Strongest Pre-Workout (2024): Take Heed of These 8 High-Stim Options

While you shouldn’t always read a book by its cover, just one peek at Transparent Labs BULK Black’s sleek exterior tells us it means business. And its ingredients inside are ready to power up your next workout. 

Certified personal trainer and GGR performance editor Anthony O’Reilly knows this from personal experience. “This is the pre-workout you take if you want to feel like you’re in the middle of a musical montage,” he says. “The first time I took this I felt like I was invincible. I PR’ed on two lifts in the same day, and I’m not sure if it was because of the actual ingredients or because of how ‘locked in’ I felt.”

Anthony has been ordering extra espresso shots in his lattes since 16, but even he felt energized by the 275 milligrams of caffeine—that might be because the high-stim pre-workout contains other ingredients to prolong caffeine’s energy-boosting effects.

“To address the elephant, yes, this is worth the higher price,” says Anthony, who’s tried dozens of high-caffeine pre-workouts. “Energy was quick, long-lasting, and non-crashing. Face tingles were minimal, and the strength gains were noticeable.”

The powerful pre-workout formula contains familiar ingredients in efficacious doses—like 4 grams of beta-alanine¹, 2.5 grams of betaine anhydrous², and 1.3 grams of taurine³. It also provides an 8-gram dose of citrulline malate⁴, which research⁵ shows can help increase athletic performance in high-intensity anaerobic exercises and relieve post-exercise muscle soreness.

And here’s where that extra power comes in: the Transparent Labs pre-workout also contains alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (alpha-GPC). Research⁶ suggests that alpha-GPC increases lower-body force production and that speed and power athletes should consider adding it to enhance muscle performance. It also contains boron⁷, which is thought to improve muscle growth and strength, although no current evidence shows it to be a helpful ergogenic aid. 

RELATED: Best Pre-Workout for Muscle Gain

Oh, and we can’t forget that caffeinated power! BULK Black provides 275 milligrams of caffeine anhydrous—a concentrated caffeine powder—per scoop. It also provides 30 milligrams of Infinergy™, a trademarked caffeine salt of malic acid (dicaffeine malate), formulated to prolong the ergogenic effects of caffeine and give a smoother, longer-lasting increase in mental performance.

Overall, the nootropics in BULK Black—like alpha-GPC⁶, L-tyrosine⁸, and L-theanine⁹ are said to improve your mental focus and mental acuity without the worry of jitters or that dreaded post-workout crash. And research⁸ shows that intentionally pairing L-theanine with caffeine may increase reaction time, attention, and memory while reducing stress¹⁰ and blood pressure.¹¹  

The pre-workout provides sodium and potassium¹² to boost the pump even more and promote hydration, as well as vitamins B6, B12, and D to enhance energy production. AstraGin™, a blend of Astragalus membranaceus and Panax notoginseng roots, is also added to help the body absorb the active ingredients in BULK Black. 

All five flavors of BULK Black are free of artificial sweeteners, coloring, and preservatives. Also, rest easy knowing that it’s third-party tested, with its Certificate of Analysis readily available online and has Informed Choice certification, meaning it’s been screened for banned substances. 

RELATED: Transparent Labs BULK Review

Nutricost Pre-X is our top choice for budget pre-workout because its pricing on Amazon starts around $1 per serving and it has caffeine equivalent to about three cups of coffee. And depending on which flavor and container size you choose, you can score a price per serving as low as $0.62. For this reason, Pre-X earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for price per serving. 

Our testers agree that a pre-workout can’t just be cheap, it also has to be quality. And we think Nutricost fits the bill because it’s third-party tested and made in a GMP-compliant factory, which is more than other cheap dietary supplement brands can say. It’s also vegetarian-friendly, gluten-free, and non-GMO. 

And when it comes to formulation, this budget pre-workout offers key ingredients like L-citrulline, beta-alanine, beta-anhydrous, and taurine. Other notable ingredients for mental focus and cognition—an important piece to completing your workouts—include alpha-GPC and Huperzine A. It’s worth noting that most Huperzine A studies¹³ have not been conducted on athletes, so more research is needed to link cognitive function and athletic performance. 

