Best Stimulant Free and Caffeine Free Pre Workout

For most people, pre workout is synonymous with high doses of caffeine and other stimulants. I can personally attest to this association. But for many others, especially those sensitive to caffeine, caffeine free pre workout (aka stim free pre workout) is the best choice for nutrition supplementation.

Pre workout without caffeine is a great alternative to high stimulant supplements, offering enhanced blood flow, focus, and power output through non-stimulant ingredients.

There are a lot of options for those who prefer stimulant free pre workouts, so I take you through the best options below.

I also provide some recommendations for people looking for low caffeine pre workout options.

Here’s a quick summary of the best pre workout without caffeine or other stimulants:

Best Caffeine Free and Stimulant Free Pre Workout

Alpha Lion – SuperHuman Pump (Best Caffeine Free Pre Workout)

Alpha Lion describes SuperHuman Pump as a “savage non-stim pump inducer.” Indeed,  SuperHuman Pump is one of the best non stimulant pre workout supplements around right now. If you’re familiar with Komodo Pump, then you’ll definitely want to check out SuperHuman Pump, which is the new version of their stim free pre workout offering.

SuperHuman Pump hits a few categories: blood flow enhancement, water retention, and focus. Citrulline Malate, glycerol powder, and S7 will help with blood flow, while the pink Himalayan sea salt will boost water rention, and the Lion’s Mane, Alpha GPC, and Huperzine A will boost focus.

This is a good choice for people looking to cycle off of stims or reduce their caffeine intake. As far as non stimulant pre workout supplements go, this is pretty much the complete package. If a stimulant was added to this, it’d be indistinguishable from other heavy hitter pre workouts.

Notable ingredients:

• Citrulline Malate (8 g)
• HydroPrime (Glyercol Powder, 3 g)
• Pink Himalayan Sea Salt (350 mg)
• S7 (150 mg)
• Lion’s Mane (600 mg)
• Alpha GPC (150 mg yield)
• Huperzine A 1% (300 mcg)

Huge Supplements – Pump Serum (Best New Stim Free Pre Workout)

Pump Serum is a relatively new stimulant-free pre workout, including a variety of ingredients designed to improve blood flow, muscle size, and focus.

On the muscle swelling side, the 3 grams of GlycerPump and 400 mg of pink Himalayan Sea Salt get the job done. For blood flow, VasoDrive-AP and Pomegranate Extract work quite nicely together to boost nitric oxide production.

For focus, the choline bitartrate, L-Tyrosine, and Huperzine-A are a nice trio, though I personally would have liked to see Alpha GPC instead of choline bitartrate.

Still, this is an excellent pre workout for pump-seekers, especially those who do not like the tingling sensation of beta alanine.

Notable Ingredients:

• Choline Bitartrate (980 mg)
• GlycerPump (3,000 mg)
• L-Tyrosine (1,000 mg)
• VasoDrive-AP (254 mg)
• Pomegranate Extract (1,000 mg)
• Pink Himalayan Sea Salt (400 mg)
• Huperzine A (200 mcg)

ASC Supplements – Sicario Pre Workout (Best Stim Free Pre Workout without Beta Alanine)

Sicario pre workout is another heavy hitter in the pump pre workout arena. It is made by ASC Supplements and is the “sister supplement” of El Jefe, which is one of my favorite pre workouts around right now.

Like SuperHuman Pump, Sicario is a completely stacked label and will deliver focus and blood flow without any stims. In fact, many of the ingredients here are overdosed at 2 scoops.

Sicario is another great choice for people looking to cycle off of caffeine and other stimulants. This also stacks very nicely with El Jefe, delivering excellent focus and improving El Jefe’s pumps a bit too.

Notable ingredients:

•  L-Citrulline (4 g)
• GlycerPump (Glycerol Powder, 2.5g)
• Agmatine Sulfate (1.5 g)
• Pomegrante Extract (800 mg)
• VASO6 (300 mg)
• Pine Bark Extract (200 mg)
• Alpha GPC (600 mg)
• Lions Mane (600 mg)
• Huperzine (200 mcg)

Axe & Sledge – Hydraulic Caffeine Free Pre Workout (Best Tasting)

Hydraulic by Axe & Sledge focuses squarely on delivering skin ripping pumps, delivering a slew of overdosed nitric oxide boosters.

