Right or wrong pre-workouts are judged by the energy they provide.  In the case of pre-workouts it is all about stimulant energy as in “energy drink” energy.  Besides protein this is probably the biggest category for sports supplement manufacturers which is evident by the almost daily new product introductions to the category.  This makes it difficult to sort out the good from the bad and causes a lot of general customer confusion.  Each manufacturer has their scientific explanation of why their product is superior and most go on to make exaggerated claims about how their product will reinvent your workouts and change your religion.

 The two main energy ingredients in pre-workouts are geranium and caffeine.  Although some manufacturers would like to have you believe it is b vitamins, nitric oxide or some other ingredient the standard energy (stimulant) component (if it is present) is going to be caffeine and geranium.  Don’t get me wrong I like these ingredients and you should too if you are interested in energy.

 A good pre-workout should also provide performance components to help with strength and endurance, but this article is geared more toward the stimulant aspect.  Take a look around the blog for articles dealing with the performance component of pre-workouts if you are interested in that topic.

 Pre-workouts come in varying strengths and it can take a week or possibly longer to dial in the appropriate dose that you will like.  Keep this in mind if you are trying a new product.  You should give it a week or two before making your final judgment.  Also make sure to adjust the dose based on how each workout is going.  We generally recommend starting with a conservative dose and increasing it by one third to one half scoop based on your requirements.

 To make the most of your pre-workout make sure to take it on an empty stomach.  Any food within an hour of taking it will blunt the energy effect.  Also if you typically use coffee or energy drinks throughout the day and then take your pre-workout you will find it is less effective.  Most people will find the more stimulants they take throughout the day the less effective their pre-workout will become.

 Also keep in mind that your body has a very effective adaptive mechanism to caffeine and other stimulants which reduces their effectiveness the longer you take them.  For this reason we recommend taking pre-workouts only on your training days and that you have no other stimulants that day including coffee or energy drinks.  On your non training days you should try to avoid stimulants (coffee, energy drinks) as much as is possible.

Sleep quality will also play a major role in the energy effect of your pre-workout.  Once your body gets run down no amount of stimulants is going to get you operating at 100%.  It is important not to take your pre-workout to late in the day as the stimulant effect of it can disturb your sleep.  Ideally you would have at least 6 hours or more go by from the time you take your pre-workout until the time you are going to go to sleep.  Personally I have found that when I find my pre-workout feeling less effective I will take a day off from training and get at least 9 hours of sleep.  After doing this you will find that you re-charge your body and the stimulant effect of the pre-workout is much more pronounced.

 Training hard is important but so are days off.  Because pre-workouts allow you to increase the intensity of your training rest days become even more important.  If your pre-workout is helping you do more work in the gym (and it should be) than it only makes sense that you will need more rest to fully recover.  You should shoot for at least 2 days off every week, depending on your individual rate of recovery.  If you find that you are taking your pre-workout and “crashing” right away or if you are lacking motivation take 2-3 days off entirely from working out and get at least 9 hours of sleep each of these nights.  Also try to consume little to no coffee or energy drinks on these days.  You should find after doing this that your body responds better to your pre-workout.

 Approximately every 12 weeks it is a good idea to take between 5 days and one week off from usage of stimulants.  This allows your body to re-sensitize itself to stimulants and you will find after this period of time your pre-workout will be much more effective.  Make sure you are getting adequate sleep during this time period and also make sure you are avoiding coffee and energy drinks.  Expect to feel tired during this time period.

 Rotating pre-workouts can also be helpful for keeping your body from adjusting to them.  We will typically rotate people between two to three products as this seems to be optimal for minimizing adaptation to any one product. 

There are a few other ingredients which you should look for in a good pre-workout.  Tyrosine is nice to have as it will support adrenal function.  Some of the focal adaptors or mood enhancers can really enhance the energy feeling you get from your pre-workout.  You will really notice a euphoric feeling from ingredients like Pikatropin, CDP Choline, and Phenyl ethylamine.

Dietary recommendations for athletes have often provided guidelines for daily amounts of total energy consisting of carbohydrates, proteins and fats with little importance placed on when meals where consumed relative to training.  New research is showing that it is not just what you eat but when you eat it that determines the overall success of a resistance training program.  Long-term consumption of whey protein before and after resistance exercise alters anabolic signaling in a manner that is advantageous for muscle hypertrophy.

