How to Fix and Unharden Clumpy Pre Workouts
Seeing powdered supplements clump up is weird and — frankly — annoying as hell. What is going on inside of that ‘sealed’ container? What causes the powder to get stuck together like that? Well, that’s what we’re going to be answering for you today in our How to fix Clumpy Pre Workouts article. Loads of people seem to be having this problem especially with C4 Pre workout clumping and going hard. But don’t worry, it doesn’t mean it’s not usable.
I’m sure this has happened to you once or twice — perhaps not with a Pre Workout supplement, but consumable items, in general, have a tendency of going ‘bad.’ This can be represented in a couple of different ways. Whether it be in smell, taste, shape, etc.
The thing is, with Pre Workouts, clumping doesn’t necessarily mean that your supplement has gone bad! We’ll go over that in detail later, but know that there are many ways that you can prevent and fix this problem. Continue reading to learn more!
Is it safe to take a pre workout after it clumps?
This is one of the major concerns. As mentioned, clumping could hint at many things. One of which is, that the product had gone bad. This then forces people to believe that it is no longer safe to use, which, if you’ve spent a load of money on a pre workout like 4 Gauge by Roar Ambition or Cellucor C4, can mean a waste of a fair amount of money..
HOWEVER, clumpy or solid pre workout powder is still safe. Nothing about it changes, outside of the way it has formed in the container. As such, if you can fix the clumping and mix it with your water, then you should have no problem using it as you like!
Why is my Pre Workout Clumpy?
Really, this is the main question. At least, that’s what came to mind first, when I had initially experienced this problem. Of course, this kind of thing doesn’t usually happen overnight. It requires some kind of circumstance. Either way, the hardening of Pre Workout powder is natural.
This is, in large part, because of the way that it was formulated. You might be wondering, but why does it clump inside of the container? Well, this can be due to a number of reasons. Here are just a couple of reasons why your pre workouts are turning clumpy:
Moisture
As mentioned previously, a large part of why pre workout powders clump, is because of the way it is formulated. This is especially true for pre workouts that use only natural ingredients (which a lot of them do nowadays.) The lack of chemicals makes it harder to get a formula that will be resistant to moisture (until thoroughly mixed with water.)
In this case, a lot of natural supplements that are made to thoroughly dissolve can end up clumping when it manages to suck up moisture in the air and is left standing (sealed) without said moisture being released.
How to prevent clumpy pre workouts caused by moisture?
The clumping of pre workouts due to moisture is natural. However, that doesn’t mean that it cannot be prevented. Most Grade-A companies are well-aware of this occurrence and prepare for it by investing in silica gels.
Silica gels, if you aren’t already aware, are the tiny packaged balls that you see in some of your normal every-day purchases. These are best known for their ability to suck in moisture. Which is why it is often found in shoes, and even — in pre workout supplements!
So, if you want to prevent your pre workout from clumping because of moisture, then choose a brand that provides silica gel packets (like our recommended pre workout — 4 Gauge) and make sure to keep the silica buried inside of the powder at all times!
Temperature
Another reason as to why your pre workout powder is clumping, is the place that you store it in. Excessive heat can cause the powder to become clumpy or hard. This can be as simple as leaving it on its own in front of a south-facing window, leaving it behind in your card, etc.
How to prevent clumpy pre workouts caused by Temperature?
This one is easy. There really isn’t any other way of preventing this problem outside of finding a good place to store it. In the first place, make sure that you keep it in an area that is away from indefinite sources of heat.
In fact, just follow the instructions laid out for you in the container. Most of them will request that you find an area that is both cool and dry, to store your pre workouts. This should help keep it from forming into hard powder.
Disuse
Another reason that your pre workouts might be clumping up, is because you’ve left it standing for too long. This is pretty self-explanatory. If things are left on their own for too long, particles will break down and begin to change.
When left untouched for an indeterminate amount of time, the powder beings to harden and form together — creating a hard surface that is difficult to break. It is disuse that pushes the issues of moisture and temperature, making it more likely for your pre workout to clump.
How to prevent clumpy pre workouts caused by disuse?
This one requires just a little bit more forethought than the previous. It’s really just a matter of making sure that your container is used when needed. If you’re following a regular schedule, then this is unlikely to occur, but even then. All you need to do is give the contents a little shake every now and then.
This will prevent the powder from packing into a huge clump, and makes it easier for you to use them later on!
How to fix Clumpy Pre Workouts?
Okay so, so far, we’ve discussed ways that you can prevent your pre workouts from clumping. BUT what do you do if it’s already clumped up? Is there any way for you to fix this issue once it’s happened? Short answer — yes.
However, there really isn’t any one way of doing it. It’s just a matter of separating the powder particles. If the situation isn’t so grave, then surely a quick shake would fix it. You could even crush it with the scoop that comes with the container!
Now, if you’re finding the clumpiness a little harder or solid, then the you can either dissolve it in water (this can be done with absolute no harm to you) or put it through a blender!
Loads of people recommend the ‘freezer’ technique for sorting their pre workouts, but honestly this is more effort than it’s worth. Even if your pre workout is a brick, it can still dissolve.
Here’s the best way to fix and unharden a clumpy pre workout:
- Put the dose you want into the bottom of a glass, either using a knife, metal spoon, or chainsaw if required
- Add a small amount of water, just so the amount of hardened powder is half covered
- Stir hard with a spoon, crush it down until it forms a paste
- Add more water gradually stirring as you go
- Down the liquid and go chase that pump.
So yes, there’s really no reason to get complicated here. Just do what works for you.
Conclusion — How to fix Clumpy Pre Workouts
So, that about does it for our How to fix Clumpy Pre Workouts article!
If I were to summarize everything that we learned in this article, then it would be like this… Clumping in pre workout supplements is natural. However, there are easy ways that you can prevent it from happening.
Most pre workouts will offer you care instructions, follow them! That’s really all there is to it. If you do what is being asked of you, then you there should not be any problem.
ALSO, even if your pre workout has clumped, you needn’t worry about possible risks. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking clumped up powder and dissolving it into your drink! Of course, if you want to make extra sure, then you can just thoroughly re-mix the powder beforehand! This, as mentioned, can be done by hand or through the use of an automated machine.
Alright, so armed with this new knowledge, are you ready to start hacking away at your workouts with a hellish pre workout that has been approved by the devil himself? If so, check out our top 5 Pre Workout list!
My prefit powder is hard as a brick upon unsealing and opening the container. The supplier obviously needs to use more than one silica packet in the future. My concern, could mold spores or the toxins associated with mold spores be present? On the flip side, I recently purchased amino acids, between 4 and 5 silica packets (all I’ve found so far) in a similar size container as prefit, the amino acids pours like sugar. I’m checking with the amino acids brand to see if they make prefit and changing to their brand of they do.