Dialling in your pre, intra and post-workout nutrition can make home training feel more productive, with better energy, strength and recovery. Rather than throwing random powders into a shaker, it pays to understand when to take protein, creatine, carbohydrates, electrolytes and caffeine. Below you’ll find an evidence‑based guide plus simple timing schedules you can plug straight into your home workouts.
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Core supplements for a smarter home workout stack
A solid home stack usually starts with a quality whey protein, a proven creatine monohydrate, a source of fast carbs, low‑sugar electrolytes and a precise caffeine dose. A classic protein option is Myprotein Impact Whey Protein Powder | Chocolate Smooth – 1 kg, offering 23 g whey per serving with low fat and carbs, ideal for post‑workout shakes. For strength and power, a pure creatine such as Creatine Monohydrate Powder Micronised 500g – Xellerate Nutrition delivers unflavoured, micronised creatine you can add to any drink. Intra‑workout carbs are covered by options like Applied Nutrition Carb X Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin 1.2kg (Fruit Burst), designed to fuel and support recovery without heavy digestion. To stay hydrated without extra sugar, an electrolyte blend such as Myprotein Impact Hydrate Electrolyte Powder | Lemon & Lime provides sodium, potassium and magnesium. Finally, for a clean stimulant hit before training, Myprotein Pure Caffeine 200mg Tablets make it easy to control your caffeine dose.
Pre-workout timing: caffeine, carbs and creatine
About 30–45 minutes before you train at home, focus on boosting alertness and fuelling performance. Evidence suggests caffeine improves strength, endurance and perceived effort; a single Myprotein Pure Caffeine 200mg Tablet is a simple, consistent pre‑workout option for most experienced users, while beginners may start with half. If your session will last over 60 minutes or includes high‑intensity intervals, adding 20–30 g of fast‑digesting carbohydrates from Applied Nutrition Carb X can help maintain performance without GI discomfort. Creatine is less about acute timing and more about daily saturation, but many lifters like to take 3–5 g from Xellerate Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate alongside their pre‑workout drink simply to build a consistent routine.
Intra-workout support: carbs and electrolytes for longer sessions
During shorter home workouts under 45 minutes, water is usually enough. But for longer or more intense sessions, intra-workout nutrition can help you hold onto performance. Sipping 20–40 g of cyclic dextrin carbs from Applied Nutrition Carb X across your session provides steady energy with minimal bloating, ideal for circuits or heavy leg days. Pair this with a low‑sugar electrolyte mix such as Myprotein Impact Hydrate Electrolyte Powder, which supplies sodium, potassium and magnesium to support muscle function and hydration without a blood‑sugar crash. This combo is particularly useful in warm home gyms or garage setups where you sweat more. Aim to sip every 10–15 minutes rather than chugging, which improves absorption and reduces stomach upset.
Post-workout recovery: protein and creatine window (without the hype)
After training, the priority is to supply protein for muscle repair and to continue hitting your daily creatine intake. The old idea of a tiny “anabolic window” is overhyped; research now suggests you have a wider 2–3 hour post‑exercise period. A practical target is 20–30 g of high‑quality protein within 60–90 minutes. One scoop of Myprotein Impact Whey Protein Powder delivers 23 g whey plus naturally occurring BCAAs, making it an easy shake right after your session. Add 3–5 g of Xellerate Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate to the same shaker to continue saturating muscle stores. If your session was longer or fasted, you may also want 20–40 g of carbs from a source like Carb X to speed glycogen replenishment, especially before another workout within 24 hours.
Sample supplement schedules for different home training goals
For strength and hypertrophy, a simple schedule is: 30 minutes pre‑workout – 200 mg caffeine from Pure Caffeine Tablets and 3–5 g creatine from Creatine Monohydrate; intra‑workout – water or electrolytes like Impact Hydrate if it’s hot; post‑workout – one scoop of Impact Whey plus any remaining daily creatine. For endurance or MetCon-style sessions lasting 60+ minutes, keep pre‑workout similar but add 20–30 g carbs from Carb X pre and another 20–30 g intra, combined with electrolytes. For fat loss, retain protein and creatine, use caffeine pre‑workout for performance, and rely on low‑ or zero‑calorie electrolytes rather than carbs unless sessions are very long or intense.
Structuring your pre, intra and post-workout supplements is about supporting your training, not replacing good programming, sleep and whole‑food nutrition. Focus on a core stack of whey protein, creatine monohydrate, smart carbohydrates, electrolytes and well‑timed caffeine, then plug them into a schedule that matches your goals and session length. With products like Myprotein Impact Whey, Xellerate Creatine Monohydrate, Applied Nutrition Carb X, Impact Hydrate Electrolyte Powder and Pure Caffeine Tablets, it’s easy to build a repeatable routine that makes every home workout count.