 

Protein ingestion increases muscle protein synthesis in proportion to the essential amino acid content of the protein dose.  In certain situations essential amino acid ingestion can provide advantages over intact proteins.  First EAA (essential amino acid) ingestion results in a rapid concentration and delivery of amino acids to skeletal muscle which increases protein synthesis.  EAA ingestion also maximizes the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis without affecting the metabolic response to subsequent meals.  On a gram per gram basis EAA ingestion results in a 2-fold greater accretion of muscle protein than consuming intact proteins.

 

Based on the current research we recommend taking an amino acid drink such as Intek BCAA Evolution pre-workout.  Don’t worry if you are currently consuming a pre-workout powder as you can mix BCAA Evolution with almost any conventional pre-workout.  Post workout be sure to take in at least 20 grams of protein with some type of carbohydrate.  For the ideal post-workout drink try BioRhythm After Glow.

 

The goal of this type of nutrient timing is to increase muscle protein synthesis so that the net protein balance becomes positive or anabolic.  When resistance training is performed in conjunction with amino acid consumption increased blood flow to exercising muscles delivers the higher amino acid concentrations to muscle which serves as a signal to increase protein synthesis.

One of the most common questions coming from our male customers is how can they get big and lean.  The following is the actual program from our Warwick Manager Steve Bardi.  He maintains a weight of about 200 lbs with visible abs almost all year round.  At his height most people consider him big and lean.  If thats not enough he is permanently tanned and hairless.  Check out the following for a real world program that has helped many of his customer put on muslce and get leaner.

Daily Routine with Supplements for First 3 Months: 

1.       Wake at 6 a.m. and take 1 ADRENA-LEAN capsule to wake up.  I also eat 2 CLA Evolution, 1 Fish-Oil pill, and 4 Met-RX HMB, and 3 TEST REVOLUTION with a Protein shake with 8 frozen strawberries, a banana, and BCAA powder in a blender with water. 

2.      On my way to the gym at 7:15, I am sipping on my pre-workout drink: 1 ½ scoops of BioRhythm Juice, INTEK BCAA powder, and 1 scoop DIESEL FUEL.  I sip on this drink throughout my whole workout in order to stay pumped and anabolic, so I can continue to build muscle and burn calories. 

3.      Immediately after my last set, I start to sip on my post workout shake which consists of 2 scoops of AFTER GLOW, and 1 scoop of INTEK’s ISOLATE RED ICE. 

4.      With two more meals during the day, I will use MET-RX HMB, CLA Evolution and Fish Oil in order to keep body fat to a minimum, especially while increasing calories to build muscle.  This allows me to build muscle while staying lean.

5.      My final protein shake before bed consists of INTEK’s Whey Protein, ORANGE CREAMSICLE flavor, I use MSI’s SLEEP REVOLUTION and 3 TEST REVOLUTION to help me get a fulfilling night’s sleep.  SLEEP REVOLUTION provides a healthy dose of amino acids as well as a combination of anabolic ingredients to assure that the body gets a full nights rest and recovery so I can train intensely the following day. 

 

My goal with the supplements is to take them when I feel they will benefit me the most.  Although my ideas are somewhat different to what the bottle usually suggests, this is what I have found to be the most beneficial.  My thought is that growth takes place when you are at rest, not when you are actually working, that being said I feel it is in everyone’s best interest to take muscle-building, endurance, and thermogenic supplements around your workouts as a base, along with some supplements for general health throughout the day.   For the most part this is why I take so many different supplements before and during my workouts.  In my opinion this is the most crucial time to be anabolic, or in a (muscle-building) state.  I make sure to eat meals or shakes every 2-3 hours throughout the day, and stay well hydrated by drinking at least 1 gallon of water every day, with the INTEK BCAA Evolution added to it in order to feed my body what it requires to build muscle.  Below I will list what I consider to be the supplements that everyone who is trying to build muscle should take all year-round: 