While ingredients like L-Tyrosine are included to help with focus, Hydraulic is primarily focused on increasing blood flow, cellular size, etc. If you love the feeling of your muscles bursting through your skin during a high rep set, then definitely give Axe & Sledge a try.

Notable Ingrediens:

• L-Citrulline (5,000 mg)
• Glycerol Powder (3,000 mg)
• Agmatine Sulfate (1,000 mg)
• Arginine Silicate (1,000 mg)
• L-Tyrosine (1,000 mg)

Transparent Labs – Stim Free Pre Workout (Best All-in-One Stim Free Pre Workout)

Transparent Labs are known for making well-researched, clinically dosed nutritional supplements and their Stim Free Pre Workout is no different.

This is a great choice for those who are looking for a pretty typical pre workout experience, just without any caffeine. If you’re not interested in trying to maximize your blood flow and vascularity and just want a solid pre workout supplement, then this is a solid choice.

Creatine HCL is included to help with power output, while BCAAs can assist with muscle building and recovery, especially when working out in a fasted state.

Notable Ingredients:

• Citrulline Malate (6,000 mg)
• Betaine Anhydrous (2,500 mg)
• elevATP (150 mg)
• Creatine HCL (3 g)
• BCAA 2:1:1 (4 g)

5% Nutrition – Full as F**k (Best Value Stim Free Pre Workout)

Full as F**k (FAF) by the late Rich Piana’s 5% Nutrition company is a great choice for those looking mainly for pumps and muscle volume.

Pretty much the entire ingredients label is dedicated to the goals of increasing nitric oxide production or increasing cell volume to help with a “filled out” or “swole” muscle look. On the nitric oxide and flood flow side, you’ve got pure L-Citrulline and beet root powder combined with Agmatine Sulfate and L-Norvaline, both of which help slow the breakdown of arginine in the body, an amino acid essential for nitric oxide production.

For increasing cell volume, Taurine and Glycerol Monostearate are used.

Notable Ingredients:

• L-Citrulline (4,000 mg)
• Agmatine Sulfate (1,000 mg)
• Taurine (2 g)
• Glycerol Monostearate (1,000 mg)
• Dan-Shen Extract (650 mg)
• Beet Root Powder (500 mg)
• L-Norvaline (250 mg)

Chemix – King of Pumps (Best for Cutting Edge Ingredients)

King of Pumps by Chemix is a very interesting stim free pre workout, featuring an exclusive proprietary pump blend called “Endo-Pump.”

Normally I don’t like proprietary blends, but this one is too interesting to ignore. Endo-Pump features three natural plant extracts that lead to increased nitric oxide production, increased blood vessel diameter, and PDE5 inhibition (the same mechanism used by erectile dysfunction drugs).

Beyond that, you see the classic ingredients like L-Citrulline and Glycerpump alongside cutting edge ingredients like VasoDrive-AP and S7, both of which are trademarked blends of multiple ingredients proven to cause dilation of blood vessels (i.e. make veins larger and more visible).

Notable Ingredients

• L-Citrulline (6,000 mg)
• Betaine Anhydrous (5,000 mg)
• Glycerpump (Glycerol Powder, 3,000 mg)
• Endo-Pump (800 mg)
• VasoDrive-AP (254 mg)
• Gymnema Sylvestre (250 mg)
• S7 (100 mg)

Best Pre Workouts with LOW Caffeine (Low Stim)

Okay… what if you want a pre workout with just a little caffeine?

Unfortunately, a lot of low stim pre workouts are also just weak pre workouts, often underdosed across many essential ingredients and overpriced.

If you want a low caffeine pre workout, you are better off grabbing a caffeine free pre workout from the list above and then adding your own amount of caffeine.

Caffeine Pills

Because caffeine powder is only sold to verified commercial buyers, the best options for adjusting your caffeine levels are the Jet Alert 100mg caffeine pills (or coffee!).

I have used these for years to fine tune my caffeine consumption and have been very happy with them – especially because they’re so inexpensive.

240 100mg pills will cost you just $10 on Amazon, or $0.04 per pill.

