Cloudy skies. High 68F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Mainly cloudy. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable.

If you are starting out and trying to find what is the best pre workout for beginners we have 3 options for you. We have reviewed and compared the most effective pre workouts for a beginner to use that get the quickest results in an uncomplicated and cost effective manner.

Crazy Nutrition Pre Train - best pre workout for beginners overall

PowHer Pre Workout - best pre workout for women

4 Gauge - top pre workout for men

This is a simple list compiled so as not to unnecessarily overcomplicate and confuse. The 3 pre-workout brands meet every criteria of a beginner, novice and men and women just starting out.

What's the best pre workout supplement for beginners? Should you even use one and what kind of results you can expect if you do? These are some of the questions we are going to answer in this article.

As you may have already realized, the quality and value of pre workout supplements can vary greatly from one brand to the next.

Regardless of whether you have realized it or not, by seeking information about pre workouts before you part with any money, you have made a very smart move.

Although we could go ahead and introduce you to the best pre workouts right now, that would be doing you a disservice. Before you can appreciate why the top options are so good, you need to know more about how they work.

The fact that you are reading this article suggests you have little or no knowledge of the subject. If you did, you wouldn't be here.

However, please feel free to skip ahead if you wish to do so. You will find our list of best pre workout supplements for beginners a little further down the page.

Well, alright!!! Once again, you have made a smart move. Let's take a look at what pre workout supplements are, how they work, and the kind of results you can expect.

Pre workouts are supplements you take shortly before you commence a workout. Although they are generally associated with bodybuilding, they are an equally good option for all athletes who want to up their game in their chosen sporting activity.

Although it's possible to get pre workout capsules and tablets, all the best pre workout supplements are powders. You combine them with water and consume them as a drink.

All the best pre-workouts provide you with extra energy to help you train with greater intensity. They also improve mental focus so you can keep your mind on the task at hand.

The other thing good pre workout does is increase stamina and help you to train longer and harder.

If you are lifting weights, the best pre workouts will help you to push out an extra few reps before needing to take a rest between sets.

If you are an endurance athlete, they will help to maintain a faster pace and do so for longer.

Pre workouts are not a necessity. You can train without them and still attain good results. However, using them will make your workout easier and help you get much better results. You will feel the benefits from day one and the fruits of your labor will become apparent more quickly.

Think of pre workouts as sports enhancement supplements. That's basically what they are. As with anything else in life, even though the regular version is good, the enhanced version is always better.

We are guessing you are someone who wants to enhance your workout. If you didn't you wouldn't want to learn more about this type of supplement.

And do you know what? You are in good company. A lot of amateur and professional athletes feel the same. Pre workouts are one of the most commonly used sports supplements in the world.

Okay. Drum roll, please. It's time for us to reveal the top 3 pre workout supplements for beginners.

All three pre workouts can deliver significant improvements to your workout. They are safe, effective, reasonably priced, and have excellent customer reviews.

However, these factors alone would not have earned them a place on our list. Each of them also provides a combination of the best pre workout ingredients known to science and, of equal importance, none of them is formulated with an overreliance on caffeine and/or alternative stimulants.

So, unless you are ultra-sensitive to caffeine, they won't make you feel jittery or ill.

Now we have got the introduction out of the way, we will explain a little more about each pre workout, the things it can do, and help you to decide which of the three options will be the best pre workout to choose.

Shipping: Free to USA, Canada, UK, Australia (check other destinations)

View Special Offers and Current Deals

Although women can use this option as well, we recommend CrazyNutrition Pre Train as the best beginner-friendly great pre workout supplement for men. We suggest women go with our #2 option, PowHer Pre Workout instead.

Out of the three pre workouts that made our list of best options for beginners, this is the one with the most complex formulation. It's also the only one that contains a testosterone booster. That's why we rate it the top option for men.

Testosterone is the male sex hormone. In fact, it's a steroidal hormone. That's why it's so good for enhancing muscle growth.

Testosterone also supports clearer thinking, boosts vitality, and assists the fat-burning process.