1.       Protein

2.      Creatine

3.      Amino Acids

4.      Testosterone booster

5.      Glutamine

6.      Essential Fatty acids

7.      Nitric Oxide

8.      Multi-Vitamin

9.      Joint product-depending on time of year

These supplements are on what I call a “Revolving-Basis”, which basically means that I will adjust and change what supplements I use depending on what my goals are at that particular time.  Say for instance it is closer to the spring then I obviously want to cut back the calories I consume, as well as switch what supplements I am using in order to achieve my goal.  Some supplements are better for gaining weight, while some supplements are much better for cutting up or “Shredding”.  I basically never really stop using these supplements listed above, and with good reason; your body cannot and will not have the building blocks necessary to build muscle without these basics incorporated into your regimen.  What I will now give you below is an example of what my diet will consist of while I am going through a “Bulking” phase:

Meal 1:  10 egg whites, 2 whole eggs, 1 cup measured Oatmeal, 1 glass chocolate milk

Meal 2:  6 ounces Sirloin steak, 1 sweet potato, large salad and 1 cup green beans

Meal 3:  Complete MASS 600 protein shake with a few ounces of cashews

Meal 4:  8 ounces Chicken, 2 slices of American cheese, 1 sweet potato, and 1 cup green beans

Meal 5:  Complete MASS 600 protein shake with a few ounces of cashews

Meal 6:  A 10 egg white and 2 whole egg omelette, with vegetables, cheese, and two English muffins with jelly on them with a glass of chocolate milk.

Meal 7:  1 cup of cottage cheese with pineapple mixed into it, or ice-cream depending on my cravings.

I suggest getting a hold of some of OPTIMUM HEALTH’s Complete Digestion when beginning the first phase of the program.  The added calories can, and usually will put some unwanted pressure on your digestive system, and having this supplement handy will help to increase absorption of all the nutrients you are about to flood your body with.

I typically will try to eat the same foods at the same times every day in order to make my body that much more efficient at breaking down the nutrients it needs to grow.  As you can see from my diet listed above, I do not go too crazy in order to put weight on when “Bulking”.  The idea here is to increase my caloric intake slightly so as to avoid gaining too much body-fat over the course of my first 3 months.  I have come to understand my genetics and realize that I do not have the ability to be too heavy without my joints and knees suffering.  Besides, when I take the DIESEL FUEL as part of my supplement regimen, I find that the weight and strength comes pretty quickly on its own.  The next section will cover my workouts, and you will find a list of the exact exercises below.

Workout Program for Months 1-3: 

Monday:  Legs

1.       10 minutes on treadmill to warm-up

2.      Squats- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

3.      Leg Presses- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

4.      Leg extensions- 3 sets of 10-12 reps

5.      Lying leg curls- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

6.      Seated leg curls- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

7.      Seated calf raises- 3 sets of 20-25 reps

Tuesday:  Back

1.       10 minutes on bike for warm-up

2.      3 sets of wide-grip chin-ups to failure

3.      3 sets of Underhand- grip chin-ups to failure

4.      Rack Dead-lifts- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

5.      Seated Cable rows- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

6.      One-Arm dumbbell rows- 2 sets of 8-10 reps

7.      Hyper-extensions 3 sets of 15 reps

Wednesday:  Off

Thursday:  Chest

1.       Incline Barbell presses- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

2.      Flat Barbell presses- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

3.      Decline Barbell presses- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

4.      Weighted Dips- 3 sets of 10-12 reps

5.      Dumbbell Flyes- 2 sets flat, 2 sets incline, and 2 sets decline

6.      Abdominals- crunches, leg raises and side twists

Friday:  Arms

1.       Standing dumbbell curls- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

2.      Barbell curls- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

3.      Incline dumbbell curls- 3 sets of 12-15 reps

4.      Rope pushdowns- 2 sets of 15-18 reps

5.      Straight-bar pushdowns- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

6.      Lying skull crushers- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

7.      Weighted Tricep dips- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Saturday:  Shoulders & Traps

1.       Side dumbbell lateral raises- 3 sets of 12-15 reps (30 seconds rest only)

2.      Barbell push presses- 3 sets of 6-8 reps

3.      Upright rows (barbell)- 3 sets of 12-15 reps

4.      Bent-over lateral raises- 3 sets of 12-15 reps

5.      Barbell shrugs- 3 sets (ascending in weight) of 10-12 reps.  Finish with a strip set on the last set with no rest

6.      Behind-the-back Barbell shrugs- 3 sets of 12-15 reps

As you can see from the workout above, the first phase of my program is pretty basic on nature, but that is because being big and strong requires many compound movements, with much rest in between work-outs.  What I will do after the initial 6 weeks of this program is to switch up the exercises so that my body never gets a chance to become comfortable with the weights and exercises.  The first phase is somewhat plain in nature, but performed well, it will help to slap on some clay that we can later turn into peeled or chiseled muscle that you can show off down at Scarborough Beach. 

