Supplement Review: BSN Endorush

March 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Okay, here’s a quick one that I HAD to put on the site… another supplement by BSN.

I saw these as I was shopping at the local grocery store. I was in the Health section looking at Essie products… (don’t ask. What I do outside the blog is my business…you can’t prove anything!!!!)

Ok, mental breakdown aside, as I looked across the Beauty section, I noticed the BSN Emblem on a product. I had to pick it up.

endorushxtremestrength

Ain’t this a beauty?

I wasn’t sure what it was, but a quick perusal of the label, I knew it was an energy type of supplement. Because I am random in that way, instead of trying one, I grabbed 3 and threw them in my cart. I couldn’t wait to try these.

A quick look on the website reveals:

As part of our ongoing effort to give customers what they want, BSN® has taken another classic and revamped it to fit consumers’ current needs – introducing the all-new reformulated ENDORUSH® XTREME STRENGTH! BSN®’s ultra-premium ready-to-drink energy and performance supplement has been slimmed down and amped up to deliver an intensely gratifying experience, supporting energy, focus, endurance and overall performance with a crisp, refreshing taste that won’t leave users loaded up with unnecessary amounts of sugar or excessive amounts of liquid.

Delivering the same unbeatable energy and performance consumers have come to expect in half the volume, the new 8-oz ENDORUSH® XTREME STRENGTH is perfect for any high-intensity athletic activity, hectic workday, or anytime a quick and convenient pick-me-up is needed.

The “hectic” workday is the part that seemed most attractive to me.

I decided to use these sparingly. My first use? This week. I had pulled several all nighters and had got myself into a situation where I was running off of 3 hours of sleep in 2 nights. In other words: my normal Tuesday in grad school. On Wednesday, I was fading. Not even my favorite hero could save me!

Super Fit woman

No, no, no, no, no. Not THAT hero. She always comes through. The OTHER one.

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Better.

Wednesdays are rough for me. I was fading, but needed to be up for a few more hours still. That’s when I ingested this bad boy.

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WOW.

WHAT. A. RIDE.

First and foremost, I don’t care what anyone tells you from this point forward. When you ingest one of these, ONLY ever take half a bottle. This stuff is powerful. Maybe even too powerful.

This drink is strong enough to the point that I can never justify buying Monster, Red Bull or any other drink (outside of Wild Cherry, Pepsi…I know you’re reading this, baby!!!) ever again.

First, and foremost, the taste is fantastic. And that’s coming from a guy that dislikes fruit punch flavored supplements. This was awesome!!

Within 20 minutes of ingesting, I went from almost passing out to wanting to party. Within 6 hours, I cured cancer, learned how to speak to Dolphins, traveled to Japan and back without the use of air travel, and determined that PI is actually in incorrect calculation (I’m not telling you any secrets!!)

The Beta Alanine in this product is strong without being distracting. That’s amazing to me. I had sworn the stuff off but those tingles were all too familiar. Yet, I felt energized. Like someone switched my body to “ON” as opposed to feeling like ants were crawling all over me. I don’t know how BSN did that. It’s rather impressive, to be honest.

This stuff had me wired more than I have ever felt really. When they say, this stuff gives you energy, that’s just what they mean. You could really use this stuff as a Pre Workout, to be honest. This stuff is powerful to the point that you could easily burn out your adrenal glands so go EASY on this. Wow.

Also, pay attention to the label. This stuff has two servings in it. Not one. I didn’t pay attention and took a whole bottle.

Not. Smart.

I finally got to sleep about 3 weeks later.

You can use this product for working out, but I like their other products for that. This is the kind of stuff you ingest if you’re driving across country, but MUST drive another 8 hours before you can stop. It’s the kind of stuff you buy if you have finals week. It’s for emergencies only where your body has failed and your willpower is next; this stuff gets you through.

I  recommend this stuff. You can get it about $3.00 at your local grocery store. But really, just be careful with how much you drink at one time. After having this, I can say spending money on any other energy drink is a total waste of cash.

This stuff should only come with a prescription!

