How many of you guys and gals find yourselves with that feeling of depletion (and/or impending death) in the midst of a workout from time to time? 

Regardless of training age, whether it be on the field or a court for a specific sport or even the highest caliber of performance athletes, we've all found ourselves dragging and struggling during training once or twice (or if you're anything like me, hundreds of times) throughout our training lives. We may be able to correlate these feelings of fatigue, lack of "drive", "bad days", etc with our lifestyle behaviors (see the previous blog regarding BLG's,) and the level of intensity our training requires. How and what we fuel our bodies with may play a major role on our performance.

A simple adjustment to your pre-training regimen could make a much larger difference in your performance than you think! As individuals, we're all different with unique goals and ability levels, but if someone told me that I could possibly increase my strength and stamina just by implementing the proper dosages of a few certain supplements accompanied with proper hydration and nutrition, I'd be all over it! (Hence why I'm writing this!) 

Unfortunately, most pre-workout supplements on the shelves of your local supplement store are a massive waste of money. I know it promises "eternal explosive endurance" and "muscle igniting shredded pumps" and most likely has a pretty cool sounding name, but I assure you, you'd be much better off following these simple guidelines we've put together for you...

This will look different for each individual. What are your current macronutrient ratios? How well do you perform the hours before training? Generally, a small meal containing moderate amounts of protein and carbohydrates with minimal fat and fiber (slow to digest) should be consumed 60 minutes - 3 hours prior to a training session. Are you going in, moving fast, creating lactate, breathing heavy? Closer to a fasted state may be your best option here. Lifting heavy weights, resting a ton, checking Instagram between sets? Bring your lunch pale!

A meal isn't always going to be a possibility with hectic schedules and busy lives, so simple carbohydrates with a bit of protein consumed 30 - 60 minutes prior to and BCAA's before/during training could do just the trick in giving you sustainable energy levels, preventing catabolism (the breakdown of muscle tissue). I highly recommend experimenting with timing and different foods to find what works best for your individual needs.

Hydration is imperative to your everyday life and wellness, much less your athletic performance and capabilities. Without this, you're bound for a pitiful/potentially hazardous performance.

RX : 1/2 body weight in ounces (minimum)-increase in warmer climates.

Although creatine isn't really a "preworkout" supplement, it is in a lot of preworkouts and is well researched so decided to sneak it in here. This allows for quicker regeneration of ATP (your body's source of energy) and has been proven to increase power output and muscular endurance.

RX : 5 grams per day

Tip : creatine takes time to saturate so consistency is key. You want to take this on training and non training days. 

Caffeine 

Aside from its obvious effects of heightened alertness, it has also been proven to increase fat oxidation and minimize the rate of perceived exertion. 

RX : 1.8 - 2.5 mg per pound of body weight

Beta-alanine is a modified version of the amino acid alanine. While increasing the body's ability to delay fatigue, studies have shown possible increases in performance and stamina. 

RX : 3-6 grams per day (Large doses of beta-alanine may cause a tingling feeling called paresthesia. It is a harmless side effect)