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Pre-workout supplements have become increasingly popular among fitness enthusiasts in recent years. It’s almost as if, are you even a serious lifter if you don’t dry scoop some pre-workout in the gym parking lot before your warm-up?

Due to their prevalence within gym culture and notable performance-boosting effects, everybody has their go to pre-workout supplements whether it’s a simple cup of coffee (aka “caffeine”) or a scoop of the latest tropical punch-flavored, ultra-secret-ingredient formula.

The world of pre-workouts can be intimidating, sometimes rightfully so. You don’t want to spend more money than you have to. You don’t want to choose an ineffective formula. And you definitely don’t want to take something that makes you so jittery, you end up doing push-ups on the floor of the emergency room.

Here’s what to know about some of the most popular pre-workouts available, so you can approach your pre-training supplementation with a better idea of what should and shouldn’t be in there.

What Does a Pre-Workout Do?

• Potential Benefits
• Potential Drawbacks
• 10 Most Common Pre-Workout Ingredients
• How to Use a Pre-Workout 

Potential Benefits of Using a Pre-Workout 

Pre-workout supplements can be a game changer for many people. It’s a staple supplement category for many lifters, whether it’s something used before every workout or only when the planned session calls for it. It’s not necessary, but for lifters who want a high-performance edge, having a go to pre-workout is ideal.

Increased Motivation and Focus

A good pre-workout can help to get you in the right mindset on days when you’re paying more attention to the playlist in your headphones than the barbell in your hands. Even the most dedicated lifter has days when they’re just not feeling it, and a good pre-workout may be able to fill the gap.

Certain pre-workout ingredients have been shown to improve focus, concentration, even your mood. (1)(2) This can carry over to greater general energy levels, allowing you to attack the training session with higher intensity, as well as potentially better attention to technique.

You might also notice a better mind-muscle connection during certain exercises, which can help to recruit more muscle fibers and trigger greater muscle growth. (3)

Improved Strength, Power, and Endurance

Physiologically, a pre-workout can directly boost your performance in the gym by improving strength, increasing power output, or increasing endurance and delaying fatigue — all of which can translate to better training adaptations and improved results. (4)(5)(6)

Whether it’s a stimulant to create a stronger muscle fiber contraction or an ingredient to decrease your required rest periods, pre-workouts can have some significant and impactful influence on your training session. (7)

Cumulatively, these performance benefits can yield greater results from training. However, that doesn’t mean you should, or need to, rely on pre-workouts consistently to perform at a high level.

Even when used sporadically, these benefits can trigger responses that yield better results than you might otherwise find without strategic supplement usage.

Potential Drawbacks of Using a Pre-Workout

Here are the major concerns you should be on the look out for when purchasing a pre-workout supplement.

Proprietary Blends 

The term “proprietary blend” describes a mixture of ingredients that is unique to a particular supplement brand. Unlike more transparent labeling practices which list the specific amounts of each ingredient, proprietary blends only list the total amount of the blend without specifying how much of a given ingredient is included in the formula.

This means that you’re not being told exactly how much of each ingredient you are getting. Imagine being served a hamburger: Would you rather be told it’s made of “meat mixture,” 20% ground beef and 80% ground hot dogs, or 100% ground beef? That’s basically the situation with proprietary blends.

With proprietary blends, you don’t know if you’re getting the ingredients you desire in a safe or effective dose. Supplement company take advantage of this gray area and often fill proprietary blends with cheap fillers and less effective ingredients, compared to relatively more expensive and more useful ingredients, to improve their profit margins while compromising on efficacy.

Many supplements also require some degree of troubleshooting, so it might take you one or two (or more) different pre-workout purchases to find a formula your body responds well to. If you are not responding well to a pre-workout, it can be hard to pinpoint an exact reason when you’re dealing with a vague proprietary blend. Learning which ingredients help and hurt you is crucial to finalizing your pre-workout choice.

Stimulant Overload

Stimulants, such as caffeine or yohimbine (and ephedrine before it was banned), are commonly found in pre-workout supplements. These substances work by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolic rate. While this can provide a temporary boost of energy, it can also put a strain on the cardiovascular system and increase the risk of potentially adverse health effects.

The very ingredients that make pre-workouts useful can also be abused by some individuals, especially if you’re prone to the side effects of stimulants. If you already have a high-level of caffeine intake, are anxiety prone, have high blood pressure, struggle with sleep, you should exercise care when it comes to stimulant-laden pre-workouts.

If you’re not careful with your pre-workout blend or the doses you use, you might not have the most pleasant experience. Palpations in the gym can land you on viral tik tok video or in the hospital. Nobody wants either of those. Always start with a half serving of any pre-workout and increase if appropriate.

10 Most Common Pre-Workout Ingredients

Whether you’re searching for a useful pre-workout formula or are looking to create your own by hand-picking specific compounds, here are some of the most reliable, science-based, effective pre-workout ingredients.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a well-known stimulant that is commonly found in coffee, tea, and other beverages. It is also added to many pre-workout supplements because of its ability to increase alertness and reduce fatigue. (8) Caffeine works by blocking the action of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that promotes sleepiness and relaxation. By blocking adenosine, caffeine makes you more alert. (9)

Without caffeine, many pre-workouts might not even feel like they are working. It’s the primary stimulant that leaves you feeling, “Whoa, I’m not as tired anymore. Time to hit the squat rack.”

Some pre-workout supplements may contain as little as 50 milligrams of caffeine per serving, while others may contain as much as 400 milligrams or more. For context, an “average” cup of coffee contains about 100 milligrams of caffeine.

Generally, you want to err on the lower end when using caffeine as a pre-workout, especially if you’re caffeine-sensitive or prefer a stimulant-free pre-workout (when training later in the day, for example, to avoid interrupting your sleep).

