Best Pre Workout Supplement: Strongest Pre-Workouts for Extreme Strength, Endurance & Focus

The 4Gauge shotgun-style bottle proclaims "load up your guns" - and we think that's an accurate description of this pre-workout! This is the best PWO we've found and comes with pretty much everything you need for an insane pump and effective workout.

What makes 4 Gauge pre workout stand-out from the rest though?

Firstly, it's great at boosting strength, power, energy levels and focus, all without the nasty side-effects associated with other pre-workouts. It doesn't contain any artificial ingredients, including sweeteners. It also only contains 5 calories per serving.

We like the combination of caffeine and L-Theanine in 4Gauge. This supplement stack boosts focus, mental performance and energy. Best of all, L-Theanine means you get the energy-boosting benefits of caffeine without shaking or loss of coordination, which is why this combination is a popular entry-level nootropic.

When it comes to strength, 4Gauge has a number of high-quality ingredients, such as Creatine, L-Carnitine and even Red Beet Extract. These provide an outstanding pump while minimising muscle soreness and helping you develop a ripped body. It's also a great choice for bodybuilding as it stimulates muscle growth.

Ingredients Review

4Gauge has an impressive ingredient list, especially as it's 100% natural (unlike top sellers such as Cellucor C4 Original). Most importantly, the ingredient label is transparent - there are no hidden or proprietary ingredients. 4 Gauge also lists the exact quantities of each component.

Some of the most interesting ingredients include:

• L-Citrulline for Muscle Pumps and Reduced Soreness (6000mg per serving). Citrulline Malate is a vasodilator that delivers "kick ass" muscle pumps. You'll notice your arms and veins getting a bigger pump with every set, and you won't suffer from as much soreness. 4Gauge has included the full recommendation of 6000mg in each serving, which has been shown to increase post-workout growth hormone by up to 66.8%.
• Caffeine and L-Theanine Stack for More Energy, Focus and Stamina. L-Theanine is a type of amino acid found in green tea. On its own, it helps subtly increase calmness and focus. Combined with caffeine, however, and you get power, energy and focus without the unwanted jitters and problems with concentration. The controlled dose also makes it much more effective than coffee.
• Beta Vulgaris (Red Beet Extract). Red Beet is a nitric oxide booster. It enhances sporting performance, allows you to train for longer and improves flood flow.
• Other Ingredients. 4Gauge also includes creatine monohydrate, rhodiola rosea, coconut water and Acetyl-L-Carnitine. These combine to enhance performance, boost focus, prevent muscle damage and even lower blood pressure.
• No Artificial Sweeteners. The majority of pre-workouts are made with sucralose. This is a type of artificial sweetener that makes the supplement more palatable - but not everyone wants to drink chemicals before each workout. The good news is that 4 Gauge uses only natural sweeteners.

A notable absence from this list is Beta Alanine. Most supplements have it, but 4 Gauge doesn't. While Beta-Alanine is known to promote power and strength, it can also cause an uncomfortable tingling sensation (which is probably why 4 Gauge hasn't included it).

Note: All the ingredients in 4Gauge are produced in cGMP and FDA certified facilities.​

If you're after big gains and serious muscle mass, the PreSeries BULK pre-workout is the best option.

It provides an impressive boost in energy, along with big pumps and a noticeable gain in strength. Like 4 Gauge, it includes a caffeine/L-Theanine stack for clean focus, along with an excellent pump matrix and ingredients that help with endurance.

Unlike 4 Gauge, it also includes Beta-Alanine. This amino acid forms carnosine, which allows muscles to contract more strongly, so it can improve strength.

The downside to Beta-Alanine is that it can also cause the annoying (but usually harmless) side effect of tingling in the lips and other areas of skin. For gaining maximum muscle mass it's a great ingredient to have though.

Ingredients Review

BULK has an impressive list of ingredients. Every ingredient is backed by scientific research, and it doesn't contain coloring dyes or unneeded filler ingredients.