As with all the best pre workouts for beginners, you can only buy CrazyNutrition Pre Train from the manufacturer's website. However, the price is reasonable and it has a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Provides a crash-free energy boost

Helps build lean muscle mass

Increase blood flow and nitric oxide production

Clears brain fog and enhances mental focus

Helps you to experience a more powerful pump

Each (25 gram) scoop provides the following 23 key ingredients:

It's beyond the scope of this article to detail the abilities of all the ingredients in the CrazyNutrition pre workout formulation, so I will concentrate on a few of the key players.

Citrulline Malate provides branched chain amino acids such as L-citrulline. It's one of the best NO boosters you can get. There is plenty of research proving its value in this area.

However, before your body can use it to create nitric oxide, it has to convert L-citrulline to L-arginine.

By providing vasodilation, NO also plays an important role in hardening the penis in readiness for sex. Many studies focus on its ability to do this. 

The results of one study, in particular, show it was very effective at improving erection quality in men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction (ED). [5]

A lot of men find this ability a nice bonus.

In another clinical trial, involving 22 trained men, L-citrulline improved their performance during timed cycling trials. It also reduced feelings of post-training muscle fatigue. [6]

L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate is a modified form of the branched chain amino acid L-arginine. CrazyNutrition is using a double potency extract so the dose is higher than the inclusion rate makes it seem.

Alpha-ketoglutarate provides the amino acid L-glutamine, which aids energy production within the cells. It may also influence aging and lifespan. [7]

Although it's important not to overlook the way L-Arginine AKG may aid energy production, it has greater value here as an L-arginine provider.

Several studies prove the relationship between L-arginine and nitric oxide. There is also plenty of proof to support using it as a pre workout ingredient.

For instance, in one study, L-arginine supplements helped elite male wrestlers to exercise longer before having to stop due to exhaustion.[8]

Beta-Alanine is a non-essential amino acid that is present in many sports supplement formulations. Several studies prove its ability to enhance physical performance. The results of one of them suggest it does this by boosting carnosine levels in the muscles. [9]

Betaine anhydrous is a chemical that’s naturally occurring in the body. You can also get top-ups by eating beets, spinach, and certain other foods.

It has a lot of value as a pre workout ingredient because research involving experienced strength-trained men shows the betaine supplements they were given improved their bench press work capacity and body composition. [10]

Glycerol Monostearate (GMS) improves muscle hydration, helping you to experience more significant pumps during weight training.

Many studies show GMS can also increase physical performance and endurance. Data from one clinical trial shows it was very effective for extending cycling endurance. [11]

KSM-66 is a branded Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract. Widely regarded as being the best Ashwagandha provider, KSM-66 is standardized for purity and strength.

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen herb that has a long history of use in traditional Indian medicine. Like all adaptogens, it's good for reducing anxiety and stress.

Ashwagandha is also a proven testosterone booster. In one study, it increased testosterone by up to 22% in only 3 months. [12]

EnXtra is a branded ingredient that boosts energy and mental focus by amplifying the abilities of caffeine. One of the best things about it is EnXtra does this without raising blood pressure or presenting the risk of a caffeine crash.

It's a little bit more than only a helper ingredient though. Even acting alone, its been shown to increase mental alertness by up to five hours

Contains a combination of proven energy providers and NO boosters

Also contains a testosterone booster

Comes in a choice of three flavors

Has a 60-day money-back guarantee

You can only buy it from the CrazyNutrition website

Shipping: Free to USA, Canada, UK, (check other destinations)

View Special Offers and Current Deals

PowHer is designed to be "the ultimate pre-workout for women" and the people who developed it have done an excellent job. Low in stimulants and high in power, it's also one of the best pre workouts for women who are beginning their journeys to greater fitness and better health.

The company that makes this product specializes in developing supplements for women. It does not produce anything for men and the PowHer brand is known and respected by women all over the world.

This option is very low in caffeine compared to most other pre workouts. It provides no more than you would get by drinking a cup of coffee. We see that as a good thing. When women get too much caffeine, it can disrupt their estrogen levels, increasing the prospects of weight gain.

Strangely, some research suggests this problem may depend on women's ethnicity. However, because women all over the world rely on PowHer Pre Workout to improve their exercise productivity, we see the product's low caffeine status as a very good thing. [13]

As with CrazyNutrition, PowHer backs its product with a money-back guarantee. However, in this case, it's only valid if you order a 3-month supply.