Kate Meier, GGR senior director of content and certified personal trainer, also enjoyed the way Pre-X tasted saying, “It’s super drinkable and I look forward to it.” She tested the Blue Raspberry flavor and says it was tasty with room-temperature and cold water. While taste is rather subjective, Kate scored the Nutricost Pre-X at 4.5 out of 5 stars for taste. 

Legion Pulse provides the most natural ingredients out of all the strongest pre-workouts on our list. And while its ingredients list might be one of the slimmest of the bunch, don’t confuse that with ineffective!

RELATED: Best Natural Pre-Workout

Nicole, GGR senior editor and certified personal trainer, says, “It gives me energy for sure, and I haven’t experienced any of the negative stuff. Many other reviewers tend to agree, saying that it provides amazing energy without that infamous stimulant-induced post-workout crash.”

We’ll point out that Legion Pulse supplies a hefty 350-milligram dose of caffeine (but Legion Pulse also comes in non-caffeinated options). And to potentially help enhance the effects of the caffeine, Legion Pulse also provides 350 milligrams of L-theanine.⁹  

Legion Pulse is formulated with other commonly used pre-workout ingredients, including citrulline malate⁴ (8 grams), beta-alanine¹ (3.6 grams), alpha-GPC⁶ (300 milligrams), and betaine² (2.5 grams). The main product page backs its formula with scientific studies, so it’s quite clear that each selected ingredient has a purpose and effective dosing.

The pre-workout comes in over 10 flavors, all sweetened with erythritol and stevia leaf extract and free of artificial sweeteners, flavors, food dyes, and other “chemical junk.” We also applaud that Legion Pulse is third-party tested by Labdoor, free of banned substances, and made in National Sanitation Foundation (NSF)-certified, Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-inspected, and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-compliant facilities in the U.S. (Oh, and they will give you a full refund “on the spot” if you don’t love Pulse!)

What’s better than kicking off your workout routine with a delicious pre-workout and your favorite workout playlist? A strong pre-workout with a delicious taste and some killer beats, perhaps! 

All of our product testers agreed that the Tiger’s Blood flavor of Onnit’s Alpha BRAIN pre-workout was pleasant and rated it 4 out of 5 stars. “It’s tropical, but there isn’t much of a pineapple taste. It tastes more like strawberry/watermelon/coconut,” reported GGR’s senior director of content Kate Meier.

This formula has 200 milligrams of caffeine per serving, which is on the lower side for a pre-workout. However, you also get ingredients like Alpha-GPC and ashwagandha to support cognitive function. One of our testers definitely noticed a difference in her focus and concentration after taking a scoop of this supplement. “I work out in the morning and had a full inbox to sort through and a presentation to deliver afterward. I could still feel the effects of this supplement long after my workout ended,” she commented.

The pre-workout gets a 5 out of 5 on solubility. Our tester poured a scoop into a shaker bottle with 10 ounces of water, gave it a few shakes, and noted that it dissolved perfectly. “There was no settling at the bottom,” she added.

In this pre-workout, you’ll also find common ingredients like L-citrulline and beta-alanine. These ingredients support athletic performance, delay the time to muscle fatigue, and help improve work capacity.

Onnit Alpha BRAIN pre-workout is quite pricey at $3.00 per serving. However, you can sign up for automatic shipments to save 25% off your first purchase and 15% on subsequent deliveries. And if you try it and don’t like it, you can request a refund within 90 days of purchase as long as the container is at least half full.

Learn more in our full Onnit Alpha BRAIN Pre-Workout review.

While we named Jacked Factory Nitrosurge the best pre-workout for beginners, its cousin Wick Mode might be for more advanced lifters. That’s because it supposedly helps users “feel the relentless energy, focus, and power of John Wick,” so let’s dive deeper into this hard-hitting formula.

RELATED: Best Pump Pre-Workout

Registered Dietitian Bob Iafelice notes that Wick Mode “has all the key parts of a good pre-workout and at meaningful doses.” We’ll first note that Wick Mode truly doubles down on the pump by providing a whopping 8,000 milligrams of L-citrulline²² per two scoops. L-citrulline, an amino acid that helps increase the body’s nitric oxide production, improves blood flow and subsequently provides the “pump.”

Kate Meier, GGR’s senior director of content, and a member of her weightlifting gym, both experienced noticeable pumps after taking this pre-workout. “Biceps be bustin’,” Kate commented.

