5 Best Pre-workout For Swimmers (Safe to Take?)

January 10, 2024 |

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Being a swimmer trying to maximize your performance and wanting to win all the racing competitions is well justified.

However, reasons like lack of energy, muscle fatigue, or mental exhaustion may prevent you from reaching your true potential. And this is where pre-workout supplements enter the picture.

Our Top Picks:

These supplements contain ingredients that promise to elevate your performance by offering laser-sharp focus, sustained energy, and heightened endurance.

So, we are here to look into everything, including ingredients’ efficacy, benefits, and prices. Hopefully, this will help you choose the right swimming supplements for yourself.

5 Best Pre-Workout for Swimmers

1. NITROSURGE Pre-Workout Supplement

Best Overall

NITROSURGE Pre-workout

Provides a long-lasting energy boost, improves mental vigilance, and enhances muscle endurance with ingredients like citrulline malate, betaine anhydrous, beta-alanine, caffeine, theobromine, astragin and so on

Nitrosurge Key Benefits for Swimmers

  • Helps Prevent Muscle Soreness

3 g of L-citrulline malate in Nitrosurge works by increasing nitric oxide production in the body, which dilates your blood vessels. Ultimately, this leads to increased blood flow to the muscles, which also increases the oxygen and nutrient supply there. This helps to keep muscle soreness at bay.

  • Helps boost strength and protein synthesis

Next, there is 1.6g of beta-alanine. It improves performance by increasing strength and decreasing muscle fatigue, which is why it is another helpful ingredient for swimmers.

Further down on the list is 1.25g of betaine anhydrous, which kickstarts muscle protein synthesis and improves body composition.

  • Improves Mental Clarity

Some other ingredients are 90 mg of L-theanine, 50mg of theobromine, and 25mg of astragin. When combined with caffeine, theanine brings better mental clarity, heightened focus, and pronounced concentration.

Similar to caffeine, theobromine is a stimulant that offers sustained energy for long sessions. Meanwhile, astragin is here to increase other ingredients’ bioavailability.

Pros

  • Supports energy levels, stamina, concentration, and muscle growth.
  • Produced with proven and science-backed ingredients.
  • Available in about 12 different flavors.
  • Vegan-friendly.
  • Manufactured in GMP-certified facilities.

Cons

  • Caution is advised for use by caffeine-sensitive individuals.
  • Contains artificial flavors & sucrose.
  • Not for expecting or lactating mothers and individuals with underlying health issues.
  • Intended for adults aged over 18.

2. ProSupps Mr. Hyde Signature Series

Mr. Hyde Pre-workout

Provides sustainable energy, improves stamina, promotes blood flow to muscles, and enables mental clarity. It contains multiple performance-enhancing ingredients such as creatine, beta-alanine, arginine silicate, L-citrulline, caffeine, TeaCrine, and more.

Mr. Hyde Key Benefits for Swimmers

  • Improves Energy Levels

Starting with creatine, which is a naturally occurring substance that serves different roles in the body. However, its fitness-related job is to provide sustained energy to the muscles for demanding physical activities, whether it is a swimming race or HIIT.

Additionally, it has TeaCrine which offers an energy rush similar to caffeine but without a crash.

  • Pumps Muscles

Furthermore, both L-citrulline and arginine silicate is also a nitric-oxide booster which enhances the availability of nutrients and oxygen in the muscles and delays fatigue during swimming. 

Pros

  • Pumps muscles, increases mental focus, and provides sustained energy.
  • Made with powerful ingredients.
  • Have a pleasant taste.
  • Easy on the stomach.
  • Non-GMO gluten-free.
  • Vegan-friendly.
  • Third party-tested.
  • Manufactured in GMP-compliant facilities.

Cons

  • An energetic rush doesn’t kick off instantly.
  • Might cause side effects in caffeine-sensitive individuals.
  • Contains allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy).
  • Contains artificial sugars, flavors, & colors.
  • Not for pregnant or nursing women or individuals with underlying health conditions.
  • Intended only for ages above 18 years.

3. Pre JYM Pre Workout Powder

Pre-JYM Pre-workout

A strong formula, with 13 thoughtful ingredients, including citrulline malate, beta-alanine, betaine-anhydrous, caffeine, cysteine, tyrosine, and creatine. It helps optimizes your performance by maximizing muscle pumping, enhancing mental focus, and physical stamina.

Pre-JYM Key Benefits for Swimmers

Pre JYM consists of everything that you expect to see in a pre-workout supplement, such as citrulline malate, beta-alanine, betaine-anhydrous, caffeine, cysteine, tyrosine, and creatine. What’s fantastic is that almost all ingredients are incorporated in high yet safe amounts.