Low Caffeine Pre Workout Tip: Mix Caffeine Free Pre Workout + Regular Pre Workout

If you prefer to avoid caffeine pills, I have another low caffeine pre workout option for you. You could combine any of the above stim free pre workouts with a high caffeine pre workout like Hooligan.

Now, Hooligan has a ton of caffeine per serving – 600mg, in fact.

So why would I recommend combining it with one of the excellent stim free alternatives above?

If you add just 1/7 of a scoop of regular Hooligan to a pre workout without caffeine, you’ll have an amazing, pump-inducing pre workout with ~100mg caffeine in total (from Hooligan).

Plus, since you’re using tiny scoops of Hooligan, that tub will last a long time. It’s a pretty great value.

Most Important Ingredients in Stim Free Pre Workouts

Be sure to look out for the following ingredients when deciding which caffeine free pre workout is right for you.

• L-Citrulline and Citrulline Malate
  • L-Citrulline is one of the best researched pre workout ingredients. It is an amino acid that is converted into arginine in the kidneys. Arginine is then used in nitric oxide synthesis, boosting nitric oxide levels in the blood stream. The higher nitric oxide levels lead to increased blood flow and vasodilation.
  • You’ll want to look for L-Citrulline in dosages between 4 grams and 6 grams. Citrulline Malate should be dosed between 6 grams and 8 grams (assuming a 2:1 citrulline to malate ratio, which is standard in most pre workout supplements).
• S7
  • S7 is a trademarked blend of 7 plant-based ingredients shown to increase nitric oxide production by up to 230%.
  • Look for at least 50 mg of S7 in your pre workout supplements.
• Glycerol Powder
  • Glycerol powder helps with hydration, allowing the body to absorb more water than it typically would be able to. It is often seen in trademarked versions like GlycerPump and HydroMax. Not only can it aid with resisting dehydration and improving endurance, but it can also increase the size of muscle tissue during exercise. In this way, it is a highly effective ingredient for looking big and swole during and after a workout.
  • You generally want to look for at least 1 gram of a glycerol ingredient (standardized at 65% glycerol powder), but more is often better for this ingredient. 2 grams to 3 grams is typically seen in higher quality pre workouts.
• Alpha GPC
  • Alpha GPC is a choline compound, a molecule associated with increased cognition and mental focus found naturally in eggs. It is included to help boost cognition and mental focus. Most of the most promising research around this ingredient is focused on how it can help cognition in Alzheimer’s patients. There is less research around its ability to boost cognition and focus in healthy individuals, but anecdotal evidence suggests it can help get you “in the zone” during workouts.
  • Ideally you’ll see Alpha GPC included at 600 mg with a 300 mg yield (50% Alpha GPC), as it is commonly combined with silicon dioxide to prevent the ingredient from absorbing moisture and becoming sticky.
• Pine Bark Extract (Pycnogenol)
  • Pine Bark Extract helps increase blood flow by boosting nitric oxide levels, similar to L-Citrulline and S7.
  • Look for your Pine Bark Extract to be standardized at 65% to 75% pycnogenol and included at dosages between 100 mg and 200 mg.
• VASO6
  • Short for vasorelaxant peak G6, VASO6 is a nitric oxide booster and vasodilation supplement. It not only increases blood flow, but also relaxes the blood vessel walls, allowing them to increase in size.
  • The recommended dosage for VASO6 is 300 mg.
• L-Tyrosine
  • L-Tyrosine is an amino acid necessary for the production of the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenaline. While taking L-Tyrosine doesn’t directly lead to increased amounts of those neurotransmitters, it does act as a focus-enhancing agent during times of high stress and fatigue.
  • You generally want to see L-Tyrosine dosed between 1-2 grams. Further, pure L-Tyrosine is preferable to N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NALT).

Benefits of Going Caffeine Free

There are a number of health benefits to reducing or eliminating caffeine intake. Here are a few of the most significant benefits.

