Guide
Pre workout: what it is and how to use it
By the UnReal Supplements team. 2026-10-29.
A pre workout is a powder you mix with water and drink 20 to 30 minutes before training. Most contain caffeine for energy and focus, citrulline for blood flow, and often beta-alanine, which causes a harmless tingle. Start with half a scoop, keep total caffeine under 400 mg a day, and skip it late in the evening.
What is a pre workout?
A pre workout is a drink mix made to help you train harder for the next hour or so. It is not a meal and it does not build muscle by itself. What it does is make you feel more awake and focused, and some ingredients help with endurance and the pump you feel in the muscles.
Most people take it for heavy lifting days, early morning sessions or classes after a long work day. If you train well on a coffee, you may not need one at all.
How to use it
- Take it 20 to 30 minutes before you start, mixed with about 250 to 300 ml of cold water.
- Start with half a scoop the first time to see how you react, then go up to one scoop if you feel fine.
- Count all your caffeine: pre workout, coffee, tea and energy drinks together. For healthy adults, up to 200 mg at once and 400 mg a day is the usual safe limit.
- Caffeine stays in your body for hours. If you train after 6 pm, choose a stim-free pre workout or take a smaller dose.
- Drink water during the session, especially in Bangkok heat.
- Take days off from it. If one scoop stops working, rest a week rather than doubling the dose.
Who should not take it
Pre workouts are not for anyone under 18, or for anyone pregnant or breastfeeding. If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, anxiety or you take regular medication, ask your doctor first. Stop if you get chest pain, a racing heart or feel dizzy.
What to look for on the label
- Caffeine: the main active ingredient. Labels range from about 150 mg to over 300 mg per scoop, so check the number, not the brand name.
- Citrulline (or citrulline malate): supports blood flow and the pump. Studies usually use 6 to 8 g of citrulline malate.
- Beta-alanine: helps with sets in the 1 to 4 minute range. The tingling in your face and hands is normal and fades within the hour.
- Creatine: some pre workouts include it, but creatine works from taking 3 to 5 g every day, not from timing it before training. Many people take it separately.
- Proprietary blends: if the label hides the amount of each ingredient, you cannot know your caffeine dose. We would skip those.
Stim-free pre workout
A stim-free pre workout has no caffeine. It usually relies on citrulline and other pump ingredients. It is the right choice for evening training, for people sensitive to caffeine, or for days when you have already had coffee.
The brands people ask about
The names we hear most in Bangkok are C4 by Cellucor, Total War by Redcon1, Ghost Legend and The Curse by JNX. They all work in a similar way, but the caffeine per scoop and the formula change between brands and even between versions of the same product. Read the label of the exact tub you buy.
We do not stock a pre workout in the shop yet. If you want to know when one lands, leave your email below.
Pre workout is coming to the shop
We do not have one on the shelf yet. Leave your email and we will tell you when it arrives.
Frequently asked
- What does a pre workout do?
- It gives you more energy and focus for training, mostly through caffeine. Ingredients like citrulline and beta-alanine can help with the pump and with endurance in harder sets.
- When should I take a pre workout?
- About 20 to 30 minutes before training. If you train late in the evening, use a stim-free version or a smaller dose so it does not affect your sleep.
- How much caffeine is safe?
- For healthy adults, up to 200 mg in one go and up to 400 mg across the day is the usual guideline. Add up your pre workout, coffee and energy drinks together.
- Why does pre workout make my skin tingle?
- That is beta-alanine. The tingle is harmless and usually fades within an hour. A smaller dose, or splitting it, makes it milder.
- What is the best pre workout?
- The best one is the one with a clear label and a caffeine dose that suits you. Popular names in Thailand are C4, Total War, Ghost Legend and The Curse. Compare the caffeine per scoop and the citrulline amount, not the marketing.
- Does UnReal sell pre workout?
- Not yet. Leave your email on this page and we will tell you when it is on the shelf. Amino drinks with a lighter dose of caffeine and creatine are in the shop now.
- Can I take pre workout if I am under 18?
- No. Pre workouts are made for adults. The same goes for anyone pregnant or breastfeeding. With a heart condition or high blood pressure, ask your doctor first.