They also both enjoyed the taste, rating it a perfect 5 out of 5. Kate, who tried the Osaka Cherry Blossom flavor, said it had a “great dark cherry taste” and wasn’t too sweet. Her team member tried the Baba Yaga Blue Raz flavor and likened it to a Blue Raspberry Jolly Rancher.

Wick Mode provides the familiar ingredient L-tyrosine⁸ to enhance power and cognition. It’s also fully loaded with premium trademarked ingredients, including Cognizin Citicholine, Infinergy, and AstraGin. 

One scoop provides 150 milligrams of caffeine, which actually still could be a gentler beginner option, while two scoops provide 300 milligrams and are more suitable for those with higher tolerances. Kate and her teammate both noticed the formula kicking in quickly, but neither experienced any significant side effects outside of some face tingles from the beta-alanine.

“Overall, this gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars from me,” Kate said. “It’s not my favorite but I’d definitely use it again.”

If you’re looking for the strongest of the strong overall, El Jefe Pre-Workout might be the Mitchell Hooper of pre-workouts. It’s got a lofty ingredients list, so saddle up as we decipher their rhyme and reason. But before that, we need to tell you about Mike, a weightlifting teammate of GGR’s head of content Kate Meier.

Mike, a very strong man, knew right away that the Creamsicle flavor was going to be a strong pre-workout. “After I took this I felt like my sinuses cleared up—felt like my nostrils were huge! I felt like I could breathe better.” Mike says. “The taste is good, kind of like an orange smarty. Not too sweet, just tangy. It mixed pretty well, but there is a bit of a chalky aftertaste.”

And as far as the pump, “It definitely gives you a big pump and is quick to kick in,” Mike says. “It kicked in almost right away. I didn’t feel like my skin was crawling but still had that energy. The biggest thing was the focus—this is one of the best feelings of being “locked in” compared to others I’ve tried (and I’ve used 20-30 different ones).”

We’ll point out that you can enjoy El Jefe as a single or double serving, although we highly encourage you to start low and slow to gauge tolerance. This is mainly because two scoops of El Jefe provide a whopping 400 milligrams of caffeine, the total daily recommended amount set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). And to put caffeine content in perspective, gentler pre-workouts range between 150-300 milligrams per serving. 

However, the International Society of Sports Nutrition¹⁴ suggests that 3-6 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body mass can offer ergogenic benefits. So for someone who weighs 82 kilograms (about 180 pounds), this amounts to 246-492 milligrams of caffeine. But, again, start low and increase your tolerance level or as a healthcare provider advises. 

Caffeine aside, a double scoop serving of El Jefe contains 7 grams of citrulline malate⁴—a combo of L-citrulline and malate—to help enhance nitric oxide and subsequent blood flow and muscular endurance. Two scoops also supply 2.5 grams of betaine anhydrous², 2 grams of taurine³, and 150 milligrams of ElevATP to improve aerobic and anaerobic performance and recovery.

You’ll also get 4 grams of beta-alanine per two scoops, which research¹ shows is effective for delaying neuromuscular fatigue and improving exercise performance if you’re supplementing with 4-6 grams. But if you experience paresthesia—that tingling feeling after taking pre-workout—the International Society of Sports Nutrition¹ suggests that dividing beta-alanine into lower doses of 1.6 grams can help (so maybe stick to one scoop versus two).

El Jefe also provides choline¹⁵ to increase endurance performance in activities that reduce circulating choline levels below normal. It also contains Nitrosigine, or L-arginine stabilized by inositol. Research¹⁶ suggests 1,500 milligrams of Nitrosigine—the amount El Jefe supplies in two scoops—helps increase pre-workout energy levels and post-workout muscle pump while decreasing muscle damage.

It also contains Huperzine A, a derivative of a traditional Chinese herb that may combat inflammation and increase cognition, and black pepper extract¹⁷ to help enhance nutrient absorption. 

And as the cherry on top, El Jefe delivers a “Jefe Stim Matrix” that’s really just a proprietary blend filled with various nootropics, stimulants, and plant extracts—like theobromine¹⁸ and Eria Jarensis (N-phenethyl dimethylamine). We also need to point out that Eria Jarensis is a banned substance in Australia, and research about its benefits and risks is minimal. 

