How To Make Your Own Pre-Workout: 4 Free DIY Recipes (2024)

Last updated: December 8, 2023

If you are unsatisfied with pre workout supplements, then it’s possible you are considering trying to make your own pre workout. I understand.

There are certainly some supplement companies out there that don’t live up to their marketing hype.

Let’s take a look into how to make your own pre-workout supplement.

Read on to learn all about it.

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• Making your own pre-workout supplement involves combining key ingredients like Citrulline Malate, Beta-Alanine, and Creatine for enhanced gym performance.
• Including caffeine in a homemade pre-workout can replace morning coffee and boost focus and energy levels during workouts.
• A study from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) shows that Beta-Alanine supplementation increases power output in exercises involving maximal strength lifting.
• In my personal opinion creating your own pre-workout blend is rewarding and allows for tailored nutrition to match individual fitness goals and preferences.

There are different ratios of pre-workouts ingredients depending on what your overall physical goals are for yourself. It can vary greatly, and it helps to closely research ingredients to ensure that you are getting the correct dosage in your pre-workout.

Here are some recommended ratios to consider.

The “Strength and size” formula is for athletes looking for the ultimate boost in workout performance and an increase in their muscle strength and size.

It uses four ingredients in pre-workouts; creatine for improving strength, caffeine for an energy boost, carbs to reduce fatigue, and citrulline malate for muscle pumps and recovery.

The pre-workouts recipe for this is:

This formula is meant for people focused on their endurance and stamina. Even though it won’t have as much as an energy spike like those who are looking to build muscle, it still will give you sustained energy.

There are also 4 ingredients in this pre-workouts recipe; Beta-alanine for endurance, caffeine for energy, carbs to fuel your muscles, and citrulline malate for recovery. You will need:

Maybe you don’t have any specific physical goals other than “stay fit”. This formula might be what you are looking for in a pre-workout. It has important ingredients for overall athletic performance.

It contains creatine for improved strength, beta-alanine for endurance, caffeine to reduce tiredness, and carbs for fuel. The dosage for each ingredient in this pre-workouts recipe are:

This is a recipe that has a little kick with the added ingredient of betaine. It helps you work out harder if you are looking to lift with more power.

The ingredients include caffeine for energy, citrulline malate for boosting weight training performance, beta-alanine for endurance, and finally, betaine for an energy spike.

The dosage for this pre-workouts recipe is:

I've personally found that adding Citrulline Malate, a blend of an amino acid and organic salt, to my pre-workout mix makes a notable difference.

It results in a biochemical reaction that helps your ability to gain muscle in your own pre-workout supplements. What it does it boost your energy which consequently helps you perform better in the gym.

You can’t get citrulline in your diet since it’s primarily found in watermelon. A pre-workout supplement is helpful in obtaining this specific ingredient.

Beta-alanine is a star in DIY pre-workout mixes, known for causing that skin-tingling buzz. Its main gig? Boosting endurance, upping athletic game, and helping you build lean muscle.

A study in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) found it ramps up power during heavy lifting or max-effort tasks [2]. How? By delaying tiredness and easing muscle ache. It keeps muscles peppy between sets and sharpens your workout focus.

The whole process of reducing fatigue and clearing lactic acid from your body means two things will happen:

1. Eases muscle soreness and fatigue during workouts, letting you run, bike, or lift longer without breaks.
2. Cuts muscle damage by clearing out stuff like lactic acid that can slow you down.

These benefits are gold for athletes aiming to level up their cardio, especially in high-intensity stuff like Crossfit.

A pre-workout supplement could easily replace your morning coffee with the amount of caffeine it has in it.

Caffeine in homemade pre-workout helps with awareness, focus, and gives you an energy boost. Other benefits include supporting metabolism and improving physical endurance.

How much caffeine to put in your pre-workout supplement varies from person to person. It depends on how sensitive or tolerant your body is towards caffeine.

Most of the time the range is between 150 milligrams to 500 milligrams. Anything more could potentially be unhealthy and lead to undesirable side effects like diarrhea and stomach discomfort, causing muscle soreness and hindering muscle growth.

