Choosing the best pre-workout supplement for you can be somewhat of a challenging decision. There are many different brands and types of supplements, each with their own pros and cons. This article will help you make an informed decision about which pre-workout is right for you to take to enhance your training sessions. Here are the best pre-workout supplements in 2022.
The Best Pre-Workout Supplements in 2022 (Updated List)
| # | Preview | Product | Rating |
| 1 |  | Pride by EHPlabs Pre-Workout Supplement | Best overall |
| 2 |  | Legion Pulse Pre-Workout Supplement | Best Without Creatine |
| 3 |  | KAGED MUSCLE Pre-workout | Best For Strength |
| 4 |  | Redcon1 Total War Pre-workout Powder | Best High Stimulant |
| 5 |  | Alani Nu Pre-Workout Supplement | Best For Taste |
| 6 |  | Organic Muscle Pre-Workout Powder | Best Vegan |
| 7 |  | PUMPSURGE Caffeine Free Pump & Nootropic Pre-Workout Supplement | Best Non-Stimulant |
| 8 |  | Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout | Best For Building Muscle |
| 9 |  | C4 Sport Pre-Workout Powder | Best Cost-Effective |
| 10 |  | VINTAGE BLAST – The First 2-Stage Pre-Workout Supplement | Best For Endurance |
What is a Pre-Workout Supplement?
A pre-workout supplement is a dietary or nutritional product that’s made to help enhance a physically demanding activity, such as weightlifting. They’re typically caffeine-based and intended to increase your energy, focus, or pump.
The ingredients give an extra boost or “fuel” to help you improve your workout performance and keep you going as long as possible, and also promote optimal recovery.
They usually come in a powdered form that you mix with water and then consume before an exercise.
What to Look for When Buying a Pre-Workout
Everyone has different preferences on what is important or not when deciding on a pre-workout, but I want to offer my opinion on the most important things that a pre-workout should have.
There are countless pre-workouts out there and that’s why it’s important to look at some factors to help make your purchasing decision easier. Here are some things to consider to help you choose which one is best for you.
Customer Reviews
One way to choose a pre-workout is by looking at what customers say.
What are people who purchased the product saying about their experience, and how does it compare with other products on the market?
If there’s an overwhelming amount of positive feedback then this could be one indication that will help guide your decision in choosing between two or more options available for purchase.
Ingredients
Another way to find out if a pre-workout is right for you would be by looking at what ingredients make up each supplement, because sometimes this can give you an idea on how it will affect your body or mind in general.
Whether you like products that are simple and basic with no frills, or something that has more of an active ingredient list, it’s always important to take that into account to determine what’s right for you.
Taste
There are many pre-workouts out there but they all aren’t made equally. Some may have a great formula with the necessary components to help give you the fuel that you need but let’s be honest, if the taste isn’t right, then you most likely won’t want to buy it again.
Thats why doing research on flavors isn’t at all a bad idea. Seeing what the customers say about taste is a great way to determine if you’ll actually enjoy it or not.
Some companies add more artificial sweeteners and other brands will have more natural ones. There are also even organic pre-workouts but they may not be sweet enough for some people depending on preference.
Value
One of the biggest factors for me personally is the value of the pre-workout. The last thing that you want to do is pay a pretty penny for something that has a bunch of meaningless ingredients for you.
Unfortunately, a lot of these expensive brands have proprietary blends that don’t disclose the exact amount or quantity of ingredients.
They may contain a lot of the “right stuff” but in very low amounts. So it’s good to do some research depending on what kind of budget you’re on.
The Best Pre-Workout Supplements in 2022 Product Reviews
Here are the reviews of the best pre-workout supplements in 2022
1. Pride by EHPlabs Pre-Workout Supplement (Best Overall)
The EHP Labs PRIDE Pre-Workout powder is my personal favorite for several reasons, but primarily for its 5-stage caffeine release which has 280mg per serving. The whole purpose of a pre-workout supplement is to help with boosting your energy and overall workout performance.
I also like that it has a super nootropic matrix that includes 500mg of L-Tyrosine to promote better focus and mood enhancement especially on days when I feel sluggish or mentally out of sync before the gym.
Pride pre-workout also contains a great blend of EAA’s(Essential amino acids) and BCAA’s(branch amino acids) to help support muscle growth and optimal recovery which is a also a big deal for me.
Ive noticed as well that this gives a pretty good pump, although it doesn’t contain beta-alanine so you won’t get the “tingles”. But it does contain L-Citrulline, Nitrosigine, and Betaine Anhydrous.
As far as the flavors, there are five – sour green apple, blue slushy, strawberry snow cone, cotton candy, raspberry, and fantasy soda.
