Pre-Workout
Energy, focus and pump formulas — from full-stim pres to caffeine-free pump for late sessions. Check each label’s caffeine before you buy, and start with half a scoop. a half dose if you’re new to stims.
How to pick a pre-workout
Pre-workout is the category where people waste the most money, because the flashy part — the tingle and the rush — comes from the two cheapest ingredients in the tub. Buy for the dose, not the buzz.
Full-stim
200 to 400mg of caffeine per serving, usually with beta-alanine, citrulline and tyrosine. Right for early-morning or heavy sessions. If you drink coffee daily, start at half a scoop and see where you land before you assume you need the full dose.
Moderate or single-scoop
Around 150 to 200mg of caffeine. This is where most people actually belong, especially if you train after work and want to sleep that night.
Stim-free pump
No caffeine at all — citrulline, glycerol, nitrates. For late-night sessions, for people already drinking energy drinks all day, or for anyone whose heart rate does not need help. You still get the pump and the endurance, without the 2 a.m. ceiling stare.
The doses that matter
- L-citrulline: 6–8g (or 8g citrulline malate). Anything under 4g is a label decoration.
- Beta-alanine: 3.2g. This is the tingle. It works on accumulation over weeks, not on the day — the itch is not the effect.
- Caffeine: 3–6mg per kg of bodyweight. For most people that is 200–400mg. More is not better past that.
- Creatine in a pre is a bonus, not a plan. Most contain 1–3g; you want 3–5g daily whether you train or not, so buy creatine separately.
- Proprietary blends hide the doses. If the caffeine is inside a blend, you cannot know what you are taking.
Timing and tolerance
Take it 20 to 30 minutes before you train, with water — not five minutes before your first set. Caffeine has a half-life around five hours, so a 300mg scoop at 6 p.m. still has roughly 150mg in you at 11. If you have built a tolerance, the fix is a two-week deload off stimulants, not a bigger scoop.
Who should skip it
If you are under 18, pregnant or nursing, managing blood pressure or a heart condition, or taking a stimulant medication or MAOI, talk to your doctor before touching a stim pre. A stim-free pump product is usually the better conversation to have.
What is on our shelf right now
Pre-workout stock moves fast and flavors sell out faster. See the brands we carry, or call (661) 428-4801 and we will tell you exactly what is in and what the caffeine is on it.