Don’t overlook the compounding effect caffeine can have over the course of a day. Because caffeine has a half-life of roughly five hours, if you have, for example, a large cold brew coffee with an extra shot at 9 a.m., you’re taking in roughly 325 milligrams of caffeine.

By 2 p.m., you’ve still got around 160 milligrams circulating in your system, so re-consider throwing back a pre-workout loaded with another 200+ milligrams of caffeine before your lunch break workout.

Synephrine 

From the depths of Southeast Asia, synephrine is a compound derived from bitter orange. It’s been used to treat digestion and congestion issues, but can also be a stimulant in pre-workout.

Synephrine is a stimulant that is similar in structure and function to ephedrine — another stimulant that was commonly used in dietary supplements before being banned by the FDA in 2004. Like ephedrine, synephrine is thought to increase energy expenditure, reduce appetite, and enhance athletic performance. (10) However, synephrine is considered to be safer than ephedrine because it has a weaker effect on the central nervous system and is less likely to cause adverse side effects.

In pre-workout supplements, synephrine is often combined with caffeine and other ingredients that are intended to increase energy and focus during exercise. These supplements are marketed as a way to improve athletic performance, increase muscle strength, and reduce fatigue. (11)

Research has shown high doses up to 100 to 200 milligrams per day are tolerable depending on body weight, but more common effective doses are closer to 50 milligrams per day.

While synephrine may provide some benefits for exercise performance, it is important to be aware of the potential risks and side effects associated with its use. Some studies have suggested that synephrine can increase blood pressure and heart rate, which can be dangerous for people with certain medical conditions, such as hypertension or heart disease.

Yohimbine

Yohimbine is a potent stimulant that works by blocking alpha-2 adrenergic receptors in the body. This action can increase blood flow which is why many tout it as being helpful with treating erectile dysfunction.

But nonetheless, some people swear by the muscle pumps from yohimbine. Mechanistically, yohimbine has also been shown to increase the release of norepinephrine, a hormone that can stimulate fat metabolism and promote weight loss. Although, actual fat loss recorded in studies seems minimal. (12)

Doses from 10 to 20 milligrams are generally effective, but, similar to other stimulants, yohimbine can pose blood pressure and cardiovascular risks when combined with other stimulants.

Beta-Alanine

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid that is naturally produced by the body. Beta-alanine has gained popularity among athletes and bodybuilders, due to its potential to enhance athletic performance and increase muscle endurance. (13)

Beta-alanine works by increasing the concentration of carnosine in the muscles. Carnosine is a dipeptide found in high concentrations in fast-twitch muscle fibers — the fibers responsible for explosive power and strength. Carnosine acts as a buffer, helping to prevent the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles during exercise.

In layman’s terms, it allows you to push longer and endure higher intensities because it delays muscle-burning. (14) This can lead to improvements in athletic performance, especially in activities that require extended bouts like endurance work or high-rep sets with minimal rest periods. It’s also known for producing a “tingly” feeling which can be hit or miss for people. Two to five grams per day have been shown to be effective.

Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin

Highly branched cyclic dextrin is essentially pure carbohydrates for performance. Unlike many other types of carbohydrates, cyclic dextrin is “highly branched” which simply means it is rapidly absorbed by the body.

It provides your body fast-acting carbs to replenish muscle and liver glycogen while maintaining blood glucose levels. The ergogenic effects of carbohydrates are well-established, especially for high intensity interval training or endurance training. (15)

For some of your more intense workouts, this is a useful ingredient, especially when you don’t want to stomach carbohydrate-dense foods like potatoes or rice near your training session. As a carb source, as little as 15 grams per workout have been shown to be beneficial.

Citrulline 

Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid found in watermelon and certain other fruits. If you’ve ever overheard locker room advice about drinking watermelon or pomegranate juice before a workout, there is actually some truth to that.

Citrulline is known to stimulate nitric oxide, which improves blood flow, increases aerobic performance, and gives you those tremendous pumps everybody talks about. (16)

Citrulline has ergogenic properties making it a seemingly perfect pre-workout ingredient. To increase nitric oxide production, six grams is the minimum recommended dose. Depending on your body weight and individual metabolism, you might need doses as high as eight or 12 grams to get noticeably bigger pumps.

BCAAS or Amino Acids 

Many pre-workout supplements will have amino acids or branched chain amino acids. While these amino acids can be useful, most people already get plenty in a protein-sufficient diet.

Having incomplete amino acids will always be inferior to a complete protein like whey. These standalone amino acid formulas in pre-workouts often significantly spike the price of your pre-workout while providing little benefit.

If you want extra calories in your pre-workout, you’re better off opting for carbs like highly branched cyclic dextrin instead, which will bring along improved performance.

L-Tyrosine 

L-tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid that is found in many protein-rich foods, including meat, fish, and dairy products. It has gained popularity as an ingredient in pre-workout supplements due to its potential to enhance mental and physical performance. (17)

L-tyrosine works by increasing the production of neurotransmitters in the brain, such as dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters are important for mood, motivation, and focus, and they play a key role in regulating the body’s stress response. By increasing the production of these neurotransmitters, L-tyrosine can help to improve mental focus during exercise.

However, L-tyrosine seems to primarily have a noticeable effect in stressful, anxious, or sleep-deprived scenarios. It could be considered the “sleep-deprived saver” — it might not make a big difference in your usual routine on days when you have sufficient sleep, but if your night’s sleep pattern is disrupted, it may be more beneficial. The effective dose seems to be between 500 to 2,000 milligrams depending on your body weight.

