The Importance of Cycling Your Pre-Workout Supplement

 

The Importance of Cycling Your Pre-Workout Supplement

One of the most important things to know when taking pre-workout supplements is how to "Cycle" them. If you're reading this I bet you can still remember the first time you took one, there's a good chance you were bouncing around the gym with seemingly endless energy and focus. You felt motivated, happy, and invincible. What happened next? One day, it just didn't feel quite the same right? You took your regular one scoop, and waited... but didn't feel anything. So you decide to double, or even triple up. Next thing you know, no amount of pre-workout is helping you anymore, it even makes you feel more tired than before!

An ever increasing number of people find themselves in this position, and it can be nothing short of confusing. How is this making me feel more tired than I would without taking it? My point with this article isn't to tell you to stop using pre-workout supplements; I love them! What I am here to do is help you understand why you're getting burnt out, and how to get past it by making a few smart decisions. This will help you to keep your pace at the gym, and be able to benefit from pre-workouts for years to come preworkout.

So Why Are You Crashing?

Nearly all pre-workout supplements contain a pretty big dose of caffeine along with some other stimulants like Yohimbe extract and others. The recently removed 1 3 Dimethylamylamine (DMAA) ingredient was also a big reason in producing the crash we're talking about, but it is banned as of today. Basically, when you consume stimulants, it sends a message to your brain to release adrenaline and cortisol into the blood stream. These are both produced by the adrenal glands. In a sense, you can think of those as two little fuel tanks for our bodies (one is located on each kidney).

When you start taking an ever-increasing amount of caffeine, you start to make these glands work harder and harder, but they can only provide so much fuel each day. So, by consistently stressing these glands with consistent caffeine intake, it doesn't give the body enough time to replenish those fuel tanks. So how do you keep them topped up?

By "Cycling" your pre-workout supplement!

If you can restrict yourself to taking it for short cycles of between 4-6 weeks, followed by 1-2 weeks of very low stimulant consumption - this will allow your adrenal glands to fully recuperate and get your routine back on track. During this week, you'll need to stay strong, which I know can be tough. This means no fat burners, energy drinks, pre-workout supplements, party drugs, or anything with caffeine. Some people, myself included, like to take advantage of stimulant free options here as well. This can lead to some withdrawal symptoms like headaches, anxiety, and low energy levels, but trust me it will be worth it in the end. It will be just like the first time you used your pre-workout, all over again.