Best Pre Workout Supplement | Top 10 List – 2012
If you’re no stranger to hard and strenuous physical exertion such as hitting the weight room hard, playing rough sports, or MMA among others, than finding the best pre workout supplement for you can become an important ally in your overall health regimen.
Pre-workout supplements are a newer kind of formula that was originally created to help bodybuilders plow past muscle building plateaus and to help with low-energy slumps due to the daily grind of workout wear-n-tear. The formula’s for the most part are comprised of Creatine, L-Arginine, Beta Alainine, and Caffeine based stimulants that when combined correctly, can push the athlete past their normal rep. range and typically pro-long the workout routine with added intensity and mental focus. Although determining whether or not all these different PWO supplements can live up to the marketing hype associated with each product, there are some more than others that can benefit any athlete if taken properly and with proper nutrition and strenuous exercise.
As the supplement world expands and new products are released into the market, it was always helpful for me to read real reviews from others about their experiences with different products so I decided to do the same thing and put together a list of the very best pre workout supplements currently available. This way you will have a much better understanding of what your actually in for when you go to purchase your own.
See All Pre Workout Supplements…
How To Rate The Best Pre Workout Supplement
Not all pre workout supplements are created equal, in fact they are quite different in their consistencies, purity, and purpose. The pre workout supplements that I have ranked here are based on the best blends of ingredients to produce not only the most effective supplements to build muscle, but also give you the best bang for your buck as well as the best overall user experience. Keep in mind that the strength of the supplement (i.e. caffeine amount) only makes up 1 part of the ranking system and is by no means THE only criteria in which these supplements have been judged.
I see a lot of people make the mistake of judging a pre workout supplement based solely on how strong the stimulants are and not on the gains they’ve made, the value, and overall experience. Don’t make that mistake! Just because a supplement has 300mg of caffeine, doesn’t mean its the best pre workout supplement. It takes a lot to make it to this list so if you see a pre workout supplement appear on my list, you know its got to be good.
The supplements below strike the perfect balance between 5 major criteria that have been used to judge the overall effectiveness of a pre workout supplement. With all the proprietary blends out there that do not tell you specifically whats in the supplement it would be difficult to judge a supplement on ingredients alone. That’s why I have set up my ranking system based on the actual user experience so you’ll know what to expect when you take it. The 5 categories are:
1. GAINS – Did I increase my strength and size from using it? (Creatine, Amino Acids, Protein, etc…)
2. PUMP – How amped up and ready to hit it did I feel from one serving? (L-Arginine, Caffeine, Beta Alanine, etc…)
3. FOCUS – Was I mentally dialed in while training? (L-Thyrosen, L-Citrulline, Caffeine, ect…)
4. TASTE/MIX – Was the taste enjoyable and does it mix well ? (The taste and quality of the ingredients are factors as well, although considered secondary to the first 3 categories.)
5. COST - Is it the best price per serving? (Price per serving may be considered a factor. Secondary as well…)
*This list will often change due to new pre workout supplements hitting the market so check back often for revisions and updates.
**All supplements are gauged based on 5 categories from 0-10
with 0 being the lowest rating, and 10 being the highest rating**
UPDATE 10/22/2011- Assault is the 2011 Pre workout supplement of the year award winner for 2011! Congrats!!!
#1 - Muscle Pharm Assault
Not So Quick Review:
I have been a fan of Muscle Pharm Assault for a long time. Assault IS the best pre workout supplement to date hands down. I know it, you know it, and so does thousands of others. Muscle Pharm Assault is a well-rounded pre workout supplement that gets you pumped, gets you focused, and gets you ripped, and with the addition of other nutrients like BCAAs, carbs. and vitamins, you get more out this pre workout supplement than just stimulants. The main ingredients are Creatine, L-Arginine, BCAA’s, L-Glutamine, vitamins, and energy stimulants that are synergistically combined together into a potent dose of pure iron-pumping mayhem. Hundreds of real athletes of all kinds have this product rated at a solid 9 out of 10 on BB.com which is damn good, considering how many people have chimed in and voted. But let’s get down to it.
What makes Assault the best pre workout supplement?
I’ll give you 10 hardcore reasons…
- The Creatine blend is great. Assault contains 5g of Creatine HCl (Con-Cret) and Creapure Creatine. Creatine HCl and Creapure are the best forms of Creatine you can get your hands on in my humble option and at 5g you’re Creatine needs are basically taken care of.
- 6g of BCAAs. Another essential pre workout component that is a 3:1:2 ratio blend that is more evenly distributed than other forms of BCAAs and promotes better recovery and muscle mass.
- 4g Beta Alanine. An amino acid that improves endurance, energy, and stave off fatigue. This is not an uncommon ingredient found in pre workout supplements so it’s not a big surprise to find it in Assault, but 4g is a good enough amount per serving to be beneficial.
- Vital nutrients. Vitamin’s B-12 and B-6 are a great source of natural energy, red blood cell formation and increases protein and carb. absorption. Plus L-Glutamine for stamina!
- Electrolyte profile. Let’s face it, when you work out you run the risk of dehydration by potentially depleting your calcium, sodium, and potassium levels. Assault provides these ingredients to help you stay hydrated and keep your electrons firing properly.
- Energy and mental focus. Perhaps the most over judged element of pre workout supplements, energy output is the most abused category of pre workout supplements, no matter. Assault has taken care of this aspect as well. Per ½ scoop you get 150mg of caffeine and a full scoop yields 300mg. Also included in Assault is Taurine, Pyroglutamic Acid, L-Tyrosine, Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT), Papain 1000, L-Aspartic Acid, Pyridoxine HCL, and Cyanocobalamin.
- Increased Absorption. What good are all these ingredients if your body doesn’t absorb much of it? Assault includes 3 major factors to boost nutrient absorption. L-Arginine the precursor to NO is a typical ingredient found in pre workout supplements, but what isn’t so typical are the other two elements. Astragin® is a ginseng extract that can potentially increase Creatine and Arginine absorption, increases glucose uptake, and ATP production. Cinnulin works in the same manor whereas it increases nutrient absorption directly into the muscles.
- Pure Value. Each container provides 40 servings of high quality product. That’s 40 days of balls to the wall training. The folks at Muscle Pharm “get it”. They understand the importance of quality ingredients and you can definitely tell that they know that you and I will not stand for sub-par ingredients.
- Taste and Mixability. Sure you can just toss a bunch of bitter, chemical-based crap down your gullet if your “hardcore” enough, but even that becomes cumbersome. Assault taste great. I haven’t tried all the flavors, but the Blue Arctic Raspberry and Fruit punch flavors are awesome, plus it mixes well with little graininess. Update 10/22/2011 – New flavor added – Orange Mango.
- Thousands of others agree. BB.com has rated Assault as the best pre workout supplement for 2011 according to gross sales and over 1400 real customer reviews. But in addition to that if you search around to other workout forums and read what other people say on different sites, the consensus is the same.
Buy Muscle Pharm Assault
#2 - Allmax Nutrition Razor8 Blast Powder
Quick Review:
What can I say, im very impressed with Razor8. The folks at Allmax have really done their homework to deliver a very serious pre workout supplement. The first thing I like to mention is the transparency of their labeling which is a very good intro to what is a very intense set of ingredients. To start, there is an almost insane 385mg of combined caffeine with another 51mg of Geranamine! You will feel this hit hard. Another ingredient that isn’t normally found in PWO’s that is found in Razor8 is Yohimbine which increases fat loss, mental focus, and vasodialation. The muscle building factors that make up Razor8 is equally impressive. The 5g of Creatine Monohydrate that is included here is very pure and very refined, I would say on the same level as Creapure. There is also 325mg of Beta-Alanine which helps with energy and strength production and can be found in many of the best pre workout supplements, but what isn’t normally found in other PWO’s that is found in Razor8 is COP (Creatinol-o-Phosphate) which also increases strength and stamina, whilst decreasing acidification. To top is all of there is an impressive 4 different forms of L-Arginine that pump all of this muscle building mayhem in and throughout your body. If you are not a serious lifter and have never taken a pre workout supplement before than I caution you to try this, but if you are searching for real power and are not scared of the dark side than pick up some Razor8 Blast Powder. A new bar has been set.
Buy Razor8 Blast Powder
#3 – Driven Sports: CRAZE
Quick Review:
Craze by Driven Sports is a hot new pre workout supplement that has been getting some excellent reviews by bodybuilders and athletes alike. This is a different pre workout because it addresses an important aspect of supplementation and nitric oxide production – negative by products. By including L-Arginine, vitamin C, Creatine Monohydrate, and Citrulline, the muscles are able to produce a greater amount of ATP production and nutrients while still being about to shuttle out ammonia – a byproduct of amino acid breakdown. By addressing this issue a lifter is able to not only increase power but also maintain it. Craze also delivers on the energy and mental focus aspect of this formula by including caffeine, Dendrobex™, Citramine, and PEA. Another noteworthy aspect of craze is the great taste! Of course it’s not as important as other factors, it does make it that much more enjoyable. Craze is a bit different from other PWOs because it takes a different look at what bodybuilders really need in the gym and that’s why it’s scored so high on our charts.