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Supplement Review: Jack3d Micro

February 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

So the last time USP Labs made an appearance on the blog, things didn’t quite go so well for me. So of course, I was very skeptical about giving this supplement a try. But alas…my body is for you to gain insight (and laugh at hysterically, in some cases). So I present to you, Jack3D: The Sequel… Jack3d Micro.

I wanted to try a pre workout but to be quite honest, I’m a little sick of Beta Alanine. There’s nothing more distracting than trying to lift heavy, but it feels like someone surgically installed a pin cushion into your body. It’s hard to get in your fat burning zone when it feels like a colony of fire ants is attacking you. So needless to say, I’ve taken a long break from Pre Workouts that include this amino acid that every one swears by. I just haven’t wanted it.

When I realized that there was a new Jack3d that didn’t have either Beta Alanie or 1, 3, DMAA in it, I had to give it a try.

With my normal schedule right now, normally I pull all nighters on Tuesday nights, work all day Wednesday and don’t get to sleep until late Wednesday night, before sleeping in a little on Thursday mornings. So the best way to test this out was by trying it on a cold, rainy Thursday morning when I didn’t want to get up early or out of bed. To me, that’s the best measure of a pre workout: if I can feel like it’s 4:00 pm even though it’s 7:00 a.m.

At 7:00 a.m. no one wants to be at the gym. I don’t care what any one tells you, no one wants to be at the gym that early. You HAVE to be at the gym that early so you can get other things done during the day. But no one wants to be there. The conditions were great for me to try this out.

It was an “easier” day for the gym with me. Arms and treadmill. I took 1 scoop for the first week, before having to go up to two the next week.

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As you can tell from the pictures, Jack3D micro retains the original small scooper from the first Jack3d. I grabbed the Lemon Lime flavor. Let me tell you…the taste of this product was, as grown folks desperately trying to hold on to the last few vestiges of their coolness like to say “Amaze-balls”.  (By the way, because I actually am a grown man with a modicum of self respect, that is both the first and last time you will ever see me use, say, write or refer to the phrase “amaze-balls”.) This could easily be the best tasting supplement I have ever tried. It says lemon lime, but I would describe the taste more as sour apple.

The product kicked in about 20 minutes after drinking it on an empty stomach. I felt a little more awake but it wasn’t obvious at first.

The good thing is that my running went so well, I didn’t want to stop. I had to literally say, “I have to stop running or I will be late for other stuff!” I never knew the meaning of  when other people say a supplement gives you “clean energy” before. But I do now. It was light, it worked and I got through my workout effectively.

The bad thing is this product is wicked weak. I was maybe more alert than entering the gym, but I think it’s because I was on a treadmill and didn’t want to fall off…not because of this product. It does have caffeine but this stuff is way weaker than the first Jack3d. People who love the first formula really shouldn’t even bother picking this stuff up. Also, although I took two scoops, it became apparent that by week 3, I would need 3 scoops, though it says on the container “don’t take more than 2 scoops”.  I think this is the kind of product for someone with a low caffeine tolerance, and is just beginning supplements and maybe needs an extra “kick” in the morning. But if that’s the case, I think I would just try a cup of coffee or maybe the new B4 by BPI Sports, which is a pre workout and fat burner all in one.

I think this stuff is great IF you can get it for free or as a gift. I just can’t recommend buying it. I think there’s better pre workouts out there for the price ($34.49 on Bodybuilding.com). I just hope the industry moves toward releasing products that don’t have Beta Alanine or least Beta Alanine free versions.

There are those people who swear by USP Labs. I think they are a great company with great products geared towards the advanced bodybuilder who wants a hardcore experience with usually powerful ingredients. But I can say now that for whatever reason, USP Labs and my biochemistry do not seem to mix. I may possibly try Oxy Elite pro…there’s a new 1,3 DMAA free version of that product. But really, I think it might be a while before another USP Labs product appears on the site. That’s just my thinking.

What are you favorite USP Labs products? Why? How long have you been a user of them? What USP Labs products do you not like? 

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My BSN Care Package

February 24, 2013 By 1 Comment

This is too cool to put into words, so I will just show it in a picture.