Overall, I think Ehp labs has done a great job at making this pre-workout pretty well formulated, even though it’s not a high stimulant powder.
Pros
- Great for focus
- Good pumps
- Long-lasting energy and performance
- Contains a great blend of ingredients
Cons
- Strawberry snow cone flavor does not taste good
- Not high in stimulant
2. Legion Pulse Pre-Workout Supplement (Best without creatine)
Legion Pulse brings you an all natural pre-workout supplement that is sweetened with stevia. It contains large doses from science backed ingredients like l-citrulline malate, betaine(nitric oxide), beta alanine, alpha gpc, and caffeine.
Typically, most pre-workouts have have about 6 grams of l-citrulline. There is 8g of l-citrulline malate, so right away it’s evident that this clinically effective dose is meant to give you a serious pump. This also has 350mg of caffeine, so if you are a fan of high stimulants, then you may very well enjoy this stuff.
Legion Pulse pre-workout is creatine free, so if creatine is not an option for you, then this can be your weapon of choice.
Pros
- High stimulant
- Good for energy and focus
- Good for pumps
- All natural sweeteners
Cons
- A little pricey
- Only 21 servings per container
3. KAGED MUSCLE Pre-workout (Best for strength)
It’s also has a blend of patented ingredients such as creatine HCI, CarnoSyn beta alanine, and BetaPower which all have have been scientifically tested to promote muscle hypertrophy and increase strength.
Kaged Muscle has done a fantastic job at formulating a third-party tested powder with just about everything you need to help you with pumps, focus, and all-around hard workout sessions.
Pros
- Good for strength and endurance
- Heightens focus
- Good for pumps
- Increases energy
Cons
- Not high in stimulanContains surcralose, an artificial sweetener.
4. Redcon1 Total War Pre-workout Powder (Best high stimulant)
Redcon1 Total War Pre-Workout is known to hit hard with the first scoop with it’s powerful combination of caffeine anhydrous at 250mg and 100mg of Di-caffeine malate. This blend of caffeine is meant to give you lasting energy without having a “crash” afterwards.
It also has 3.2g of beta-alanine and 6g of citrulline malate, both compounds to give you enhanced athletic performance and solid pumps. This also has a fully transparent ingredient label with clinical doses for efficacy.
So if your’e a high stimulant junkie and you want something to hit you hard, then Redcon1 is most likely for you.
Pros
- High Stimulant
- Good for performance
- Good for energy
- No proprietary blends
Cons
- May cause itchiness or flushing
- Contains artificial flavors
5. Alani Nu Pre-Workout Supplement (Best for taste)
Alani Nu Pre-Workout is a known to have some of the most delicious tasting flavors like Hawaiian shaved ice, rainbow candy, and breezeberry. Alani Nu is also considered to be a one of the top rated pre-workout supplements for woman.
It contains 200mg of caffeine, 1.6mg of beta alanine, 6g of citrulline, and 500mg of L-tyrosine – All to help with energy and focus. This has no proprietary blends, so you’ll know exactly what you’re ingesting.
If you want a pre-workout with great taste to enjoy and clean lasting energy, then you may want to try this one out.
Pros
- Great taste
- Good for energy
- Good for focus
- Vegan friendly
Cons
- Contains artificial sweeteners
6. Organic Muscle Pre-Workout Powder (Best vegan)
This pre-workout is an all natural and vegan-friendly dietary supplement that has a blend of organic ingredients such as maca root, ginseng, turmeric, beet root, green tea, acai and many more that promote lasting stamina and performance.
With its combination of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and nootropics, its meant to give a clean, natural boost as well as overall health, vitality, and focus.
It has 150mg of organic caffeine to help give you sustained energy without the “crash” after.
This is also non-GMO and contains no added sugars or artificial sweeteners but that also means that it might not taste great for some people.
But overall, Organic Muscle Pre-Workout is a very clean and healthy supplement made up of high quality superfoods.
Pros
- All natural ingredients
- Non-GMO
- Dairy and gluten free
- No artificial sweeteners
Cons
- May not have a great taste
- Not for high stimulant users
7. PUMPSURGE Caffeine Free Pump & Nootropic Pre-Workout (Best non-stimulant)
As a caffeine free supplement, Pumpsurge is a pre-workout that is formulated with mind sharpening nootropics and nitric oxide boosters such as l-citrulline, betaine anhydrous, and alpha GPC to stimulate muscle pumps.
It also contains rhodiola rosea, which is a flowering plant that helps your body adapt to stress and fatigue.