Buy Driven Sports: CRAZE
#4 - Infinite Labs Juggernaut
Quick Review:
Juggernaut by Infinite labs is surprisingly strong at 200mg of caffeine per serving so if you dare venture into the highest dosage recommendation at 2 scoops/servings, you can be sure to be brimming with constant energy for hours and hours, but that’s not all the Juggernaut offers. Their muscle building matrix is impressive with Creatine Myo-Matrix™ (Dicreatine Malate, Creatine MagnaPower® Magnesium Creatine Chelate), whey protein complex, and carnite complex. Top that off with various vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, B12, E, Potassium, and Chromium and you got yourself a great pre workout supplement. All those ingredients are great but when I noticed the added electrolytes, it was just icing on the cake.
Buy Infinite Labs Juggernaut
#5 - BSN N.O. Xplode 2.0
Quick Review:
BSN’s new and improved Xplode 2.0 is a better, more complete pre workout supplement. There’s 2 grams more per serving compared to the previous version of Xplode. The new proprietary blend is only 1 scoop per serving as appose to up to 3 scoops in the previous version. This is a more concentrated formula from BSN and although the ingredients are proprietary and you cannot make out exactly what they are, the profile still looks great on this supplement. Xplode 2.0 contains all the major pre workout supplement staples such as Creatine, Arginine and Citroline, Beta-Alanine, and Caffeine, but what makes this version better is that there is the electrolyte complex that gives you more hydration before working out. This is a great pre workout supplement that everyone should try at least once before passing judgement because this a serious supplement that will get you huge.
Buy BSN N.O. Xplode 2.0
#6 - Gamma Labs Pre-Training Formula
Quick Review:
Gamma Labs new Pre Training Formula contains a nice muscle building complex with Taurine, Creatine Complex (Creatine Monohydrate, Creatine Magnapower™, Dicreatine Malate), Arginine Complex (L-Arginine, L-Arginine AKG, L-Arginine Malate), and Beta Alanine. The exact amount of caffeine per serving is hard to determine because the 426mg energy complex is comprised of several components such as Caffeine Anhydrous, Mucuna Pruriens (20% L-Dopa), Acetyl-L Carnitine And ATP but im sure caffeine makes up most of the complex so it should be a good amount. This is a good pre workout supplement that has won over many bodybuilders based on reading other reviews.
Buy Gamma Labs Pre-Training Formula
#7 – Dymatize Expand Extreme Pump
Quick Review:
The ingredient profile on this supplement looks impressive, but you should come to expect that from Dymatize. Xpand Extreme Pump is a solid pre workout supplement. The energy and focus are awesome. You feel pumped and looking forward to lifting and sweat out another great workout. Im not sure why there’s so much criticism regarding this supplement, but it is strong and you should always make sure to read and follow all the directions on the label because many of these 1 scoop formulas are so strong you actually need to start only taking 1/2 of a scoop, especially if you are sensitive to stimulants. This pre workout supplement comes in 5 different flavors and 2 caffeine free versions which is nice for those who are taking a break from stimulants. This supplement contains 5g of Creatine 5g of amino acids, 3.5g Arginine fusion, and 3.35g mental focus matrix and 1.5g Beta Alanine! A complete well rounded pre workout supplement that gets the job done right.
Buy Dymatize Expand Extreme Pump
#8 -Betancourt Nutrition Bullnox Androrush
Quick Review:
Betancourt Nutrition Bullnox Androrush really surprised me and really shouldn’t be underestimated. Assault for me was better as far as taste and pump but not by much. The Di-creatine Malate allows for more bio-availability of creatine and absorbs quicker into your muscles than creatine monohydrate. The energy was very good and lasted for as long as any other concentrate formula such as Hemo Rage Ultra, but the muscle gains were even better. I felt really strong when I was taking Bullnox. The weights seemed to feel lighter than they actually where and I had a great pump that left me feeling very vascular and swelled. This is the only pre workout supplement that ive seen that comes in “chewies” which is kinda weird, but I guess it makes sense if your in a rush or cant mix up a drink. Over-all this pre workout supplement delivers as promised and really opened my eyes and surprised me. Bullnox Androrush for me was the dark-horse of the line-up and has ended up landing in the runner up position.
Buy Bullnox Androrush
#9 - Athletic Edge Nutrition: PreSurge Unleashed
Quick Review:
The PreSurge™ Unleashed Blend is a unique blend of nice energy and old school muscle building Creatine Monohydrate along with L-Tyrosine, and L-Carnitine as its major ingredients. The Glycocarne is said to increase N.O. levels thus providing some vascularity and muscle building aspects to the supplement as well. PreSurge Unleashed also contains an extract from a herb called Russian Tarragon. It has been added to simulate spiking your insulin so that you can become anabolic and build muscle ” …this extract could bring about skeletal muscle absorption comparable to spiking insulin with large amounts of high glycemic carbohydrates and or protein.” If all that isn’t enough, PreSurge also contains Epimedium for increased N.O. levels and an anti-oxidant complex to round this supplement out.
Buy Athletic Edge Nutrition PreSurge Unleashed
#10 -Nutrex HEMO-RAGE Black Ultra
Quick Review:
Nutrex has been in the supplement game for quite some time and they are constantly upping the anti on their supplements. Hemo Rage first hit the seen about a year ago and was a good product, but couldn’t compete with the big boys because of the crash and stomach aches that people where complaining about. Now, with the new and improved Hemo Rage Ultra Concentrate, Nutrex is proving once again to be a front runner in the pre workout category with this ultra potent formula that will set your ass on fire. Many people will often supplement their pre workout supplement with a fat burner or something else that contains stimulants. DO NOT take any other stimulants with this stuff. It is quite strong and should give you all the energy you need. In fact, this stuff can turbo charge an elephant! Aside from the fact that it is a strong energy formula, lets not forget that Hemo Rage U.C also contains Nitric Oxide in the form of L Arginine and Creatine Monohydrate. This is a supplement for people who always say, “I cant feel it working…” or “My tolerance is really high and I need something strong”. Well my friends, here it is. A pre workout supplement so strong you can power half a city block.
Buy Nutrex Hemo Rage Ultra
#11 - BPI Sports: 1.M.R Powder
#12 – MuscleTech NeuroCore
#13 – Cellucor c4 Extreme
#14 – USPLabs Jack3d
#15 – VPX NO-SyntheSize
#16 – Gaspari Nutrition Superpump Max
#17 – Controlled Labs White Flood
#18 – Ripped Freak Pre-Workout
#19 - Universal Animal Rage
#20 – MuscleTech NaNO Vapor Hardcore Pro Series
Other Great Pre Workout Supplements
- Evogen EVP
Evogen EVP is a brand new stimulant free nitric oxide pre workout supplement that is very impressive to me because it serves as not only a supplement to get you pumped and add muscle, but it also contains other useful ingredients that any athlete who weight trains can benefit from. For starters, it contains a healthy dose of N.O. to force-feed the muscles. Next, is a Nutrient Injection/Volumizing Complex that contains a creatine complex. Then there is a dose of Ultra Soluble L-Leucine that helps put your body in a more anabolic state. There is the ATP complex for energy and focus and also a anti-catabolic/recovery complex of L-Glutamine (Pharmaceutical Grade), Carnosyn (Beta-Alanine), L-Glutamine Alpha-Ketoglutarate, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Pyridoxine. There are also a full range of B vitamins for extra natural energy, Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium and a few more throw-ins to round it all out. This is a great supplement for people who want to take 1 supplement, instead of 3 or 4 because it will save you a lot of time and hassle. It is more expensive the Levrone Formula, but it also contains more two. The rank about the same as far as the 5 criteria, but this one has more in it so you could consider this one to be a better, more complete product that can even hold its own against the pre workout supplements with stimulants.
Buy Evogen EVP
-Light Caffeine-
- Levrone Formula Extreme Nitric Pump Blend
Kevin Levrone has been a professional bodybuilder for many years so you would expect someone with as much experience and knowledge in the game would come out with a killer product. He has put everything hes got into this awesome nitric oxide pre workout supplement that is a very no-frills type of product. He does not try to hide any of his ingredients by using proprietary blends that are never fully understood. All of the ingredients are listed and in plain sight, so you know exactly what you are getting here. The pump from the ATP/AKG combination is a clean and steady pump that last throughout the duration of your workout, plus because there only a small amount of natural caffeine (Yerba Mate), you don’t experience a crash or take in any harsh stims which is exactly what your looking for in a product like this when you either have a low tolerance to caffeine or if you just prefer a more natural approach to your supplements. This is an excellent pre workout supplement and can stack up to any other supplements out there any time of day.