This may sound unfair but it's the company's way of making sure you have time to appreciate the benefits and learn how well the supplement works over time. They want you to give it a fair shake.

Beginners don't always realize this but once you find the best pre workout, you will be using it for a long time. After you become used to taking the fast lane, there's generally no going back.

That reason alone presents a strong argument for ordering three bottles. However, there is a bonus. When you do, PowHer throws in a fourth bottle of its Pre Workout free of charge.

Encourages increases in focus and motivation

Low stimulant pre-workout supplement made especially for women

Each (10-gram) scoop of PowHer Pre Workout provides the following:

As you can see, PowHer's pre workout has some ingredients in common with CrazyNutrition's product. It is a truly excellent pre workout for women

The most notable ones are the B vitamins, EnExtra, and beta-alanine.

As you will no doubt have already realized, the B vitamins and EnExtra are present to back up the energy-boosting abilities of caffeine.

Just in case you are not aware of this, folic acid is a B vitamin as well. Although its value to women is mostly associated with pregnancy, it has extra importance to women in other areas as well.

Folic acid deficiency is more common in women than it is in men. Especially during child-bearing age. This can cause anemia. Nobody wants that. Anemia is not good and it can severely hamper training ability by burdening you with fatigue. [14]

Needless to say, thanks to its proven ability to enhance physical performance, beta-alanine is an equally valuable inclusion. [15]

That's the recap. Let's take a look at some of the other ingredients and the things they bring to the table.

RedNite is a high-potency beetroot extra. It's an excellent inclusion. RedNite's presence in the formulation helps compensate for the lack of L-arginine and L-citrulline.

Beetroot is one of the best natural sources of nitrates and research shows it's an NO booster that works. [15]

This is a patented ingredient taken from arjuna tree bark. Research shows OxyJun supplements can provide several desirable benefits including, fatigue reduction, better mental health, and improved exercise capacity.

A very versatile ingredient, OxyJun also lowers obesity-induced systemic inflammation and increases good (HDL) cholesterol levels to help support cardiovascular health. [16]

Like OxyJun, CocoMineral is a branded extract. In this case, the active components come from coconut water, not tree bark.

Coconut water and powdered extracts made from it are rich in sodium and potassium. These minerals are necessary to support normal neurotransmitter activity.

Your body loses sodium and potassium when you sweat. That's something you do a lot while you are enjoying a good workout and any disruption in neurotransmitter activity has the potential to throw you off your game.

Potassium has additional importance during training because it contributes to normal muscle function. So, not surprisingly, CocoMineral is a key ingredient in many pre workout supplements, energy gels, and snack bars.

This ingredient provides the amino acid L-leucine. It's the most important branched-chain amino acid and plays a key role in muscle growth because protein synthesis cannot begin without it.

Additionally, taking L-leucine supplements before resistance training has been shown to enhance fat burning while also bringing about improvements in strength. [17]

Excellent beginner pre workout powder

Provides a potent combination of ingredients with proven workout-enhancing capabilities

Option of a 90-day money-back guarantee

You can only buy it from the manufacturer's website

Only has one flavor option (pink lemonade)

You have to order three bottles to obtain the money-back guarantee

Shipping: Free to USA, Canada, UK, Australia (check other destinations)

View Special Offers and Current Deals

4Gauge is a pre workout supplement that grabs attention thanks to a unique marketing gimmick. The manufacturer distributes it in containers resembling shotgun cartridges.

Fortunately, there is a lot more to this pre workout product than clever marketing. 4Gauge utilizes a very credible combination of proven performance boosters and has excellent customer reviews.

However, although 4Gauge is leagues ahead of most of the other products we evaluated for possible inclusion on our list of best pre workout beginners - it's not quite as good as the previous two options.

More than anything we are including it here to pay a nod to its abilities and give it a favorable mention.

However, it's also good to know about its existence in case you are looking for a supplement you can get your hands on quickly and either of the other two pre-workout products has temporarily sold out.