L-Theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid commonly found in certain tea leaves. L-theanine works by increasing the production of neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). (18) GABA is a calming neurotransmitter that helps to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.

It has many cognitive benefits as well. It doesn’t sedate or make you tired, but it could be seen as more of a “downer,” compared to over-the-top stimulants working as “uppers” as they ramp up your nervous system. Theanine generally provides a more mellow energy and is often added to pre-workouts to serve as a way to add more performance clarity while reducing the jittery side effects of stimulants like caffeine.

L-theanine also has a relatively positive safety profile at any dose, but around 300 milligrams is recommended as a minimum effective dosage.

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine is an extremely popular ingredient, considered one of the most thoroughly researched sports supplements in the field, known for its ability to enhance physical performance and muscle growth. (19)(20) It is a naturally occurring compound that is found in several animal products such as red meat and fish.

Creatine works by increasing the body’s levels of phosphocreatine, which is used to produce energy during high-intensity exercise. By increasing the body’s stores of phosphocreatine, creatine can help to improve athletic performance, increase strength, and reduce fatigue. It’s even been shown to boost cognitive function and general brain health. (21)

It also draws water into your muscles cells, signaling for anabolic processes. It’s almost like the strength and hypertrophy version of beta-alanine. Despite its common everyday use and scientific reliability, creatine only works once your muscles are fully saturated. This process takes a couple weeks of consistent use.

If you don’t take your pre-workout daily, you will have a hard time leveraging creatine’s benefits. Many brands also add creatine to spike up the price of their pre-workout, due to the “name recognition” of the ingredient, even though creatine on its own is relatively inexpensive.

While it might be more convenient to have it in your pre-workout, a better approach is to supplement with creatine separately, using a standalone creatine monohydrate powder. This is a way to save money while maximizing creatine stores within the muscles, since you can take creatine daily without any additional pre-workout ingredients.

How to Use Pre-Workouts

One of the most overlooked aspects to pre-workouts is taste. Make sure it tastes good, so you’ll actually want to take it, and make sure you feel energized without your blood pressure exploding or your sleep-quality tanking.

Be on the lookout for a pre-workout that has the ingredients you want in the doses you need, and be careful about the number of stimulants in them. Whenever possible, avoid proprietary blends.

For most ingredients to work well and be properly digested and absorbed, take your pre-workout 30 to 60 minutes before your workout. Most people just take it before they leave for the gym, regardless of timeframe. Worse, they might quickly down a pre-workout in the gym’s parking lot while they’re loading up their favorite playlist.

The only other thing you have to consider is how often you take a pre-workout. For some lifters, taking a pre-workout boost before every workout has become a part of gym life — just another ritual like packing your gym bag or filling your water bottle.

Others prefer to take a pre-workout only on days they’re dragging and need a good pump or an extra boost to hit a new PR. This latter approach should help to make sure you don’t desensitize yourself to any of the ingredients, especially stimulants like caffeine, which can quickly lose it’s effects if taken too often in high doses. (22)

Pre-workouts can also be useful if you train fasted, and they may be less needed if you train well-fed. The carbohydrate, sodium, and nutrient component of your pre-workout meal can improve your performance, mental alertness, and muscle pumps even without the stimulating jitters.

Like anything else in fitness, you have to experiment with what works best for you when it comes to taking a pre-workout. As you find with most things in the gym, a bit of patience, combined with well-informed periods of trial and error, should gradually steer you in the right direction of safe and effective goal-focused results.