Buy Levrone Formula Nitric Pump Blend
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Im using White Flood now. Been on it for 5 days and OMG this stuff is awesome! Haven’t tried Jack3d yet, but been reading some positive comments on it.
Im tired of N.O. Xplode. Im glad to see there are other NO2′s to use. Im going to get Jack3d.
Dude, this is a pretty complete list you got here. With real good recommendations. Ive been reading alot of positive reviews on Jack3d and White Flood around the net.
Ive tried Superpump 250- worked well.
N.O. Xplode- been there got tired of it half way thru it.
USP labs has been putting out some good products. I would recommend that you stack Jack3d with Recreate by the same company -USP labs. This guy I know at the gym has been screaming about it for weeks. He seems to be getting some decent size.
Does anyone know how to remove love handles? I can’t get rid of em. Im not fat, i just that extra skin around there. Will Jacked help with that?
Any of these supplements will help but that is not their primary function.
A couple of months ago, i tried the musclespeed for the first time. The feedback was good on it so i decided to try it out. I can definitely attest to the strength and power increases i got from it. The boost in focus is great with no crashes. Overall, down about 8lbs of fat. It’s a good one for sure.
I agree C.T.
I was very surprised with the increase in strength as well. Congrats on the lose of fat. Im trying to get my BF down as much as possible to make up for the cheat meals that are sure to come… Thanksgiving, Christmas meals, etc…
I am curious, what would happen if you were to alternate between thru a few of these each week? Like say take the Jacked on Monday,White flood for teh next worked out and the musclespeed for the weekend? Would that be bad or just expensive?any advantage to doing that?
I started off with the NO shotgun. Which is still my favorite. I’ve also tried the Jack3d, which was good but made my stomach hurt but gave a good pump and increased both endurance and strength. It ran out in two weeks, and it didnt really mix that well. The No Explode was also good and did the same as the shotgun but didnt taste as good and if you shake it instead of stiring it, it will blow the top off your mixer cup. The vasocharge, which i am trying right now has done nothing in the way of pumps or endurance, maybe it just akes longer to work but thats what ive expirienced.
C.B.
As long as you can handle the effects of the stimulants as well as the cost of buying each one, I don’t see a problem with it, but if you did do it that way you wouldn’t know which product was working for you and which one wasn’t. Sometimes it takes a few weeks of constantly taking a product to really begin to realize its benefits.
I’m almost 15 years old. does anybody have any reasons why i shouldn’t take any of these supplements? Also, which supplement is the best for your money?
Preston,
There are several reason why you shouldn’t take these supplements.
1. Your body has not fully developed yet and these ingredients are very powerful, you don’t want force-feed your muscles while they are underdeveloped.
2. These supplements are designed for serious athletes and bodybuilders not kids.
3. Right now you should be focused on doing basic lifts and exercises to build a foundation, you shouldn’t try to run before you can walk.
4. I don’t recommend any kid to take any supplements besides a multivitamin because you haven’t even gone through puberty yet. Let you body develop naturally before you start to supplement it.
Bottom line – If you want to get strong there are dozens of things you can do to get stronger that do not involve taking potent supplements like these. Start by eating more protein and veggies each day, build a foundation, and don’t even think about taking any of these for several years.
If you are 15 and serious about athletics (I assume you are a Freshmen or Sophmore), join a sport or program offered at your school. It will help you focus on one particular area or athletics. In addition, your coach will help you with any questions you have in regards to your workout and it will be geared towards your age and what is acceptable for you and only you. If you are reading these post and are looking to add size strength and cut fat, maybe a good avenue would be wrestling. It intails a hardcore workout. I am old enough to be your father and I would give the same advice to my son. You will get a great cardio workout along with muscle strength. One tip that I would recommend and it is an area that I ignored as a youth is BREAKFAST. Most kids are too tired and to rushed in the morning to take a good 10 minutes to fuel up for your day. Chances are if your hitting the gym, it’s after school. Breakfast will give you fuel all day long and prevent you from having premature fatique during your afternoon workout. You can get some great diet programs online that will help you plan a great healthy energized breakfast for a full day of fuel. A couple last words of advice Preston, KICK ASS!
Finishing up a tub of jack3d…not near a noticeable as the first couple of doses, but have been impressed with the focus/concentration it provides more than anything. I get great reps no matter what group is being worked. Be careful with your sleep it will keep you wide-eyed if you take it too late.
[...] to find out more about pre workout supplements , then visit Justin Flex’s site on how to choose the best nitric oxide supplements for your [...]
Is Force Factor a waste of money or is it worth taking? Is it better to stick with a mix instead of caps?
Hi Mo
Good Question. I’m sure many people wonder about Force Factor and whether or not it is effective.
Force Factor’s main ingredient is Nitric Oxide and is used to “force feed” muscles by expanding the capillaries so that more nutrients are absorbed by your muscles. Nitric Oxide is found in many pre workout supplements and although studies do show that it does work, you don’t necessarily need to get it through taking Force Factor. That’s not to say its a “bad” product, its just that they do a lot of advertising and people are curious about it, but the bottom line is that its just another nitric oxide supplement, there’s nothing really special about it per se.
and im loving the muscle pumps.
I personally like a mixed pre workout supplement because they contain caffeine, bcaa’s, creatine, and nitric oxide. I like when my pre workout supplement puts me in the game by getting me focused and pumped up, ready to crush it. And also assist with recovery and muscle building. Right now im trying
MuscleTech NaNO Vapor Hardcore
But some people don’t like the stimulants so in that case I would recommend
ISS Research Satur8 Nitric Oxide
Its really just a matter of personal preference and where you are at in your training program. Good luck
My buddy and I are trying to figure out differences between all NO products. We currently just started taking superpump250 and like it. What’s the difference between a superpump250 and any of the other NO products?
Hello Mo
Most products have their own unique proprietary blends that set them apart from other supplements. Superpump250 is considered a blended product because it contains more than just NO. Most products that you see on my page are blends and not just NO by itself. Since there are over 200 different pre workout supplements its hard to break down all of them for you here, but just to tell you briefly what the difference is it would be the variants in the blends. Some contain creatine, some dont, some contain BCAA’s, while others are just pure NO or Arginine. There are many factors that determine exactly what kind of pre workout supplement to take, but if you like superpump (which is a good product) you should try some others like Expand, Whiteflood, Musclespeed, and NO Zero. They will effect you differently, but always remember, and this is key, your body will build up a tolerance to the caffeine and that pump that you felt will not be there the longer you take a stimulant based product. That’s why you should always take 2 weeks off between cycles to lower your tolerance. When you are cycling off, it might make sense to take a pure NO product. Trial and Error is the best teacher here.
Whats a typical cycle on a NO blend?
2 months on 3 at the most, then 3-4 weeks off would be ideal.
How much creatine is in superpump250? Always been a fan of creatine. Or is there a supplement that is just as good or better than creatine.
superpump has about 1g per scoop so you can supplement with another creatine product like size-on if you like, but you should cycle the superpump because of the stimulants. Im about to write another article all about creatine so stay tuned for that… There is one product that I have recently discovered that im currently taking and it rocks. Its called
This is a hybrid of creatine where there is NO LOADING PHASE! It begins working on the first dose! Its to early for me to say emphatically if it is worth the price tag, but I will say that so far it IS!
Cellucor M5 Extreme
I have tried No-xplode, jaCk3d, no shotgun, nitrix, white flood and cgt-10. The results were impressive from all , the only issue is that your body would build tolerance and thus the positive effects would wear off after 3 weeks. This indicates the heavy reliance on stimulants.
For the past 5 weeks, I have been using Bulldozer xl5000 from neuro research group bulldozerbig dot com with great results in terms of increased energy, longer muscle pumps and exceeding my sticking point. What I like is that it truly can be a pre/intra/post workout due the BCAA and amino acid content in addition to creatine, beta alanine, and more.
What in like the most is that it is the first product that contains carnitine-l-tartrate in a pre workout drink which has been shown promising in increasing testosterone, burn fat and producing energy.
Another product that I still enjoy is CGT-10 from optimum which contains no stimulants.
muscle prime by allmax should be on this list. i could crank out about 4 reps of 100 lbs on skull crushers and im on the 2nd and a half week doin 10 reps. amazing product with focus and intensity!
