Trying to find the best pre-workouts in 2023? Let’s not waste time; we’ve got quite the list before us.
Disorder - Faction Labs
Looking for a proper dose of energy that can help you take your performance to the next level with razor-sharp energy and unstoppable pumps? Disorder by faction labs can deliver results with a full-loaded formula that is bursting with stimulants, nootropics and nitric oxide boosters.
Chaotic cover art and a combination of energy-enhancing ingredients can help you perform at your highest level. With a core of Caffeine Anhydrous, Acetyl L-Tyrosine, Alpha GPC and L-Theanine to boost your energy, alertness and focus, this formula also contains Citrulline Malate and Beta-Alanine to enhance your strength, endurance and muscle volumisation.
Crank - Supplement Cartel
Crank cuts straight to the point: simple packaging, simple name, explosive formula.
This internationally-renowned formula can deliver extreme muscle pumps, supreme energy and super strength. No jitters, no crash. Crank can help you delay fatigue, boost your mood and unleash your best performance every time you step into the gym.
With 350mg of caffeine to fuel you with stamina, this blend utilised citrulline malate and beta-alanine to promote wicked muscle pumps, enforce endurance increase blood flow to the muscles. Taurine supports immune health and electrolyte balance, and other ingredients like Zynamite®, Astragin®, Infinergy® and Bitter Orange Extract support gut health, nutrient absorption, weight management and performance.
Hydraulic - Axe & Sledge
This formula is a must-have if you’re on the hunt for a powerful non-stimulant pre-workout. Hydraulic by Axe & Sledge goes beyond your typical energy blueprint, promoting power, strength and sweltering muscle pumps.
With a revolutionary formula showcased for the hardest workers in the gym, this stimulant-free pump pre-workout utilises L-Citrulline to help boost nitric oxide production, delivering more blood and oxygen to your muscles. GlycerPumpTM helps to draw more critical nutrients into your muscles, while CarnoSyn Beta-AlanineTM works to delay fatigue and improve endurance. Creatine MagnapowerTM can improve strength, power output and muscle volumisation, helping you build picture-perfect muscles when you train.
Avenger - Evolve
For pure energy and un-pausable determination, Evolve Avenger can help you take the fight to the gym, shattering your goals with unwavering determination.
This high-stimulant juggernaut is loaded with ingredients that can help you take your performance to the next level. If you’re looking for electric energy, Avenger can power you up with an energy & focus matrix containing caffeine anhydrous, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, InfinergyTM, Synephrine and more.
And for those gains… this formula utilises GlycerPumpTM, Beta-Alanine, Creatine HCL, Taurine and Nitrosigine to enhance muscle strength, volume, flood flow and more.
Legacy - Muscle Nation
From one of the most reliable brands in Australia, Muscle Nation has delivered with Legacy pre-workout. With a comprehensive formula that can help you get in the zone and stay there, this powerful pre-workout is packed with ingredients that can boost your energy, improve your endurance and support your performance.
This formula harnesses the vitality-boosting properties of caffeine, adding 300mg of Caffeine Anhydrous to ensure you can’t use ‘low energy’ as an excuse at the gym. Theacrine, L-Citrulline, Beta-Alanine, L-Tyrosine, Alpha GPC and more have gone into this potent pre-workout. With quality-sourced ingredients, this performance-enhancing formula is not for the faint-hearted.
Total War - Redcon1
If you’re looking for the best pre-workout powder to increase your strength and power output, Total War by Redcon1 is undoubtedly the way to go. The hard-to-beat formula contains 6g of Citrulline Malate and 1g of beetroot extract, and AMPiberry (juniper berry).
Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid that plays an essential role in vasodilation (widening your blood vessels) and helping the body remove toxins. Some studies have found that the Citrulline Malate compound may help build muscle and improve muscle recovery.
Beetroot extract can also improve stamina during a workout and has been shown to boost muscle power in those with heart problems. Juniper Berry has numerous health benefits, including reducing inflammation and increasing kidney function. It also increases the uptake and effectiveness of caffeine – of which there is 250mg per scoop – leading to a smooth, long-lasting energy boost, with little-to-no crash afterwards.
