Should you take a pre-workout for cardio? Often, the answer is no. That’s because many pre-workouts are packed with ingredients designed to support performance with regard to resistance training. L-citrulline for pump, creatine for strength, Beta-alanine to reduce fatigue… all of these ingredients center on weight training, not cardio.
For example, Kaged Pre-Workout is an incredible pre-workout, but it’s not designed for cardio. But what to look for in a pre-workout depends on your goals, timing, and type of training.
Why Most Pre-Workouts Aren’t Suited for Cardio
Focus on Resistance Training Benefits
Most pre-workout supplements on the market are specifically formulated to enhance performance during resistance training or weight lifting. These formulations typically include ingredients that support muscle strength, power, and recovery, which are crucial for maximizing gains in weight training. However, these same ingredients may not provide the same benefits for cardio activities, and in some cases, they might even hinder your performance. Here are some key reasons why traditional pre-workouts aren't suited for cardio:
Specific Ingredients Tailored for Weight Lifting
To give a few examples, let’s look at classic pre-workout ingredients: citrulline and Beta-alanine.
L-Citrulline is a popular ingredient in pre-workouts due to its ability to increase nitric oxide levels in the blood, leading to enhanced blood flow and muscle pumps during resistance training. It can help with cardio as well, but you wouldn’t want a typically “weightlifting” dose of 5 grams or more. During extended cardiovascular activities, the focus should be on sustained energy and endurance rather than muscle swelling, which can lead to discomfort and reduced performance over time.
Beta-alanine helps to buffer acid in muscles, reducing the onset of fatigue and allowing for longer, more intense weight lifting sessions.
This buffering effect is highly beneficial for activities involving short, explosive movements but is less relevant for cardio workouts that require sustained effort over a longer period.
The tingling sensation (paresthesia) caused by beta-alanine can also be distracting during prolonged cardio sessions.
The Caffeine Content is Too High
Many pre-workouts contain high levels of stimulants like caffeine, which can provide a significant energy boost and increase alertness. While caffeine can be beneficial for cardio, high amounts just aren’t necessary. In contrast, for strength training, higher amounts of caffeine have shown to support strength. The optimal dosage of caffeine for cardio workouts is typically lower than what is found in traditional pre-workout supplements designed for lifting.
Lack of Electrolytes and Hydration Support
Cardio workouts often result in significant sweat loss, leading to the depletion of essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Traditional pre-workouts usually do not focus on replenishing these electrolytes or providing hydration support, which is critical for maintaining performance and preventing cramps during extended cardio sessions. (Note, all Kaged pre-workouts do including key electrolytes.)
What Makes a Good Pre-Workout For Cardio: 4 Options
So while you won’t want to take a scoop of Kaged Pre-Workout Elite before cardio, that doesn’t mean there aren’t options that are more tailored for cardio, or at least better suited.
Option #1: A Thermogenic Pre-Workout (Best for Weight Loss)
If your goal is specifically to lose weight, then look into thermogenic pre-workouts, like Kaged Clean Burn.
It begins with 166mg of caffeine, from Organic PurCaf® Caffeine and AmaTea® Guayusa extract. The latter provides an energy boost without excessive jitters, so it’s perfect for cardio. Plus at 166mg, it’s well under the typical 200-300mg you’ll see from typical gym-focused pre-workouts.
In Clean Burn, you’ll also notice an array of ingredients shown to support healthy weight loss, boost metabolism, and increase thermogenesis.*
It also has l-tyrosine, an ingredient which combined with caffeine can support focus, and coconut fruit water powder.*
Option #2: A Sport Pre-Workout
Don’t get it wrong, Kaged Pre-Workout Sport is a great pre-workout for the gym as well. However, it’s also very well suited for cardio and athletics. It has L-Citrulline, but at 3.5 grams, you won’t get a crazy pump. It includes a modest 186mg of caffeine, so again it’s more moderate intensity. It also includes key electrolytes for hydration support and the amino acid taurine to support endurance.*
These smaller scoop pre-workouts are better options for cardio. As we discuss in this article, it's also a great pre-workout for beginners.
Option #3: An Electrolyte Drink
Finally, let’s so you’re doing cardio after weight training and you’ve already taken your pre. You don’t want more caffeine, but you want something that will help you stay hydrated and ideally support performance as well. Kaged Hydration, or for intense cardio, Kaged Hydration Elite, are perfect for this.
With 5 key electrolytes, taurine for endurance, and coconut water, it’s a great intra-workout or cardio drink to sip on. Kaged Hydration Elite has additional ingredients like elevATP®, which comes from ancient pear and apple extracts, to support performance even more.*
Option #4: Nothing
We don’t want to lead you on that you have to take something during your cardio. Remember that supplements are designed to do exactly that: supplement. If you’re fueling up with the right foods around your workout, then you can have a great cardio sessions without any pre-workout drink.
With that said, they can amplify what you do, and help you get better results. If you need that extra nudge to help you reach your weight loss goals, then we know that Clean Burn won’t disappoint. It comes in three delicious flavors, and it’ll be something you look forward to drinking, even if you’re not looking forward to your cardio sessions.
