The Stack
Two whey-based products timed around training: light before, fast after.
20g of whey isolate in a juice-like clear format with under 90 calories. Easy on the stomach 30 to 60 minutes before training.
See live price →25g of hydrolyzed whey isolate with under 2g of carbs. Hydrolyzed means it absorbs faster than standard isolate, hitting peak blood amino acids in around 30 minutes.
See live price →Why This Combo
Pre and post-workout protein each do different jobs:
- Pre-workout protein primes amino acid availability. Drinking 20g of protein 30 to 60 minutes before training means your bloodstream has elevated amino acids during the workout, supporting recovery from set one.
- Clear whey works pre-workout because it's light. A heavy blender bottle of milk-based whey sitting in your stomach during deadlifts is miserable. Clear whey feels like a sports drink.
- Hydrolyzed isolate works post-workout because it's fast. The faster your blood amino acid spike, the faster muscle protein synthesis ramps up.
You can do the same with one whey, but you'll either feel heavy pre-workout or under-fed post-workout. Two specialized products solve both.
Total Monthly Cost
Math based on 4 training sessions per week (16 sessions per month) with one pre and one post-workout shake each:
| Pre-workout clear whey: Clear Whey Isolate (16 servings/mo) | $12.80/mo |
| Post-workout isolate: ISO100 Hydrolyzed Whey (16 servings/mo) | $14.65/mo |
| Total monthly cost | $27.44 |
That's about $27/month for around 720g of training-window protein, or roughly $2.50 per training day.
How to Use Each
MyProtein Clear Whey (pre-workout)
One scoop in 16 oz cold water, 30 to 60 minutes before training. The juice-like texture goes down fast, sits light, and gives you a steady release of amino acids during the session. Don't drink it 5 minutes before stepping under a heavy bar: even clear whey can cause reflux if you swallow and squat too close together.
Dymatize ISO100 (post-workout)
One scoop in 8 oz water within 30 minutes of finishing your last set. Hydrolyzed isolate doesn't need milk to absorb fast: water is fine. If you train fasted in the morning, double the dose to 2 scoops (50g) to compensate for the longer post-meal gap.
Cheaper Alternatives
- Swap clear whey for a Premier Protein Clear Drink at $26.99/12-pack. 20g protein per bottle, ready-to-drink, no scooping.
- Swap ISO100 for Nutricost Whey Isolate at $28.95. Still pure isolate, not hydrolyzed but still fast-absorbing.
Upgrade Path
- Upgrade clear whey to BPN Strong Reformer Clear Whey with 22g per scoop and added L-carnitine for endurance athletes.
- Upgrade ISO100 to Transparent Labs Whey Isolate for grass-fed sourcing and a fully-disclosed label.
See every pre and post-workout protein
Browse rankings for both windows in our /best/ hub.
See pre-workout picks →Frequently Asked Questions
If you've eaten a high-protein meal within three hours of training, no. If you train fasted or your last meal was protein-light, a 20g pre-workout shake measurably improves session recovery. It's not magic; it's just amino acid availability.
Yes, if you're okay with the trade-off. A regular whey blend works for both, but most lifters find traditional milky whey too heavy to drink 30 minutes before a heavy session. Splitting into two products feels better and adds little cost.
Older research said 30 minutes. Newer research (Aragon and Schoenfeld, 2013) shows the anabolic window extends to 4 to 6 hours, especially if you ate a high-protein pre-workout meal. Practically: aim for protein within 60 minutes post-workout, but don't panic if life pushes you to 90.
Modestly. Hydrolyzed whey is pre-broken-down, which speeds digestion by around 20 to 30%. Standard isolate hits peak blood amino acids in 60 to 90 minutes, hydrolyzed in 45 to 60. For the post-workout window, hydrolyzed has a slight edge.
Not if you want pre-workout protein. Sports drinks have carbs and electrolytes but no protein. Clear whey delivers 20g of protein in the same juice-like texture, which is the actual point of having it pre-workout.
Add one extra ISO100 shake between sessions. Two training sessions in a day means roughly double the training-window protein demand. Adding 25g of fast protein at midday closes the gap without overcomplicating the stack.