References

1. Jung, Y. P., Earnest, C. P., Koozehchian, M., Galvan, E., Dalton, R., Walker, D., Rasmussen, C., Murano, P. S., Greenwood, M., & Kreider, R. B. (2017). Effects of acute ingestion of a pre-workout dietary supplement with and without p-synephrine on resting energy expenditure, cognitive function and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-016-0159-2
2. Curtis, J., Evans, C., Mekhail, V., Czartoryski, P., Santana, J. C., & Antonio, J. (2022). The Effects of a Pre-workout Supplement on Measures of Alertness, Mood, and Lower-Extremity Power. Cureus, 14(5), e24877. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.24877
3. Calatayud, J., Vinstrup, J., Jakobsen, M. D., Sundstrup, E., Brandt, M., Jay, K., Colado, J. C., & Andersen, L. L. (2016). Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. European journal of applied physiology, 116(3), 527–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7
4. Martinez, N., Campbell, B., Franek, M., Buchanan, L., & Colquhoun, R. (2016). The effect of acute pre-workout supplementation on power and strength performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 13, 29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-016-0138-7
5. Schwarz, N. A., , PhD, & McKinley-Barnard, S. K., , PhD (2020). Acute Oral Ingestion of a Multi-ingredient Preworkout Supplement Increases Exercise Performance and Alters Postexercise Hormone Responses: A Randomized Crossover, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Journal of dietary supplements, 17(2), 211–226. https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2018.1498963
6. Beck, T. W., Housh, T. J., Schmidt, R. J., Johnson, G. O., Housh, D. J., Coburn, J. W., & Malek, M. H. (2006). The acute effects of a caffeine-containing supplement on strength, muscular endurance, and anaerobic capabilities. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 20(3), 506–510. https://doi.org/10.1519/18285.1
7. Martinez, N., Campbell, B., Franek, M. et al. The effect of acute pre-workout supplementation on power and strength performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 13, 29 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-016-0138-7
8. Ruxton, C.H.S. (2008), The impact of caffeine on mood, cognitive function, performance and hydration: a review of benefits and risks. Nutrition Bulletin, 33: 15-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2007.00665.x
9. Delleli, S., Ouergui, I., Messaoudi, H., Trabelsi, K., Ammar, A., Glenn, J. M., & Chtourou, H. (2022). Acute Effects of Caffeine Supplementation on Physical Performance, Physiological Responses, Perceived Exertion, and Technical-Tactical Skills in Combat Sports: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 14(14), 2996. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14142996
10. Stohs, S. J., Preuss, H. G., & Shara, M. (2012). A review of the human clinical studies involving Citrus aurantium (bitter orange) extract and its primary protoalkaloid p-synephrine. International journal of medical sciences, 9(7), 527–538. https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.4446
11. Ruiz-Moreno, C., Del Coso, J., Giráldez-Costas, V., González-García, J., & Gutiérrez-Hellín, J. (2021). Effects of p-Synephrine during Exercise: A Brief Narrative Review. Nutrients, 13(1), 233. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13010233
12. Ostojic S. M. (2006). Yohimbine: the effects on body composition and exercise performance in soccer players. Research in sports medicine (Print), 14(4), 289–299. https://doi.org/10.1080/15438620600987106
13. Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Stout, J. R., Hoffman, J. R., Wilborn, C. D., Sale, C., . . . Antonio, J. (2015). International society of sports nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12(1), 30. doi: 10.1186/s12970-015-0090-y
14. Derave, W., Everaert, I., Beeckman, S., & Baguet, A. (2010). Muscle carnosine metabolism and beta-alanine supplementation in relation to exercise and training. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 40(3), 247–263. https://doi.org/10.2165/11530310-000000000-00000
15. Furuyashiki, T., Tanimoto, H., Yokoyama, Y., Kitaura, Y., Kuriki, T., & Shimomura, Y. (2014). Effects of ingesting highly branched cyclic dextrin during endurance exercise on rating of perceived exertion and blood components associated with energy metabolism. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry, 78(12), 2117–2119. https://doi.org/10.1080/09168451.2014.943654
16. Pérez-Guisado, J., & Jakeman, P. M. (2016). Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(10), 2937-2942. doi: 10.1519/jsc.0000000000001591
17. Stecker, R. A., Harty, P. S., Cottet, M. L., & Jagim, A. R. (2019). The effects of tyrosine supplementation on clinical and healthy populations under stress or cognitive demands – a review. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 16(1), 1-14. doi: 10.1186/s12970-019-0318-5.
18. Nobre, A. C., Rao, A., & Owen, G. N. (2008). L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state. Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition, 17 Suppl 1, 167–168.
19. Wu, Shih-Hao, et al. “Creatine Supplementation for Muscle Growth: A Scoping Review of Randomized Clinical Trials from 2012 to 2021.” Nutrients, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 16 Mar. 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8949037/
20. Chilibeck, P. D., Kaviani, M., Candow, D. G., & Zello, G. A. (2017). Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis. Open access journal of sports medicine, 8, 213–226. https://doi.org/10.2147/OAJSM.S123529
21. Rawson, E. S., & Venezia, A. C. (2011). Use of creatine in the elderly and evidence for effects on cognitive function in young and old. Amino acids, 40(5), 1349–1362. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-011-0855-9
22. Quiquempoix, M., Drogou, C., Erblang, M., Van Beers, P., Guillard, M., Tardo-Dino, P. E., Rabat, A., Léger, D., Chennaoui, M., Gomez-Merino, D., Sauvet, F., & Percaf Investigator Group (2023). Relationship between Habitual Caffeine Consumption, Attentional Performance, and Individual Alpha Frequency during Total Sleep Deprivation. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(6), 4971. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064971

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After shocking the bodybuilding world by winning the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC), Samson Dauda appears to be keeping his nose to the fitness grindstone. At this rate, with stated lofty ambitions of capturing the 2023 Mr. Olympia title in early November, Dauda’s diligence may well pay off. That is, according to a recent tease of his current physique.

On Apr. 8, 2023, during the 10X Ben Weider 2023 contest in Maidenhead, UK, Dauda appeared as a guest poser on stage. Even while the rising superstar didn’t formally compete, it’s still apparent his ongoing training is paying off with a hulking physique. A short clip of Dauda’s impressive posing was shared on Instagram via photographer Viktor Källberg (@vkallbergphoto).

Dauda’s guest posing appearance is probably more of a culmination than an outright shock to anyone who has paid attention to his recent exploits. His reflection speaks more to someone who has their eye on a bigger prize while hoping to leave the ladder behind for peers who could follow in his footsteps.

He’s no longer an “outsider,” so to speak.

“We had such an amazing time at [the 10X] Ben Weider Pro qualifier this past weekend,” Dauda wrote on Instagram. “It was motivating watching up and coming athletes battle it out showing us all how hard they’ve worked to take the stage and earn their pro cards. It was truly a great event and a fun day.”

After winning the 2023 AC, there’s a clear pattern to a meteoric rise for Dauda.

According to NPC News Online, Dauda’s first notable appearance on the scene might be his second-place finish at the 2020 Monsterzym Pro and a top-five result at the 2020 Europa Pro, respectively. Dauda would follow that competitive year by finishing in at least the top three in each of the 2021 Arnold Classic UK, the 2021 Yamamoto Pro, and the 2021 Romania Muscle Fest Pro.

Then, in 2022, after earning his first-ever berth to an Olympia contest, the bodybuilder finished in sixth place behind notable titans like eventual champion Hadi Choopan, runner-up Derek Lunsford, and third-place finisher Nick Walker.

All of that said, Dauda’s 2023 AC triumph appears to have acted as an early-career zenith. It’s no wonder some bodybuilding icons have begun to hype up his 2023 Olympia victory chances. It’s also no shock that Dauda is feeding into the hype, using the pressure of higher expectations as motivation to follow through on his recent momentum.