  • Improves Muscle Endurance

For instance, it contains 6g of citrulline, which is ideal for improving blood flow.  Moreover, 2g of beta-alanine and creatine are optimal to support strength and lasting energy.

The other significant ingredients are cysteine and tyrosine. Both are non-essential amino acids. Cysteine attenuates fatigue and improves endurance. Meanwhile, tyrosine improves focus and may help to lessen the exercise’s excruciating effects.

  • Imparts Mental Clarity

Then, 300 mg of caffeine guarantees sharp focus and alertness. This amount is optimal for people who want an instantaneous focus boost for better performance, considering they have a decent caffeine tolerance.

Pros

  • Improves stamina, strength, energy, and focus.
  • Well dosed and made with powerful ingredients.
  • Available in ten delicious flavors.
  • Gluten-free.
  • Tested for safety.

Cons

  • May cause symptoms of over-caffeination.
  • May contain traces of allergens (egg, milk, soy, tree nuts).
  • Contains artificial sugars (acesulfame potassium, sucrose).
  • Contains artificial colors and flavors.
  • Only intended for use by adults, non-pregnant/lactacting women.

4. Nuclear Armageddon Pre-Workout

Nuclear Armageddon

Formulated to help both men and women level up their energy, stamina, and muscle strength. It is packed with ingredients like L-citrulline malate, caffeine, betaine-anhydrous, and beta-alanine, all of which can refine your performance in the gym and pool alike.

Nuclear Armageddon Key Benefits for Swimmers

  • Unlocks Optimal Mental Performance

Among these, the stimulant caffeine energizes the body and ameliorates the effects of adenosine, a tiredness-inducing substance in the brain. Many people rely on caffeine to boost their productivity, and so can swimmers.

  • Maintains Hydration

Next, betaine anhydrous possesses the potential to improve muscle hydration and protein synthesis.

  • Enables Resistance To Exercise

Then, there’s beta-alanine that can unlock your potential to swim for longer by eliminating muscle soreness.

Pros

  • Elevates energy, endurance, alertness, and muscle volume.
  • Power-packed ingredients. Well-rounded formula.
  • Available in five unique flavors.
  • High caffeine content (395 mg caffeine)
  • Produced in GMP-certified facilities.

Cons

  • Presents risk of over-caffeination. Contains sucralose.
  • A non-vegan product contains gluten (wheat) and dairy (milk, egg).
  • Contains allergens (fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, soybean).
  • Not for pregnant or nursing mothers and individuals with medical conditions.
  • Recommended for use in ages above 18 years.

5. Cellucor C4 Extreme

C4 Extreme Pre-workout

The Cellucor C4 Extreme is formulated in accordance with the project ‘clear evolution’. Therefore, it does not have any proprietary blend or artificial ingredients. Namely, its ingredients are caffeine, CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine, Creatine Nitrate

C4 Key Benefits for Swimmers

  • Improves Physical and Mental Strength

Contrary to generic beta alanine, C4’s Carnosyn Beta Alanine delivers faster and sustainable results in the form of increased endurance, improved mental focus, and delayed muscle fatigue, allowing you to push beyond your limits.

Moreiver, it has been scientifically proven to improve athletic performance by increasing muscle carnosine levels upto 80%.

  • Improves blood and oxygen flow to muscles

Furthermore, it contains the amino acid citrulline nitrate and creatine nitrate which promote blood flow and oxygen delivery to the muscles. This doesn’t only help with delayed and reduced muscle fatigue but is also said to improve cardiovascular performance.

Pros

  • Has five exciting flavors.
  • No artificial colors or dyes.
  • No proprietary blends.
  • Moderate caffeine content (200 mg per serving).
  • 60-day money-back guarantee.

Cons

  • Caffeine sensitive individuals should take with caution.
  • Contains artificial sugars.
  • Intended for ages above 18 years.
  • Not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
  • Not safe for individuals with underlying illnesses

Can You Take Pre-workout Before Swimming?

Yes, you can. Especially, if you are a budding swimmer, and you feel tired after spending only a day at the pool. It happens because swimming is a strenuous workout that engages all major muscle groups.

One strategy to give your best and not feel drained the next time you are in the water is to rest well and eat like a boss. However, another fast and fool-proof solution is to gulp in pre-workouts before every swim.

You can and you should take a pre-workout before swimming if you want to:

Improve Energy And Mental Preparedness

The primary purpose of a pre-workout supplement is to make you feel motivated to work out by giving an instant energy kick. These supplements contain ingredients like caffeine and creatine that raise your energy levels. If you think there is a lack of energy in your aura, you can give it a shot.