The best way to use supplements to speed up the muscle building process is by continually rotating your supplement stacks.  For example you could start out using Diesel Fuel Creatine, BioRhythm Juice and Muscle Sport Beta Revolution for forty days and then cycle to Muscle Sport Lean Revolution, Muscle Sport Test Revolution, Mass 600 and Humano Growth.  The idea is to switch product combinations frequently enough to keep your body from adapting to what you are taking but not change too frequently which would result in less than optimal results.  The other consideration especially with any hormonal products is the possibility of setting off a negative feedback loop in the body causing it to diminish natural production of hormones.  This is primarily and issue when using products that elevate hormone levels.

 

If you break down the supplementation of the most successful athletes they typically use a process similar to what I have described above.  This helps them to continually make progress and not get stuck in a rut or plateau.  We usually recommend sticking with a product stack for between 30 and 60 days after which time you should make some changes to your supplementation.  Keep in mind that items like protein, multi vitamin and essential fats should viewed as food.  You need to take these all of the time and they don’t really need to be changed.

 

If you would like ideas on product combinations or stacks click on the tab on the right that says “Stacks/Product Solutions”. 

 

The other topic I would like to address is why product stacks or combinations are more effective than using individual products.  Sometimes it is nice when first trying a product to use it by itself for the purpose of assessing its effectiveness.  However if you are looking to get maximum results you should be putting products stacks together that are customized to your fitness goal(s).  The logic behind this is to hit multiple muscle building pathways at one time in order to maximize the possibility of strength and growth.  Getting stronger and gaining muscle is difficult and your supplementation needs to be well planned for it to provide benefit.

These product combinations are designed to get you big and lean.  They where put together courtesy of Steve Bardi of our Warwick location.

Big & Lean Stack
What to take:

1 Adrena Lean in the morning when you wake up, with 4 HMB and 2 CLA Evolution
Why it helps:

The Adrena Lean revs up the metabolism first thing in the morning and the CLA gets your body using fat as fuel.  HMB helps protect muscle by keeping your body from using it as a source of energy.

 

What to take:

Pre-workout take 3 Synthro-Lean with 2 Yohimbine, 3 TNT-2, and 1 scoop Juice mixed with 1 scoop Krush,

Why it helps:

Synthro Lean cranks up fat burning enzymes without an added stimulant effect. Yombine is an Alpha 2 antagonist which allows fat to be mobilized especially from the lower body.  TNT 2 naturally elevates test levels for added muscle growth.  The Juice and Krush Combo will fire up the most hardcore energy junky.

 

What to take:

During workout take 1 scoop BCAA Evolution and 4 Kre Alkalyn
Why it helps:

BCAA Evolution keeps the body from going into a catabolic (muscle wasting) state during your workout.  Kre Alkalyn will top off ATP stores keeping you going longer and stronger in the gym.

 

What to take:

Post workout take 2 scoops After Glow, with 1 scoop Intek Red Ice ISOLATE and 3 TNT-2
Why it helps:

Growth is all about recovery.  After Glow is the best recovery product on the market.  The added scoop of Intek Red Ice Isolate will give you extra protein if you are unable to get another meal in within a short period of time of taking the After Glow.  TNT 2 optimizes post workout hormone levels for growth and recovery.

 

What to take:

2 CLA Evolution with 3 HMB with lunch
Why it helps:

CLA keeps your body using fat as an energy source and HMB keeps you from breaking down muscle tissue for energy.

 

What to take:

2 CLA Evolution and 3 HMB with dinner
Why it helps:

See above

 

What to take:

1 rounded scoop Sleep Revolution, with 2 Natural Test and 4 Humano Growth before bed. 

Why it helps:

Sleep Revolution helps you sleep better and gets you into deeper sleep more quickly.  Humano Growth helps optimize hormone levels while you sleep.

Big & Lean Stack #2
What to take:

1 Adrena Lean cap in the morning and 1 scoop of ANS Diesel Fuel with breakfast.

Why it helps:

Adrena Lean will kick start the metabolism first thing in the morning.  Diesel Fuel volumizes the muscle cell and packs it full of glycogen.