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As I arrived after midnight to home (which is common for me) this was waiting on me from BSN. A care package of their top supplements: Their BCAA Amino X, their fat burner, Hyper Shred; Their Protein Syntha-6; and their pre-workout that I’ve wanted to try for over a year: Hyper FX.

Slowly but surely they are changing my mind about them for sure. These are all new products for me, so I am hoping that I was wrong about my statement that their products don’t tend to mesh well with my biochemistry. I’m hoping for the best. If nothing else, this is one of the greatest acts a supplement company has done for me.

Expect four separate blogs on each of these products. Summer time is coming, I need / want abs and maybe, just maybe BSN will be the ones that give it to me. That and a lot of time spent in the gym and eating right in the kitchen.

Thank you so much BSN. Thank you, so much.

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The Return

January 13, 2013 By 4 Comments

I’m still alive.

Still fighting hard.

Still going to the gym.

Still kicking names and taking ass (that will make sense in the morning, I promise).

I’ve been in something of a self imposed exile from blogging. There’s lot of reasons for this but regardless, I owe YOU an apology for dropping out of sight, like that. Life happens sometimes and when it did, the most heroic thing I could do was step out of the spot light and deal with it. BUT for all the many crazy things life throws at you, GOD tends to calmly hand you wonderful things as well.

I have so many wonderful stories to tell you!

You might be thinking, if I’ve been gone so long, what brings me back today?

Imagine walking out of church, rather happy that you have long since hung up your cape, and tights. No longer jumping rooftop to rooftop, you’ve settled in your identity as a student.  As you do, a fellow who is maybe a few years older than you stops you in your tracks, looks at you, points and says, the following in the most emphatic yet bewildered voice ever:

“Wait a minute…you’re the Orange Mask? Right?!?“

To say I was stunned would be an understatement. I almost dropped my Bible. My blood froze, and I simply couldn’t move. Words did not come out. Only amazement. I could only belt out a minor, “Um…why yes. I am.”

The man, happily began to praise my site.

First, this man has absolutely no idea how to keep secret identities. But it was the latest in a series of “pushes” the Lord has been giving me about returning to my love— writing. Apparently someone retweeted something I wrote, and this man had seen it on his own timeline and found it rather profound. There we were in church discussing fitness. He assured me that he would be checking out the site more as he wishes to return to the gym and found my writings amusing, informative and inspirational. Right there in church.

God normally whispers to me, but today, he was LOUD and CLEAR.

I’ve had many, many emails from people asking where have I been. I’ve had many DMs on Twitter asking me when my next post will be. I’ve had many asking me to review products or what my thoughts were about a certain company.

When your fitness hero vanished…you missed him.

What an honor to think my silly little site actually encourages, entertains and informs you. I think you just like when I have supplement fails, so you can laugh at me, ha ha. But I am honored and humble that you care enough to visit. I’ve been missing for some 6 months and the site still gets some 400 visits per day, which is amazing.

But the exile is OVER.

We have a wild ride ahead of us folks. I’m BACK. And I am not leaving you again.

One last thing—I have met the most amazing woman. What encouragement she has given me to return to my love of blogging. How amazing it has been for God to put someone in my path who pushes me to be my best and reminds me when I feel my worst that I am good. How amazing it has been to find  someone I can unabashedly say I am totally and completely in love with. I love you, Pretty Lady!! I had been mulling the idea of writing eventually. But she has really helped me to see the importance of my writing.

Imagine being a puzzle piece. And try as you might, you can never ever find where you fit. You’ve tried many different puzzles before but nothing ever fits. Nothing has the unique shape required for you to be covered. There is nowhere that you fit. Nowhere where your presence makes a difference. I can say with her, I have finally found where I belong. I have found where I fit. I have found home.

I am happy. Finally.

And I simply couldn’t blog a moment more until I was happy. But her presence, her love, her thoughtfulness and especially her giggles…I am happy for the first time in years. I love you, baby. Thank you for loving me. And this post is dedicated to you.

I’m suiting up, folks.

