Why Make Your Own Pre Workout?
If you’re tired of overpriced preworkout supplements packed with fillers, artificial dyes, and mystery blends, it’s time to make your own! Creating your own preworkout gives you complete control over ingredients, dosages, and flavors—all while saving you a ton of money. It’s also super easy. At the end of this article I’ll give you my personal pre-workout recipe as a starting point.
Let’s break down the key ingredients, their effects, and how to mix them for the ultimate gym pump!
Core Ingredients & Their Benefits
Caffeine (Energy & Focus)
- Dosage: Light: 50mg | Standard: 100-200mg | Heavy: 300mg-600mg+
- Source: Coffee (80-100mg per cup) or pure caffeine powder.
- What You’ll Feel: Increased alertness, endurance, and motivation.
- Flavor Profile: Coffee is great, but pure caffeine powder is extremely bitter—so blend wisely!
- Mixing Tip: If using caffeine powder, measure carefully with a precision scale. Too much can cause jitters and crashes.
- Tolerance: If you are a caffeine junkie like me, you may need to push the upper limits of dosage to feel a noticeable effect, but start low and work up to be safe.
L-Citrulline (Pump & Performance)
- Dosage: Light: 3g | Standard: 6g | Heavy: 10g
- What You’ll Feel: Better blood flow, insane muscle pumps, and reduced fatigue.
- Flavor Profile: Mildly tart, blends well.
- Bonus: Supports “male performance” by increasing nitric oxide production.
Beta-Alanine (Endurance & Tingles!)
- Dosage: Light: 1.5g | Standard: 3g | Heavy: 5g
- What You’ll Feel: That signature tingling sensation (paresthesia), improved endurance, and delayed muscle fatigue.
- Flavor Profile: Slightly sour, tolerable in blends.
- Mixing Tip: If you don’t like the tingles, split the dose into two servings throughout the day or skip the BA entirely.
L-Arginine (Pump & Circulation)
- Dosage: Light: 2g | Standard: 5g | Heavy: 10g
- What You’ll Feel: Better blood flow and enhanced pumps (similar to Citrulline but shorter-acting).
- Flavor Profile: Absolutely gross—bitter, slightly fishy. Honestly it’s disgusting.
- Mixing Tip: If you use this as a powder, make sure to use a strong flavor to mask the taste. It will totally ruin your coffee too. If the taste is unbearable, encapsulate it instead!
Creatine Monohydrate (Strength & Power)
- Dosage: Standard: 5g | Heavy: 10g
- What You’ll Feel: Increased strength, power, and muscle growth.
- Flavor Profile: Nearly tasteless, dissolves well in liquid.
- Bonus: Works best when taken daily, not just pre-workout. Read more about creatine HERE.
Bonus Ingredients
Taurine (Hydration & Muscle Function)
- Dosage: Light: 500mg | Standard: 1g | Heavy: 2g
- What You’ll Feel: Improved endurance, hydration, and reduced muscle cramps.
- Flavor Profile: Slightly sweet, easy to mix.
- Mixing Tip: Pairs well with electrolytes for enhanced hydration.
Acetyl L-Carnitine (Fat Burning & Focus)
- Dosage: Light: 500mg | Standard: 1g | Heavy: 5g+
- What You’ll Feel: Increased fat metabolism, mental sharpness.
- Flavor Profile: VERY sour—almost like vinegar. Also it might make your sweat fell like fish. Do not take this before a date. You have been warned.
- Mixing Tip: Taste is super strong strong, mix with a flavored base or take in capsule form.
Electrolytes (Hydration & Muscle Function)
- Dosage: Sodium: 500mg | Potassium: 200mg | Magnesium: 100mg
- What You’ll Feel: Improved hydration, reduced muscle cramps.
- Flavor Profile: Salty or metallic, depending on the mineral.
- Mixing Tip: Use flavored electrolyte powders for a better taste.
Betaine Anhydrous (Power & Hydration)
- Dosage: Light: 1g | Standard: 2.5g | Heavy: 4g
- What You’ll Feel: Increased power output and muscle endurance.
- Flavor Profile: Mildly sweet, blends well.
- Bonus: Works synergistically with creatine for enhanced effects.
Flavoring & Mixing Tips
Since many of these ingredients taste awful on their own, here are some ways to make your DIY pre-workout more enjoyable:
✅ Blend fruits to add carbs for extra energy:
If you aren’t on a cut or doing fasted cardio, consider making a pre-workout smoothie instead of a lighter drink.
- Be careful with any ingredients that don’t taste great, as you’ll have a larger quantity to drink with a smoothie.
- Use a good blender these are our favorites.
✅ Use electrolyte-enhanced drink powders:
\Flavored hydration powders like Liquid IV, Gatorade Zero, or Propel help cover bitter flavors.
- They provide extra electrolytes to prevent dehydration.
✅ Mix with flavored tea or juice:
- Green tea (for an extra antioxidant boost)
- Sugar-free lemonade (works great with Citrulline and Beta-Alanine)
✅ Use natural sweeteners:
- Stevia or monk fruit can help balance bitter flavors without added sugar.
✅ Encapsulate the worst offenders:
- If you can’t stand the taste of L-Arginine or Acetyl L-Carnitine, buy empty capsules and swallow them instead.
- Check out our write up on encapsulating your own supplements.
Cost Savings Breakdown
A typical store-bought pre-workout costs $30-$50 for 30 servings, meaning you pay $1+ per scoop.
Let’s compare that to DIY:
- Caffeine Powder: $15 for 200g (~400 servings)
- L-Citrulline: $25 for 500g (~83 servings at 6g each)
- Beta-Alanine: $20 for 500g (~156 servings at 3.2g each)
- Creatine: $30 for 1kg (~200 servings at 5g each)
- Electrolyte Powder: $10 for ~30 servings
A DIY pre-workout could cost as little as $0.20-$0.50 per serving, saving you hundreds of dollars per year while allowing for total customization.
Build Your Perfect Pre-Workout
Making your own pre-workout isn’t just about saving money—it’s about optimizing for your body, goals, and taste preferences. With the right mix of ingredients, you’ll feel more energized, focused, and pumped every workout, without the unnecessary fillers.
Want a tried-and-true mix? Here’s my personal go-to pre-workout blend for insane energy, endurance, and pumps:
- Caffeine: 300mg
- L-Citrulline: 6g
- Beta-Alanine: 2g
- L-Arginine: 5g (I push through the taste just like that extra set of squats)
- Electrolyte Drink Mix:
- L-Carnitine: 3g (taken as capsules)
This mix keeps me dialed in and pushing harder every session. Feel free to tweak based on your tolerance and preferences!
Try different dosages, find what works best for you, and enjoy the benefits of a DIY formula tailored to YOUR needs! 🚀💪