Having used every pre workout drink under the sun from the original Ultimate Orange with ephedra, to the less effective drinks of today like NO Explode and White Flood. I have used them all over the years and have wasted hundreds of dollars on crap! Yes I know some of you will swear they are great products and they really work but simply put...without ephedra they don't! This is just my opinion so hold off on the hate mail guys. However my loss is your gain. Here is a low cost yet very effective pre workout shake you can mix at home. Give it a try and see for yourself. You don't need the supplement company's to mix it for you.
Here are the different dosages for each of the ingredients of my homemade workout shake:
15-20 g BCAA
30 g Dextrose/Maltodextrose
5 g Beta Alanine
200-300 mg caffeine "Green tea" (depending on body size)
5 g Creatine monohydrate
5 g Taurine
5 g Arginine
33 oz (1 liter) water
Start drinking this elixir 20 minutes before your workout starts. This lag time will allow for the different compounds to reach your blood stream; when you start your first set, you'll be nutritionally locked and loaded. Continue sipping the shake for the duration of your training session. If you have any left by the end of your workout, finish it off as fast as you can.
You'll notice that I've included creatine in the shake, taking creatine prior to your workout isn't going to enhance that specific workout, but it is always best to take creatine with simple sugars (like dextrose), as you will get increased creatine up take by your muscles. Since you're trying to lean out, the only time that you'll be getting simple sugars should be in this workout shake. That's why I've added it here.