DIY SPORTS DRINKS

Preworkout for strength training

I have been making my own preworkout mixes for many years. When I started lifting regularly I looked at various products on the market but saw a huge array of different things with silly names and even with my then novice understanding of supplements, it was still clear that they were quite overpriced and included additives and flavourings that I didn’t want.

So, I did what anyone would do and took photos of the back of all the tubs my gym had on sale and went home to research the ingredients before mixing up my own blend. Over the years this has evolved to what it is today. This is a preworkout strategy to optimise muscle growth and recovery by making your workouts more productive and less harmful. It has no stimulants or flavourings and avoids any niche or proprietary ingredients. I have split it into two parts because some of it is less time critical, and the total dose is 50 grams which is a lot to get down in one go.

There are no flavourings so you can either blend it with some fruit juice or find another way to make it acceptable to get down your throat. For me it makes a night and day difference both in terms of strength and endurance which means much more productive workouts!

(A) With a meal prior to training

• MCT powder/oil – stable and accessible energy source
• Choline Bitartrate – enhances performance by supporting acetylcholine production, to aid in muscle contraction and mental focus
• Electrolyte powder – see below for a breakdown of what each of the the electrolytes do
• Creatine – enhances physical performance by boosting available ATP and improving muscle morphology
• HMB – helps reduce muscle damage and soreness, to enhance recovery and prevent muscle protein breakdown
• Forskolin extract – increases testosterone and promotes lipase to breakdown fat more easily
• Bacopa Monnieri – increases acetylcholine to enhance focus, also adaptogenic to reduce anxiety for harder workouts
• Taurine – known to boost performance and has anti-inflammatory properties

(B) Just before your session

• Sodium Bicarb – acts as a lactic acid buffer to prevent lactate burn and allow heavier sets
• Glycerol – improves cardiovascular function and intramuscular hydration
• NALT – dopamine precursor to increase motivation and support emotional balance
• Beta Alanine – increases intramuscular carnosine levels to enhance performance and reduce fatigue
• L-Citrulline – increases nitric oxide for better bloodflow to muscles, increasing endurance and pumps
• ALCAR – supports mood, increases energy and reduces fatigue
• BCAA – reduces muscle soreness, improves endurance and enhances recovery
• Beetroot powder – amplifies the bloodflow and endurance effects of L-Citrulline

I mix a batch of these up once a month into two jars of 25 servings to suit my workout pattern of 4 days per week, and take 25g of each at the relevant time. It works well for my weight of just under 200lbs, so consider the dose in grams to be about 1/4 of your bodyweight in lbs.

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Isotonic drink for cardio endurance

In addition to lifting I like to cycle and run, so keeping myself topped up with blood glucose and electrolytes is very important to avoid crashes, or even worse, cramps. Isotonic means “similar in concentration to that of the human body”, this is something that you ingest to keep your levels up without diluting them further like plain water can and is pretty easy to make. I normally drink a load before a longer run, take a sachet of powder with me to have after an hour, and then have some more when I finish.

Having been disappointed with the products on the market that seem to universally contain both artificial colouring (Why?!? It’s going straight down my neck!) AND artificial sweetener (makes even less sense as this is literally mostly sugar!) I decided to science it like I do everything else, and make my own recipe. Considering exercise is something I plan on doing for at least the next 50 years it will also save a LOT of money in the long run! The serving size that I use is approx 40g, half of which I have before I set off and the rest is in a small bottle for the journey and is generally required after about 60-90 minutes.

Ingredients

• Vitamin B6 (as pyroxidine 5 phosphate) – this bioavailable form of B6 directly deals with physical stress by aiding in the production of GABA
• BCAAs (Leucine, isoleucine & valine) – lowers the concentration of serotonin in the body, which can cause muscle fatigue during long-duration endurance training
• Glucose – the absorption of glucose from the gut into the bloodstream is rapid and will keep you going for longer sessions
• Fructose – slower to metabolise but helps with post exercise recovery
• Calcium – important for muscle contractions and nerve signalling
• Magnesium – involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions and is essential for muscle and nerve function
• Potassium – complements sodium in maintaining overall electrolyte ratios
• Sodium – lost through sweat, crucial for maintaining fluid balance, aiding in nutrient absorption, and supporting cognitive function

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25 servings preparation guide