Allows you to push yourself harder in the gym

Improves muscular endurance and muscle pumps

help you to lose body fat

Bearing in mind the way this product is being marketed, it's hard not to love the manufacturer's claim that 4Gauge will help you "blow apart" your previous workouts.

We'd hate something like this if 4Gauge were a less credible product but, as it is, we find it okay. It is a solid pre workout.

In this case, the serving is two scoops pre workout instead of one. This provides 14 grams of the following:

Rhodiola Rosea Root Powder (100 mg)

After reading the previous two product evaluations, by now many of these ingredients should be familiar to you.

In this case, the coconut powder is unbranded and the formulation also contains additional sources of potassium and sodium but the benefits will be similar to those provided by the CocoMineral powder in PowHer's pre workout powder.

To recap, that will mainly be protection from impaired neurotransmitter activity caused by loss of minerals due to sweating.

The 4Gauge formulation also provides L-citrulline and red beetroot to boost NO. However, in both cases, the doses are slightly less than the ones provided in the previous two products.

Either way, the inclusion rates are good enough to deliver reasonable improvements in vasodilation and training capability. [6, 15]

Creatine monohydrate and Rhodiola rosea are also good inclusions in the pre workout formula.

Several other ingredients provide creatine but the monohydrate form is the best.

Creatine is a very useful ingredient that enhances performance and delivers improvements in muscle gains and muscle repair. It also helps you to experience better muscle pumps.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition rates the abilities of creatine in supplements very highly and recommends it as a safe alternative to anabolic drugs. [18]

Rhodiola rosea is an adaptogen herb that offers many health benefits including reducing anxiety and stress.

Some research suggests this popular supplement ingredient can also offer protection from burnout. [19]

Contains several of the best pre workout ingredients

Also provides ingredients that support muscle growth

You have to buy it from the manufacturer's website

Here are some honorable mentions - some other pre workout brands that have positive reviews and considered among the most effective pre workouts.

BULK Pre workout from Transparent Labs

As we mentioned earlier, the best pre workout supplement offers several primary benefits:

Some pre-workouts may also offer additional benefits, such as better pumps.

Most pre workouts improve mental focus by providing caffeine. It's the most commonly used stimulant in the world.

Unfortunately, in many cases, the dose is too high. Some manufacturers combine caffeine with additional stimulants, such as bitter orange, as well.

Although high doses of stimulants can improve mental focus and provide extra energy, low doses can do this too.

More is not necessarily better. There is no need to go over the top. Even when it's acting alone, overly high doses of caffeine can cause many unpleasant side effects such as jitters, nausea, and a racing heartbeat.

As a beginner, you also need to be aware pre workouts that rely too much on stimulants have limited value.

When you flood your body with too many stimulants, it adjusts to their presence. This makes them less effective over time, meaning you need higher and higher doses to obtain satisfactory results. Once you go down that route it's a slippery slope.

Of all the stimulants, caffeine is the safest to use. That's one of the reasons why it's so popular.

It has a unique ability to inhibit adenosine receptors. These are the receptors responsible for causing drowsiness and fatigue. By inhibiting their activity, caffeine supports improvements in energy and mental focus. [1]

According to experts, 400 mg of caffeine per day is safe for most healthy adults. [2]

All the best pre workouts for beginners provide 100 mg to 200 mg per dose. That's a respectable amount.

Although caffeine is one of the best energy boosting ingredients, there are other ingredients that can increase energy as well.

B vitamins are a good example. They help your body extract energy from food. That's why you will find B vitamins in Red Bull and most other popular energy drink brands.

B vitamins also support hemoglobin production. This red blood cell component is responsible for oxygen transportation. Although many people do not realize this, oxygen is a key player in energy metabolism. [3]

Certain other nutrients play a role in energy metabolism too. Alone or combined with caffeine, they can provide noticeable improvements in your ability to train.

There are several ways good pre workout can increase stamina and endurance. Providing B vitamins to support hemoglobin production is just one of them and most of the best options do this.

However, all of the top pre-workout supplements also increase nitric oxide (NO) production within the body.

NO helps the blood vessels to relax and dilate. This process is called vasodilation. It improves circulation, helping the muscles and major organs get a better supply of blood.