Active ingredients aside, all four flavors—including Tigers Blood and Orange Creamsicle—contain artificial flavorings, sweeteners, and colorings. There’s also no sign of third-party certifications, so it’s hard to tell if the strong pre-workout undergoes rigorous testing to validate it contains what it’s claimed to. 

Look no further than “Pre-JYM” if you’re looking for energy with enhanced focus. The JYM Supplements pre-workout has 13 ingredients claimed to “fuel your most intense workouts and help you reach your loftiest fitness goals.” 

Some of those 13 ingredients are familiar—like alpha GPC⁶, beta-alanine¹, betaine anhydrous², and citrulline malate⁴. And if you’re wondering about the stim, Pre-JYM provides 300 milligrams of caffeine¹⁹ per scoop to enhance focus, attention, and the overall performance of your workout. 

That’s exactly what happened to Jacob Penner, a Level-2 USA Weightlifting Coach and GGR expert panel member. “I’ve taken this at least half a dozen times, and I always felt really clear and super stimulated for my workouts,” says Jacob, owner of Endless Strength Weightlifting. “This actually has ended up being the team’s favorite pre-workout of potentially all time, and these guys have literally used 50+ pre-workouts. For the last few months, this is the one they grab most often and enjoy the most, both in taste and in effects.”

Unlike other strong pre-workouts on our list, Pre-JYM provides 6 grams of branched-chain amino acids in a 2:1:1 ratio (which we look for in the best BCAAs) to support muscle growth and enhance athletic performance and recovery.  

Pre-JYM also contains creatine HCl to improve your strength gains and performance in the gym. Research²⁰ also shows that compared to creatine monohydrate, creatine HCl is 41 times more soluble and provides favorable changes to body composition.

Pre-JYM’s addition of beetroot extract²¹ may also enhance nitric oxide, blood flow, and athletic performance. It also provides Huperzine A to combat inflammation and increase cognition, along with BioPerine Black Pepper Extract to help absorb the nutrients it offers—like calcium, sodium, and potassium¹⁸.

Depending on the flavor, the pre-workout also contains color additives such as Blue #1, Red #40, and Yellow #5. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests these color additives are primarily safe and side effects are rare, allergic-type and other adverse reactions can still occur. 

As our full JYM pre-workout review covered, there’s no sign of third-party testing. While this doesn’t exactly mean you should avoid it, lacking certification makes us question if it adheres to manufacturing and testing practices for safety and purity. 

Low budget goals but strong stim desires? Enter Wrecked Enraged, perhaps the strongest pre-workout priced at the lowest cost. 

But let us first preface that a two-scooped serving of Wrecked Enraged contains 400 milligrams from various stimulants. According to ConsumerLabs, some of the stimulants Wrecked Enraged contain—like N-phenethyl dimethylamine and N-isopropylnorsynephrine—are prohibited and banned in some countries. 

Jacob Penner, a USA Weightlifting Level-Two Coach has tried 50-plus pre-workouts during his lifetime, “and this is wildly aggressive, even for me.

“I am more than good with just one scoop of this; can’t imagine taking two,” Jacob continues. “I will say that this could be one of the best ones I’ve tried; it doesn’t hurt my stomach, I feel really stimulated, and I like the ingredients—I’d just be careful taking this.”

With that outta the way, the pre-workout provides ingredients that are pretty standard and expected—like 4 grams of beta-alanine⁵ and 1 gram of alpha-GPC.¹² You’ll also be provided with Huperzine A and black pepper extract⁹ to augment cognition and nutrient absorption, respectively. 

Wrecked Enraged also introduces us to the newer ingredient halostachine—also known as N-methylphenylethylamine—that works as a “fat burner” similar to ephedrine, a weight loss drug banned for sale as a dietary supplement by the FDA. While halostachine is commonly dosed at 50 milligrams twice daily, hardly any research supports its use. 

Wrecked Enraged also contains artificial flavors, sweeteners, and dyes like other strong pre-workouts, although that hasn’t stopped Jacob from enjoying it: “I tried Blue Razz and the taste is so good. It tastes like a blue Icee; it is sweet, but not overly sweet. It’s almost dangerous how good it tastes because it doesn’t taste like a supplement, it just tastes like a good blue drink. I was actually able to eat after taking this. A lot of times when you take high-dose pre-workouts, you don’t want to eat. I actually wanted to eat with this.”