Free Shipping On All Orders Over £50!
What to Drink Before, During, and After a Workout for Maximum Results

What to Drink Before, During, and After a Workout for Maximum Results | Uncle Gym's Advice

Introduction: Hydration Isn’t Optional—It’s Your Edge

If you’re serious about performance, hydration and nutrient timing are not afterthoughts—they’re your secret weapons. From what you sip before that first rep to what you refuel with after your last set, drinks matter. A lot.

Forget outdated advice like “just drink water.” The best athletes hydrate strategically, fuelling their bodies with BCAAs, carbs, electrolytes, and protein—at the right times.

This guide breaks it all down:
 What to drink.
 When to drink it.
 And why it matters for your results.

Let’s fuel smarter.


1. What Is the Best Thing to Drink Before a Workout?

💥 The Goal: Prime Your Muscles + Mind

Before training, your focus should be hydration, blood flow, and energy. The ideal pre-workout drink supports these three pillars:

✅ Best Ingredients for Pre-Workout Drinks:

  • Water – the foundation
  • Caffeine – boosts performance, alertness, and power output
  • Beta-alanine & citrulline malate – delay fatigue, increase nitric oxide
  • Creatine – supports ATP regeneration (especially during resistance training)
  • Electrolytes – help prevent early cramping and dehydration

🍹 Best Pre-Workout Drink Combo:

🛒 What We Have -

These compounds stack synergistically—hydration + pump + power.


2. Should You Hydrate Before or During Exercise?

The answer? Both.

🚰 Hydrating Before Exercise:

  • Aim to drink 300–500ml of water in the 1–2 hours leading up to training
  • Add electrolytes if you’ve had coffee, trained earlier, or sweat heavily

💦 Hydrating During Exercise:

  • Prevents a drop in blood plasma volume
  • Maintains body temperature
  • Sustains muscular contractions

Dehydration of even 2% of bodyweight can cause noticeable performance drops—especially in hot environments.

💡 Use an intra-workout BCAA drink with electrolytes like MyProtein BCAA 2:1:1 or Applied Nutrition Body Fuel Shot during longer or more intense sessions.


3. What Is Best to Drink During a Workout?

This depends on your session type, but the principles are consistent:

🏋️♂️ Strength Training (45–90 min):

  • Water – 500ml to 1L
  • BCAA/electrolyte drink (e.g. MyProtein BCAA 2:1:1)
  • Optional: 10g cyclic dextrin or maltodextrin if you're in a calorie surplus or struggle with energy dips

🏃♀️ Endurance or HIIT (60+ min):

  • Carb + electrolyte solution – supports glycogen, prevents muscle breakdown
  • BCAAs help blunt fatigue and improve focus

🚴 Long Training Sessions:

  • Use small sips every 10–15 minutes rather than large gulps
  • Avoid high-caffeine drinks during very long sessions—they dehydrate faster

🧪 Pro Tip:
 MyProtein BCAA 2:1:1 provides a clinical 2:1:1 leucine:isoleucine:valine ratio, added electrolytes, and comes in refreshing fruit flavours—ideal for sipping through your session.

4. Is It Better to Drink a Protein Shake Before or After Exercise?

This one’s been debated for decades—but here’s what the science says now.

💪 Protein Before Workout:

  • Can reduce muscle breakdown, especially in fasted training
  • Promotes muscle protein synthesis (MPS) during the workout
  • Ideal for early-morning trainers who haven’t eaten a full meal

🔄 Protein After Workout:

  • Essential for recovery, MPS, and glycogen replenishment
  • Best window is within 30–60 minutes post-training
  • Helps reduce soreness and improve adaptation

🛒 For most gym-goers:

  • Before = light protein meal or shake 60–90 mins pre-workout
  • After = full protein shake with carbs + creatine

📦 Top product picks:


5. What Is the Best Fluid to Drink After Exercise?

Post-training, your body is in a catabolic state. You’ve lost fluid, glycogen, and electrolytes. You need more than just water to recover effectively.

🔋 Optimal Post-Workout Drink Should:

💧 Best Post-Workout Fluid Stack:

🧪 Why not just water?
 Because it won’t replace lost electrolytes or kickstart muscle recovery.

