There’s no doubt that if you’ve spent any time in the gym, opened a bodybuilding magazine, or visited your local health food store, you’ve no doubt seen various product ads for pre-workout supplements. It is true that these supplements are the most popular bodybuilding supplements on the market, but with the constant deluge of products on the market, which ones are considered the best? I’m going to go over some of the best pre-workout supplements on the market to date so you can make some smart buying decisions the next time you’re in the market for one.
First, before we get into that, you need to understand some basic rules regarding these supplements because they differ and address the different needs of bodybuilders. The first point about these supplements is that they contain stimulants like caffeine and taurine. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you may want to opt for a non-stimulant pre-workout product to avoid side effects.
The next big difference between these supplements is the inclusion of creatine.
Some pre-workout powders contain 1 or more types of creatine, while others do not and simply supply energy and NO precursors. So you need to decide if you want creatine in your supplement to narrow down your search.
Now let’s get to the supplements.
I am going to mention 2 of the most popular pre-workout supplements on the market that are considered all-in-one pre-workout supplements because they contain creatine and stimulants, as well as many other muscle-building nutrients.
BSN NOT Xplode 2.0
One of the most advertised dietary supplement known as “BSN NO Xplode 2.0” and it is categorized as a nitric oxide supplement which is very popular now among bodybuilders. This supplement has a host of ingredients including: various forms of creatine, caffeine, beta-alanine, and L-arginine, just to name a few. L-Arginine is meant to force-feed your muscles with vital nutrients by increasing blood flow in your veins, thus creating that muscle pump you often hear about. If you read the NO Xplode 2 reviews, you will notice that it is a very complete supplement and is actually classified as a pre-workout supplement due to its energy and muscle building properties. It contains a fair amount of stimulants, so make sure you start with a minimal dose to assess your tolerance.
BPI Sports: Bomb-HD
Pump-HD is another very popular all-in-one pre-workout supplement because it has 3 features that powerlifters and athletes look for:
- good stimulants
- Creatine Monohydrate
- nitric oxide precursors
There is around 300mg of caffeine anhydrous per serving in Pump-HD, which is almost as much caffeine as 3 cups of coffee. This is a very good amount of stimulant if you like caffeine, but if you’re not used to it, try ½ serving so you don’t get jittery.
There’s also 2000mg of creatine monohydrate per serving, which isn’t actually considered a full daily dose, but roughly half. The good thing about taking this amount of creatine is that it’s not too much to cause an upset stomach, which can happen if you take 4-5g before exercising.
The last great benefit of taking this supplement is the nitric oxide precursors. A nitric oxide precursor is any substance that stimulates the production of nitric oxide or a “muscle pump“.From the word”bomb“it’s right there in the name, you know PUMP-HD will comply with that. I can say that when I took PUMP-HDI really felt the pump and it made me train harder and for a longer period of time. It was quite nice and I was able to get the most out of my training.
Whichever supplement you choose, be sure to read some reviews and testimonials so you can make good buying decisions. Most of these supplements will last you around 30 days, so it’s important to choose wisely.