• Anxiety reduction
  • Regular caffeine usage has been linked to increased feelings of nervousness, irritability, and anxiety. Luckily, as caffeine usage declines, so do the feelings of anxiety that can accompany it.
• Sleep improvement
  • Caffeine taken within six hours of bedtime has been shown to have a negative impact on the quality of sleep. Due to variability in how long it takes for caffeine to leave the body, some recommendations go so far as to say caffeine use should occur within 11 hours of bedtime.
• Improved Nutrient Absorption
  • Caffeine intake can reduce the absorption rates of some critical vitamins, including calcium, Vitamin B, and iron.
• Lower Blood Pressure
  • High intake of caffeine has been linked to increased blood pressure resulting from its stimulatory effects on the central nervous system. This can lead to higher risk of cardiovascular disease over time.
• No Withdrawal Effects
  • This may be obvious, but if you do not ingest any caffeine then you will not be subject to its uncomfortable withdrawal effects. This include headache, fatigue, irritability, and muscle soreness. While these usually dissipate after 72 hours, their unpleasantness can lead to caffeine dependency and addiction.

Retired Stim Free Pre Workouts (Out of Print)

Apollon Nutrition – Hooligan Bare Knuckle

Unfortunately, Hooligan Bare Knuckle is getting difficult to find and is no longer available for sale from Apollon Nutrition.

The pump-heavy, caffeine free version of regular Hooligan, Hooligan Bare Knuckle is an “overdosed” pre workout with no caffeine. A full scoop of Hooligan Bare Knuckle delivers a whopping 8 grams of L-citrulline DL malate, 5 grams of glycerol powder, 3 grams of betaine anhydrous, 1.5 grams of agmatine sulfate, 1,000 milligrams of beet root (beta vulgaris), and 250mg of FitNox. Himalayan pink salt (100mg) and S7 (100mg), a patented blend of plants for boosting nitric oxide. Every non-stimulant, pump-friendly pre workout ingredient is fully dosed here. It’s the most impressive non-stimulant pre workout label I’ve seen.

Hooligan Bare Knuckle is the polar opposite of Ouroboros’s Pre (-), described below. Where Pre (-) seeks a minimalist ingredient profile with only the most essential ingredients (an approach that is reflected in the price), Hooligan Bare Knuckle throws in the kitchen sink, then throws in the bathroom sink for good measure. Apollon spared no expense here.

If you’re looking for absolutely gnarly pumps and you’ve tried other pre workouts without being satisfied, try out Hooligan Bare Knuckle. If you’re getting your first pre workout and don’t like caffeine, try out Pre (-) and save a few bucks.

Ouroboros – Pre (-)

Unfortunately, Pre (-) does not appear to be manufactured any longer.

I’m always disappointed that more people don’t talk about Ouroboros. I suspect poor brand name recall may be part of it.

I tried their pre workout when they went by Gnosis (…notice a pattern with these brand names?) and called their pre workout Singularity. For $1.00/serving, it was one of the best value pre workouts around and was super strong. Now they’re back as Ouroboros and still delivering insane value.

For Pre(-), the caffeine-free version of Pre (+), this means 8 grams of citrulline, 4 grams of beta alanine, and 5 grams of creatine monohydrate. All killer, no filler – for just $0.73 per serving (at least while it’s on sale… not sure when it’ll go back to $1.00/serving).

Pre Workout Supplements that Did Not Make the List

We’ve reviewed many different stimulant free pre workouts to find the best. Below are some of the supplements that did not make the cut.

This does not mean they are bad supplements – they just are not currently at the top of our list.

• Performance Lab – Pre
• Bulk – Complete Pre Workout Caffeine Free
• PUMPSURGE – Stim Free Pre Workout
• RSP Nutrition – Pump Boost
• Kaged Muscle – Stimulant Free Pre-Kaged Pre Workout
• Evlution Nutrition – PumpMode Nitric Oxide
• Cellucor – NO3 Ultimate
• GAT Sport – PMP Stim Free
• BSN – N.O. Xplode
• Organic Muscle – Organic Pre Workout
• Rising Labs – Primitive Pump

Frequently Asked Questions about Caffeine Free Pre Workouts

What is the best caffeine free pre workout supplement?

Right now our top recommended caffeine free pre workout is Superhuman Pump by Alpha Lion.

Are caffeine free pre workout supplements safe?

Yes, most pre workout supplements are safe as long as you follow their dosage recommendations.

What effects do non-stim pre workouts have?

Non-stim pre workouts can still deliver enhanced blood flow (i.e. pumps) and focus depending upon the ingredients of the supplement.