Until his 2023 AC win, Dauda would have had to earn a new roster berth for the 2023 Olympia. Instead, the AC victory not only gave him qualification for the 2023 flagship contest, it built his profile. It elevated the reputation he now possesses as an elite bodybuilder and gave him breathing room to focus on climbing the tallest summit in bodybuilding.

Something says this recent guest posing appearance won’t be the last jaw-dropping Olympia teaser Dauda shares with his contemporaries.

Featured image: @samson__dauda on Instagram

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Last summer, Australian CrossFitter Ricky Garard took home an Individual podium finish at the 2022 CrossFit Games. This year, the veteran CrossFitter will have to take some time away to recuperate before he can enjoy that kind of performance again.

On Apr. 6, 2023, Garard revealed in a YouTube video that his 2023 CrossFit season is over after suffering a recent shoulder injury. At the time of this article’s publication, the precise severity of Garard’s ailment is unclear. However, he received surgery to repair a torn acromioclavicular joint (or AC joint) from falling off a mountain bike. In turn, his ensuing recovery of four to six months will knock him out of the rest of the 2023 CrossFit season.

Garard didn’t mince words describing how the nature of this injury hit his sensibilities. After spending four years away from CrossFit competitions following a suspension related to performance-enhancing drugs, the athlete was undoubtedly hoping to build on his 2022 podium result.

“Pretty disappointing,” Garard said. “I’m still trying to take it all in and realize what’s actually happened … I came off my mountain bike, landed on my shoulder, and ruptured my AC joint. So, a fair bit of damage resulted in me getting surgery just two days ago now. It’s looking like I’m out for four to six months recovery … That means my season is gone for 2023. So, yeah, it is devastating. I can’t really believe that it’s happened to be honest.”

While Garard’s injury will force him out of the 2023 CrossFit Games on Aug. 3-6 in Madison, WI, the Australian didn’t rule out a return to later-year competitions outside of the CrossFit season paradigm. For example, the 2023 Rogue Invitational, which does not have a concrete date at the time of this writing, could be in play depending on how Garard’s recovery unfolds.

Given that the contest has taken place in October for the past two years, that could be when the CrossFit world sees Garard compete again.

“I will work for coming back at the end of the year, possibly Rogue [Invitational], Dubai [CrossFit Championship], Down Under [Championship], Miami [the 2024 Wodapalooza],” Garard clarified. “There are still plenty of competitions.”

Garard has made two CrossFit Games appearances in his career, in 2017 and 2022. He was subsequently disqualified from the 2017 iteration for performance-enhancing drug issues but earned his best-ever podium result in last year’s edition. Garard finished in seventh place worldwide during this year’s CrossFit Open and placed first in the Oceania region and Australia.

Garard likely had ambitious plans to build on his third-place performance in the 2022 CrossFit Games. He’ll have to wait until the year 2024 to come back strong and in an ideal top form.

Featured image: @rickygarard on Instagram

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Ukrainian strongman Pavlo Nakonechnyy has officially withdrawn from the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest. Nakonechnyy will not make the trip to Myrtle Beach, SC on the week of Apr. 19-23, 2023, due to the same knee injury that forced him to withdraw from the 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man competition in mid-March. His fellow countryman, Pavlo Kordiyaka, stepped up and won that competition on Apr. 1, 2023. Nakonechnny initially suffered the injury during the deadlift portion of the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic.

The World’s Strongest Man promoters shared the news on Instagram on Saturday, Apr. 8. Nakonechnyy later posted comments on his own Instagram page regarding his absence.

“I [will] miss WSM 2023. I wish all athletes success and see you next year at WSM 2024.”

On the same day as the withdrawal announcement, WSM organizers also shared that American competitor Thomas Evans will replace Nakonechnyy in the lineup.

Evans is coming off a fifth-place finish at the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic in early March 2023. Mitchell Hooper won that contest, but Evans finished one spot ahead of two-time World’s Strongest Man champion Tom Stoltman. This will be Evans’ first WSM appearance.

Prior to the 2023 season, Evans was the 2022 Arnold Amateur Strongman winner and he won the 2022 Shaw Classic open contest. He also competed in the 2022 Official Strongman Games, where he placed eighth out of ten men. The 28-year-old be one of seven Americans on the roster to compete at the WSM. The others are Kevin Faires, Trey Mitchell, Spenser Remick, Evan Singleton, Bobby Thompson, and four-time World’s Strongest Man Brian Shaw, who will be competing in the contest for the final time.

With this change in the lineup, the complete 30-man WSM roster is now as follows:

• Tom Stoltman (UK) — Defending two-time WSM champion
• Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
• Brian Shaw (USA)
• Trey Mitchell (USA)
• Luke Stoltman (UK)
• Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine)
• Mitchell Hooper (Canada)
• Evan Singleton (USA)
• Adam Bishop (UK)
• Aivars Šmaukstelis (Latvia)
• Kevin Faires (USA)
• Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted (Iceland)
• Paul Smith (UK)
• Rauno Heinla (Estonia)
• Bobby Thompson (USA)
• Mateusz Kieliszkowski (Poland)
• Gavin Bilton (UK)
• Spenser Remick (USA)
• Eddie Williams (Australia)
• Thomas Evans (USA)
• Konstantine Janashia (Georgia)
• Graham Hicks (UK)
• Mathew Ragg (New Zealand)
• Gabriel Rhéaume (Canada)
• Fadi El Masri (Australia)
• Jaco Schoonwinkel (South Africa)
• Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf (Australia)
• Mark Felix (UK)
• Pa O’Dwyer (Ireland)
• Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou (Burkina Faso)

Featured Image: @theworldsstrongestman on Instagram

The post Injury Forces Pavlo Nakonechnyy to Withdraw From 2023 World’s Strongest Man, Tom Evans Added to Roster appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) champion Mitchell Hooper is in the final stages of his preparation for his next contest — the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM), being held Apr. 19-23, 2023 in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Transitioning from the early-March ASC to the WSM didn’t leave the Canadian strongman much time to rest, so “The Moose” has been training hard with a target in sight for quite some time. He’s also been doing other work to maintain optimal wellness, as he documented in a recent YouTube video published on his channel on Apr. 3, 2023.

