If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best clean pre workout for cardio is, then we recommend Pre Lab Pro® as the best one.
You’re human. You may not be naturally pumped before every single workout. Well, maybe you are in your head but your body may be singing a different tune.
That’s where a great pre workout supplement will come in handy. It can help your body get over that hump and be as ready as your mind is to blast through a cardio workout.
This guide will tell you everything you need to know about the five best clean pre workout supplements on the market.
Here are the top clean pre workouts we’ll be reviewing:
- Clean+Lean Natural Performance”Plus”
- Evertrain Pre
- Proven4 SPORT Pre-Game Formula
- Smart Muscle 3-in-1 Natural Performance AMP
- Pre Lab Pro®
The Benefits of a Pre Workout Product for Cardio
The most obvious benefit of a pre workout supplement is the boost you get, but that’s the big picture – the forest if you will.
In this scenario, it’s okay to take a look at the trees. Here are four great benefits of using a pre workout product before you hit the gym.
Give Your Body A Little Pre-Workout Protein
You probably already know how important protein is when your working out. While protein is usually associated muscle gain, it’s still beneficial for cardio in moderate amounts.
Protein is usually recommended after a workout, but a small amount can actually help you power through a cardio session.
A small or medium protein shake before a cardio session can help you burn more calories and more fat. It gives you the energy boost you need to make your cardio session count.
You can also workout more (the next point on the list) which leads to additional burned calories.
Increase Your Endurance
Pre workout supplements are designed to get you through a workout, but there is more to it than that.
They are designed to get you all the way through a workout, meaning you’ll be less likely to lose steam on the last half of it.
While the length of endurance varies from person to person, most people are surprised and impressed by how long they can go before they tucker out.
One reason for this is the excellent ingredients included in a pre workout.
If you get a clean pre workout (the best kind), you’ll have a lot of natural ingredients that provide you with the good stuff – nutrients, antioxidants, amino acids, energy, and more.
Think of your body like a machine. Fueling your body with the right combination of ingredients makes you run more efficiently.
Increase Your Metabolism
If a pre workout increases your energy, fat-burning capabilities, and efficiency, it makes sense that it increases your metabolism.
After all, metabolism is the most important process when it comes to shedding weight or maintaining a healthy weight.
You want what you put out to match or exceed what you put in.
Some pre workouts stimulate your metabolism through the use of caffeine. However, there are plenty of other natural ingredients that also help to boost your metabolism.
Again, getting a clean pre workout is the best way to make sure you’re getting the right combination of ingredients.
Increase Antioxidant Levels
Antioxidants are like your body’s warriors. When invaders, known as free radicals, begin to build to toxic levels, antioxidants rush in and demolish them.
While your immune system needs a little bit of free radicals, too much of them can cause all types of illnesses.
Unfortunately, you can get them by simply breathing them in from the air. That’s why it’s important to maintain a healthy level of antioxidants.
The ingredients in a clean pre workout can provide you with a healthy helping of antioxidants. Think about it – you can get free radicals from the air.
You breath hard during a cardio session which means you may be intaking extra free radicals.
Drinking a pre workout shake beforehand means you have those extra antioxidants ready and waiting for action.
How to Choose a Good Pre Workout Supplement
The first thing you should look for in a good pre workout supplement is a clean supplement.
I’m not saying that others aren’t good, but a clean workout supplement is going to have all natural ingredients.
Natural ingredients have the best composition of things your body needs (nutrients, antioxidants, etc.). If you’re going to use a supplement, you may as well get the best.
Don’t let price sway you too much. Of course, if it’s dirt cheap, it’s probably not the best.
If it’s ridiculously expensive, the manufacturer might be trying to swindle you out of money for a fancy name brand.
Aim for products that are mid-range when it comes to price. You shouldn’t be paying more than $50 for a one-month supply.
Keep in mind that these supplements come in two forms: powder or capsule. Both have benefits and drawbacks.
Powder supplements come in different flavors and can be make into a shake. However, they sometimes don’t mix well and they take longer to digest.
Capsules digest faster and they quicker to take (swallowing some pills vs. making it through an entire drink). However, they don’t come in flavors and the taste can be very tough to swallow.
Overall, you’ll get the same benefits from powder or capsules. It’s more a matter of personal preference when selecting between the two.
Top Five Best Clean Pre Workout Supplement Reviews
Clean+Lean Natural Performance”Plus” Review
Clean+Lean Natural Performance”Plus” is one of the best pre workouts because it is chock-full of vitamins, antioxidants, and amino acids. It has a lot of good stuff and absolutely no fillers.
At 42 servings per jar, you definitely get your money’s worth with this product.
The powder supplement comes in two flavors: blueberry blackberry acai and blueberry pomegranate.
Many users have reported that the flavors are great. Plus it’s non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and made in the United States.
Pros:
- Great flavors.
- Lots of servings per jar.
- Sugar-free.
- Lots of B-12 for energy.
Cons:
- Doesn’t have a lot of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs).
- Only two flavors to choose from and they’re both blueberry-based.
Evertrain Pre Review
I like the fact that Evertrain Pre comes in a basic-looking jar. That means they aren’t trying to use fancy marketing tactics like some ripped model to entice you to buy the product.
