Every day, millions of people turn to coffee to kick start their day, give them that much-needed afternoon pick-me-up, or stay alert through a night shift. Whether it’s brewing up a cup at home, stopping by a drive-thru, or enjoying a specialty coffee at their local coffee shop, the caffeine lovers of the world sure know how to get their fix.
From staying focused on the job to powering through that college essay you procrastinated on, it’s well-known that coffee can give you the mental boost you need to get the task at hand accomplished. However, there is another advantage to enjoying caffeine that extends beyond the cubicle or classroom and into the gym.
That’s right; coffee is a tremendous accompaniment to your exercise routine, and we’re here to explore why.
Key Takeaways:
Enjoying coffee before a workout can enhance your exercise and even lead to better results. Whether you’re going on a long run or lifting heavy weights, caffeine can boost athletic performance.
Enhancing Athletic Performance with Coffee
Staying active is key to staying healthy. Whether you’re trying to lose a little weight, stay fit to play with your kids, or get into competitive shape, getting the most out of your workout can give you the edge you need to accomplish your physical goals. Coffee can help, making it a valuable supplement to add to your pre-workout routine.
Caffeine Heightens Mental Sharpness
One of the compelling benefits of coffee is that its caffeine content can help boost your mental sharpness. This is due to the chemical effect of caffeine on the brain. It essentially blocks the receptors that tell you that you’re tired. It can even enhance your mood by influencing your brain’s dopamine levels.
The result is reduced fatigue and better focus, both of which translate to higher physical performance. If you aren’t feeling focused for your impending workout, coffee can help prepare you. Even if you are zeroed in and ready for exercise, caffeine can prime your nervous system to perform optimally.
Coffee Gives Your Body a Boost
The mental effect of caffeine can give you the edge you need to power through a rough workout or push your limits with intensity. It is the physical benefits of coffee, however, that make it such a compelling accompaniment to exercise.
Caffeine has been linked to greater force production, increased muscular responsiveness, reduced perception of pain, lower levels of muscular soreness, and more. In other words, the physical benefits of coffee and how it relates to exercise are immense. They are so profound and apply to such a diverse range of activities that it is worth exploring in more depth.
Up Your Endurance with Caffeine
Of the many ways in which a quick trip to your local Ocala coffee shop can improve your workout, your endurance may be atop the list. Caffeine is so effective at enhancing athletic performance–especially in terms of endurance–that some sporting organizations (like the NCAA) have started limiting high doses of it prior to competitions.
Multiple studies have shown that athletes who consume caffeine demonstrated faster cycling times than those who received placebos. Similar benefits were observed in other sports and athletic activities, with every athlete who consumed caffeine demonstrating enhanced performance.
So, whether you’re gearing up for a grueling run, tackling a strenuous cycling circuit, or testing your limits in the gym, stopping by Chelsea Coffee for a cappuccino may help you clear the proverbial (or literal) hurdle.
Get Intense with a Cup of Coffee
If you are a seasoned athlete with a noteworthy amount of experience and training, the advantages of consuming caffeine before exercise are even more extraordinary. It’s true that just about everyone can reap some of the benefits coffee offers to athletic performance, but those benefits are dialed up to a greater degree when a trained athlete is involved.
This trend is particularly significant when it comes to high-intensity exercise. For intense activities like cycling, swimming, and even weight training, caffeine can reduce the perceived experience of exertion, meaning that you can perform at a higher intensity. Whether you’re competing against an opponent or against yourself, coffee can give you the push you need to succeed.
Caffeine and Weight Loss
If you’re a coffee drinker with a goal of weight loss, you’re in luck. Not only is caffeine great for enhancing your athletic performance (exercise is a key component of weight loss), but it also has a fat-reducing effect on the body. This occurs in a few different ways, making caffeine a common ingredient in supplements intended to assist in weight loss.
Caffeine helps break down fat cells, bumps up your calorie expenditure, and promotes the release of fat that the body stores. While all of these effects are possible among sedentary individuals, they are enhanced by exercise. It is a synergistic relationship where (in addition to the inherent benefits of caffeine mentioned above) exercise helps with fat loss, and caffeine helps with exercise. Together, the two can facilitate massive steps toward your fitness goals.
Force Production - Coffee as a Strength Aid
Detailed research is still being conducted to determine exactly how strong the link between caffeine and strength exercises is, but the initial indication is that sipping on a cup of your favorite brew from your local coffee shop can help you produce more force.
For example, one study found that upper body strength increased notably in people who consumed caffeine before performing the bench press. That said, studies of this variety have been small and leave significant room for improvement. Right now, it’s safe to say that a coffee from Chelsea Coffee might help you hit that personal best you’ve been striving for–it certainly can’t hurt!
Quick Tips for Drinking Coffee Before a Workout
Research shows pretty clearly that consuming caffeine before exercise can be beneficial, but how much coffee should you have before a workout, and when should you drink it?
The ideal time to drink coffee before a workout is between 45 and 60 minutes. This allows the caffeine to be absorbed into the bloodstream.
While it’s not a precise formula, consuming about 1 to 2.5 milligrams of caffeine per pound of body weight seems ideal. Because different coffee drinks contain different amounts of caffeine, you may want to do a little math before guzzling down your favorite brew.
Keep in mind that not everyone responds to caffeine the same way. If you are unsure of how your body will react, consider speaking to your doctor first. You also may want to experiment with the amount of caffeine you consume. Start with a low dose and increase to a healthy, effective dose over time.
With a huge variety of exceptional coffee-based beverages, Chelsea Coffee is your go-to Ocala coffee shop, no matter what the occasion may be. If you’re looking to prime your body and mind for an intense workout session, consider stopping by our coffeehouse in Ocala, FL, for a delicious pre-exercise drink. You can even buy some freshly roasted beans from Sweetwater Organic Coffee Co. so you never run short on caffeine for your workouts!
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