual nutrients contained in these blends.

Why are they an issue?

Well, you may have consumed too much coffee before and experienced jittery side effects as a result. The exact same thing happens after taking a pre workout containing too much caffeine.

As you’re not shown the dosages of individual nutrients in proprietary blends, you’ll never know whether that particular product contains too many. And many of them do contain more than 1 stimulant, increasing your risk of side effects.

Consequently, we recommend choosing pre workouts where every ingredient and its dosage is clearly listed – so you can determine how safe and effective it is before taking it.

Here’s an example of a proprietary blend: 

Overloads of Stimulants

We touched on this briefly in the previous section. But we’ll repeat this as it’s important when staying safe from side effects.

As we mentioned, too much caffeine can cause jitters and energy crashes. And remember that caffeine isn’t the only stimulant that’s added to pre workouts.

Other stimulants that are added to supplements are:

• Theacrine
• Theobromine
• Guarana Seed Extract
• Yohimbe Bark Extract
• Bitter Orange Extract

Choosing a supplement containing numerous stimulants in unknown amounts is always a big risk. So this adds fuel to the fire, in terms of staying away from proprietary blends.

Bottom line: Ultimately, we recommend choosing pre workouts that only contains 1 stimulant in an equivalent of under 200mg caffeine per serving.

Potentially Harmful Ingredients

This leads on nicely from the previous point. Although we mentioned that you should avoid overloads of stimulants, not all of them are harmful on their own.

However, some stimulants need to be avoided as they have been reported to be potentially harmful.

Here’s the ingredients that have shown to cause side effects:

Yohimbe Bark Extract

Yohimbe Bark Extract is one ingredient that we always try to avoid. It has become increasingly known for causing worrying side effects, with many experts recommending that you avoid it.

What does it do? Well, Yohimbe Bark Extract has shown to help you burn fat by increasing your adrenaline levels (thereby raising your heartbeat and body temperature).

The bad news is that it’s also shown to cause side effects, including:

• Nausea
• Dizziness
• High blood pressure
• Jitters
• Rapid heartbeat

Bitter Orange Extract

This is another stimulant that’s been reported to cause unwanted side effects. It’s also increasingly being added into pre workout supplements, in an attempt to make products ‘stronger’.

But we don’t recommend consuming Bitter Orange Extract as it can cause:

• Nausea
• High blood pressure
• Anxiety
• Rapid heartbeat

‘Girly’ Packaging

If a pre workout specifically targets women through ‘girly’ packaging, then this should be an immediate warning sign.

Why? Because most gender orientated pre workouts aren’t specific to females for a reason. We say most, because there are 1 or 2 that contain less caffeine and stimulants to suit the needs of females instead of men.

However, remember that no ingredient benefits women more than men. Think about it, when was the last time green tea extract was only beneficial for a certain gender? Green tea extract is proven to improve BOTH men and women’s health and promote fat loss.

As a result, we recommend choosing the best pre workouts in general (that are unisex and not just targeted at women). This way, you’ll end-up with a much more reliable product.

Best Pre Workout For Women

If you’ve searched for pre workout supplements, you’ll know exactly how many there are on the market – too many!

This makes it seriously difficult to find the best product, as it’ll be too expensive to try them all yourself. But don’t worry, this is where we come in.

Team SpotMeGirl have spent a while (and a lot of cash) testing out different pre workout supplements. And after going through dozens, we finally found a product that we feel confident recommending.

4 Gauge

We first noticed this pre workout’s inventive packaging; instead of the usual, boring cylinder tub, 4 Gauge comes in a red shotgun shell container.

But as we mentioned, never just judge a book by its cover. So we analyzed 4 Gauge’s nutrient profile and found everything to look safe and effective.

No proprietary blends, and no overloads of stimulants. It almost sounded too good to be true, so we ordered 1 bottle to test it out – and we weren’t disappointed.

Take a look at our mini review:

Key Reasons To Try 4 Gauge

• Clean Energy Boosts – Sensible dosage of Caffeine Anhydrous ensures you work towards your goals without jitters.
• Raised motivation & self confidence – Be more focused on your workout instead of being self-conscious in the gym.
• Reach your fitness goals faster – 4 Gauge allows you to train harder for longer, helping you tone-up and shape your figure quicker than before.

Drawbacks

• Premium Price-Tag – 4 Gauge costs more than less effective options, but remember expensive shoes & make-up are normally higher quality.
• You can only buy 4 Gauge from its website: www.4Gauge.com but most people prefer online shopping anyway.

Key Features

What makes any pre workout ‘tick’ are the ingredients inside them. And 4 Gauge contains a great selection of nutrients that are proven to help you sculpt your dream bikini body.

Containing under 200mg Caffeine Anhydrous per serving, you’ll be safe from jitters while enjoying the raises in energy levels – allowing you to train harder and achieve tone-up quicker.

The added L-Theanine further ensures you avoid side effects; it’s a relaxing agent naturally found in green tea that works in synergy with caffeine to increase your focus without risks of jitters or energy crashes.

Creatine Monohydrate increases your strength and endurance during your workouts, while the Coconut Water Powder delivers electrolytes to keep you hydrated, so you can perform at your best.

Ultimately, these ingredients come together to form the best pre workout that we’ve tried this year. It might come with a higher price-tag, but we’d rather pay extra for something that works, than waste our money with an ineffective product.

To Buy, Visit
» www.4Gauge.com «

Conclusion

The main point to take-away is that if a pre-workout is safe and effective for men, then it’ll be beneficial for women too.

But we do understand that some women prefer supplements containing smaller dosages of stimulants; you might not drink as much coffee as your partner, so you might not have an equally high tolerance to stimulants.

As a result, we’ve chosen 4 Gauge as the best ‘all-round’ pre-workout on the market. This is because it contains the perfect ingredients, without blowing your head off with caffeine, that’ll make sure you work harder and spend less time achieving your dream bikini body.