Working out on Modafinil – Pros & Cons
updated January 1, 2019
With modafinil being an extremely effective nootropic, able to focus the brain like a laser, it’s not surprising that it is being picked up on by many gym users, who are using it as pre-workout to give them the focus to produce killer workouts. So, is working out on this nootropic a good idea? Let’s consider the pros and cons.
Modafinil Pros
Increased Focus
While you are at the gym you will be far more focused when you are taking this nootropic. That means that you will be in the ‘zone’ and better able to make the vital mind-muscle connection required for an awesome workout. It will allow you to totally consume yourself with executing every single rep with perfect technique and flexing and contracting your muscles as hard as you can between sets. That means that you won’t be distracted between sets by texting your girlfriend or reading Facebook. Your total focus will be on your training.
Flow State
When you work out while taking this nootropic, you are in a flow state. That means that everything runs as it should throughout the training session. Your rest periods between sets are on point, and you are banging out your target sets and reps and the last set of your last exercise is as sharp as the first set of your first exercise.
Goal Driven Purpose
When you take this nootropic before your workout, you will become very goal oriented. You will be able to zero in on exactly what you want to achieve for every body part, every set, and every rep. Your goal will be to do more than you did the last workout – to lift more, to execute more perfectly, to perform the rep more slowly or to hold the contracted position for longer.
You will have no time for wasting time when you train with modafinil.
More Present
Training on this nootropic makes you present in the workout. Intense focus and working out means that you will be very present in your body. This will make you more acutely aware of your movement. This is especially beneficial if you are performing technical moves such as Olympic lifts. You will also be more aware of the feeling in your body so that you don’t get distracted by counting reps. If you can get away from counting reps to focus on creating as much tension in the target muscle through the entire set and for the full range of motion you will work the muscle more effectively. When you count reps, you are working towards a predefined goal to hit a certain number. This often leads to a sacrificed form. With modafinil, you go beyond simply counting reps.
Modafinil Cons
Dehydration
This nootropic has somewhat of a dehydrating effect on the body. You will want to drink more water than normal when you are using it. This is especially the case in the gym. You should also consider adding some hydration salts, which you dissolve in the water. This replaces the electrolytes and minerals which are lost.
Modafinil makes you so focused on what you are doing, such as working out, that it is easy to forget about drinking water. So, you need to make this a priority. Take a swig of water between every set.
Appetite Suppressant
Modafinil acts as an appetite suppressant. This can be great for people who are trying to lose weight. When you’re working out, however, you need to be taking nutrients into your body on a regular basis. This is especially so posted workout after your muscles have been stressed and are in need of amino acids. You probably won’t feel as inclined to eat on this nootropic as you were before you took it. However, you need to force yourself to have a quality post workout shake or meal.
Insomniac Effect
This nootropic may cause you to be ‘wired’ after a workout is finished. This may cause you to find it hard to get to sleep at night. The flow-on effect will be felt during your next day’s workout when you’re feeling tired and sluggish.
Sleep, along with hydration and nutrition, are the essential elements of workout recovery. As we’ve seen, all three of them are affected by this nootropic. That is why it is essential that you look after your recovery when you are working out on modafinil. Make a conscious effort to make sure that you get sufficient sleep, sufficient food, and sufficient hydration.
Reaction with Other Supplements
Taking modafinil along with your normal pre-workout may cause a negative interaction. This depends on the particular ingredients of the formulation that you are taking. Possible effects and modafinil side effects are that you will have a massive energy crash following your workout, or even that you are over stimulated and jittery during the workout and, therefore, unable to perform properly, as mentioned in some of the modafinil reviews.
So, Should You Use It?
This nootropic will make your workouts better. It will improve your focus, enhance your ability to develop the mind-muscle connection and allow you to get into a flow state with your workout, with a goal drove output. As a result, we recommend that you DO use modafinil as a training aid for your workouts.
However, we would like to add the following provisos:
- Make sure that you increase your hydration when taking modafinil. Take half as much water again as you were before you were using it. Take a swig of water, reinforced with hydration salts, between sets.
- Be aware that this nootropic will reduce your appetite and be sure to stick to your normal nutritional plan anyway. This is especially true post workout where you need to supply glycogen and amino acids to the muscles that you have worked in the gym.
- Get plenty of sleep – this is when your body recovers and grows.
- When on modafinil, either stop taking your normal pre-workout or do the research to make sure that there will be no negative interactions.
