“Pre-workout supplements”. I had never heard of them, much less used them, before P90X. Despite the fact that I have spent many years of my life lifting weights, I never spent much time researching supplements. Then I listened to the advice of my coach and tried Jack3d (a popular pre-workout N.O. booster) at the start of month 2 of my first round of P90X. All I can say is WOW!! What a difference in energy, endurance, focus, and muscle pump.
So, what do N.O. boosters (nitric oxide boosters) do? They cause an increase in nitric oxide in our body, which causes vasodilation (it makes our blood vessels relax and bulge, thus carrying more nutrients and oxygen throughout our body). This vasodilation allows our muscles to recieve more oxygen and nutrients during workouts — and after workouts. The main ingredient in nitric oxide boosters is ARGININE. Arginine is an amino acid which is broken down by our body into nitric oxide. Arginine comes in various forms, and either plain or mixed with other ingredients thought to intensify the effects and duration of nitric oxide circulating in our body. For instance, Jack3d also contains creatine and caffeine. Other popular brands include Superpump 250, 1 M.R., and N. O. Explode. They have slightly different variations of ingredients, so finding the right one is a very subjective process. Some find that one works better for them than the others.
**A word of warning = NO boosters affect people differently, so ease into it. Many have high doses of caffeine, which can make your heart rate go sky high and keep you awake for hours afterward (which would be a big problem if you work out at night). NO boosters can also make you feel nauseous (and even throw up) if you take more than your body can handle. BE CAREFUL and read the directions on the product that you buy!!
Do you ever look ahead to your workout and think, “I don’t feel like working out today.”? Take an N.O. Booster and let me ask you that same question in 30 minutes! Haha! It literally leaves you chomping at the bit to BRING IT!
Many who have used Jack3d report a “tingling” sensation in their head and extremities after a few minutes. I don’t know if it’s my size or what, but I never felt that. The directions indicate that you can take anywhere from 1 scoop to 3 scoops (start with 1 and see how you do before trying more!). I got up to 3 scoops and liked it, but at 3 scoops per workout, the tub will only last 15 workouts (45 scoops per tub)!
As far as which workouts I take it for, my answer is, “Any workout that I want extra focus and energy for”, which is pretty much all of them except the abs and recovery week workouts. I take it for both lifting and cardio days.
Since Jack3d (and many of the pre-workouts) have creatine in them, I recommend cycling them (2 months on, 1 month off). Since I used Jack3d for month 2 and 3 of my first round, I cycled off for the first month of round 2. After getting used to using a pre-workout, that was HARD to go without it!! I was very glad when I got to month 2 and could start supplementing again!
In conclusion, I would highly recommend an N.O. Booster. The taste is horrible on most of them, but hey, that’s not why we are taking it, so I can get past that. The only complaint I have about Jack3d is that at 3 scoops per workout, this product won’t last me very long. For that reason, I am currently using another pre-workout (N.O. Loaded from GNC). N.O. Loaded is packed with more caffeine (so much that you CAN’T take more than 1 scoop). It also tastes better. It seems to work just as well for me too.
Since I am about to cycle off creatine again for a month, I will have to go without a pre-workout again. I am going to try pure Arginine (the actual amino acid that causes an increase in nitric oxide levels), which doesn’t have creatine or caffeine in it. I will see if I still get the same effect from the arginine as I do from the pre-workout supplements (which have arginine PLUS caffeine, creatine, etc.)
Bottom line = pick a pre-workout that works for you, but I think that once you try one, you will make it part of your “must have” list!!
Need a coach?
My email: coachwayne@teamripped.com
IG: @wayne_wyatt