Get ready for MORE heroic adventures in fitness!

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SideKicked!: Building and Strengthening Your Body by John Ingot

June 29, 2012 By 1 Comment

Hi Folks, I’m away for a bit today as professional life outside of blogging is taking precedence. In the mean time, here’s a great guest post on quick easy tips on Building and Strengthening your body! I’ll be back real soon with a post I think you all are really going to like. Stay cool out there, it’s over 100 Degrees in some parts of the country! 

 

Build and Strengthen Your Body
The body starts to lose muscle mass as we age. Taking care of skeletal muscles decreases the risk of weak bones, injuries and even incontinence. Appropriate weight training and exercise can increase power, endurance, and strength

Upper body strength

 

Push-ups are a perfect exercise to work the upper body. Doctors recommend wall and floor push-ups. Try doing 10 on the wall and 10 on the floor every day.

Personal trainer

 

Hire a person to work with you one-on-one. It can be expensive, but you can contract a person for short-term. A trainer can go to your home and create an individualized program that is tailored to meet your needs. He or she can give you great advice as well.

Sculpt the body

 

Try walking lunges with weights. They increase core strength, flexibility and endurance. An additional benefit is they improve your cardiovascular system. Shoulder stabilizers work the rotator cuffs, which are the muscles that keep your shoulders in their sockets.

Fuel your body

 

Fuel your body before and after a workout. You must ingest amino acids and carbohydrates that give you the energy you need to form new muscle tissues.

Change of routine

 

Change your dedicated regimen every two weeks. This prevents you from reaching a plateau. New exercises will help you feel like you are making progress. Options include changing the order in which you do exercises or the types of exercises. Vary your routine.

Water aerobics

 

Deep-water exercises are low impact and you can target several muscles. You can use dumbbells during your routine to develop your muscles through weight resistance. Underwater kicking is a good way to tone the legs. Being in water is therapeutic and relaxing.

Weights

 

You can use free or machine weights. Free weights develop minor and supporting muscles. Machine weights work your core. Play it safe by not using too much weight too soon. Don’t go too fast and target muscle groups.

There are several tips that you can follow to build your body and make it stronger. Start out slowly and change your routine every two weeks. Use your body’s natural resistance or equipment. Have a healthy diet that is rich in amino acids and carbohydrates. Drink plenty of water and avoid sugary drinks. Hire a personal trainer if you can afford it. Another option is to join a gym.

 

John Ingot does his best to maintain a strong and healthy body; he is a contributing writer at www.lifeinsurancequotes.org.

 

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Supplement Review: Purus Labs’ Muscle Marinade

June 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Today, we’re looking at Purus Lab’s Muscle Marinade. I’m really excited to try this product and have been for some time!

First things first. What are the good things about this product? I’ll tell you what was really impressive: Say it with me now: NO PROPRIETORY BLEND. You know exactly what you’re getting, which I really appreciate. It also comes with Creatine Monohydrate in it. Many in the Bodybuilding community will disagree with me, but I’m beginning to like PWO that have Creatine in them, provided it doesn’t make me swollen and bloated during my workout.

I also really like their description, which I agree with:

The preworkout category has long been riddled with ineffective, underdosed products lacking scientific validation. Companies do zero research yet pump tons of marketing dollars into convincing consumers their product is the best available. They design lengthy and purposely confusing nutrition panels, haphazardly concoct pixie dust proprietary blends masking their cheap formulas, and load half the container with cheap carbohydrate filler attempting to fool consumers into thinking they are getting more.

This product is versatile in that you can use it as a Pre or Intra-workout but whenever I try Intra Workouts, I just walk around feeling like an idiot.

The Pour

This kicks in about 20 min. I had a solid workout. No real pump,but the more PWO I take the more I realize that “Pump” is a bogus way to measure the effectiveness of a PWO. Why be concerned with how you walk INTO the gym? I’d think it’s better to be concerned with how you LEAVE it. That’s when your pump should come. Don’t buy a PWO based on promises of making you look all filled with blood. It’s a silly way to determine if you should use a product or not. I think I’ve only ever walked in with a pump 1 time.  I can’t say that I had any more focus than normal.  It was just a good, clean rush of energy and a solid workout. Shoulders and Tris that day. Now I will say, I did feel nauseated somewhat immediately after ingesting this. 40 minutes into my workout though I was  extremely hungry.