This session at Athletic Kulture in Barrie, ON, Canada wasn’t one that would include major lifts one might expect of a strongman just weeks away from the sport’s biggest competition. Instead, Hooper focused primarily on “accessory” movements designed to maintain shoulder health and joint stability.

Hooper can be seen performing bent-over lateral raises to target the rear deltoids, standing lateral raises, face pulls, and walking with a 48-kilogram (105.8-pound) kettlebell in one hand overhead (known as a “waiter’s walk”). He also did walks while holding a lighter kettlebell upside down to work on stability.

When explaining why he was focusing on the movements, Hooper cited the events in the Finals of the WSM.

“If you think about the events in the [WSM] Finals, max dumbbell and Fingal’s Fingers can be particularly taxing on shoulder stability. So, (I’m) dedicating a day to that … I’m not as big and as strong in the chest and shoulders as most. So, working on weaknesses while preparing for [competitions] …

This is the hardest bit of all of the training, to me. Doing some of this basic, boring stuff. Because you don’t get into this sport because you enjoy building a base. You get into the sport because you enjoy lifting heavy things.”

Throughout the training session, Hooper’s videographer prompted him to more thoroughly explain his decisions for the training day. Hooper, who holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology and operates a personal training and exercise physiology studio, went in-depth sharing several tips to reap more benefits from the shoulder-health focused routine.

To better target the rear deltoids during the bent-over dumbbell lateral, Hooper explained:

“Biomechanically, if you externally rotate your arm, you’re taking [the muscular stress] off of your rear delts and you’re taking it off of your back, and you’re turning it into more of a [side deltoid-focused] lateral raise. So try to keep the elbows pointed out to the side.”

After performing the waiter’s walk, Hooper offered cues to better address shoulder stability during the overhead exercise.

“Elevated scapula — bring your AC joint to your ear. And actively stabilize the shoulder. Actively squeeze everything around the shoulder. Keep it protected.”

Hooper then transitioned to bottoms-up kettlebell walks, inverting the weight to aim the ball of the kettlebell toward the ceiling, further challenging his shoulder stabilizers. Similarly, he offered practical performance tips.

“Anyone can squeeze the handle so hard that inertia doesn’t matter. The key is to have a super-loose hand, so the responsibility is on your elbow to stay under your hand, rather than your hand doing the work for you.”

Hooper stepped on the scale during the workout and revealed a body weight of 145.4 kilograms (320.5 pounds). He told his 18,400 subscribers that he is five pounds heavier than he was at the 2022 WSM. Hooper then concluded the session with cable external rotations for the rotator cuffs and a treadmill run, aiming for maximum distance in three minutes.

The former marathon runner completed 608 meters (.37 miles). At the conclusion of the video, he explained the importance of the treadmill work and its potential carryover to the strength sport.

“Think about this. What’s the most important quality for us to be able to do well at World’s [Strongest Man]? Think of the events … Start with the Loading Medley — obviously running. Conan’s [Wheel] — obviously direct carryover in terms of endurance of the legs. Shield Carry — obviously endurance of the legs. Truck pull — obviously endurance of the legs. Deadlift, you could train that indirectly.

I’m going to say there’s four or five events that all directly relate to your ability to run. So it’s sort of, arguably, one of the most important things to do, you’d think.”

While the work Hooper did was frequently described as “boring,” he clearly believes it could help him in the big contest. Hooper will try to improve upon his eighth place finish at the 2022 WSM, his debut at the flagship contest, which was won by Tom Stoltman. The last time both Hooper and Stoltman were in the same contest was the 2023 ASC, where Hooper’s victory placed him six spots ahead of the two-time WSM champion.

Featured image: Mitchell Hooper / YouTube

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Two-time World’s Strongest Man Tom Stoltman and his older brother Luke Stoltman are both in the final stages of their preparations for the 2023 World’s Strongest Man contest, to be held the week of Apr. 19-23, 2023 in Myrtle Beach, SC.

The Stoltman brothers have been sharing portions of their contest prep with their followers, including a recent event-focused training session that was published their YouTube channel on Apr. 3, 2023.

The title of the video is “Our Best Session Yet,” indicating that they deemed the training to be productive. The massive training included the log press, circus dumbbell press, Fingal’s Fingers, a pulling phase designed to simulate the Truck Pull, and Atlas stones. All of these lifts are events that will be a part of the prestigious strongman contest in South Carolina.

Log Press

The strongmen started by replicating a Log Press ladder, adding weight with each successful rep. Luke Stoltman lifted first and performed five individual reps with weights ranging from 140 to 180 kilograms (310 to 397 pounds) in 10-kilogram jumps performed with nearly no rest between each repetition.

Tom followed after, but he didn’t lock out the 180-kilogram lift. Their younger brother, Harry, also trained with them using lighter weights. Both Stoltmans completed a second set with the same weights, where Tom was able to successfully complete the heaviest lift.

After the set, Tom reflected on his performance while breathing heavily, “I knew the first one was there, I just didn’t put enough chalk on it. So, you can see the power’s there and that’s nice. It’s good to do it on the second round, as well. That’s how fatigue will be at World’s [Strongest Man].

