Do I need pre-workout?

No, you don't need pre-workout. Most of what it does comes from caffeine, and you can get that from a cup of coffee for a lot less. A good night of sleep and a meal an hour or two before training will do more than any powder.

What's actually in it

Most pre-workouts are caffeine plus a few other things, like beta-alanine (which causes the tingling feeling), citrulline and some flavoring. Caffeine has solid support for helping performance and focus. The rest is much weaker, and the tingling is harmless but doesn't mean it's working.

A typical scoop has 150 to 300 mg of caffeine. A cup of coffee has about 80 to 100 mg.

How much caffeine is reasonable

Healthy adults are generally told to stay under about 400 mg a day total. That's easy to pass if you have a scoop plus two coffees. Check the label, because some products carry well over 300 mg per serving.

Too much can cause jitters, a racing heart, stomach trouble and bad sleep. Skip it in the afternoon and evening. Bad sleep costs you more in the gym than the caffeine gives back.

Cheaper options that work

• A coffee or tea 30 to 60 minutes before training
• A banana or toast with some peanut butter if you're hungry
• Enough water
• Training at a time of day when you have energy
• A reason to show up that isn't a powder. A daily 1v1 match in League of Fitness against someone near your level, with your session synced from Apple Health, does the motivating without any caffeine

Who should avoid it

If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, anxiety, or you're pregnant, talk to a doctor before using high-caffeine products. Stop and get help if you get chest pain, a very fast heartbeat or dizziness after taking one. Teenagers shouldn't use them.

A quick test

Try a week of training with just coffee, or with nothing, and see whether your sessions actually feel worse. A lot of people find the effect is mostly habit. If you do notice a real difference, keep the caffeine and drop the rest of the ingredient list.