Vasodilation lowers blood pressure. This makes it easier for the heart to do its job because it doesn't have to pump blood through such narrow tubes.

However, NO boosters in pre workout supplements offer the most value by helping the muscles get a better supply of blood. More blood means more oxygen and energy production within the muscles is more efficient in an oxygen-rich environment.

Pre workouts that boost NO don't provide nitric oxide. They provide nitric oxide forerunners, such as L-arginine, instead. Also known as precursors, these forerunners are the raw material your body uses to manufacture nitric oxide.

So, why is oxygen availability so important? This is where things get a little more complicated.

During any type of muscle activity, your body has to burn nutrients for energy. It does this by utilizing one of two processes:

The first one is the most common. It's also the most efficient. During aerobic energy metabolism, your muscles have access to a sufficient supply of oxygen.

Regardless of whether you are lifting heavy weights or doing cardio exercises, such as running, when you push yourself harder you get out of breath. Your heart beats faster too. You will have noticed these things for yourself.

When your heart beats faster, it increases circulation. When you breathe faster, your lungs pump extra oxygen into your blood. These are the ways your body tries to maintain aerobic energy metabolism. When you think about it, your body is a wonderful machine.

However, when you are pushing yourself hard, the heart and lungs will not be able to keep up with your muscles' demand for oxygen. That means you will have to slow down your pace or stop to "get your breath back."

In the case of lifting weights and similar types of resistance training, there are further complications.

When your body begins producing energy via anaerobic energy metabolism, lactic acid builds up within the muscle. It's this build-up that produces the burning sensation inside your muscles that forces you to stop. [4]

Because they boost NO, helping your muscle to get a better supply of oxygen, all the best pre workout supplements for beginners can help you to go that bit harder and longer before you have to stop. This results in more productive workouts and better overall results.

 1. Stimulants: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539896/

2. Caffeine: How much is too much?: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20045678

3. Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue, and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019700/

4. Anaerobic Metabolism vs. Aerobic Metabolism: https://www.verywellfit.com/anaerobic-metabolism-3432629

5. Oral L-Citrulline Supplementation Improves Erection Hardness in Men With Mild Erectile Dysfunction: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21195829/

6. Oral L-Citrulline Supplementation Enhances Cycling Time Trial Performance in Healthy Trained Men: Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled 2-Way Crossover Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4759860/

7. Alpha-Ketoglutarate as a Molecule with Pleiotropic Activity: Well-Known and Novel Possibilities of Therapeutic Use: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5274648/

8. Pre-exercise Arginine Supplementation Increases Time to Exhaustion in Elite Male Wrestlers: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4135062/

9. Role of Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Muscle Carnosine and Exercise Performance: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20479615/

10. Effects of Betaine on Body Composition, Performance, and Homocysteine Thiolactone: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3844502/

11. Pre-exercise Glycerol Hydration Improves Cycling Endurance Time: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8775573/

12. Withania somnifera Improves Semen Quality in Stress-Related Male Fertility: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3136684/

13. Caffeinated Beverage Intake and Reproductive Hormones Among Premenopausal Women in the Biocycle Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3260075/

14. Folic Acid: https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/folic-acid

15. Beetroot Juice Increases Nitric Oxide Metabolites in Both Men and Women Regardless of Body Mass: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26653541/

16. Effect of Oxyjun™ on Adipose Tissue Inflammation - A

Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/ed58/850f1cb8f683f173d0afbfe73a281a34f36b.pdf

17. Leucine Supplementation and Intensive Training: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10418071/

18. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Creatine Supplementation and Exercise: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2048496/

19. Multicenter, Open-Label, Exploratory Clinical Trial With Rhodiola Rosea Extract in Patients Suffering From Burnout Symptoms: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5370380/

We have rated CrazyNutrition Pre Train as the best overall option for both men and women. It is the gold standard pre workout that ticks virtually every box. It is also the most cost effective.

If you simply must have a gender specific pre-workout then women should PowHer and men should choose 4 Gauge.

Your comment has been submitted.

There was a problem reporting this.

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.

Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletters covering the news, arts, and sports.

Serving the UW community since 1891.

Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or consider donating to support The Daily