The results of your training depend not only on what you train and how you train. To maximize your performance, your pre-workout nutrition strategy is key.

Kawanaka Kensuke, who tackles heavy weights, and Sato Takanori, who pushes himself with high reps and effective methods - these two men with contrasting styles talked from their respective perspectives about how to use supplements and the behind-the-scenes of their development.
The "preparation" before training is the key to muscle hypertrophy and differentiation.

Interview and text: Saki Iizuka. Photos: EastLabs PhotoTeam, Yoshifumi Nakahara, Mitsuru Okabe.

Takanori Sato

Born June 28, 1979 in Tokyo. Planning and developing supplements as the GGP Group Manager of the Products Division at THINK Fitness Gold's Gym Co., Ltd. He won the 60kg class at the 2002 Tokyo Open, the 70kg class at the Japan Individual Class in 2011 and 2012, the 75kg class at the Japan Individual Class in 2013 and 2014, the 65kg class at the Japan Individual Class in 2015, the 75kg class at the Japan Individual Class in 2017, 5th at the Japan Championships, and 7th at the 70kg class at the World Championships.

Kensuke Kawanaka

Born November 1, 2001 in Chiba Prefecture. He plans and develops supplements at the Fitness Products Division of THINK Fitness Co., Ltd. He is the winner of the Men's Physique Overall category at the 2022 All Japan Junior Championships, the Under 175cm category at the 2023 and 2024 Japan Classic Physique Championships, and the 2023 IFBB World Championships Classic Physique Junior 21-23 category.

The difference between heavy weight and high rep training styles

Sato: Today's topic is pre-workouts, or supplements you take before training. I'd like to talk with Kawanaka about the importance of timing when taking supplements.

Kawanaka: In order to grow muscles, in addition to the training itself, it is important to take in nutrients before, during, and after training. Proper nutritional supplementation improves the quality of training. This will make it possible to gain muscle mass even while losing weight.

Sato: I agree. Since training is what triggers muscle growth, the key point is how to maximize the effects of training through nutrition. I think the most important time is after training, and this is generally agreed upon. The golden time is said to be between 30 minutes and an hour after training. So, how can you make a difference in other areas? Let's focus on before training. Before that, I'd like to ask you about the training itself, which is quite unique to you, Kawanaka. What is your approach to training?

Kawanaka: My training style is to use heavy weights. When handling heavy weights, if you're not in the mood, you can't even attempt it, so I'm most conscious of making sure my body is as alert as possible. It's getting harder to find long training times, so even more so, I can't do it unless my training switch is on.

Sato: Even if I concentrate and switch on, I can't lift the latter half of a 200kg squat (laughs). In my case, it's the opposite. I don't care about the weight, I just care about how to tire out my muscles. Rather than using weight, I do a high-rep training style that pushes you through repetitions and exercise volume. I think that the nutrients we each need are different.

Sato : Now, narrowing the topic down to pre-training nutrition, Kawanaka-kun, what kind of nutrition do you think you need?

Kawanaka: For me, my main goal is to improve my training performance, so I value its stimulating effect. Also, if you always eat the same thing, it becomes a routine and you naturally switch into "training mode." That's why I try to eat the same thing every day. In addition, this habit itself acts as a kind of warm-up exercise for both your mind and body, making it easier to concentrate and perform better during training. I always have coffee in the morning. Drinking coffee automatically puts me into work mode. In the afternoon, I have an energy drink. These are part of my routine, so it helps me switch on easily. Furthermore, in addition to coffee or an energy drink, before training, I take a supplement called theacrine, which acts as a caffeine substitute. It provides sustained energy and doesn't cause a "caffeine crash" that keeps me up at night, so it suits my lifestyle. Incidentally, I have two types of drinks during training: whey peptides, BCAAs, and carbohydrates. The other is an ultimate energy drink mixed with whey peptides and BCAAs, for example, for long leg training sessions. This is both fast-acting and long-lasting, so it's useful for long training sessions or when you need quick nutrition. In addition, I take creatine after breakfast and dinner. What is your nutritional intake, Mr. Sato?

Sato: I often train at night too, and the first thing I do is eat about 100 grams of whey protein and rice balls two hours before training. I don't have much strength when I'm hungry, so I place a lot of importance on this snack. Then, just before training, I take in comprehensive amino acids, citrulline, and arginine, which are ingredients that increase the pump. I push myself with high reps, so I'm conscious of increasing the pump. Like Kawanaka, during training, I take in whey peptides and carbohydrates to push my muscles. When I was active, my training time was nearly two hours, so I also took BCAAs.

Sato Kawanaka said he never trains on an empty stomach, but I'm the complete opposite. If I eat protein around 5 p.m., lunch is my last solid meal. I often train on an empty stomach at 8 p.m. Physically, I find it easier to concentrate on an empty stomach, and since I'm focused on applying abdominal pressure, any undigested food makes it harder to apply that pressure. However, because I'm prone to falling into a catabolic state, I choose fast-absorbing nutrients like BCAAs and whey peptides for my nutritional supplements. On rare occasions, I train in the morning, but I believe my muscle glycogen is already stored, so I never eat breakfast. However, since energy is used during training, I think it's important to quickly replenish my nutrients.

The concept of pre-workout and new product development

Sato: First of all, when did you start taking pre-workout supplements? I started taking them towards the latter half of my training career.

Kawanaka: I've been taking it in powder form since I was in high school. I remember it being popular among young people on social media at the time. First of all, amino acids are generally thought to be absorbed quickly, but in my experience, it took a long time for them to reach the muscles when I took them during training. So I thought it would be better to take them before training, and after trying it, I found I was able to train for longer periods of time without getting tired.

Sato: I personally tried incorporating pump-promoting citrulline and arginine, and I've noticed a stronger, more sustained pump. Since I use both light and heavy weights and high reps during training, supplements help me boost the remaining 20 to 30 percent, making them a very important source of nutrition. However, the pre-workout market is still in its infancy. The pre-workout category has only been around for the last 10 years. It doesn't seem to have taken root in Japan yet. Since many people aren't focused on them, incorporating them could make a difference. I think it would be good to use diet and supplements separately on a case-by-case basis. Now, GG is releasing a pre-workout supplement.

Kawanaka: I was often asked what to take before training, which led to the creation of this product. "Ultimate Pre-Workout" supports energy production and helps improve athletic performance. The elevATP™ it contains is a groundbreaking ingredient, but it's still rare on the Japanese market. It also contains arginine and citrulline. It also contains caffeine and theacrine, which I consider important. It also contains tyrosine and beta-alanine, which supports stamina during training, and these ingredients are blended in a balanced way.

It's suitable for a wide range of people, from those who train hard with heavy weights like Sato Kawanaka to those who push themselves with small repetitions like me. I've actually tried it, and I can really feel the effects.

Kawanaka: I'm already using it. The grapefruit-flavored powder is easy to drink.

Sato : Definitely try incorporating this before your training and get a head start on the others.

*From the July 2025 issue of Monthly IRONMAN