The label also discloses every ingredient that it contains, meaning there are no proprietary blends so you will know exactly what you are ingesting.
If you aren’t a fan of stimulants, then give this one a try.
Pros
- Helps promote pumps
- Contains rhodiola rosea
- No proprietary blends
Cons
- Has artificial sweeteners
- Only 5g of L-citrulline
8. Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout
The name pretty much speaks for itself. Transparent Bulk Pre-Workout is primarily focused on helping you build muscle.
It has ergogenic nutrients such as l-citrulline, beta-alanine, and betaine anhydrous, which are always key ingredients that help with pumps, vascularity, energy, and overall athletic performance.
It also contains a patented ingredient called alphasize, that is intended to enhance mental and physical performance.
Even though it only contains 180mg of caffeine, it still has proper dosing of compounds that delay fatigue and work well with caffeine to heighten mind-muscle connection.
It has 4g of BCAA’s(2:1:1 ratio), giving it the optimal amount of essential amino acids for muscle hypertrophy and protein synthesis.
Pros
- Transparent label
- Good for pumps
- Good for focus
- No artificial sweeteners
- Good value
Cons
- Not for high-stim users
9. C4 Sport Pre-Workout Powder
A brand that we are all pretty much familiar with. C4 Sport Pre-Workout has 135 mg’s of caffeine and is combined with clinically researched ingredients to give you an extra boost.
This includes CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine, which helps increase endurance and performance while fighting fatigue.
It contains 2.5g’s of micronized creatine monohydrate, which help support muscle gains and strength.
One down side I must mention is that it contains artificial flavors and there has been complaints of bloating.
But overall, I’d say for what it all has, the price is very affordable, especially if your’e on a budget.
Pros
- Third party tested
- Affordable
- Contains vitamin C and B6
Cons
- Not very strong
- Complaints of stomach aches
10. VINTAGE BLAST – The First 2-Stage Pre-Workout Supplement (Best for endurance)
Vintage Blast Pre-Workout powder is made to give a “two-stage” natural energy release which is a very interesting formula because the first stage is meant to give you a “strong start” followed by the second stage to help you “finish strong”.
This has a blend of caffeine anhydrous (a more concentrated form of caffeine) and also microencapsolated caffeine, which gives it a more sustained and slower caffeine release.
It also includes 5g’s of l-citrulline, 1g of beta alanine and 1g of l-arginine to help you train effectively, get pumps, and recover.
There are about 250mg of l-tyrosine, which may help with focus but It there are other pre-workouts that contain double that amount. So the tyrosine is a bit under dosed in my opinion.
Overall, I think this is a well formulated pre-workout and if you want something to help with endurance and duration, then this may be the one for you.
Pros
- No proprietary blends
- 2 stage energy release
- Good for pumps
- No artificial flavors
Cons
- A little pricey
- Low doses on certain ingredients
FAQ’s
Here are some commonly asked questions about pre-workout supplements.
Are pre-workouts actually worth it?
In my personal experience, yes. But that being said, a good quality pre-workout is only as good as it’s contents. Most contain caffeine, beta-alanine, creatine, or amino acids which can all help boost your focus, energy, and workout performance.
However, it’s important to read the list of ingredients that all it contains as well as the quantity of each before you take it.
Are pre-workout supplements safe?
They are generally safe and although they have been around for a long time, it does not mean that they’re not without their risks.
Pre-workout supplements are a dime-a dozen and most of them won’t seem harmful. The problem is that some can cause side effects, like jitters, upset, or sleeplessness. Of course, you don’t want to take high doses of caffeine so your intake should be with moderation especially if it’s your first time taking it.
Should I dry scoop a pre-workout?
It is not recommended to dry scoop as ingesting caffeine rapidly can lead to harmful side effects such as increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, or worse case scenario a heart attack. There are pre-workouts that contain anywhere from 150mg to 350mg of caffeine.
If you do chose to dry scoop, just be very mindful of what ingredients the scoop contains as well as the quantity.
When should I take a pre-workout?
Typically, you should take your pre-workout 20-30 minutes before your training session to make sure the that active Ingredients have had time to get into your blood stream and take effect.
The Takeaway
With so many different pre-workout supplements on the market today, it can be hard to know which one is right for you.
Each have their on benefits and drawbacks so its important to do a little bit of research to help you decide what is right for you.
That’s why we took a look at some of the top rated brands and what they offer in order to help make your decision easier.
So there you have it! My favorite pre-workout is the EHP Labs PRIDE pre-workout for it’s diversity and overall quality. If you have any questions about any of the products listed here, please visit each of the Amazon listings as most questions are answered right on the product page.