Whenever we prepare ourselves for any day’s workout , we essentially want that our workout should be the best possible one and moreover should result in maximum progress for our designed goals.

For this reason one should first of all be totally prepared and fully recuperated . For reaching this goal there are various nutritional strategies that eventually lead us to execute a  planned workout.

In this topic we will be discussing what should be done to attain an ideal state for going on a workout and also list some existing faults we were making which have been stopping our progress.

For this we first need to understand the physiological state of the body before the workout and what it is going to go through during the workout.

THUMB RULE – “If we provide the body with what it needs at a certain time then the body would respond anabolically by becoming more muscular and stronger and being lean at the same time.”

CONDITION OF THE BODY PRE-WORKOUT :-

• Require slow and sustained energy throughout the workout ,
• Does not require protein at this time because then this protein would be utilized in supplying energy to our body and not participate in the recovery process. [Our body has a tendency to consume any source of energy that is superficial to its use – protein would then act as a superficial source.]
• Require mental focus preventing the feel of lethargic and tired [Nervous Stimulation] ,
• We  may require add-on power or endurance or both to even more enhance the results of our workout.

This above stated points can very well be attained by nutritional strategies and can be even more enhanced by supplementation.

PRE-WORKOUT NUTRITION:-

• First thing on the list should be fruits.

Note:- Almost every food is good but a good pre-workout would comprise of those fruits whose GI [Glycemic Index] is less . For eg.,Apple , Oranges , etc.

• Other options can be Oatmeal [prepared without milk and sugar] ,  sweet potato , whole grains .

Note:- All the choices above stated are Low GI Foods which provide slow and sustained release of energy to the body that serves our 1st  purpose stated.

Mental Focus:- This relates to a phase when a person’s body is ready to go for a workout . The best ingredient responsible for attaining this phase is CAFFEINE or a simple BLACK COFFEE.

Ergogenic Aid:- Now this is the most talked about section of any pre-workout stack . Although I have experimented with various different supplemental ingredients but the best ones which resulted in my progress as well as for my clients are listed below.

1. Creatine – The best ingredient that should accompany any individual’s stack looking for serious improvement in his/her physique.
2. Beta-Alanine – Another great ingredient that should be added only for a certain reason , i.e., if the person is going to train for endurance or High Volume Training as this ingredient acts as a Lactic Acid buffer that results in much more reps.
3. L- Citrulline – This helps in lowering the Blood Pressure of the person by vaso-dilation which relates to increased cardiac health and increased cardio-vascular endurance.
4. L-Leucine – This is very good as it is the most vital amino acid that initiates muscle protein synthesis by MTOR pathway. [Prime ingredient of BCAA or Branched Chain Amino Acid]

There are several other ingredients that too can benefit the results but these are the most beneficial ones. This is the most cost effective manner of getting the most out of the Workout.