We like that the label is fully transparent about what's included in the PWO, including specific amounts and ratios. Here's a breakdown of the most important ingredients:

• Citrulline Malate (6000mg). Citrulline improves strength, raises nitric oxide levels and enhances the use of BCAAs. Like 4Gauge, BULK has the full recommended dosage of 6000mg per serving.
• Beta-Alanine (4000mg). BULK includes a relatively high dosage of beta-alanine. This delays fatigue, promotes healthy protein formation and increases lean muscle mass. It has the side effect of triggering a tingling sensation though.
• BCAA 2:1:1 (4000mg). PreSeries BULK includes the BCAAs leucine, isoleucine and valine in a 2:1:1 ratio. These amino acids can significantly increase workout strength, prevent muscle wastage, increase metabolism and improve energy levels.
• Taurine (1300mg). Taurine is another amino acid that is "used" by beta-alanine, so it's important to supplement both to avoid deficiency. It can also reduce muscle soreness.
• Caffeine + L-Theanine (180mg + 360mg). BULK has caffeine and L-Theanine in a 1:2 ratio. This helps provide a clean energy boost without a post-workout crash. It may also help you lose weight. 
• Testosterone Support Complex. A combination of vitamins such as Vitamin D3, Boron and Zinc help maintain testosterone levels which is vital during a bulk phase.
• Other Ingredients. Pre-Series Bulk also includes Choline Bitartrate, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (which increases focus and endurance), Betaine (which may stimulate muscle growth and increase HGH and IGF-1), Mucuna Pruriens, L-Norvaline, BioPerine, Synephrine and Hordenine.

As you can tell from the ingredient list, BULK is designed specifically to increase muscle mass. While it still has plenty of ingredients to help with energy, focus and pump, it's the #1 pre-workout for building serious lean muscle.

Something to note is that BULK doesn't include creatine. This is an essential pre-workout ingredient for bodybuilding or strength training, but some people like to take it separately. If you want creatine in your pre-workout, go for 4 Gauge instead.

Another excellent pre-workout that doesn't hide behind proprietary blends is Pre JYM. It doesn't quite beat 4Gauge for all-round excellence or PreSeries BULK for building muscle mass, but still has almost everything you could want from a pre-workout supplement.

Developed by Jim Stoppani, the Pre JYM supplement contains 13 ingredients. Each ingredient has been selected based on scientific research, along with Jim's professional experience and study. We're impressed by how well the ingredients complement one another to create a clean, energy boosting supplement.

When it was first released, the Pre JYM was one of the few pre-workouts to be completely transparent in its ingredient list and doses. It was also amongst the first to include proper doses of its most important ingredients, including 6000mg of Citrulline (most competitors provided severely underdosed supplements).

The pre-workout market has moved on since then - but Pre JYM remains one of the best.

One complaint we have is that it only contains 2000mg of beta-alanine. This is half the PreSeries BULK. If you're going to include beta-alanine in a workout and potentially trigger the unpleasant tingling side effects, you may as well include enough to get the full benefit.

It also doesn't come with L-Theanine. We're big fans of the combination of caffeine and L-Theanine, as it provides a focus and energy boost without jitters.

Other than that, the Pre JYM has a strong pump matrix, provides an excellent endurance boost and is available from stores such as GNC.

Ingredients Review

• BCAA 2:1:1 (6000mg). BCAAs stimulate muscle growth, so it's an important ingredient in pre-workout supplements. Pre GYM has a generous 6000mg of BCAAs with the optimal ratio.
• Citrulline Malate (6000mg). The recommended dose of citrulline for full benefit is 6000mg, and Pre JYM matches 4Gauge and BULK in this regard. Citrulline increases nitric oxide levels, boosts energy and may even allow you to complete extra reps.
• Creatine (2000mg). Unlike PreSeries Bulk, Pre JYM includes creatine hydrochloride. This can lead to gains in muscle strength along with stimulating muscle growth.
• Beta Alanine (2000mg). The Pre JYM contains around half the beta-alanine per serving of the PreSeries BULK. While it still increases power, strength and endurance, the higher dose of the BULK is the main reason we recommend it over the Pre JYM.
• Beta Vulgaris (500mg). Like 4Gauge, Beta Vulgaris is included in Pre JYM. It can improve blood flow in muscles while allowing you to train with more intensity.
• Caffeine (300mg). It includes a large dose of caffeine for extra endurance, energy and focus - but without the L-Theanine to smooth it out. 
• Other Ingredients. Along with those listed above, Pre JYM also includes Betaine, Alpha-GPC, N-Acetyl L-Cysteine, Huperzine A, Bioperine, Tyrosine and Taurine.

ALTIUS is a clinically-dosed and highly potent pre-supplement. This means you get a rapid boost to pump, focus, energy and strength without over-supplementation or pointless ingredients.

