If you’ve been around for a while, you know that we’ve talked in great detail about how matcha can help athletes improve their performance. We’ve had everyone from Olympic volleyball players to marathon runners talk to us about how matcha helps refine their athletic experience. But, what about the average Joe? Maybe you play beach volleyball on the weekends or are working on running a 10K… Or, maybe you’re just trying to get through your daily workout. Regardless of how you’re moving your body, a matcha pre-workout can help you soar to new heights.
This might be an unpopular opinion but your typical pre-workout supplement is terrible. It’s full of chemicals you can’t even pronounce, and it hits fast & hard. You have a ton of energy immediately and likely experience something like skin tingling, jitters, or just general unrest and then you’re dead. Is that how you want to start your workout? We sure don’t… We like to go into a workout with a clear, focused mind and energized body that lasts all the way to those post-workout endorphins. And, matcha is perfect for that.
L-THEANINE- The Key to a Good Workout
Just like an average pre-workout, matcha has caffeine in it, but unlike the everyday pre-workout, matcha also has L-Theanine. L-Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in the Camellia Sinensis (green tea) plant, and it’s one of the things that give matcha its superfood status.
Matcha has the highest content of L-theanine of all teas, and this is due to the special growing process that transforms the green tea plant into matcha. About a month before harvest, Camellia Sinensis plants destined to be matcha are moved into the shade. This slows down photosynthesis and gives us the rich, vibrant green that we all associate with high-quality matcha. But more importantly, this also preserves special amino acids, like L-theanine.
What’s so special about L-theanine? Well, for starters it’s the reason why, when you drink matcha, you don’t get jitters or anxiety. L-theanine slows the entrance of caffeine into the bloodstream. This helps prevent energy crashes in addition to extending the life of your caffeine kick. So, when you drink matcha you get better energy for longer, we’re talking up to six hours… That’s much better than slamming a pre-workout and feeling dead an hour later, wouldn’t you say?
Matcha & A Better Workout
If the idea of having more focused energy that lasts longer isn’t enough to make you want to give matcha a go pre-exercise, there’s plenty of other reasons to turn to this green superfood. First and foremost, matcha is pure. Well, our matcha is anyways. The same can’t be said for the stuff served up at Starbucks, but if you’re buying Tenzo matcha, you’re getting nothing but ceremonial grade, top-notch, matcha. No sweeteners or other additives… just the good stuff.
But, when you down a pre-workout… you don’t really know what you’re drinking. Pre-workouts are not regulated by the FDA, and often contain tons of additives and unnecessary stimulants. And, they’re well-known for disrupting your Circadian Rhythm.
Another benefit of matcha over a more traditional pre-workout is that matcha has been directly linked to weight loss benefits. Matcha increases the body’s thermogenesis (the rate at which calories are burned) by over 30%. That means that if you drink matcha before a workout instead of something else, your workout will be 30% more effective. Not everyone is working out with a weight loss goal in mind, but for those who are, matcha is the best choice.
Matcha For The Everyday
When you’re working out, you likely have one thing in mind: a healthier you. A healthier you definitely does not begin with a messed up sleep cycles, anxiety, and sugar crashes. We think it should begin with a clear head, focused mind, and calm but energized body, and the best way to do that is to drink matcha before you workout.