 

What to take:

3 Kre Alkalyn with one scoop BCAA Evolution and 1-2 scoops of Arnge Krush 40 minutes before your workout

Why it helps:

Kre Alkalyn ramps up ATP production allowing you to do more work in the gym.  Intek BCAA Evolution increases blood flow to the muscles and keeps you anabolic while working out.  Arnge Krush jacks up intensity and fuels cellular energy.

 

What to take:

Take 2-3 scoops of Mass 600 in the morning and 2-3 scoops at night

Why it helps:

If you want to get big you need to eat big.  Mass 600 supplies your body with lots of high quality calories from protein, complex carbs and healthy fats.

 

What to take:

3 Muscle Sport Test Revolution before going to bed

Why it helps:

Your body produces most of its hormones at night.  Taking Test Rev at night will ensure you produce as much testosterone as is naturally possible.

 

What to take:

Take 1 cap of Intek CLA Evolution and 2-3 caps of Deplete with 3 separate meals.

Why it helps:

CLA keeps your body using fat as energy and helps keep excess calories from being stored as body fat.  Deplete helps minimize subcutaneous water retention; in essence shrink wrapping your skin to your body.

Hard Gainers Growth Recipe

If you want to break a plateau and make some sizeable gains this supplement regimen is for you.  This recipe for results includes effective supplements for the most important parts of the day.  It matters when you take your supplements so this regimen keeps your body anabolic when it matters most.

Breakfast of Champions:
Forget about Wheaties, if you want to be big and strong take the following before your breakfast.

2 Test Rev in the morning with a serving of BCAA and 1/2 scoop Diesel Fuel

Intensity Matters:
You need to have the energy and work capacity to stress the muscle properly during your workout.

Pre-workout take 2-3 scoops of Juice with 5 caps of Beta Revolution

Recovery = Results:
Give you body the raw material to grow or you are wasting your time in the gym.

Post Workout Mix Vanilla Intek Evolution with 1/2 scoop of Diesel Fuel

Vitamin “T” for maximum Muscle:
Higher hormone levels fuels greater gains in strength and muscle.  This combo will naturally optimize hormone levels.  It is effective yet safe.

Before Bed take 2 Test Rev with 4-6 caps of Labrada Humano Growth

This combination is potent and will help anyone make some quick gains.  In fact if you can’t make gains on this you might as well quit working out!!  We are so confident in this regimen that we’ll take 10% off the price if you mention this blog when purchasing the entire combination of products mentioned above.

What is Creatine CXS?
MuscleSport Creatine CXS is a blend of several types of creatine, including creatine gluconate, which is comprised of creatine bonded to glucose. This combination improves creatines intestinal absorption because it’s absorbed in a manner similar to regular glucose, a fast-digesting carb. The glucose also allows the creatine to dissolve well when mixed in water and helps it enter muscle cells by increasing insulin release.

Creatine MagnaPower provides more active creatine to the bloodstream for subsequent incorporation into the cells of the muscle. Chelate provides magnesium, which is involved in more energy producing systems than creatine, plus creatine requires magnesium for its energy producing cycle. High doses of creatine are not required, since the chelate is not susceptible to acidic cyclization. Gastric disturbances are eliminated since only doses approximately 20% of what would be needed with creatine monohydrate are required.

Kre-Alkalyn is a buffered form of creatine that has been PH balanced.  It offers improved absorption, requires lower dosing and leads to less water retention in users.

Creatinol-O-Phosphate is actually not creatine although it is similar in molecular structure.  It acts more as an intracellular buffer somewhat similar to carnosine.  This is important for hard training athletes as it increases anaerobic glycolysis in the presence of lactic acid.  Basically it will allow an athlete to train longer and harder by delaying fatigue and allowing for more muscle fiber recruitment.

Creatine CXS Product Benefits

1)  Creatine helps muscle cells grow by increasing the amount of insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) a hormone crucial for muscle growth. New research has found that when subjects boost their muscle creatine levels via supplementation, they also increase genetic expression of IGF-1. So it appears that creatine may enhance muscle growth by influencing critical genes in cells that regulate this growth.