They just have a great supplement that speaks for itself.
While it doesn’t have vitamins and antioxidants like the Clean+Lean, it does have a lot more amino acids and a very fair amount of caffeine.
This combination will give you the energy you need to easily get through a cardio session.
Plus, many of the amino acids are trademarked, meaning they come from separate manufacturers that only produce the highest quality ingredients.
There are also nootropic ingredients which help you focus more.
This powder supplement comes in two flavors: orange and tart raspberry. I appreciate the company offering two completely different flavors in case you don’t like one.
Plus, the flavors are reported to be great.
Pros:
- Great flavors.
- Lots of amino acids.
- Good helping of nootropic elements.
- No jittery effect later.
Cons:
- Low amount of servings per jar.
- No vitamins or antioxidants.
- Doesn’t mix as well as others.
Proven4 SPORT Pre-Game Formula Review
If you’re an athlete or you work out on a professional athlete level, Proven4 SPORT Pre-Game Formula is an excellent choice for you. It’s NSF-certified which lets you know that it’s a top-quality product.
You can rest assured that with this supplement, you’re getting what you’re paying for.
This supplement is a great balance of everything – amino acids, vitamins, nootropics, antioxidants, and caffeine.
Plus, it’s been reported to kick in faster than other powders which means that it has a high absorption rate. It’s built for performance so if you take it, make sure you’re ready to work it off.
The powder supplement comes in four flavors: blue raspberry, cherry limeade, fruit punch, and watermelon.
The flavors are great and the supplement doesn’t clump. You get 30 servings per container which is an average amount so it’s a good value.
Pros:
- NSF-certified for sports.
- A great blend of all the right stuff.
- Four amazing flavors.
- Doesn’t clump.
- Contains caffeine anhydrous, the purest and most potent form of caffeine.
Cons:
- Not the best clean pre workout for a light workout.
- Doesn’t have a lot of B12.
Smart Muscle 3-in-1 Natural Performance AMP Review
Smart Muscle 3-in-1 Natural Performance AMP has a really cool-looking jar, but it’s not all fancy marketing. It’s pushed as a pre workout for muscle-building, but it’s great as a pre workout for cardio sessions also.
It’s a bit pricey – there is only 21 servings per jar and it’s priced around the same range as the others – but it works well so you won’t be wasting your money.
It has a good amount of vitamins, including an unbelievable amount of vitamin B12.
In fact, the amount it has might be overkill since your body just expels the amount it doesn’t use, but it doesn’t hurt to have this much.
The supplement contains a good amount of amino acids, including one gram of BCAAs.
It’s a thermogenic supplement, getting it’s thermogenic properties from a combination of L-Tyrosine and caffeine.
Plus, it gets it’s flavor from lots of berry powders which just happens to provide you with a plethora of antioxidants. There is only one flavor. You guessed it: wild berry.
Pros:
- Lots of antioxidants.
- Fair dose of BCAAs in the standard 2:1:1 ratio.
- Lots of vitamin B12.
- Great flavor.
Cons:
- Only one flavor available.
- It’s pricey compared to others.
Pre Lab Pro®
Pre Lab Pro® is the most researched supplement on this list. Because of that, it’s fair to say it’s the safest to take.
All of the active ingredients are trademarked ingredients that come from highly reputable manufacturers.
These companies are extremely transparent with their process and are leaders in the global supplement ingredients market.
While the supplement may not have vitamins or antioxidants, it has exactly what you need in a high quality pre workout to give you the boost you need. It’s a targeted pre workout supplement.
It also happens to be the cleanest and most versatile supplement on the list as far as dietary choices. It’s non-GMO, vegan, allergen-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, caffeine-free, soy-free, and free of artificial flavors.
On top of all that, it’s manufactured in a GMP-certified facility.
This is the only supplement on the list that comes in capsule form. The capsules are made from probiotics which will help to increase your gut health.
Pros:
- Fits every dietary need/restriction you can think of.
- Contains probiotics.
- Only uses the highest-quality ingredients from around the globe.
- Provides a more natural, smoother energy boost than being amped up on caffeine.
Cons:
- Only available for purchase in one place.
- It’s pricey, having the lowest amount of servings per jar (20).
- You must swallow six capsules for a serving.
Final Thoughts on the Best Clean Pre Workout
Everyone can use a little “pick me up” once in a blue moon. Using a clean, natural pre workout is an excellent way to do this.
Not only will you gain amazing benefits like nutrients and antioxidants, but you’ll power your way through a cardio workout like the little engine that could.
Choosing the best clean pre workout is essential to making sure you get the most out of the supplement.
The five on this list are all very solid choices, but if I had to pick the one that’s the best, it would be Pre Lab Pro®. I like well-researched products and the fact that it’s so versatile makes it even more attractive.
Plus, it’s made of the best stuff on earth (not talking about Snapple).
It does have a couple of minor drawbacks like having to swallow six capsules and the fact that it’s a bit more expensive per serving, but the balance is that you swallow the capsules and you’re done with it instead of having to take the time to drink a chalky shake.
Plus, you should expect to pay more for top quality products. In any case, any of these products can give you the best cardio workout you’ve had in a long time.
