Some people drink coffee for an energy boost to start their day. Others prefer working out first thing in the morning for the same reason. Why not combine the two?
The fitness industry offers many pre-workout supplements and drinks, but coffee might also be considered a pre-workout drink.
Many people wonder whether drinking a cup of coffee before their workout may affect them. This article will offer benefits to drinking a cup of coffee before your workout and how to do it.
Increase In Speed
If your morning workout involves doing cardio, a cup of coffee before your training might increase your speed. That will include forms of cardio like running, swimming, and cycling.
A study conducted in 2017 showed that caffeine improved results for athletes doing short bouts of cardio, endurance training, and some resistance exercises. It did not matter what the source of caffeine was.
Therefore, if you want to improve your speed and beat your PR by one second, which sometimes is all it takes, you should consider a cup of coffee before your workout.
Strength Gains
Research clearly shows that most people perform better when doing strength exercises in the afternoon instead of the morning. However, caffeine might be able to improve strength performance in the morning.
If you have a loved one who is a powerlifter, bodybuilder, or CrossFit athlete, you should consider giving them some quality coffee as a gift for coffee experts. Ensure they are a coffee lover and fitness devotee for the best results.
A good bag of coffee beans may help them improve muscle strength and power. It may help them with explosive movements such as the vertical jump or clean & jerk.
Less Anaerobic Exhaustion
Researchers conducted a study in 2018 that showed having caffeine before working out led to the research subjects taking longer to reach anaerobic exhaustion than without the caffeine.
The research involves the subjects doing activities such as High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), cycling, and sprinting.
If you are competing as a sprinter or cyclist, for example, the longer it takes to reach anaerobic exhaustion, the longer you can sustain the maximal effort, which might give you the split second you need to win a race.
More Fat Oxidation
One of the most significant issues that most people have when working out and getting in shape is burning fat. Some research shows that one of the health effects of coffee is increased fat oxidation or fat burning in layman’s terms.
On the other hand, there hasn’t been enough research on the subject for conclusive results. Fat oxidation may not translate to an increase in performance, but it may affect body fat percentage.
Better Cognitive Function
Part of performing better during workouts is alertness and having your brain firing on all cylinders. Therefore, if you have better cognitive function, you also have improved physical performance.
It is well known that coffee offers other health benefits to the brain, such as increased energy levels, concentration, and alertness, even to people who do not exercise regularly. More research is needed to establish more conclusive findings.
How To Make Coffee Before A Workout
There is no one size fits all solution in exercise, and the same applies to coffee. The best time to make coffee before working out depends on your goals.
How long before an activity you should consume caffeine will depend on whether you want to increase athletic performance, boost your strength, or perform exercises faster.
However, most research suggests that taking coffee about an hour before the workout has the best results.
Coffee is an incredible substance that affects the human body in numerous ways. Coffee could offer the above benefits to you before a workout. The benefits will depend on your goals and lifestyle. Experiment with coffee and see how it affects you individually.