Pride - EHP Labs
Pride by EHPlabs is another of the best pre-workouts in Australia. The high-grade ingredients list has an advanced blend of nootropics, or ‘smart drug’ supplements, intended to enhance your mental performance and focus. A complex 5-blend caffeine matrix, with a comparatively low 100mg of Caffeine Anhydrous per scoop, ensures you get the energy boost you need whilst hopefully avoiding any subsequent crash.
This hard-hitting formula also contains Citrulline Malate, along with Betaine Anhydrous, which is involved with liver health and breaking down harmful substances and can boost athletic function. Combine this with 5g of amino acids, and you can expect longer-lasting pumps with quicker recovery times.
Dragon's Breath - Red Dragon Nutritionals
The final entry on our round-up of the best pre-workouts in Australia is Dragon’s Breath by Red Dragon Nutritionals. This pre-workout powder contains a massive 350mg of caffeine per serving – the highest of all the pre-workouts listed here. This should give you an energy boost for your workout. This is probably why Red Dragon Nutritionals recommend starting with a half-scoop serve if you’re a first-time user.
Other ingredients include muscle-enhancing Betaine, focus-increasing English Walnut, and Nitrosigine, which helps to boost levels of Nitric Oxide in your blood and oxygen in your muscles, aiding stamina and performance. Another plus is that there’s no Beta-Alanine in the formula, which is the ingredient usually responsible for the tingling sensation in your skin that some pre-workouts cause.
Pre Workout FAQs
How much pre-workout should I take?
You should follow the manufacturer’s instructions and the recommended dosage on the back of the nutritional label unless otherwise advised by your doctor or dietician. It is generally fine to take a reduced dose – especially if you are experiencing side effects – but you should never exceed the recommended dosage, as this could adversely affect your health.
Is pre-workout safe?
As long as you follow the recommended dosage on the product nutritional panel, you should not experience any adverse effects. It is important to assess your own tolerance to stimulants like caffeine, as most pre-workout powders contain high levels of stimulants. This can cause feelings of anxiety or jitters, as well as an energy crash once the effects wear off, so it is essential not to take a high stimulant formula if you have a low tolerance to caffeine. Possible side effects can include headaches, digestive upset, and skin tingling or itching. If you experience any serious side effects, stop taking the pre-workout and consult your doctor.
Are some pre-workouts banned?
Pre-workout supplements containing DBMA, DMHA and other related alkylamines were banned by the TGA in Australia in 2017 due to health concerns and a lack of research on their safety. None of the pre-workouts available at Fit Nutrition contains these ingredients.
What is the difference between non-stim & stim pre-workouts?
The key difference between non-stimulant and stimulant pre-workouts is the inclusion of stimulants like caffeine. Caffeine can improve alertness, energy and cognitive function, making them common cores in stimulated pre-workout supplements.
For people who don’t like stimulants or train late at night and don’t want interrupted sleep, non-stim pre-workouts present an effective alternative. These formulas generally use ingredients like creatine monohydrate to support muscle volumisation, power output and endurance, Beta-Alanine to help reduce fatigue, Taurine to support lower blood pressure, and L-Citrulline to enhance muscle pumps and improve blood flow to the muscles.
Do non-stim pre-workouts work?
Non-stimulant pre-workouts are still as effective as a stimulated pre-workout and can be a perfect solution for somebody looking for a formula that isn’t saturated with stimulants. Non-stimulant pre-workouts are great for late-night training and are most often used to improve muscle vasodilation during weight lifting. If you want to increase the quality of your muscle pumps, non-stim pre-workouts generally contain higher doses of Creatine Monohydrate, Arginine and Citrulline Malate, which can increase blood flow and oxygen in the muscles, supporting ATP production, muscle volumisation and power output.
What's in a pre-workout?
Pre-workouts usually contain nitric oxide precursors like L-Arginine and L-Citrulline, Caffeine, Creatine, Beta-Alanine, BCAAs and other vitamins and minerals to support your performance (Landes, E. 2021).
Landes, E. 2021, ‘Should You Take Pre-Workout Supplements?’ Healthline, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pre-workout-supplements
Can too much pre-workout be bad for you?
Yes, if you consume too much pre-workout, you may open yourself up to adverse side effects. You should follow the nutritional panel on the product label and make sure you are only consuming the recommended daily intake.
When is the best time to take pre-workout?
The best time to take a pre-workout is between 30-60 minutes before commencing training.
How should you take pre-workout?
Add a scoop of pre-workout and 200-300ml of water to your shaker and enjoy.