You don't need a ritual, but there is a right way to take a pre-workout, and it changes based on the time of day, what you ate, and whether you already had coffee. This is the whole protocol on one page.
The default
- One scoop in 8–12 oz of cold water. Shake or stir for 20 seconds. More water dilutes the flavor and makes the caffeine come on a little slower; less makes it stronger and sweeter.
- Drink it 20–30 minutes before you start. The sustained-release caffeine is still building at the 10-minute mark, so don't judge it early.
- Train for 60–90 minutes. That's the window the caffeine curve is built for.
- Eat normally afterward. There's nothing in Ragnarok that requires fasting or a special meal.
Half scoop or full scoop?
Half a scoop is the right call for your first three or four sessions, for any session after 2 pm, for golf, walking, pickleball, or a light day (see the half-scoop guide), and for anyone who is caffeine-sensitive or over 60 and unsure. A full scoop is for hard training in the morning or early afternoon. Never take more than one scoop in a day.
With coffee, or instead of coffee?
Either works. A morning coffee plus one scoop is roughly 320 mg of caffeine for the day, under the 400 mg daily guidance for healthy adults. If you'd rather keep the coffee, take a half scoop before training. If you'd rather keep the full scoop, make it your coffee that day. What you shouldn't do is stack a full scoop on top of two coffees and an energy drink.
Empty stomach or after food?
On an empty stomach it hits faster and a little harder, including the beta-alanine tingle. After a light meal it comes on more gradually. Neither is wrong. Older lifters and anyone prone to stomach sensitivity generally do better with a banana or some toast 30–45 minutes before.
Rest days
Two ingredients in Ragnarok, Lion's Mane and beta-alanine, work on accumulation, not on the day you take them. A half scoop on rest days keeps both building toward the three-to-four-week mark where the focus and endurance effects become obvious. If you'd rather not have caffeine on a rest day, skipping is fine; you'll just reach the plateau a week or so later.
Storage and shelf life
Keep the lid closed and the tub somewhere dry. Clumping happens when moisture gets in and is cosmetic, not a sign the product is bad; break it up with a fork. Use within a few months of opening for the best flavor.
| Per scoop | Dose | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| L-Citrulline | 6,000 mg | blood flow, endurance |
| Beta-Alanine | 3,200 mg | muscular endurance (the tingle) |
| Betaine Anhydrous | 1,000 mg | power output, hydration |
| Creatine HCl | 750 mg | strength, ATP |
| Agmatine Sulfate | 500 mg | pump support |
| Lion's Mane | 250 mg | focus, “locked-in” feel |
| Pink Himalayan Salt | 200 mg | electrolytes |
| Caffeine (from green coffee bean) | 175 mg | energy, drive |
| CDP Choline | 150 mg | focus, mind-muscle connection |
| Theobromine | 100 mg | smooth, longer energy curve |
| L-Theanine | 100 mg | smooths caffeine, no crash |
| Di-Caffeine Malate (sustained-release) | 50 mg | extends the caffeine curve |
Straight from the Supplement Facts panel: 12 actives, every dose printed, no proprietary blends. Total caffeine 225 mg (175 mg green coffee bean + 50 mg di-caffeine malate). No dyes, no sugar; colored with beet root.
30 full-dose scoops. $1.50 a session.
One tub, one flavor, every dose disclosed. Backed by a 30-day guarantee.
See Ragnarok →This guide is general information, not medical advice. Ragnarok is a dietary supplement and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you take prescription medication, have a heart condition or high blood pressure, or are unsure about caffeine, talk to your doctor before using any pre-workout.
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