Men's Health June 5, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Secret Ritual This Top Fitness Influencer Swears By to Crush Every Workout Like a Beast—And You’ve Never Heard It Before!

Ever wondered what it truly takes to get mentally and physically primed before a grueling leg day? By eight o’clock in the morning, Joe Gaydaychuk isn’t just sipping coffee—he’s already deep into his day, fueled with a hearty breakfast and over 40 ounces of water, all setting the stage for an intense workout ahead. This isn’t your average gym routine. Joe’s approach combines visualization, motivation, and a carefully crafted supplement ritual that gets him locked in before he even hits the gym floor. With workouts that last up to 90 minutes, squeezing every ounce of power and focus takes more than just brawn—it demands mindset, preparation, and yes, the right boost from his go-to pre-workout mix. If you think pre-workout is just about caffeine and energy, think again—Joe’s story reveals how the right blend of strategy, supplements, and mental prep turns a good session into an unstoppable powerhouse. Ready to dive into the mechanics of crushing your workouts from start to finish?

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BY EIGHT O’CLOCK in the morning, Joe Gaydaychuk is already two-and-a-half hours into his day. And he’s ready for his workout. The 33-year-old bodybuilder and influencer is well fed and well hydrated, having consumed a hearty breakfast and 40-plus ounces of water since waking up.

Now that he has fuel in his system, the pre-workout rituals begin, because the training session he’s about to put himself through calls for more than just food and water, especially if it’s leg day. “It’s going to last anywhere from 75 minutes to an hour and a half,” says Gaydaychuk, who earned his natural bodybuilding pro card in 2025. “My workouts are intense, with minimal wasted time and working up to heavy sets on each exercise, so being mentally and physically prepared before I even step into the gym is of key importance.”

To prime both his body and mind, Gaydaychuk practices visualization, listens to motivational content and music, and consumes a scoop of his favorite pre-workout formula from GNC—BEYOND RAW^® LIT AF^® V2—mixed with cold water. “I’ve been shopping at GNC since I was able to afford to start buying supplements,” says Gaydaychuk. “I love the wide selection of products and that they seemingly have stores everywhere so [wherever I am] I can stop by and pick up what I need.”

GNC brings together elite quality standards, an exceptional selection curated by leading industry experts, and the tools and resources consumers need to navigate their choices and shop with confidence. From building muscle and enhancing cognitive performance to supporting everyday health, the retailer makes it easy to find the supplement that fits your needs, preferences, goals, and routines. Click here to discover more products for your lifestyle.

Starting the Mental Prep at Home

At home before his short car ride to the gym, Gaydaychuk reviews his notes from his previous workout to guide him. At 6 feet 2 inches, he’s recently bulked up to an off-season weight of around 250 pounds—up from 225—as he prepares for his first professional show this fall.

“Tracking is a huge cornerstone of my training,” he says. “I keep a written journal in my phone of every workout. That’s the basis of progressive overload. How do I know I’m getting better if I’m not keeping notes on what I did in the past? Results are going to come from consistency and trying to do a little bit more and a little bit better than I did last time.”

Some workouts are harder to get up for than others. When his motivation is lacking, Gaydaychuk uses mental reframing to get his mind right. “On days where I’m not feeling it, I’ll think of three positive reasons why I should be doing this, and that usually helps motivate me,” he says.

The final ritual before he leaves the house is mixing his pre-workout in a shaker cup: 16 ounces of water, a ton of ice, and a full scoop of BEYOND RAW^® LIT AF^® V2. “I like to get it super cold so it’s like a little treat before I get to the gym,” he says. That first sweet sip of Gummy Worm or Patriot Pop flavor helps bridge the gap between his morning routine and the workout ahead.

Courtesy of Joe Gaydaychuk

Making the Pre-Workout Part of the Ritual

Gaydaychuk drinks his pre-workout while listening to a podcast on the drive to the gym. Some days, he’ll listen to his favorite bodybuilding motivational video, which “fires me up and makes me want to run through a wall every single time,” he says.

Meanwhile, the LIT AF^® V2 is getting into his system. He can feel the jolt from the caffeine and the heightened mental focus from the Cognizin^® citicoline. A naturally occurring nutrient found in the brain, citicoline is a non-stimulant-based nootropic that’s been shown to enhance brain function and mental energy.

“I like to take LIT AF^® V2 about 30 minutes before the actual workout so that the ingredients start to take effect,” Gaydaychuk says. When he gets to the gym, he’s flipped the switch to training mode. “I start with a general warmup before I hit the first muscle group I’m working that day,” he says.

One last ritual: music. His playlist rotates through EDM, rock, and rap. Sometimes a particular track will get him so amped up that he listens to it the entire workout. “I’ll literally just have one song on repeat for an hour and a half,” he says. “Putting on the headphones is kind of a mental trigger. Once I throw those guys on, boom, I’m ready to go.”

Staying Focused Through the Last Set

Gaydaychuk’s pre-workout routine pays off from the first set to the final rep 90 minutes later. He’s not wasting time in the gym because he knows what exercises to do and how much weight to use. The music blasting from his headphones, and the fact that he’s recording a video of the workout to share with his one-million-plus followers, helps keep him locked in.

And then there’s the boost he’s getting from that scoop of LIT AF^® V2. “When I finish the pre-workout, I feel a laser-like focus on the task at hand,” he says. “Throughout the workout, I’m feeling bigger muscle pumps than I would if I didn’t take it, and the extra energy helps my strength as I go heavier. Overall, my performance feels enhanced.”

The longer he trains, the more he gets out of the Cognizin® and other LIT AF^® V2 ingredients. “Even after you’ve done the bulk of the workout, the job’s not done,” Gaydaychuk says. “It really comes in handy toward the end and helps me push through that last final bit.”