 

2)  Another way creatine affects muscle gains is through cell volumization. When creatine enters muscle cells, it pulls water into the cell with it. When a muscle is fully loaded with creatine, such as when you supplement with it, its cells fill with water like a balloon. This increases their size immediately and leads to long-term expansion in muscle size due to the stretch placed on the cells. The stretch also turns on growth processes that boost the amount of muscle protein produced.

 

3)  ATP is the energy currency of every cell. This energy is used to fuel countless processes in the human body, including muscle contractions. When CP donates its phosphate to form ATP, it’s done rapidly to supply immediate energy during periods of intense exercise, like weightlifting. In other words, creatine increases strength because more creatine equals more CP in the muscle and, in turn, more ATP available for muscle contractions. Therefore, you have more energy at the end of a set, allowing you to perform more reps or lift a heavier weight.

MuscleSport’s Lean Revolution shakes up the pre-workout category by introducing the novel ingredient GPLC.  Short-term supplementation of GPLC was shown in research studies to produce significant enhancement of anaerobic power during repeated cycle sprints in resistance trained men. The increase in peak power output was accompanied by a significantly lower accumulation of lactate.

 

GPLC amplifies the mobilization of fatty acids (stored energy) into working tissue for cellular metabolism, which creates energy in the ATP or Krebs’s Cycle via the beta oxidation process. When supplemented into the diet for a period of over eight weeks, GPLC has been shown to increase this fat burning process in subjects when combined with aerobic activity.

 

For intense energy and focus Lean Revolution turned to1,3-dimethylamylamine or geranium oil which resembles the body’s own chemical messenger, epinephrine (adrenaline). Similar to adrenaline, 1,3-dimethylamylamine exhibits a powerful CNS stimulating ability, for increased energy, mental clarity, and physical performance. 

Lean Revolution boasts a significant dose of Carnosyn Beta Alanine which is synthesized from Beta Alanine and Histidine and is known to buffer hydrogen ions resulting in a positive impact on exercise performance. Research has shown that supplementing with 3.2 grams per day of Beta Alanine can increase muscle carnosine stores by as much as 66%. This elevation in carnosine has been shown to improve athletic performance. Studies have shown oral supplementation of Beta Alanine for 2-4 weeks has improved a range of athletic tests from sprint cycling to leg extensions by 8-12%.

Lean Revolution also introduces Agmatine Sulfate another new ingredient to the sports supplement market.  As a metabolic byproduct of Arginine, Agmatine goes beyond Arginine and works  by stimulating the release of pituitary hormones such as Leutinizing Hormone (LH) and Growth Hormone (GH). Agmatine also demonstrates insulin like properties.

For raw strength and power Lean Revolution turned to Creatine MagnaPower® also known as magnesium creatine chelate, a fully-reacted magnesium and creatine chelate. Magnesium is needed to drive the conversion of creatine into ATP. Creatine MagnaPower® will deliver 12% more free creatine to the body than a 5 gram serving of creatine monohydrate. It is a stable molecule and will not convert to creatinine in stomach acid.

Creatine plays a vital role in energy production by recycling ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). ATP is the source of energy for all muscle cells and is required for all cellular functions including muscle contraction, DNA synthesis and protein synthesis. The ATP recycling function of creatine does not occur without magnesium because magnesium is the mineral cofactor required for the enzyme which converts creatine into ATP. In fact, magnesium actually stabilizes ATP (energy) in the body. By combining magnesium and creatine into the same molecule, both of these nutrients are provided to the cell to work in the energy producing pathways.

Magnesium creatine chelate has been shown through research to be more effective then creatine monohydrate in enhancing lean muscle mass, increasing strength and power, and supporting energy levels.

Creatine MagnaPower provides more active creatine to the bloodstream for subsequent incorporation into the cells of the muscle. Chelate provides magnesium, which is involved in more energy producing systems than creatine, plus creatine requires magnesium for its energy producing cycle. High doses of creatine are not required, since the chelate is not susceptible to acidic cyclization. Gastric disturbances are eliminated since only doses approximately 20% of what would be needed with creatine monohydrate are required.

While stimulants can definitely help fuel workout intensity it is just as important to facilitiate the mind muscle connection.  That’s whey MuscleSport added Pikatropin-a nootropic compound that increases blood flow to the brain and lessens mental fatigue. Pikatropin also improves hand -eye coordination and reaction time.

 

CDP Choline was also added for brain and mood support.  CDP Choline results in a noticeable level of alertness and motivation.  In addition, colors seem brighter and sharper and libido is enhanced.