I don’t see LG Sciences Anadraulic State GT on your list, maybe it is to new?
I was blown away by what ASGT had to offer. Not only was the energy outstanding, but the stamina, strength and endurance were all unbelievable. I NEVER felt like this on Jack3d, or any other pre-workout powder. The energy was great, but ASGT gave me so much more. I’m definitely an LG Sciences believer now! I’ll be recommending this to everyone I talk to about pre-workout powders.
Is it ok for women to take all of these pre-workout supp.?
That depends on your goals.
Are you a bodybuilder or trying to add muscle to your frame? If yes, than sure you can take them, but probably at a lower dose say half of whats on the label.
If heard many women comment on a product by Controlled Labs called:
White Blood. Its stimulant-free, but gives you some good pumps. Check it out.
personally i think that mri’s black powder is one of the best preworkout formulas on the market i get crazy pumped within minutes of drinking it and hav that pumped feeling hours after my workout
I’ve tried NO-xplode, Jack3d, and SuperPump250 over the past several years and have been pretty happy with results. I recently came across a new product in capsule form that has been really impressive – “Pre-Workout” by XBX Labs. I’ve been using Pre-Workout for about 5 weeks and am still getting a good PUMP and have increased my max # of reps.
This product contains both Beta Alanine and an L-Arginine “NO” blend. I’d never use these 2 supplements together, but for me, this combination works very well. I was able to workout longer and lift more weight.
It also has 5 mg Niacin, which intensifies absorption of the primary ingredients, (this likely improves the results) and helps regulate the elevated triglycerides that frequently come with taking a lot of bodybuilding supplements.
I would recommend giving Pre-Workout a try for anyone that pushes hard 5 or more days a week.
I’ve tried Jack3d, No-Xplode and white Flood. All great pumps, only side effect was a sick feeling from white flood and some jittery feeling from jack3d. No-Xplode was great till I reached the end of my tub, then I didn’t get the same pump I was use to getting. Currently I’m on 1m.r. and if I had to recommend one of these great products it is this one.
I have tried the sample packets of super pump 250. The packet is only half a dose. The first 2 times i tried it I really liked it. On my 3rd try I didn’t feel the same energy level. I’m about to buy a prework out drink tomorrow. Anyone have any side effects with the super pump?
I’ve gone through two tubs of Jack3d, and almost finished with my first tub of Assault. I thought Assault was really powerful, but had some sides like increased back acne, upset stomach and tunnel vision. Aside from that, I experienced great gains, increased energy and strength.
Thanks for including Levrone Formula. Disclosure: I am Kevin Levrone. In regard to EVP I personally would never take a “Nutrient Injection/Volumizing Complex” because for it’s a red flag that there’s something secretive going on. Without the dosages listed the ingredients listed are irrelevant. You need evidence that you’re getting the proven amounts you need. Also, while my product doesn’t cause jitters, it most definitely has the stimulant caffeine in the form of Yerba Mate, and this combined with the Tyrosine, NADH and NO2 agents really gets you going – so disagree on calling it stimulant-free. It stacks up better to ANY of the products in your review. If you have any questions, please me know.
Hey Kevin Levrone Everyone! Thanks for visiting my site…
Yes, Yerba Mate is a natural form of caffeine that is by volume, less potent than other forms of caffeine such as the anhydrous forms typically found in most of the products here, but also may be healthier too because of the antioxidant properties found in it… . That’s not to say that you won’t feel the effects, but compared to the other formulas, its just not as potent. Now, that being said, I believe that you designed it that way so that it isn’t just all about the caffeine rush, which I respect and actually like. Many people get too carried away with the amount of caffeine that they don’t realize that to much caffeine can eventually harm you. You seem to have taken a very holistic approach to a pre workout supplement that I can appreciate and I wish the best of success with The Levrone Formula.
Hello, I saw that you answered if it is ok if women take pre-workout supplements. But still wondering which ones nd a lot of the questions above are about being able to endure more reps and lift longer but not for training. I am a female boxer and train 2-3 hours a day, mostly conditioning, bag training & mitts. I am currently on Jack3d, RippedFuel and OxyELITE Pro (Super Thermogenic). I have used in the past Hydroxicut for energy. And I drink Redbull sometime for extra energy. I am looking for muscle definition and strength, but I am not a body builder. But I do need something that gives me the stamina and energy for 3 hour workouts and that will help me build muscle when strength training. Do you have recommendations? I also am smaller, 5’2, 118lbs. (I’m 30yrs old) But my caffeine, stimulate tolerance is high. I can take 3 scoops of Jack3d and hardly get “pumped”…same with any energy drink or Ripped Fuel type product. Thanks for the help! I’m really searching for the right product and really feel like I’m bouncing around with too many different products and unsure what’s best for women. Thanks!
aboxer-
If your 118lbs and taking jacked, rippedfuel, and oxyElite Pro, sprinkled with the occasional energy drink then your either lying or your the biggest caffeine freak ive ever known…lol
If your telling the truth then you need to stop taking all caffeine products immediately and give yourself a 3-4 week break. You shouldn’t be taking anymore than 300mg of caffeine a day for someone your size, its just not needed and the reason why you don’t feel them anymore is because your tolerance is through the roof. That’s ok, its just that you should always allow your body time to re coupe and in some ways heal itself from the stimulants. Whenever you feel like the energy effects of a stimulant based product is wearing down significantly, its time to take a break. Try working out without stimulants and just eat clean with an emphasis on protein. Your body can produce all the energy and muscle necessary if you just feed it right.
OK, thank you. Ha! And I’m not lying I think I have a really high caffeine tolerance! I have not taken any stimulants for a week now and trying to stay clear of caffeine, except for green tea. In a couple weeks, what product do you recommend for women athletes going through a rigorous workout program like boxing? I want to have that jolt and fire of energy! I am kind of dragging right now, but taking your advise in clearing my system. I do believe I have been beating it down with too much. Thanks so much for the help!
@aboxer – LoL. Well to answer your question, I think that Cellucor’s Thermo Shock will pack a punch strong enough to knock you out! I could never take the full dose of 2 morning 2 in the afternoon and my tolerance is high as well. I think that you’ll find that after your break, you will feel that awesome surge of energy that you miss. That’s another added bonus to taking breaks…
Good Luck!
Im turning 18 in about 3 months. Ive been taking Force factor, amp 189 creatine, multivitamin, L-Glutamine, Jack3d, and Amp wheybolic extreme 60. Ive gaine 12 pounds in just about a month and a half. I strongly recommend Jack3d if you are lacking that extra energy to last through your workouts. I go home feeling like I just had the greatest workout of my life everytime I leave the gym. However im 6’2 and am still only 160 pounds. Is there maybe another product that I should switch with one im currently taking to gain more weight? Im very defined and toned but am underweight.
I have got to say one of my favorites is the Gaspari Superpump. Just a really good pump before a session. If you are looking for that eyes bulging kinda thing and wanna throw chairs thats the way to do it
I do like more subtle supplements though as well.
Really informative post though! I’m going to check a few of these out!
-Jess
Ive found jack3d to be the best pre workout ive used so far, small scoops and taste good, i do get a weird face itch though, but it gave me lots of energy to power through reps
I’m 53 years old I workout 5 days a week I’ve tried Super pump, NO explode, Jack3d, and Hemo rage. They all seem to work about the same to me, of course my idea off cycling off one was a couple of days before I started on another round. I’m starting my 3rd week of not taking anything and I can tell my workout are suffering a bit. So I getting ready to get back on a pre-workout supplement. I’m wondering because of not cycling off like I should if I missed out on some of the effect of some of these. Given my age and the number of days I workout what would be the best
to try. I’m pretty hardcore by the way I workout with a buddy that’s younger and we really throw some weight around. Thanks, JH
Does anyone have input on Buzzerk? Was on superpump250 but I wanted to try something different, got a great price for it. I am also taking the post-workout mix (Rezzerect). Need some feedback from those who have done both. Which has the better results? Thanks
I am jus curious to know, if it is ok to take only a preworkout supplement and no protien at all, what would be the out come of this and what would you suggest.
Sure.
Depends on if your getting enough protein elsewhere, but it won’t hurt you in anyway.
I am a beginner, so what nirtic oxide supplement would you recommend,
After trying a few like no shotgun jacked3rd super pump250 morph i find the best to be the no shotgun for strength gains pumps energy and value for money one scoupand your into it ive been using it a few months now and take a scoup and a half and it blows my doors off…
Hey iv been taking supplements for quite a while now. I have taken blackpowder and superpump, superpump has been great loved it however i have been off all sorts of supplements now for over 2 months and have been lacking the intensity that i had with them so now i have decided to start up again and am wondering has any taken 1.m.r or hemo rage before and where would they rate them in the list above, i have heard all sorts of good things about 1m.r but that is all from sales reps which obviously will to promote the product, i would also like to know does anyone have a recommendation in any type of supplement to take during workouts like size on, just trying to keep my options open. cheers
I will have to agree, I am a huge fan of superpump250. I have tried some other supplements but can’t image a whole lot being better than superpump250. Its very affordable too.
