· By Josie
The Pre-Workout for People Who Hate Pre-Workout
You know the drill. Scoop of neon powder into a shaker bottle. Chug something that tastes like radioactive candy. Wait for your face to start tingling. Crush your workout at 6pm, then lie in bed at midnight listening to your own heartbeat like it's a podcast.
If that's your thing, genuinely, enjoy. This post is for everyone else.
What's actually in a typical pre-workout
Read a few pre-workout labels and a pattern emerges. Caffeine doses typically run from about 150mg to 350mg per scoop, which at the high end is more than three cups of coffee slammed in one go. Then there's beta-alanine, the ingredient behind the famous face tingles (a side effect called paresthesia, widely described as harmless but deeply weird the first time). Round it out with artificial sweeteners, usually sucralose or acesulfame potassium, plus dyes that turn your water the color of a highlighter.
Again: for someone chasing a max-effort session, that formula has its fans. But somewhere along the way, "I'm going to the gym for 45 minutes" started requiring the same stimulant load as a night shift in an ER. That's the part we'd question.
The case for going lighter
Here's the honest pitch. Most workouts are not PR attempts. They're a Tuesday. A 5k, a lifting session, a class you signed up for and mildly regret. For a workout like that, you don't need 300mg of caffeine. You need to not feel like a couch.
65mg, about one espresso shot's worth, is a moderate dose with a real track record: it's what people have used before morning runs since espresso was invented. General caffeine research says it kicks in within about 30 to 60 minutes and has a half-life around five to six hours. Practical translation: a 65mg can before a 6pm workout leaves a lot less caffeine on board at midnight than a 300mg scoop does.
To be clear about what we're promising: nothing athletic. We're not saying you'll lift more or run faster. We're saying you'll feel awake for your workout and still be a functioning human afterward. That's the entire pitch. It's a good pitch.
What's in the can
Josie is a 12oz sparkling water with 65mg of natural caffeine from green tea, Lion's Mane mushroom, Cordyceps mushroom, vitamin B12, and natural flavors. Zero sugar, zero calories, zero artificial sweeteners, zero tingles, zero highlighter dye.
The interesting one for gym purposes is Cordyceps, a mushroom traditionally used for endurance. It has a long history in that role, and we went deep on it in Cordyceps 101. Lion's Mane is traditionally used for focus, which is a nice thing to have when you're trying to count reps past eight. If you want the full picture of how the can is put together, it's all on the science page.
Scoop vs. can
| Typical pre-workout scoop | Josie | |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine | About 150 to 350mg | 65mg, from green tea |
| Format | Powder, shaker bottle, crusty scoop | Cold can, open, drink |
| Face tingles | Often (beta-alanine) | Never |
| Sweeteners | Usually sucralose or ace-K | None at all |
| Tastes like | Blue raspberry from another dimension | Sparkling water |
| Sleep afterward | Depends on timing and dose | 65mg clears substantially by night |
How to use it
No protocol, no loading phase, no calculator. Drink a can 20 to 30 minutes before you train, since caffeine generally takes about half an hour to show up. Tangerine before a lift is the house favorite. Cucumber before a run if you like feeling like a spa customer who lifts.
And some fairness: if you're chasing a true max-effort session and you know high-dose stimulants work for you, a 65mg can may feel light. That's fine. This isn't the pre-workout for people who love pre-workout. It's right there in the title.
FAQ
Is 65mg of caffeine enough for a pre-workout?
Depends on the workout and on you. 65mg is about one espresso, a moderate dose that many people find plenty for everyday training, especially if they're caffeine sensitive or training in the evening. If you're used to 300mg scoops, it will feel gentler. That's the point.
What does Cordyceps do in a pre-workout?
Cordyceps is a mushroom traditionally used for endurance, which is why it keeps showing up in fitness products. We're careful here: tradition is not a promise, and we don't make performance claims. If you want the background, our Cordyceps 101 post covers what it is and how it's been used.
Can I drink sparkling water instead of pre-workout?
If it's caffeinated, sure. A can like Josie gives you 65mg of caffeine plus Cordyceps and Lion's Mane in a zero sugar, zero calorie sparkling water with no artificial sweeteners. For everyday sessions, plenty of people find that's all they wanted from a pre-workout in the first place.
Retire the shaker bottle for a week and see how Tuesday workouts feel. Start with the variety pack and pick your gym flavor. No sugar. No calories. No weird stuff.
New here? Start at drinkjosie.com.