Circus Dumbbell Press

They moved on to Circus dumbbell press next. Weights weren’t revealed on the screen, but Tom Stoltman told the camera that he performed two presses with 120 kilograms (242 pounds) for two, which he was proud of considering he did the log work before.

“My shoulder power’s feeling very good right now, so, I just need to keep it up.” Tom said, referring to his PR on the dumbbell press.

Fingal’s Finger

The third event of the day was with their custom Fingal’s Finger apparatus, which Luke said they did “nice and comfortable for a couple of sets.” Each athlete donned gripper gloves, not unlike what an American football wide receiver might wear, to assist their performance in the unconventional overhead movement.

Simulated Truck Pull

The fourth event was scheduled to be a Truck Pull, but it was raining in their area. So, they loaded up a sled with a combination of a 125-kilogram (275-pound) keg, 180-kilogram (397-pound) sandbag, one of the brothers weighing “almost 200-kilos” (440-pound), plus additional undisclosed weights would sit on top while the other pulled. Each Stoltman pulled twice across their building for an undetermined total distance.

Atlas Stones

The final training event was the Atlas stones. Both men lifted a 160-kilogram (352-pound) stone up and over a wooden bar setup for reps, simulating a Stone Off event. Tom can be seen doing nine, while Luke is shown on camera doing six reps.

Tom Stoltman is looking to add a third WSM trophy to his mantle while Luke will be competing for his first title. If Luke were to win the contest, he and Tom would be the first brothers to have both been the World’s Strongest Man. If Tom does “three-peat,” he would be the seventh champion to attain the title at least three time in the contest’s 46-year history.

Featured Image: Stoltman Brothers / YouTube

The post Tom and Luke Stoltman Share Event Training for 2023 World’s Strongest Man appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Research of the Week

Higher post-op HbA1c levels predict recurrence of tears in diabetic rotator cuff repair patients.

Applying skin cream reduces oxidative stress in the body.

In the Mongolian empire, only elites consumed yak milk.

L. reuteri supplementation improves melanoma immunotherapy response.

People with non-alcoholic fatty liver are worse at processing medications..

New Primal Kitchen Podcasts

Primal Health Coach Radio: Dallas Travers

Primal Kitchen Podcast: Thyroid Health with Elle Russ

Media, Schmedia

Bozeman, Montana schools to use local beef. More of this, please.

Methane suppressants for cows to curb climate change. Idiotic.

Interesting Blog Posts

A drink or two probably won’t kill you..

Why did human societies take so long to develop?.

Social Notes

How’s your sleep?.

Everything Else

Red light therapy for hay fever.

Thai curry paste guide. The best curries around, btw.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Not surprised: Amazonian rainforests managed by indigenous people are better at carbon sequestration.

Every time: Move it or lose it (or have it start hurting).

In the real world: Adequate choline and betaine mean less visceral obesity, the worst kind possible to have.

Fascinating: How frontier history is linked to current day gender norms in America.

Question I’m Asking

How are you sleeping these days?

Recipe Corner

• Oven pulled pork.
• Halibut with coconut rice and citrus slaw. Many don’t realize how much magnesium halibut contains.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Apr 1 – Apr 7)

• Go to Bed! Surprising Effects of Sleep Deprivation—Know the cost.
• The Definitive Guide to Grains—All about them.

Comment of the Week

“I would say power is the most important attribute – the ability to make good use of the strength you have. It’s the middle ground between strength and endurance, and it feeds the training for both. Powerful movement is what separates elite athletes from ordinary competitors.“

-Power definitely leaves us as we age unless we do our best to hold on to it. We can still be strong but lose the ability to generate as much power with that strength..

The post New and Noteworthy: What I Read This Week—Edition 216 appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Seven-time 212 Olympia champion James “Flex” Lewis hasn’t competed onstage since his final victory in 2018, but he waited until 2022 to announce his official retirement from the sport. While has no aspirations of competing again, the Welsh bodybuilder still looks the part, as he has documented on social media.

On Mar. 30, 2023, the 39-year-old father of two shared a physique update on Instagram and reported that he is weighing around 200 pounds. You can see how he looks in the post below, where he is performing a set of cable curls.

Lewis also revealed that he has lost over 60 pounds on the scale “naturally” since he called it a career, indicating he didn’t use performance enhancement drugs to achieve his recent results. He also clarified that he is now in the process of going through a personal transformation challenge. His stated goal is to add 10 to 15 pounds onto his frame, and he wants to be “healthy, athletic, and jacked.” He didn’t share a specific date or deadline for this new goal.

“I am about two weeks in, and things are starting to click,” said Lewis.

Lewis disclosed that he is doing cardio workouts seven days a week and training with weights two or three times weekly. He also revealed that he will document his progress and share updates along the way, asking his 2.2 million followers for input on what he should share during the process. Other details he shared in the post include a strict 4 a.m. wake-up, and four or five daily meals, with two of those meals composed of only protein and fats, no carbohydrates.

While he was an active competitor, Lewis was the most dominant non-heavyweight bodybuilder in the world during the 2010’s, remaining undefeated in competition for nearly his entire professional career. Alongside his longtime coach Neil Hill, he won the Olympia 212 title every year from 2012 to 2018 when he walked off the stage for the final time. Lewis also also won the inaugural Arnold Classic 212 title in 2014. He had announced intentions to compete in the Men’s Open Mr. Olympia contest in 2020 and 2021, but he never competed again.

Since his retirement, Lewis has focused on business ventures and family life. He currently resides in Las Vegas, NV and owns Dragon’s Lair Gym. He has also been active on both YouTube and with his podcast.