Im not sure how i should take my preworkout supplement and my creating supplement.
Should i be only taking one of em at a time or should i be taking the noxplode b4 workouts n creatine mix after workouts?
Assault is the bomb. Incredible Focus, awesome pumps, great steady energy with no crash and my stamina is through the roof!
Ive been trying jack3d for a while now, its okay. Ive tried very many of the “best” nitric oxide supplements, and the best one i’ve found is NANOVAPOR. Its givin me a greater energy, pump, and overall feeling than anything else i’ve tried yet. Out of the 10+ things ive tried, even super’dump’250, the nanovapor was better.
@Kevin Levrone – hey kevin…i tryed your product and i absolutely love it…keep it coming man..great product!!
Muscle Marinade by Purus Labs works great for me. I feel like a complete beast in the gym.
Muscle Pharm Assault is not working for me at all. I have tried White Flood en Code Red, they were great.
I have tried several NO products, I did enjoy Superpump 250, Assault and Jack3d. For some reason I was building tolerance fairly quickly with these products. Currently my two favorite products are Bulldozer XL5000 and Vassive-NO. With Bulldozer XL5000, I love the formula, the taste and the feeling I get with this product. Extreme focus, energy and pump and recovery is amazing and still working on me unlike the other NO/Preo-workout products.
I have tried N.O. Explode, superpump250, blackpowder, Jack3d. For me, the best is Hemo-rage. It gave me incredible pumps, focus and energy. I couldn’t wait to lift after I got off work. But hey, everybody is different.
I’m still on Assault. The recommended dosage is not working for me. It might be that my body has build a tolerance for Assault. I have doubled the dosage a I must say that Assault is working for me now. I can feel the tingle in my ears (not so much as with wite flood). The recovery between sets is very fast and I can do more reps.
I’m looking for a pre-workout supplement that does not have caffeine. I don’t drink coffee or soda so my body just doesn’t do well with caffeine. It usually results in about 2 hours of off the wall energy followed by a crash and 2 days worth of stomach aches with appetite suppression. Not much fun at all. Last product I tried was GNC Pro Performance AMP Amplified NO Loaded. I tried a full dose and got the results above, I then tried a half dose and got the same feelings. I figured anything less than a half dose was defeating the purpose of taking it in the first place. I see that Xpand Xtreme pump has a caffeine free version, does anyone have experience with that?
Thanks.
Hey Brian good question…
I haven’t tried Xpand Extreme’s stimulant-free version, however I’ve tried Evogen’s EVP and is the only stimulant-free pre workout supplement that I use when I am taking a break from stimulants. Read about about some of my comments regarding it, also follow the link and read the comments from others on bodybuilding.com. It’s a great supplement.
I have used LG Sciences Anadraulic in the past. The taste is horrible. I had to push myself to drink it every time I went to the gym. After a time I could not handle it anymore and trew it in the dustbin. So be sure to ask for samples before you buy a complete pre-workout product.
Has anyone tried Cellucor NO Extreme? I’m a first time user and looking to get a really good pre-workout supplement. It has good ratings and good reviews. Any suggestions? I need some results.
I am 18 years old weighing about 160. I am looking for a supplement that helps me gain muscle mass but also get me cut and lose weight also with a good pump.
There is not much said about Assault here…I have recently bought Assault, and I gotta say that it works well. Before Assault I was taking Myprotien’s Pulse, and that was all good at the begining, but I think I built up a tolerance to that very quicky, having to double it and still not feel what I expected. I hope this doesn’t happen with Assault, lol
hey i was wondering if i could take purple k amd size on or is that a terrible idea. i used superpump for a few months and by the end of it i didnt feel anything so im changing things up help!!!
Wheres hemo rage? Ive taken Assault and Cellucore and this stuff blows them out of the water
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So i tried alot of pre workout supplements, and one that i keep gong back to is Jacked, there is no doubt its by far the best. Not only because it gives you incredible take off, it also keeps you going. I Don’t know why they put it in 3rd place here and gave it an 8 for the price. 1 and 2 are twice as expensive. Everyone I know always sais “I tried this new thing dude, its so great, it’s the best pre workout out there”………. And then they try jacked. It’s like crack of all supplements. Once you try it, you never want to use anything else.
I’m surprised not to see maximum human performances DARK RAGE on the list. You guys have to try it…it calls for 1 scoop but after a week on it I cut back it really made my heart race. The half scoop did the trick! I’m 5’6″ 185 so bigger guys may do alright on the full scoop.
I do want to try something diffrent so i’m going with your #1 choice musclepharm assault! Thanks for the reviews
Tim Daniels ~ So you would recommend Hemo-Rage dude?? How did you get on with it.
Assault is good, I really enjoyed it, altho it didn’t last long.
The Hemo-Rage concentrate sounds perfect, matbe to perfect??…would be great to hear more about what you think man…
Would you recommend mp assault for me, I am 16 and looking to build lean muscle and lose a bit of fat, if not, what would you recommend??
James ~ How you doin dude, I’m no an expert, but your only 16…you gotta mind that your body is still growing and adapting to your changes.
I wouldn’t recommend any of these. I would say a good diet, protien and a great workout routine…let your body do everything first.
I only take pre-workouts because I work alot and at night I need that kick to get me going…
Pre-workouts help you do and push more, and because your still growing dude, you could end up causing more damage than good. Although it is upto you James, everbodys different…just be smart and safe, and remember nothing beats good old hard work and a healthy diet
Im John 17 and do varsity football and varsity lacrosse for my school. I used to play defensive back and now got switched to linebacker. Now that im linebacker i need size so ive been hittin the weights and working my ass off. One of my friends takes N.O xplode and I was wondering if any of these products would give me a little extra boost in the gym?
Hey John
At your age, its not necessary to take creatine, caffeine, arginine, or any other stimulants during your natural growth period. Your still got a few good years left before you stop. I would then begin to consider stimulant based supplements. Just focus on lifting weights and eating alot of proteins, veggies, fruits, and pasta. If your hitting it hard in the weight room and eating right, then there is no reason why you wouldn’t put on some size.
Im sure your coaches are showing you specific lifts for Football players like deadlifts, squats, barbell bench, military presses, ect…
Stick to these core movements and then build your routine from there to add more advanced movements like running drills and plyometrics.
I was a linebacker as well in HS and I hit the weights hard the summer previous, and got big and strong in the weight room, but neglected the calisthenics and running drills and I actually didn’t perform as well as I would’ve had I included that im my routines.
Stick to a high-protein, high natural carb diet and limit the fats and you’ll turn into a a beast.
Good luck on the field.
I agree with Lee here James.
At your age, your butt should be in the gym mastering the fundamentals of weight training and eating like crazy. Enjoy this period of your life because it will end and at that point, you’ll be stuck with the rest of us old people having to rely on supplements for health.
Hey Bryan your welcome!
Ill look into Dark Rage, thanks for the heads up.
Lol @spacevt…Too true brother….and James he’s got in one buddy, I know sometimes it’s not what you want to hear and fair enough people around you may be taking them…but your not those other people dude, just do the right thing and listen to us “old” (thanks spacevt) ones. You’ll do yourself a lot favours and your body will thank you for it. Eat, weights and sleep James….
Back to this though…Good to see Hemo-Rage slams in at No:2…unfortunatly not tried it yet, ordered some but sports nutrition ran out…got jack3d instead, and I would personally put it at No:3, but it all effects different people in different ways. I have had Assault, and it aint got nothing on Jack3d…although that’s my opinion…Otherwise this is a great list, nice work man
Ive tried 8 of these products and they all have pretty great results. However, I recently found a product called Nuclear Garbage that just blew me away. This is saying a lot as I took this product after taking No xplode, Super pump, jack 3d, no shotgun, and armegeddon for several months in a row. Point blank- I never cycled off NO products and Nuclear Garbage still hits me hard after MONTHS and Months of constant use of other NO products. Now, If i take any other NO product i dont even feel it because for me there is nothing better than GARBAGE!
@Chaz – I would like to know how you would compare this to Hemo-Rage. I find Hemo-Rage to be the strongest pre-workout but not the best in pump or focus, that is, compared to Jack3d. Hemo-Rage also has crash that I don’t like and doesn’t sit well in the stomach. Thanxz for letting me know about the product dude, would like to know alittle more though because Nuclear Garbage sounds good.