Some time after that, I suffered a head ache as well.  I could tell it affected my mood, too. I wouldn’t say I crashed, but I felt… down about 3 hours afterwards. Like, really sad. Only ever happened once before.

I know people who SWEAR by this product. They say it’s the unsung hero of the PWO world and more people should try it. Maybe it was just me. If you take away side effects, this was as solid a workout as you would get.

With the side effects though, I don’t think I’ll be using this again, at least not paying for it. Possibly if I get in a bind, but it reminds me of a worse experience than I’ve had before so… probably not though.

Still so many people like this supp (it has a 8.5 rating on BB.com) I wonder if it was just a me thing.

Question of the Day: Has anyone else tried this Supp? What was your experience on it? 

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Muscle and Fitness Should Rethink their Standards on Beauty

June 20, 2012 By 7 Comments

I’ll give you a bit of context. Here’s the latest issue of Muscle and Fitness Magazine.

It’s a Swim Suit issue. I usually don’t read this magazine, I prefer their body building sister magazine, Muscular Development. It’s just a more fun magazine, with way more information on exercises, bodybuilding industry news and of course the latest supplements. M&D, you’re welcome for the free plug.

Not going to get on any soap boxes, especially since we like to keep things fun and light around here. We’ve dealt with things of a racial matter before Once or Twice . Overall, I think racism, discrimination and the like is a dying phenomenon. Overall. Attitudes are changing and although we have a really long, long way to go, we are so close to getting there. But that makes the instances of it when it does occur that much more visible.

I’m not posting any images of the latest issue because first, that pushes the upper limit of fair use laws, plus I think to get the full effect of what I’m saying, you need to actually pick the magazine up and look through it.

What will become painfully aware to you if you are 1) Not American 2) Objective 3) Not Caucasian or 4) Find women sexier if they weigh more than 103 pounds (I kid…kinda) is that women in the current issue of Muscle & Fitness (July) magazine represent the standard archetypal beauty in America. Very thin, and as one of my inspirations, Genevieve, wrote, not very if at all muscular. There’s no definition, no vascularity…and no diversity.

America has long been a hodgepodge of different cultures, religions, ideals and ways of living. Far from perfect, true, but still the ideal society where our differences allow us to learn from each other and grow. So why is Muscle and Fitness pushing an ideal of beauty that is based in 1950′s America? Especially when the women from that era actually were better looking thicker?

No Seriously, when did it?

That just the first problem with M&F’s latest issue.

There’s also the diversity issue. They couldn’t find 1 African American, Asian or Arab fitness model to place in their pages?

I found a few. You really need not go any further than Twitter to find healthy, muscular women with exotic beauty, both inside and out. This was a simple case of lazy journalism by Muscle & Fitness. They got magazines to sell, so they went with the old tried and true method instead of being a leader in changing ideas of women’s beauty.

I challenge Muscle & Fitness to stop resting on their laurels and to go beyond the usual homogeneous images of women and to make their fitness spreads both more inclusive and more diverse and actually…more healthy. I shudder to think of the diets some of this month’s models had in order to fit into the magazine. Overall health should include great dietary choices which to me, it just looks like the women aren’t making.  We are well beyond the antiquated ideas of what makes women attractive today.

And will someone please get the word out… muscle on women is HOT. One of my favorite blogs demonstrates this daily. It’s okay if women lift iron and do more than just run 13 miles daily.

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Supplement Review: The New MuscleTech: Neurocore Pt. 5

June 15, 2012 By 2 Comments

Well it has been quite a week of supplement reviews looking at NeuroCore. But we’re not done just yet. I wanted to be sure to get another opinion on this particular supplement. So of course it was time to get on the horn and call an old SideKick from before… None other than Scott Crawford from 11 Squared! He’s stopped by our blog before to aid with an excellent Supplement Review. Recently he tried NeuroCore himself and I thought he would be the perfect person to ask for further opinions.