Featured Video: @flex_lewis on Instagram

The post Flex Lewis Shares Physique Update, Wants to Become “Healthy, Athletic, and Jacked” appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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Dmitri Skosyrskii is the winner of the 2023 Siberian Power Show (SPS). In the Russian strongman competition, showcasing some of the sport’s finest in the Eastern hemisphere, Skosyrskii successfully repeated as the champion. He is now a dominant three-time winner of the competition (2019, 2022-2023) that has only occurred since the year 2019. The only other winner in the SPS’s history is Georgia’s Konstantine Janashia in 2021. The contest, which also featured separate bodybuilding and powerlifting competitors, took place on Apr. 2, 2023, in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, and featured 11 competitors.

The runner-up to the 2023 SPS was David Shamey. Per Strongman Archives, the athlete improved upon two previous fifth-place finishes in the 2021 and 2022 iterations of the SPS. Rounding out the podium was Peiman Maheripourehir. The strongman does not often compete in full contests, usually electing to focus on his deadlift proficiency and the annual World Deadlift Championships (WDC). Nonetheless, a podium result is undoubtedly a quality placing for the veteran competitor.

The 2023 SPS featured six events. They were as follows:

2023 Siberian Power Show Events

• Max Deadlift
• Frame Carry (408 kilograms/899.5 pounds for max distance)
• Loading Race (120, 150, 180 kilograms/264.5, 330.7, 396.8 pounds, for time)
• Hercules Hold
• Cyr Dumbbell (110, 130, 146 kilograms/242.5, 286.6, 321.8 pounds)
• Max Atlas Stone

To help build his victory, Skosyrskii won the Hercules Hold (40.97 seconds) and tied for first place with the Cyr Dumbbell (130 kilograms/286.6 pounds). The athlete did not finish in lower than fourth place in any of the events.

Here are the final standings from the 2023 Siberian Power Show:

2023 Siberian Power Show Results | Final Standings

• Dmitrii Skosyrskii (Russia) — 58 points
• David Shamey (Russia) — 48.5 points
• Peiman Maheripourehir (Iran) — 46 points
• Vladimir Bulgakov (Russia) — 38 points
• Reza Gheitasi (Iran) — 36.5 points
• Wesley Claborn (United States) — 31 points
• Aurélien Le Jeune (France) — 29.5 points
• Petr Bukhonov (Russia) — 28.5 points
• Ramil Ramazanov (Russia) — 26 points
• Valery Savin (Russia) — 25.5 points
• Alexander Kuzmin (Russia) — 12.5 points

Skosyrskii’s victory is another cherry on top of a recent successful run. Per Strongman Archives, the athlete has won four of nine career contest appearances dating back to March 2019. He has only failed to qualify for the podium on one occasion, with a fourth-place result at the 2022 Forca Bruta.

In the context of the overall strongman sphere, the SPS might not carry the same status as other international competitions featuring some of the world’s most powerful athletes. That said, officially marking a competition dynasty of success is something Skosyrskii can, and likely will, bask in before he moves onto his next competitive endeavor.

Featured image: @dmitrii_skosyrskii on Instagram

The post 2023 Siberian Power Show Results — Dmitrii Skosyrskii Becomes Three-Time Champion appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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On Apr. 3, 2023, Chinedu Andrew Obiekea, aka “Andrew Jacked,” revealed in an Instagram post that he would compete at this summer’s 2023 Texas Pro. The bodybuilder is the contest’s defending champion in the Men’s Open division. The contest will feature eight separate competitive classes: the Open, 212, Women’s Physique, Figure, Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Bikini, and Wellness. It will take place on Aug. 19, 2023, in Arlington, TX.

Jacked used his 2022 victory as a springboard to gain qualification into the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest. That performance was partly why a bodybuilding legend like four-time Arnold Classic (AC) champion Ken “Flex” Wheeler asserted Jacked was the next big thing. It appears Jacked will be using a similar path to live up to the hype in 2023.

With recent shifts to the 2023 Olympia qualification system — including the nixing of overall points standings from IFBB Pro League contests — anything less than a victory in Texas will force Jacked to find another avenue to qualify for the Olympia, set to take place Nov. 3-5. Not that this was a specific issue for Jacked in 2022, who was also triumphant in the 2022 Arnold Classic UK (ACUK). At the time of this article’s writing, it is unclear if Jacked will also feature in the 2023 edition of the ACUK.

As for Jacked’s recent exploits, he’s been keeping busy on stage.

After his Texas Pro and ACUK victories, Jacked would finish in eighth place at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. Such a result is nothing to sneeze at for a competitor in their debut at bodybuilding’s biggest competition. Jacked would follow that performance with a third-place finish at the 2023 AC. Only champion Samson Dauda and 2022 Olympia third-place finisher Nick Walker (AC runner-up) fared better.

In the aftermath of his AC performance, Jacked maintained that he “deserved” his result. He seemed to ultimately channel it as motivation for improved results all around in any contests he appears in during the year 2023. Plus, while a moral victory in the AC isn’t what Jacked was seeking, finishing ahead of other more established Men’s Open stars like two-time Mr. Olympia (2020, 2021) Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (fourth place) and two-time 212 Olympia champion (2020, 2022) Shaun Clarida (fifth place), and two-time AC winner (2018, 2020) William Bonac (seventh place) is something he can hang his hat on.

In an ideal world for Jacked, such a finish in the standings would be a teaser of the electricity he brings to competitive stages in the coming months.

There’s still a lot of work to do before Jacked establishes himself as a household name in the bodybuilding sphere. He’s assuredly already got the attention of his talented peers. Winning a major contest like the Olympia could be the next part of his career journey. Successfully defending his Texas Pro title might be the first step.

Featured image: @andrewjacked on Instagram

The post Andrew Jacked Announces Intentions to Defend Texas Pro Title, Qualify for 2023 Olympia appeared first on Breaking Muscle.