(69) EFFECT OF A MULTI-INGREDIENT PRE-WORKOUT SUPPLEMENT ON PACING DURING A 15-MINUTE HIGH INTENSITY FUNCTIONAL TRAINING WORKOUT IN EXPERIENCED MEN

A common workout structure during high-intensity functional training (HIFT) requires trainees to repeatedly complete the same circuit of exercises for ‘as many repetitions as possible’ (AMRAP) within a given duration. More repetitions are completed when the trainee can maintain a faster repetition completion rate (RCR) for each exercise and minimize transition times. Those experienced with HIFT are more likely to identify an appropriate pace for a given workout but are still limited by physiological parameters related to energy availability. Several individual nutritional ingredients are known to impact energy availability, and these may collectively be found in a variety of pre-workout formulations. Thus far, no study has examined whether any pre-workout formulation might impact HIFT AMRAP performance.

Purpose: To determine the effect of acute ingestion of a multi-ingredient pre-workout supplement on pacing during a 15-minute AMRAP.

Methods: Seven men (28.8 ± 7.2 years, 172.9 ± 9.2 cm, 83.2 ± 17.0 kg) with ≥ 2 years of HIFT experience reported to the Biomechanics laboratory twice on the same day of the week over a 4-week period at a time consistent with their normal training schedule, and having maintained a similar diet on the 3 days leading up to each visit. In double-blind fashion, participants randomly consumed a 5-calorie pre-workout supplement (S, Shifted® Maximum Pre-workout Formula) containing ingredients known to enhance energy availability or non-caloric placebo (P) 40 minutes prior to completed a standard warm-up and then a 15-minute AMRAP of 9-calorie rowing, six barbell thrusters at 43.1 kg, and three 24-in box jumps twice over a 4-week period. All workouts were recorded and then videos were analyzed to quantify RCR for each exercise, transition time between exercises, and failed repetitions on each minute. Subsequently, the average, standard deviation (SD), and slope across 15 minutes was calculated for each of these, and comparisons were made between S and P via paired-samples t-tests.

Results: Besides time spent transitioning between rowing and thrusters was more variable (p < 0.05) during S (SD = 6.93 ± 2.87 sec) than P (SD = 6.10 ± 2.88 sec), no other performance or pacing differences were observed between trials.

Conclusion: Acute ingestion of the multi-ingredient supplement did not positively affect pacing during a 15-minute AMRAP consisting of rowing, barbell thrusters, and box jumps in experienced men. Ingestion led to greater variability in exercise transition, which could potentially impact repetitions completed over a longer duration. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The data does not support consuming this multi-ingredient supplement to improve 15-minute AMRAP pacing in men experienced with HIFT.

Acknowledgements: This study was funded by Shifted LLC, Eugene, OR, USA