The first thing that stands out about ALTIUS is the huge L-Citrulline dose. If you're looking for the ultimate pump, this will open up your blood vessels and increase blood flow. It also has a generous amount of creatine to stimulate muscle growth.

Looking at the label, it's also clear that ALTIUS pre workout hasn't included unproven ingredients. The ingredients list is relatively short, but follows scientific evidence rather than junk science.

A bonus is that Jacked Factory hasn't included any artificial dyes or sweeteners in ALTIUS. It's also manufactured in an NSF and cGMP certified facility.

There are a few drawbacks to ALTIUS though. While it can provide powerful pumps, the taste might put people off. It's also only available in one flavour. If you're looking for a clean pre workout with extreme vascularity, however, then it's one to consider.

Ingredients Review

Something we love about ALTIUS is that there are no proprietary formulas. You know exactly how much of each ingredient you're getting with each serving. It also has heavier doses than many other pre-workout drinks or powders.

• L-Citrulline (8000mg). Altius contains the highest dose per serving of Citrulline of any pre-workout on this list. Citrulline enhances nitric oxide production, which widens blood vessels and provides a huge pump. It also increases your performance while removing lactic acid. If you want an intense pump, Altius is the one to go for.
• Creatine Monohydrate (3000mg). As you probably know, creatine is one of the most effective ingredients for increasing strength and building muscle. The 3g of creatine in Altius is enough to provide up to 15% more power.
• Betaine Anhydrous (2500mg). Betaine can stimulate the growth of lean muscle mass, boost protein synthesis and increase strength. Jacked Factory has included 2.5g of Betaine in ALTIUS, which is 500mg more than Pre JYM.
• Beta Alanine (3200mg). ALTIUS can't match the 4g of beta alanine found in the PreSeries BULK, which is one of the reasons it's only #4 on this list. The 3.2g dose is still enough to enhance endurance and stimulate muscle growth - but be prepared for a tingling sensation.
• Caffeine (325mg). One of the biggest issues we have with ALTIUS is that it has a huge caffeine dose but without any L-Theanine to smooth the effects. There's no doubt it'll give you a massive energy surge, but some people may find it leads to unwanted side effects such as shaking or loss of coordination.
• Other Ingredients. ALTIUS also includes methylcobalamin, which is a form of vitamin B12, and bioperine to help absorption.
• No Artificial Sweeteners. Like 4Gauge, ALTIUS contains no artificial sweeteners or colourings. There are also no proprietary blends.

Gold Standard pre-workout is designed to provide a quick boost in energy, endurance and focus. It doesn't provide the huge pump of 4Gauge or the mass-building properties of PreSeries BULK, but for getting you through a tough workout without the side-effects of more powerful workout amplifiers it's a good option.

Optimum Nutrition is one of the most trusted supplements brands around, and the "Gold Standard" is a high-quality product. It contains important ingredients, such as creatine, caffeine and L-Citrulline, along with a trustworthy ingredient testing process.

Unfortunately, part of the muscle matrix is a proprietary blend, so you don't know exactly what you're getting with each serving. Most of the ingredients list is transparent though.

The doses are also a let down compared to the other pre-workout boosters on this list. It has an excellent dose of creatine, but the Citrulline is under-dosed so you won't get the full benefit. It also doesn't include L-Theanine to smooth the jittery effect of caffeine.

There are six flavours available: fruit punch, green apple, blueberry lemonade, watermelon, strawberry lime and pineapple. Our favourite is pineapple, although you'll want to try a few to see which you prefer.

Ingredients Review

• Caffeine (175mg). While this amount of caffeine is considerably lower than the amount found in Pre JYM, it's about right for a focus and energy boost without the negative side-effects. L-Theanine isn't include though, so you don't get the smooth focus boost provided by other pre-workouts.
• Beta Alanine (1500mg). Beta Alanine helps improve strength by allowing muscles to contract with more force. Gold Standard's 1500mg dose is lower than some of the pre workouts higher up this list though.
• Creatine Monohydrate (3000mg). Gold Standard has a generous dose of creatine which helps replenish ATP stores for maximum sets and reps.
• L-Citrulline (750mg). L-Citrulline is an important ingredient, but the 750mg dose is much lower than competitors. For comparison, 4 Gauge has 6000mg.