Improve Stamina And Endurance

Swimming requires tolerance and stamina. If you feel that swimming tires you sooner than expected then, you might want to check out a pre-workout containing protein, beta-alanine, and L-glutamine. These elements can help postpone exhaustion

While you are here, it is also imperative to acknowledge that a pre-workout primary job is to give you the energy to feel motivated to get up and beat procrastination.

However, it can not directly influence your swimming performance and make you the best swimmer on its own. Ultimately, your swimming outcomes are dependent on daily practice, dedication, and healthy eating habits.

Best Pre Workout for Swimmers – Buyer’s guide

Whether a friend recommended you to use swimming pre-workout supplements or you made the decision yourself, you should always check the supplement facts to avoid consuming low-quality powders or harmful ingredients.

Also, don’t forget to conduct research on a brand’s reputation to confirm that you are in the safe zone.

If you are in search of the best pre-workout for swimmers, know that you need the following ingredients in the supplement to optimize your performance.

1. Caffeine & Other Stimulants Enhance Your Mental Sharpness

If you are someone who refuses to function without your morning coffee or tea, you can find solace in caffeine supplements to get energized before your swimming class.

Research suggests that caffeine can significantly refine your cognition even if you consume it in a low dose. Almost all pre-workout supplements use caffeine anhydrous to boost focus, and you can easily find them.

These days, some supplements such as the Anabolic Warfare Nuclear Armageddon pre-workout, provide up to 300mg of caffeine. But it may make you feel jittery or anxious. Therefore, it is better to keep your caffeine tolerance level in mind.

Other than caffeine, there are several cognition boosters and stimulants like theanine, theobromine, and TeaCrine which bring similar results. 

2. Creatine to Improve Muscle Endurance For Extended Swimming

Creatine is a compound made up of three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine.

It is one of the most widely used supplements to boost physical performance and is backed by research to improve muscle strength, energy, and stamina.

Multiple studies indicate that creatine is beneficial for improving gross (ratio of power output to power input) and propelling efficiency of swimming as well as the sprint performance of repeated interval swim sets.

However, according to the Mount Sinai supplement information, caffeine is suspected to hinder the absorption of creatine in the body. Additionally, this combination may also increase your risk of dehydration and stroke. For this reason, the nitrosurge pre-workout is a safer option that doesn’t combine creatine with caffeine in its formulation while maintaining its ergogenic benefit.

3. L-citrulline Pumps The Muscles (Better Than L-Arginine)

Swimming involves exertion of nearly all of your muscles, which may cause them to become sore. You don’t want the swimming fatigue to make you underperform.

So, to counter this, most pre-workouts in the market utilize L-citrulline, the Jacked Factory Nitrosurge pre-workout is an example. It is a powerful nitric oxide booster that regulates blood circulation to muscles and delays muscle fatigue.

4. Branched Chain Amino Acids Promote Muscle Recovery And Growth

Swimming is a physically demanding sport which is why it is also regarded as a full-body workout. Hence, you must maintain your muscle strength and health by fulfilling your daily protein intake from whole foods.

But in case you miss out on it for some reason, some pre-workouts have got you covered with their branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) content.

These BCAAs namely valine, leucine, and iso-leucine help to improve your swimming performance by ensuring that your muscles are properly fueled and stimulate muscle protein synthesis. In this regard, the Pre Jym high-performance pre-workout is a good option that incorporates these BCAAs.

FAQs

How is pre-workout good for swimming?

Pre-workouts improve the performance of swimming and recovery between swimming sprint bouts. 

Is it okay to take a pre-workout before swimming?

Yes, it is completely fine to take your preferred or my recommended pre-workouts according to their manufacturer’s instructions before swimming.

What is the best pre-workout food for swimmers?

To help you get started, you may take any of these four pre-workouts before swimming; Nitrosurge Pre-Workout Supplement, Nuclear Armageddon Pre-Workout Powder, Optimum ProSupps Mr. Hyde Signature Series, and Pre JYM Pre Workout Powder.

Final takeaways

Pre-workout supplements can help you swim by enhancing your mental and physical performance. However, it does not mean any pre-workout on the planet can deliver these results.

Therefore, the best pre-workout for swimming would essentially consist of branched-chain amino acids, caffeine or stimulants, and L-citrulline. Apart from this, your safest bet is pre-workouts with a caffeine content of less than 300 mg.

With the help of the right product, you can achieve your goals and slay your swimming classes. I hope you find the products I’ve mentioned useful.

Important Disclaimer: The information contained on MAX HEALTH LIVING is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Any statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA and any information or products discussed are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease or illness. Please consult a healthcare practitioner before making changes to your diet or taking supplements that may interfere with medications.

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