I've been using creatine in my pre-workout for years, and it's been a staple in my muscle-building journey.

Creatine is a substance found naturally in the body but is also found in seafood and red meat. Creatine isn’t exactly vegan-friendly which is why synthetic pre-workout supplements are popular.

A study from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) states that creatine supplementation increases lean tissue mass and upper and lower body muscular strength during resistance training in older adults [3].

Its primary purpose is to support the muscles by producing energy for heavy lifting or a high-intensity exercise. It’s easy to see why this substance has become popular with athletes and bodybuilders.

Betaine, or trimethylglycine, is found in plants.

If consumed, it becomes nitric oxide which helps open up pathways that let people train with more endurance.

Per a study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), it also improved body composition, arm size, bench press work capacity as cited by some studies [4].

Here’s a breakdown on what research says about betaine:

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), including leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are essential for muscle support, but your body can't make them.

You've probably heard about the 2:1:1 BCAA ratio, with leucine being the double dose. That's because leucine is a muscle-building hero, kickstarting muscle protein synthesis.

When picking a BCAA supplement, aim for 3 grams of leucine per serving for max benefits. Athletes might need more, around 10-20 grams daily. But, here's a twist: some research argues that BCAAs don't necessarily boost muscle protein synthesis or have a muscle-building effect in humans [4].

Remember, amino acids are protein's building blocks and they're crucial for many bodily functions. Besides BCAAs, other essential and non-essential amino acids are key for overall health too.

There are even other ingredients that you might want to consider. It’s imperative to carefully research an ingredient and it’s specific benefits to see if it’s what you are looking for in a supplement.

You may want to start by consulting with a good doctor, nutritionist, or dietician about your dietary preferences. They are more qualified to assist you.

Making your own pre-workout isn't just risky, it's a real challenge. Here's why:

1. Lack of expertise Let's face it, most of us aren't chemists. Mixing up ingredients and hoping for the best could backfire. You might end up with something harmful instead of helpful. Plus, figuring out the right mix and how ingredients interact requires deep research.
2. The effort involved Once you know what you want, finding pure, high-quality versions of those ingredients is no walk in the park. It's a daunting task, ensuring each component is up to par.

Then comes the mixing. Getting the measurements just right is crucial - a little too much or too little of something can throw off the whole balance. Precision is key, and it takes a careful, meticulous approach.

Some people recommend mixing your homemade pre-workout with a powdered flavored drink, but that seems to defeat the purpose when you make your own pre-workout using only high-quality ingredients.

I’m suspicious of the taste, and I would rather find something that is either unflavored or a pre-made workout that has been tested by other people for great tasting flavor.

Whipping up a pre-workout drink takes just a few minutes, including precise ingredient measurement and mixing. The real time eater? Researching and buying the right stuff. But once you've got that down, it's pretty straightforward.

Be ready to adjust the mix over time, though. Your body might adapt to ingredients like caffeine, needing a tweak in the recipe.

Customizing your pre-workout means it's tailored to your fitness goals, offering that perfect energy, focus, and stamina boost for your workouts. So, those few minutes of prep? Totally worth it.

Short on time? We've got some ready-to-go pre-workout suggestions for you.

• Best Keto Pre-Workout
• Best Organic Pre-Workout
• Best Vegan Pre-Workout
• Best Thermogenic Pre-Workout

Check this video below to learn more how to create your own pre workout

You can buy the ingredients to make a pre-workout at the same places that you would buy a pre-made pre-workout. Any health store, in-person or online, will have most ingredients stocked.

DIY pre-workout can be a wallet-friendly choice. Store-bought powders range from $10-20, but making your own usually means more servings at a lower cost per serving.

Despite the savings, I lean towards buying pre-made supplements. Some brands offer high-quality ingredients that deliver great results, saving you the hassle of potentially mixing something harmful. It's all about picking the right product – paying a bit more for peace of mind and convenience can be worth it.

You can read the following article on some of my recommended pre-workout supplements for maximum pump.

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20386132
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5918575/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5679696/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5568273/

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