With out further ado, here’s Scott on his experience with Neuro Core. Take it away, Scott!

Neurocore… where getting on your nerves is a good thing.

To put things into context somewhat, I am a 36 year who starting lifting/bulking, really at the start of the year.  I have never been too much into supplements other than protein and daily vitamin packs.  However, since I don’t make it to the gym until about 9:30 at night, I need something to get me over the heavy eyelids humps to get me to the gym and be productive there.  This is the reason that I have started trying preworkout supplements.

MucleTech’s Neurocore is the third PWO that I have tried.  Like many other before me, I have heard all of the negative comments about MucleTech in the past, but when I saw Neurocore being offered on a BOGO sale at www.bodybuilding.com, and I was running out of my PWO, I figured why not give this preworkout a shot.

I will leave the fancy pictures to TheOrangeMask and give Neurocore a no nonsense review.

Gratuitous Fancy Picture of NeuroCore

I went for the Blue Raspberry flavor, which to my surprise was very tasty!  Of course after trying GNC’s Ravage… anything is tasty!  I did notice however, that the first couple of sips were full of flavor, about the last half of the drink had an almost medicinal taste.  Everything dissolved great, so there was no residue, but the taste of it was there.  It is a little weird.  Nevertheless, I give the flavor an 8 out of 10.

As TheOrangeMask has noted, it does take 3 scoops!  My tolerance for stimulants is pretty high.  I did not feel any “surge” or “rush” of energy, but I did notice that I had energy and was raring to go.  The energy was great I was able to get an hour of lifting in, run a 5K on the treadmill and feel like I could do more.  The energy was clean and jitter free, however, this could attribute to my tolerance level.  I did not experience any sort of crash coming down from it either.  I was able to fall asleep shortly after returning home from the gym, which was about 2 and half hours after taking my 3 scoop dose.

Now, I have tried a couple of supplements (PWO’s and others) that have Beta-Alanine in its blend.  I never once have experienced the tingles or the itchy skin that others have.  The same holds true for Neurocore.  I have read other reviews of Neurocore, TheOrangeMask’s included, where folks experienced severe tingling in their extremities.

With regards to pump, I did experience a decent pump from this product.  I also, noticed some vascularity that was not previously there.  I cannot directly attribute this to Neurocore, as I am leaning up as well.  However, I think it helped some of those veins to perk up a little.

Now onto focus… The focus that I experience while taking this supplement is superb, and this is where Nerocore really does it for me.  Once the headphones were in, it is almost like it’s just me in the gym and I really get into a zone, pounding out rep after rep…. set after set!   The focus was even better than I got from SAN Launch… and that is saying something.

Many reviews will give reviews on strength and strength gains…. I have a hard time attributing all of the strength gain to the PWO.  While I did experience strength gains and a lot of personal bests for 1 rep max’s, I think most of it comes from my personal drive and always upping the weight, forcing my muscles to work harder.  Yes, focus and energy level play a role in strength gains so I will concede those two to Neurocore.

After all of that said, there was one side effect that I experience with this PWO that I have not had with others.  Let me set the stage….  I take Neurocore right before I leave my house to drive the 10 minutes to the gym.  By the time I get to the gym and get my stuff into a locker, I have to make an immediate visit to the bathroom.  That’s right, for whatever reason it forces an immediate bowel response…. Every time!

All-in-all, I like this PWO.  I do have to agree with TheOrangeMask regarding its value.  Taking 3 scoops only gives you 15 servings… so you do the math.  If you are only working out 2 or 3 times a week, then it may be fine for you, but I am currently doing doubles 4 days a week and take a PWO before each session.  At this rate I will blow through a tub of Neurocore in 2 weeks.  That just won’t do!

I think TheOrangeMask’s “mixed review” is fair.  I would rank it 7.5 out of 10.  I will use this product again and it will likely have a place in my PWO rotation.