Thanxz man
Great information on supplements. I would surely try out few of the above mentioned and will comment again later informing about the result.
GAT Jetfuse = AWESOME!
Hey guys my names spencer, I am now 18 years old. I really want to use a pre-workout to help me with some energy problems in the morning because its really hard to wake up at 5 am, go to school, go to practice after school, and then also have club at night. So I think a pre-workout would do me a lot of good. Was wondering if anyone knew if jack3d did anything to growth, like maybe if it stunted growth at all?
I’ve tried it before but stopped for no reason. Now that I am looking to go for it again I’m wondering if it could at all stunt my growth
thanks a ton please get back to me ASAP
I have thried Cellucor No-extreme, Muscle Pharm Assault and BSN No-Xplode. My first was No-xplode and it was good at first but I never got the same effect as I did the first dose. Assault was a great product good pump and strength increases but its a little sweet tasting for me but definately did the job. The pricing fo the first two are not bad at all however with both had some crash laterint he day. That could also be because i work out at 5 am a lot. The last one I have tried is Cellucor No-Extreme. While this is the most expensive I believe its the best tasting and gives what seems to me to be the cleanest energy and pump of all of them. Benn on this for three weeks now and love it. The setback is the price though. I am 37 years old and have started getting good strength gains. I also use Intrabolic during my workout coupled with the pre-workout supplement.
Hey Patrick,
I agree with you here about NO Extreme. It’s not the “strongest” of the pre workout supplements, but the energy is clean, there’s no crash, and you get a good pump from it. It’s currently on of my favorites.
@Gettinghuge… i feel the same exact way! the no xplode is nice for the first few servings, but after, it you get nautious from drinking it, and you dont really get much energy. i just bought blue raspberry jacked, this stuff is amazing! you barely taste it.
WARNING:::::DO NOT GET JACKED3D!!!! it tastes terrible and i used up to three scoops and could barely feel anything…. go with assault
sup guys… basically i started of with Jack3d and got some awsome pumps, went of it though as i started needing more and more scoops. then after a break went onto rampage which didnt really give me any significant feeling.
currently on 1.m.r and loving it but dont really feel gains in specific strength just focus.
so after i finish the tub ill go of the cycle for a few weeks then back onto it. what would you reccomend for me to take?
Assault looks good but just wondering if theres anything else reccomended…?
thanks.
hey guys i need a little help im trainin 2 3 nights a week in mma no heavy weight training just very in tense cardio and plyometrics and tabatas just wondering wat pre work out i should take for some energy recovery an endurance? the big brands wit caffine or the natural pre work out ones ? dont really tink something wit a heap of caffine is wat i want but more somethin tat i can use continusly and that just has a bit of everything?
You’re right. You don’t want a pre workout supplement that is loaded with caffeine because it may dehydrate you in the long run because of the high amounts of cardio that you do. I would recommend either Cellucor’s N0 Extreme or Evogen EVP. No Extreme has caffeine but only about 130 mg per dose plus Nitric Oxide and only a few calories which isn’t bad. Evogen EVP doesn’t contain stimulants but has does have B vitamines, Creatine, Nitric Oxide, Leuctine, and Glutamine for endurance.
Thank you sir
i will def go with one of them two more than likely the Cellucor`s NO Extreme seen as it has more of what i need other than caffine an other stimulants.. also dose anyone know a really good multi vitimin as i dont eat vedgtables i usually take a cheap pharmacy multivitimin wats the difference with the cheap pharmacy products and the expensive one in nutrition shops any ideas???????
dose anyone know were i can buy CELLUCORS NO EXREME ?? i live in ireland and cant find it in any nutrition shop is there any sites i can get it at a reasonable price ???
i just finished the tub on N.O. -xplode and it gave me good result, currently im on jack3d. It gives a good time but going to it after N.O-xplode i dont really think its a good switch for me. Im trying to get big, with a noticeable difference in size with my arms. im thinking about taking MP Assault, good choice?
Muscle Pharm Assault I give a 6 out of 10 using one tub over two months. I have tried double dose but found out using one dose or half dose with half dose of some left over NO Explode was best. I have seen good muscle growth but using Assault alone I had NO energy!!! Weird how you can rate is so High for energy.
read this if you are thinking about taking jacked 3d,
yo i dont mean to bash any of the products on here but everyone is saying that they have read a lot of good reviews about jacked3d……Its pretty good, but only for a few weeks, two at the most. it says on the bottle to not exceed 3 scoops but in only 2 weeks you’ll find yourself not feeling anything in one scoop….so you move to two…then three….i was up to five before i switched to black powder by MRI, its awesome and tastes amazing but im looking to switch shit up…..any tips…..im 19 so im lookin for something with a decent price what will jack my shit up so i cant touch my head……typical teenager i know
How about proprietary blend free products that don’t hide their formulas like Up-Lift from Beverly international, bodyoctane from MAN, Gunpowder from PPN, Bulldozer XL5000 from NRG, Levrone Formula and others. Why not have a review list of such products for those who care about dosage and measuring how much they are getting … Etc
I’ve taken NO-xplode, muscleprime and juggernaut. By far muscle prime is my favorite. It gives great gains in the gym, good focus. It’s addicting because the gains are so big that day in the gym but back to normal the next day. Juggernaut is the same for me just not as tingling that MP has. I have stacked these both with muscletech mass, and the size increase is very noticeable. NO-xplode is good if you want to be focused. Not as much gain as MP or juggernaut.
I was on Assault for about 3 weeks. And let me say, I had the most miserable workouts ever. It gave me an upset stomach almost every night and while training, i felt like puking after every workout. I’m disappointed with muscle pharm products.
Jack3d is probably my favorite supplement right now. I’ve had many friends try it and they loved it!
Last week My buddy and I bought a new pre workout called F.M.L. which is made from the same company as Jack3d. It gives the same pump and effects as well. Maybe even a bit stronger. If you can get your hands on a jug of this stuff, you’ll enjoy every bit of it.
hey totally agree about Jack 3d. All the hype comes from people who casually lift. Jack is awesome for a few weeks but after that the effects die off rapidly
Assault is the best pre workout supp going around, i do heaps of running and i play football and i say that it wins hands down, i noticed that there was no VPX shotgun on the list i use that as well and think it’s pretty good. Better than No Xplode and Superpump which may me go to toilet straight after i used it every time so i thew it away.
But Guys get on Assault and you will love it
I just got 1MR, first time I tried it with half a scoop and with empty stomach. I felt the rush of energy in my body, it gave me a good 1 and half of workout. Usually without 1MR I get tired and sleepy within 40mins of workout. The next day I took same half scoop after an hour of eating my lunch and I barely felt the energy, I mean I know it was there but it wasn’t as strong as the first time I took it with an empty stomach, I think it is most effective with an empty stomach. Taste was ok, it was sweet and kinda bitter after taste. I might try other brands like Hemo Rage or Jack3D after finishing a tub of 1MR just to compare.
Im Taking Assault by MusclePharm this stuff is insane there really isnt any other word to describe this
product. The taste is Awesome, although i must say the sodium can really be tasted in the back of the throat as it goes down
but over all i would never switch to any other product
Stumbled across this site when I was looking for something new to try for my workouts. A lot of good stuff on here and has got me thinking about going back to preworkout supps. After seaching around myself I came across Universal Animal RAGE. There seems to be some pretty insane reviews about it compared to the products ranked here. I was wondering if anyone has tried it and can give me a first hand review…
Valuable information in this comments. I like pre workout supplements, but most of the time I prefer to use my own recipe. Caffeine free, with lots of bcaa, beta-alanine, creatine, and other secret ingredients. I don’t want any powerful stimulants in my pre workout shake. Maybe I’m a bit old school.
Can you take the Pre Workout supplement before you workout along with the Whey Protien?
I am a 22yr old female, 5’3 and weigh about 118lbs. I am looking for something to give me an extra boost in my workout, that is similar to Jack3ed and NO-explode. A typical workout consists of lightweights and 45min to an hour of cardio.
Hello collegegirl2,
Jack3d and NO-explode have creatine in them which is a muscle builder. If you are interested in adding muscle to your frame then you should try Assault, however if you are looking for an energy supplement, I would go with Cellucor’s NO Extreme because it does not contain any creatine and is 0 carbs…
Hey Murf,
There’s nothing wrong with taking protein and a pre workout together, however the protein may interfere with the stimulants in the pre workout. I suggest taking the protein first, wait a half hour then take the pre workout.
Your review on C4 looks great dude. I have been using Jack3d for while now. I only take it twice a week and my 2other days are stim free. but always looking for something new. Has anyone tried Nuclear Garbage? Someone mentioned it a while ago on this post and I would like to know if anyone has anything else to say about it…
Thanks Lee
Have you tried c4 extreme yet?