ANS Diesel Fuel creatine builds muscle through several different pathways but for the purpose of this article we will touch on its effect on producing a natural insulin response. 

This product has developed its own cult following by producing consistent positive results.  It has also generated a lot of questions on why it works so much better than competing products.  Read on to learn more about how Diesel Fuel creatine works.

ANS Diesel Fuel forces an insulin response in order to drive creatine and amino acids into the muscle for enhanced muscle growth.  This concept involves using the body’s natural insulin response to drive increased levels of amino acids, creatine, and glucose into muscle during extremely intense training sessions. The net effect equals more rapid gains in strength and muscle.

Insulin is the chemical trigger that drives nutrients into muscle cells. The larger the insulin response the greater the anabolic response. It’s that simple.

Insulin up regulates and activates all the transport mechanisms responsible for pumping amino acids, creatine, and glucose (all of which are critical for building maximum muscle and strength) directly into the muscle tissue.

So in effect, going into a workout with insulin spiked, and the bloodstream loaded with an abundance of these nutrients, will produce the necessary anabolic environment for gains in mass and strength.

ANS has taken this strategy to an entirely new level with the advent of Diesel Fuel, by utilizing the body’s own insulin production to drive increased levels of anabolic nutrients into working muscle — effectively turning the body into an anabolic machine.

Diesel Fuel sets off a near skin-splitting pump. It should be noted that even though the pump feels very pronounced and is definitely addictive, it’s not the feel that’s anabolic. It’s what’s being pumped into the engorged muscle tissue that’s making the difference.

Diesel Fuel can be taken pre or post workout but if you are looking for the pre-workout insulin response make sure to dose it before your workout.  If you really want to maximize results from this product mix it into a pre-workout product like SSL Rush or BioRhythm’s Juice.

BioRhythm SSIN Juice is a concentrated pre-workout with No fillers and No ingredients that cause bloat or stomach discomfort.  Each scoop of only 4 grams packs the power of 20 grams of the traditional style pre-workout powder.

 

Juice is the ultimate in energy working on multiple energy system pathways to pump you up and increase focus and concentration without the crash.

 

Mental Energy, Intensity and Focus

1,3-dimethylamylamine also known as geranium will energize even the most hardcore energy supplement user.  Geranium resembles the body’s own chemical messenger, epinephrine (adrenaline). Similar to adrenaline, geranium exhibits a powerful CNS stimulating ability, for increased energy, mental clarity, and physical performance.  This is especially valuable to athletes during calorie restriction or when a high level of focus is needed.  Geranium works through a similar pathway as ephedrine, causing an increase in cAMP (the chemical messenger that triggers fat release and thermogenic action).  This is ideal for your workout as it will allow you to fuel off of fat while working out.

 

Tyrosine will give you that laser like focus keeping you in the zone while enduring even the most brutal of workouts.  Tyrosine keeps the nervous system tuned up and you mind focused on the task at hand.

The precise dose and type of caffeine in Juice has been shown in studies to create a state of alertness.  Caffeine also plays an interesting role in increasing muscle output and athletic performance.  New research shows it improves reaction time and coordination. Caffeine taken prior to exercise also causes the body to release calcium stores which play a role in increasing the force in maximal muscle contractions. This can help an athlete generate more force to push more weight and more reps.

Physical Energy – The Book End Approach

While some products help promote energy and others focus on reducing fatigue Juice is one of the few to attack the energy cycle from both ends by promoting cellular energy and reducing fatigue toxins.

 

Mg2+ Creatine Chelate is a powerful low dose creatine that drives ATP production which supplies the muscle with energy to do more work meaning an ability in the gym to handle more repetitions and more weight. 

 

Beta-alanine serves as the rate-limiting precursor of carnosine and as such, it has been shown that by supplementing with beta-alanine, you can greatly increase carnosine levels in skeletal muscle tissue.  This is important because it acts as a buffer, preventing the increase of acidity or Hydrogen ion accumulation in skeletal muscle; something which contributes to the fatiguing of muscles.  This process allows you to extend the duration of time the muscle is under tension which is important to muscle growth.

 

By addressing both the regeneration of ATP, while also limiting Hydrogen ion accumulation, BioRhythm SSIN Juice provides a one-two combination that effectively reduces fatigue and fuels energy production.