🛒 Uncle Gym-approved stack:

6. Should You Drink Electrolytes Before or After a Workout?

Short answer: Both.

But the when depends on how hard you’re training and how much you’re sweating.

⚡ Before a workout:

  • If you’re training early and haven’t eaten much, electrolytes can help you feel more alert and balanced.
  • They're especially helpful in hot weather, long training blocks, or low-carb phases.

💧 After a workout:

  • Replaces minerals lost through sweat (sodium, potassium, magnesium)
  • Helps regulate fluid balance and reduce cramping
  • Crucial if you’re training again later in the day

💡 Ideal strategy:
 Drink an electrolyte-enhanced BCAA drink, like MyProtein BCAA 2:1:1, before and during exercise—especially if sessions exceed 45 minutes.


7. Is a Protein Shake Better Before or After Exercise?

You want the anabolic edge, right? Then here’s the breakdown:

✅ Protein before:

  • Best for fasted training or morning workouts
  • Supports muscle protection
  • Blunts cortisol rise

✅ Protein after:

  • Promotes muscle protein synthesis (MPS)
  • Enhances recovery and glycogen reuptake
  • Should be paired with carbs (e.g. banana, oats)

📦 Top pairing:


8. What to Sip On During Long Training Sessions

If your workouts last 60+ minutes, or involve intense volume (CrossFit, hypertrophy, endurance events), water alone won’t cut it.

🔁 You’ll need:

🧪 Best drink:

📍 Sip consistently every 10–15 minutes—not just when you feel thirsty.

💡 Hydration Pro Tip: If you’ve lost more than 2% of your body weight during training (sweat loss), performance will decline. So stay ahead of the curve.


9. How to Stay Hydrated During Intense Workouts

You can’t hydrate mid-set. The work happens before and between exercises.

Hydration checklist:

  • ✅ Start training already hydrated
  • ✅ Drink small amounts consistently (not just big gulps)
  • ✅ Add electrolytes to your water if sessions are over 60 min or in heat
  • ✅ Avoid sugary sports drinks—opt for amino + electrolyte formulas

🧃 Smart choices:

🥤 Bonus tip: Flavour matters. If your hydration drink tastes good, you’ll drink more of it—a subtle but powerful advantage.


FAQ: Smart Workout Hydration & Nutrition

1. Should I drink BCAAs before or during my workout?

During—especially for longer sessions. They reduce fatigue and preserve muscle.

2. What’s the best drink to have right after training?

Water + protein + carbs + creatine. Simple and effective.

3. Is it bad to train fasted with no drinks?

Yes, if the session is long or intense. Add electrolytes and amino acids at a minimum.

4. Can I mix creatine with BCAAs?

Absolutely. They stack well and support both power and recovery.

5. What’s the difference between electrolyte drinks and sports drinks?

Sports drinks have more sugar. Electrolyte drinks (like MyProtein BCAA 2:1:1) focus on hydration without insulin spikes.

6. Should I use a carb drink during weight training?

Only if you’re training hard for 60+ minutes or in a surplus phase.

7. Is a protein shake enough post-workout?

Yes—for many. But add carbs and creatine for better gains.

8. Can I overhydrate?

Yes. Avoid excess water without electrolytes—it dilutes sodium and can cause cramps.

9. Is coconut water good after training?

Yes. It’s naturally rich in potassium and magnesium—but low in sodium. Add salt or pair with electrolytes.

10. Should I avoid caffeine post-workout?

If your goal is sleep, yes. Otherwise, it’s fine in moderation.


Conclusion: Master Your Workout Fuel

Hydration isn’t just about avoiding thirst—it’s about unlocking performance.

What you drink before, during, and after your workout fuels everything from strength and stamina to recovery and growth.

Train smart. Hydrate smarter.
 And next time you walk into the gym—know your bottle isn’t just a sidekick. It’s part of your strategy.

🛒 Ready to dial in your drink game?
 Explore Uncle Gym’s full range of BCAAs, pre-workouts, creatine, and hydration support today.

Back to blog

Supplements Featured In This Blog

View all