Not yet dude, but it will be the next pre-workout I buy. I’m on a stim free 2weeks at the moment. So when I get the C4 extreme (when Sport Nutrition UK get it in) I should get the full benifits and rip it up pretty good I think. And I will let you know how I get on with it man ; )
Got Bullnox instead of C4, your review was to good to let it pass by mate…C4 can wait. I just hope it’s not as stomach churning as Hemo-Rage!!
Hey Lee
Good luck with the Bullnox. Its a great pre workout sup!
Hey dude…finished the Bullnox…gotta say I wasn’t impressed…did 3scoops, tried not to overdo the servings and thought 3 should be enough, but Jack3d still sits above Bullnox in my listings…one thing I was impressed with was the pump, excatly the same as Assault when it came to the pumps, great! The focus wasn’t there as much as I would like, never gave me much of an energy boost I expected…I got the Fruit punch flavour and it mixed well…maybe I just became to used to the Jack3d experience…now looking at other ones…recommend anything on your list mate??
Do you think you’ve built up a tolerance to caffeine stimulants? This often happens with prolonged use of caffeine containing products. It happens to me all the time so I try to take 2-3 weeks off of any stimulants to give my body a break and to bring my tolerance down so you can feel the supplements more. If that aint it, then perhaps you could try Hemorage Ultra if you are looking for something stronger.
I usually do the time off stims, maybe I need to give it alittle longer…I have also tried that Hemo-Rage…made me sick mate, was going into work and having to leave after abit, lol…Luckily my mate bought it, he never liked it either…everything effects people different, but stuff tore my stomach apart!! lol…was glad to see it going down the list…Was thinking C4, and some guys recommended 1.M.R…giving what I’ve said, you think either will do the job??
1.m.r is comparable to hemo rage ultra because it’s a concentrated sup. so it may upset your stomach. C4 Extreme is a great product and I highly recommend it. It isn’t real strong in the caffeine department, but while I was taking it, I saw some noticeable gains in strength and I loved drinking it, it taste great and mixes really well. The energy is very clean.
Sounds like the product for me mate…will give it a try…once the break is over…thanxz bud ; )
Have tried the latest from GAT: Nitraflex? Heard some review saying it’s stronger than Jack3d and Hemo Rage Ultra Concentrate.
Would love to know your experience on this new products.
Thank you.
Hey I just finished a container of Jack3d. Gotta say, it gives great energy and focus. Downside: need to start raising the number of scoops after a while. Still, great product. Wondering if anyone here has a recommendation for something that delivers that level of energy, but also gives serious pumps and is formulated to help with size gains.? Thinking of stacking Animal Pump with Animal Rage, would like to hear yalls thoughts.
This rating system is sorta bizarre. The rater adds together the scores of 5 scales and then divides them by 5. This creates a list that doesn’t really jive with why people take energy/pre-workout drinks in the first place. For example, he rates hemo rage as a 10/10 for BOTH energy and pumps. Only one other product on this entire list has scored that high yet Hemo Rage falls to number 6 because of a lack of size gains and bad taste and cost? Huh? People take energy/pre-workout drinks for (a) the pump, and (b) the energy. So common sense puts Hemo Rage as the #2 pre-workout supplement on the list right behind Assault. C4 rates out as terrible in the energy/pumps category but prevails because it tastes good and is “cheap?” First of all this is a garbage way to rate products. Second of all, C4 is FAR MORE expensive than Hemo Rage or Jack3d so not quite sure why this author is placing such a great ranking in the cost category.
Personally, I’ve tried all of the energy drinks except for Assault and Hemo Rage is BY FAR the best. The energy and pumps are out of this world. Jack3d and C4 are kid’s stuff compared to Hemo Rage.
Hi bob
Thanks for writing in and although I sorta understand what you mean, your comments are themselves- bizarre. So what your saying is that when you buy a product such as a pre workout supplement, cost, focus, and taste have no barring and the only thing that matters is the energy and pump? If that’s all that matters than just dump a bunch of caffeine pills down your throat and call it a day.
Actually, im working on reformatting the rating system for these supplements so be on the look out for that. Not only are there constant price and incentive changes to these supplements but new products are coming online weekly due to the heavy competition amongst retailers and suppliers which is why right now my stats are outa whack. Ill update the page shortly.
What do you think about Kronic Pump spacevt?? This got a good recommendation on UK-M by muscle finesse. I went to order and there out of stock…so settled with Nano Vapor by Muscle Tech…terrible product, although it was down to around £25 I was very dissapointed in the product, the pump was the only thing you got from this, no energy, focus and the cost was usually around over £40. WTF!! Anyway, have you tried Kronic Pump yet, it was advertised as “Stronger than Jack3d”…I think a company is going to go down for dealing if this is true!! lol…I also see you have updated, I will check these out bud, thanks for your time on this thread
Also, thing is Bob, these products effect people differantly, but the author gives you a general idea of the product, we should all get similair effect, however you say Hemo-Rage is best, I say it”s crap and one of the most dirtiest products out there, it only destroyed my stomach and made me ill. See what I mean…I would say Jack3d is best, nothing has beatin it for me and I train 6days a week, and Jack3d gives me close the same as it does everyday. For me it’s the gain, energy, focus, and cost that I want to hear about…I get great pumps when I train anyway, but the suppliment game is quite dear, so it’s good to know what is cheaper out there…well, until you get sponsers ofcourse, lol
Kroninc Pump looks like a decent product. Looks like theres around 200-240mg caffeine per serving, Creatine, Beta Alanine, and L-Arginine. I haven’t tried this product but judging by the ingredients, it has just about the same exact ingredients as Jack3d, prehaps more caffeine although since Jack3d uses a proprietary blend, its difficult to say. If your going to give it a go, let me know how it is for you. Also, check out BSN’s new Xplode 2.0 its got a good spread of ingredients as well.
Yeah, I’ve been hearing it’s pretty good, may give BSN a go…I will let you know how I get on…but the Nano Vapor I bought recently, was a waste…definatly a trial and ERROR!! lol…
I am an obese guy (BF = 30.5%), I was on a low carb diet (Atkins), lost 25 lbs over 50 days and gave it up and gained all the weight back. I have recently joined a regular gym and do more of cardio than weights. While doing both, I have noticed I lack the energy to lift more or do intense cardio for long – I start panting. Should I use a pre-workout supplement that will help me do intense cardio as well as heavier weights? I guess I should take a NO supplement without creatine as it will retain water and make me kinda bloat. Please suggest which NO supplement will be the best for me? As of now, I do 4-5 days cardio (cycling, rowing, elliptical, stair climbing, treadmill, yoga) and 2-3 days weights. I want to make it 5-6 days cardio and 4-5 days weights (one in the morning and one in the evening workouts)
Hey Ad
Your current program of 4-5 days of cardio and 2-3 days of weights is plenty so I wouldn’t change the frequency of your workouts, but perhaps gradually increase the intensity, resistance, and duration. If you can bench press 125lbs for 10 reps and 3 sets than next week increase the weight to 135 for 10 reps and 3 sets or increase to 150lbs for 4 sets of 6-8 reps. This is just an example, but the idea is to constantly challenge your body to perform at a little higher level than you did before without driving your body to exhaustion which may cause you to quit your program, binge on junk food, or both. I would not recommend 5-6 days of cardio and 4-5 days of weights unless you’re trying out for an iron man competition or pro football tryouts. There could be several reasons for lack of energy including: poor diet, lack of rest, dehydration, and/or your body just isn’t capable of performing at that level yet. N.O. Supplements? Try
It’s a decent pre workout supplement that contains some energy, N.O. (Arginine) for the “pump”, and BCAA’s for stamina. What I also like about this product is the inclusion of electrolytes for better hydration. Give it a shot. Use the entire bottle and write back and let me know how it was for you. Good Luck and don’t be in a rush to get in shape. Fitness is about the journey, not the destination.
“Force Factor Body Rush”
Thanks spacevt for your prompt response.
I plan for more but as the week progresses, I will miss out a day or two of workouts so I tend to plan for more.
My diet is fine I guess (~1500 cals a day) – I eat 500 cals. less a day so it is not very low calorie. I have 3-4 meals throughout the day, have legumes, fish, chicken, lot of greens, tomatoes, 2 fruits a day (1 apple pre-workout to give me some energy and 1 banana post-workout) and no refined carbs at all and about 3-4 scoops of whey protein (ON gold standard) spread across the day along with a gallon of water or even more. I also take fish oil and multi-vitamin supplements every day. Planning to start some CLA supplement as well.