 Well, there you have it folks. Neuro Core Week comes to a close on the blog. Overall, the feeling is this is a decent workout though there is the question of value given that you need 3 scoops. Also, you need to be near a bathroom taking this stuff as our good friend Scott found out. But all in all, this is a decent product. 

Questions: What are your thoughts about NeuroCore? Have you tried it? How has NeuroCore week influenced your decision? 

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Supplement Review: The New Muscle Tech: Neurocore Pt. 3

June 13, 2012 By 2 Comments

This is a continuation of my first post on NeuroCore. Let’s continue.

The Pour

Apparently, the canister is half full

Very small scoop

No, NeuroCore didn’t burn off my goatee, I shaved it

The Verdict

Okay, so would the product stand up to Orange Mask standards?

Well, being perfectly honest…I wasn’t crazy about this product. The smell is fantastic, though the taste is rather bland. It’s not a bad taste, but you get the sense that whatever they did to flavor it, they didn’t do enough of that thing. Yes, it’s Fruit Punch but this would be better titled, “Hint of Fruit Punch”. Now, effectiveness? This product advertises itself as 45 servings, but truthfully it’s more like 15 servings. I didn’t feel anything at all with this product with only 1 scoop. Or 2 really. Buying this product is fine, but go in knowing that you will use all 3 scoops every time you use it to gain any type of utility. At 3 scoops this could get pricey since it would only last 15 days out the month, assuming you work out regularly.

I want to talk about the Beta Alanine in this supplement. I think either something is off with the dosing or something is off with my body. I’ve never had a BA reaction like the one I had on this product. It took about 20 minutes to kick in. But it felt like I was walking barefeet on pins. Every step just wound up with a shot of pins pricking my entire body. I felt it in my head, arms, legs, back, even in my glutes and loins (ouch!) Just walking on the treadmill became laborious because it felt like someone with no skill was giving me horrible acupuncture, using over a million needles at the same time. The effect lasted about an hour after my workout ended. Did not like that at all.

I saw no noticeable pump. I was able to focus though, so I did get into that tunnel vision that you get into but my reaction to the BA distracted me somewhat.

I only slightly felt the 1,3 DMAA in this product which may just speak to my tolerance. Like I said, after the first day, I was already up to 2 scoops, then 3.

If you can look beyond all that, does the product actually work? Yes. It was leg day for me. I added 90 pounds to my squat and was able to get 1 more set of 11 reps in than I ever have before.  Also, despite the BA reaction I had, it was one of those sessions where I still had to tear myself away from the gym in order to make the beach in time.

Final Thoughts

Neuro Core is unique in that it is the first supplement on this site that I give a “mixed rating” to. The main concerns come due to needing 3 scoops to feel any effect, but that effect coming at the cost of great exposure to Beta Alanine all over your body. Still, I have to admit, I had some gains in the gym. This product is still leap years better than the Muscle Tech of old. This has research behind it and for many users, you’re going to see a lot of good gains on it.

It’s not quite up to where I’d like it to be, but it is by no means horrible. I will probably get some more of this, to be honest (I got this on one heck of a deal…50% off at Vitamin Shoppe. Gee, I wonder why? Oh, yeah.) The price is great right now. This product to me, shows that Muscle Tech, now more than ever is committed to the customers.

Have you ever tried this product? What were your thoughts? Write them in the comments below. 

Don’t forget to enter into the Giveaway, too!

Filed Under: Fitness, Super Heroics Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Supplement Review: The New MuscleTech NeuroCore Giveaway Pt. 2

June 12, 2012 By 4 Comments

You in? I have a spare Neuro Core and it’s Grape Flavor.

If so it’s pretty easy.

1) Leave a comment below telling me if you’ve used any Muscle Tech products before either in the past or currently? What were your honest thoughts about them?

2) Follow me on Twitter.

3) Tweet: “I just entered the @TeamMuscleTech #NeuroCore #Giveaway by @TheOrangeMask! Don’t miss your chance: http://wp.me/p1J36b-lL  “

4) Bonus Entry: Subscribe to me via Youtube.

Blink and this will be gone. Winners announced on Thursday via Twitter and this Blog

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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