Pre workout that doesn’t make your heart race

No one wants a pre workout that makes your heart race Photo: Adobe Stock

Looking for a pre workout that doesn’t make your heart race seems to be more and more difficult these days, because so many supplements overdo it on the stimulants.

Taking a pre workout supplement before hitting the gym can help you get ‘in the zone’ and make sure that you get the very most out of your training session.

But it’s no good if your time spent in the gym or playing sport is ruined by the distraction of a racing heart or that uncomfortable ‘jittery’ feeling.

Luckily, there are some key things to look out for when choosing a pre workout supplement to minimize the risk of those unwanted side effects.

In this article, we’re going to talk you through the main ingredients to look out for and the things you should be checking for when selecting a quality pre workout supplement.

So, with the introductions out of the way, let’s get down to business and kick things off in our search for a pre workout that doesn’t make your heart race.

The problem

A racing heart or that ‘jittery’ feeling you get after taking certain supplements is actually a very common side effect.

The main cause of the issue is the over-use of stimulants such as caffeine in pre workout supplements.

Yes, you want your pre workout of choice to get you feeling energized and focused, but too much caffeine is known to cause side effects such as a racing heart, the ‘jitters’ and energy crashes later in the day.

The problem is not so much the caffeine itself (which is one of our favorite pre workout ingredients) but the doses used.

Many pre workout supplements pack in more than 200mg of caffeine per serving, which is simply too much in our opinion.

If you’re a regular tea or coffee drinker, you’ll already be consuming a fair amount of caffeine from those sources, and that’s before taking into account the caffeine content of any other supplements you make be taking.

It’s also important to remember that some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. Our best advice here is to sample a few products and pay close attention to how your body feels.

The solution

We’ve found it amazing that it’s so hard to find products which contain less than 200mg of caffeine per serving. Two of the leading products which do are 4 Gauge and Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Pre Workout.

So, what’s the lesson here? Simple. If your pre workout supplement contains 200mg of caffeine or more, that’s probably what’s causing your heart to race. The solution? Find a product which contains less caffeine.

So that’s caffeine content covered, but can anything else be done to reduce the chances of experiencing a racing heart from a pre workout supplement? The answer is yes. Keep reading, my friend.

Caffeine and L-Theanine combination

If you’re a regular reader of our health and fitness articles, you’ll already know that we’re big fans of the L-Theanine and Caffeine combination.

L-Theanine is an amino acid primarily found in tea leaves and it’s been slowly gathering lots of attention in the fitness supplements market.

L-Theanine is known for its ability to bring on a sense of calm and relaxation, which is great.

The health and fitness market is booming but sadly not all products are up to scratch Photo: Adobe Stock

But the real secret lies when it is combined with caffeine. The two substances perfectly complement each other.

In other words, you’ll get all of the positive benefits of caffeine, such as increased energy levels, focus and stamina, along with the great things L-Theanine brings to the table, such as that calm, composed and relaxed feeling.

Think: being totally energized and focused, but with a calm sense of focus and relaxation at the same time.

Sadly, there aren’t too many pre workout supplements around these days that do include both of these ingredients.

In the next section, we’re going to talk you through the one supplement that does use L-Theanine and Caffeine together and doesn’t overdo it on the stimulants.

The best pre workout that doesn’t make your heart race

Our team of researchers has been testing and reviewing the leading pre workout supplements on the market right now over the last few months.

The disappointing thing we’ve found is that many of them are simply not up to scratch when it comes to their ingredients, with the exception of a few gems.

The following supplement is our top recommended pre workout on the market right now, because it contains the best natural and safe ingredients and has great customer reviews.

4 Gauge

Product website: www.4gauge.com

4 Gauge is a premium pre workout made by specialist supplements company Roar Ambition.

We rank it as the top pre workout because it has the best natural ingredients at the best doses, it doesn’t use an artificial sweetener and it has great customer reviews.

It’s also one of the few supplements we’ve tried that doesn’t overdo it on the stimulants, so it won’t make your heart race.

The ingredients

As you’ve definitely already guessed, 4 Gauge contains less caffeine than most other pre workout supplements, which is definitely a good thing if you’re after a product that doesn’t make your heart race.

Each serving of 4 Gauge contains 150mg of caffeine, which is enough to put you in the zone, without bringing on side effects such as a racing heart or the jitters.

Roar Ambition also use a solid 200mg dose of L-Theanine to combine perfectly with the caffeine, to help keep you feeling focused, calm and relaxed – but energized at the same time.

4 Gauge also contains a number of our other top-rated pre workout ingredients such as Citrulline Malate and Creatine Monohydrate.

You can check out the full ingredients list by clicking here.

Price, shipping and where to buy

One bottle of 4 Gauge costs $45 / £30 / €35.

They have a deal on where you buy two and the third is half price, which includes free shipping to the USA and UK. That works out at around $37.50 / £25 / €29 per tub.

This product is not available to buy in the shops. You can only buy it on the official website, meaning that you also won’t find it on other websites such as Amazon or eBay.

Any negatives?

• It’s a premium priced product, meaning that it may not fit into everyone’s budget.

• You can only buy it directly from the manufacturer on the official website.

The bottom line

4 Gauge is our top recommended pre workout supplement on sale right now because of its superior ingredients stack.

It’s one of the only pre workouts out there that contains a sensible dose of caffeine, and this is perfectly combined with a solid dose of L-Theanine.

It also contains some other top-rated ingredients such as Creatine and Citrulline Malate.

The only drawbacks are that it’s more expensive than a lot of other products out there right now, and you can only buy it on the official website.

Wrapping things up – Conclusion

So there you have it, your guide to finding a pre workout that doesn’t make your heart race.

We’ve talked you through the main things to bear in mind when considering and comparing pre workout supplements, explaining the importance of sensible stimulant doses.

We’ve also introduced the powerful partnership of L-Theanine and Caffeine, and highlighted our top recommended product.

4 Gauge is our top recommended product on sale right now thanks to its superior ingredients and top customer feedback.

The Sport Review's product reviews are independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we don't allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are produced through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.