I have moved from Atkins to a healthier diet now and am loosing averagely 2 lbs. a week for the last 2 weeks. But the strength to lift is still not there. I remember days when I took heavy carb meals (subs, ice-creams, lots of fruits, some junk food, heavier meals), I could sustain heavier workouts and for over an hour easily. During Atkins and even now (when I take a couple of fruit servings and legumes for some carbs) I can’t sustain for even 40 mins a day and that too, with lighter weights. So either I carb-up (which is bad for body fat if I don’t ensure its all used up during an intense workout) or get some other form of energy such as N.O. et al.
I will try to use the one that you recommended and will come back for more questions.
Thanks!
Hey Ad.
Not sure if your male of female but if you are a male than my guess is that you are not taking in enough calories. Reason? You are not considering how many calories you are burning throughout the day including your workouts. If you continue down this path you might start to binge which is common. I understand reducing your calories by 500 to lose weight, however that strategy doesn’t take into consideration your workout load. Solution? Check out this cool tool to fine turn your caloric needs—> Click Here This will take into consideration your weight, activity level, gender, etc and break down your caloric needs. I hope you find it as useful as I have.
Hello spacevt
I am a male. The site was pretty good; gave a good count of Carb/Pro/Fat and it’s inline with what I knew.
I had a question about Creatine-based pre-workout supplement: does creatine inhibit the fat burning process in ketosis (in a low carb diet) or does it only cause water retention in muscles? The latter can be done with by doing a low-carb sans the Creatine-based supplement for 2 weeks which will get rid of water weight, right?
I am not sure of the role of Creatine in body building? And esp. role of creatine-based pre-workout supplement if one’s doing a low carb diet? May be if you could give some layman info.?
Creatine actually helps the fat burning process because it will increase ATP production giving you more energy. Creatine Monohydrate will make you retain water weight, however Creatine HCl will not. Creatine is an essential bodybuilding supplement because it stimulates ATP production which in turn stimulates your fast-twitch muscle fibers. This will allow you to lift heavier weights with more power thereby increasing muscle tissue micro-tears. These micro-tears in your muscles will heal and turn into increased muscle mass. So basically, if you lift heavier weights and/or the same weight with added intensity, you’ll be more sore which stimulates muscle growth. Be very careful with a low carb diet because you will not have as much energy to continue your workouts over time. Carbs are essential for energy so take a close look at your diet to make sure you are not under nourishing yourself.
Thanks spacevt for your detailed reply.
I don’t have much option now but to go on a low-carb diet and I need some energy to drive me to do some intense cardio and/or workout. My carb intake would only come from green veggies at least for the first couple of weeks. Fruits, complex carbs such as brown pasta, oatmeal are a strict no-no for some time till I get in to ketosis comfortably.
When would you advise me to take creatine-based PWO (i.e. at what body fat %, right now I am around 29-30% BF). I desperately need a PWO to enable me to sustain a longer and more intense workout session as I feel carb depleted in the first 30 mins and come home and crash on the bed. I do agree carbs are the fuel for our body and carbs would be added later on the diet starting with nuts, dairy, low-sugar fruits such as berries, oatmeal and so on but in stages.
Could you advise me how to go about the whole process? If I take a creatine-based PWO right away, I might be interfering with me diet to enable my body to go in to ketosis but then I am also worried about not getting a good carb meal for adequate post-workout muscle recovery process which is also critical. I think that’s why people take creatine immediately after a workout followed by whey protein, right?
Thanks!
I went through a bottle of Assault and went off it but noticed some issues after I got off of it so I went to the doctor and my test levels were SUPER low. I know they were normal when I was taking it because i was tested(I wasn’t using it every day and only one serving) I wonder if the assault caused it or just masked it.
Hey Jason
Ive never read or heard of any pre workout supplements including Assault that have had any side effects that involved depleting testosterone.
Hey Ad,
Personally, im not a fan of putting my body into catosis, especially while doing strenuous workouts 4-6 times a week. The diet doesn’t match the fitness program so if you are dead set on continuing down this path than I would advise you to speak to your local healthcare provider. Unfortunately, im not going to be the best source of info. for you regarding the effects of bodybuilding supplements and being in a state of katosis. I’ve always believed in supplying your body with a full spectrum on nutrients including adequate carbs. and lots of water because these types of supplements are strong and demand a lot from your body.
hey man, check out ac g3. its pretty new but im getting GREAT gains from it. and if you cant review it, send me an email or something about why, i would really like that. thanks
I used Jack3d and trust me, it’s some good stuff. Tastes terrible, but starts working within minutes. Had to stop using because of high blood pressure issues, but if you have no health problems you’re good to go.
i have been using hemo rage ultra concentrated and it worked great for about a month than i started to build up a tolerance to it. It also bad some bad side effects like crashing jittery and it left a terrible taste in my mouth. I am considering switching to musclepharm assault, NO shotgun, or superpump 250. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Assault all the way…
Hi guys, am 31 years old (180cm, 87 kilos) and i ve been going to the gym on and off since several years, but starting last April ive been hitting the gym regularly. Ive been using Whey protein and some Bcaa caplets since 2 months. But i feel its time now to go to the next step. Guys i am searching to build lean muscles which last, am not searching to impress people and get huge pumps that disapear when i stop taking supplements. The question: is a pre-workout supplement works to gain lean muscles that lasts?
Thanks.
Hey Elino
Of course pre workout supplements will help you get lean muscle, that’s their primary function. As far as the lean muscle lasting, that depends on if you continue to workout or not (the same holds true if you dont take any supplements at all). Pre workout supplements are NOT steroids. The gains that you make in the gym while taking pre workout supplements are real and are just the same if you didn’t take any, however pre workout supplements (especially the ones on my top 10 list) contain caffeine and creatine as their primary ingredients. These two substances give you more energy and power to finish your workouts quicker and with more intensity, which translates to bigger gains in strength and more muscle. Give one a try but do yourself a favor and start at the lowest recommended dose to assess your tolerance to stimulants. Good luck.
Hello spacevt very good post. I am currently 20 years old and have been training muay thai and jiu jitsu for about 5 years. I am now taking my training to the next level in amateur fighting and hopefully make it to the pros. I was wondering your advice on my supplement intake and on a pre workout supplement (I was thinking about juggernaut?) I wake up around 7-8, run for cardio then eat breakfast along with my mega men sport multi vitamin wait about 20 minutes then eat again along with my Ultimate omega 3 sport fish oil supplement. Then a protein shake then eat lunch. After lunch I workout but I was wondering if I should take a pre workout supplement before. Then after protein shake and eat. Then dinner and then after dinner I usualy workout again around 7 or 8. Then eat after. Am I taking too many supplements if I start taking a pre workout supplement? I am currently 150lbs and am looking to gain a few pounds of pure muscle I am very athletic and want to be in the best shape of my life. If you can help I appreciate it
RN
RN,
Hey man whats up. I am also a martial artist and am very aware of the type of training you do. I don’t think that you’re taking too many supplements so dont worry about that but I would throw a word of caution to taking a pre workout supplement to late in the day due to the stimulants. If you are thinking about taking one after lunch then that would be fine, but not after dinner because its to late and you’ll be up all night and be worthless the next morning. Juggernaut is a fine pre workout supplement and should fit into your routine well, just wait about an hour after you eat lunch before you use it because it’s typically better to consume these supplements after you’ve digested your food. Also, if you’re not familiar with stimulant containing supplements then please take a half dose to assess your tolerance. If you are not into caffeine and stimulants then check out my best creatine supplement post. Creature, Con-Crete, and Muscle Pharm Creatine are all great supplements for adding lean muscle mass without taking in stims. Hydrate well and always cycle off stimulant-containing supplements such as Juggernaut. Good luck and happy training my friend.
Thanks Spacevt for your reply, i really appreciate your advices concerning my post about pre-workout supplements.
I will give it a try and start by a low dose to assess my tolerance.
will let you know about my feedback.
Have a nice day.
Dear Spacevt,
I got another question concerning Creatine. I heard a lot about the benefits of creatine but i am a little bit confused about the water retention caused by supplementing the diet with creatine.
I mean after a given cycle of creatine and once u stop the supplementation of creatine, do we risk to loose the shape and the muscle mass which we have gain because of the creatine intake? if yes, does this lose will be dramatic? and what is the best kind of creatine to start with (monohydrate, micronised monohydrate, magnesium chelate, etc…)?
thanks a lot and a have a nice day.
Hey… love the write up, but what pre workout supplement would be more on the mild side of stimulants?? Still has a good kick but nothing crazy like 1MR, etc.. Thanks!!
Assault can be taken at 1/2 scoop which isn’t more than 175 mg of caffeine. Same can be said about hemo rage ultra and some of the other small dose pre workout supplements.