Below I have put together a list of the top 10 pre-workout supplements based on these criteria. I have not only personally tried each and every one of them, but so has hundreds of others. The top 10 are ranked from 1-10 scale, 10 being the absolute perfect formula.
#1 – VPX NO Shotgun V.3, 28 Servings, WATERMELON
- 9.5 out of 10
“This supplement was good with a nice even energy rush which didn’t leave me jittery at all. I noticed that I started to shed some body fat while on this product, not to say i didn’t with the others, its just that I noticed it more with this one. Focus was great and my strength did increase significantly. If you read the write up on it the guys at VPX claim a 53% increase in leg press strength over a 4 week period. I found that to be a astounding claim so I had to see it for myself. My beginning leg press was 540 for about 3-4. After 4 weeks my leg press increased to 675 for 4. That’s a 24% increase which is still impressive for me because I have always had trouble with strength gains with my legs, especially the leg press. Overall I like NO Shotgun, but I wasn’t crazy about the taste and I found it to be a bit pricey. I have always like VPX because I think they do a good job at explaining the science behind their products and with this one, it offers you more than just a pump, but actual gains which can be measured.”
#2 - Accelerative Nutraceuticals MUSCLESPEED 90 tablets
- 9.4 out of 10
“This is the best pill form version of pre workout supplements currently available on the market today, perhaps the best one period. Its refreshing to be able to take some pills instead of mixing up a drink like I usually do (right now im using White Flood – thumbs up). Anyway, when taking this product I noticed an increase in strength about 4 days into using it. I was able to handle 315 lbs. on bench a lot easier than usual. I was reping 3 sets of 12 easily. Also, for some reason, the pill form is a little easier on my stomach than the other powder forms. You certainly cant go wrong here. Plus, there is 45 days worth of supplement here, a huge plus in my book .”
#3 - USPlabs Jack3d, 225 Grams, Lemon Lime
- 9.3 out of 10
“The lemon lime taste is good and mixes well. When I first tried this product I noticed a tingling sensation to go along with the incredible pump that I got. I took it 15 minutes before I hit the gym and I felt it in 1o! I did legs and stomach and I was hell bent on tearing up the squat rack. I knocked out 5 sets of squats and my whole body was pounding. I was ready for more so I hit the leg press and I was equally pleased at how focused I was as well as how long my endurance lasted. Legs is usually a weak spot for me so when I finished my entire workout in about 1 hour 15 minutes about 20 minutes ahead of schedule I was surprised. The only down side is that you run out fast and you’ve got to buy more.
#4 – BSN NO-Xplode NT, 30 Stick Packs, Fruit Punch
- 9.2 out of 10
“N.O. Xplode was really one of the pioneers of the new Nitric Oxide supplements that has virtually taken over the pre workout supplement line-up. This brand new version of the old school N.O. Xplode is definitely a worthy predecessor. I have tried both the fruit punch and blue raz sticks packs (fruit punch being my favorite out of the two) and have been very impressed with both. This is BSN’s new stab at the N.O. Xplode brand that although was decent, it did have some flaws in it like lack of sustained energy, and a sharp decrease in effectiveness over pro-longed periods of time. Apparently the people at BSN has taken heed to the complaints of their consumers and have in turn delivered on the goods with N.O. Xplode NT. This version of Xplode is hella potent. I don’t believe that you should make this your first N.O. experience. This product is for the hardcore lifters that just want to hurt something.”
#5 – Controlled Labs White Flood, 1.34 Lbs., Electric Lemonade
- 8.8 out of 10
“Overall one of the best nitric oxide products I have tried. It has clean and smooth energy that lasts for a good part of the day. It is a little intense during the first hour but if you train hard enough you should be set. If you read some other reviews, and I have, most people think that this is one of the most under-estimated N.O. products out on the market today. I’ll take White flood any day of the week over all this other hype crap. You feel it in about 20 minutes so make sure you are ready to lift, do cardio, or whatever it is you do because it will kick your ass if your not ready… I don’t know why white flood didn’t score as high as jacked or ether because its just as good.”
#6 - Dymatize Xpand Xtreme, 800 grams Blue Raspberry
- 8.8 out of 10
“This pre workout supplement is good but not as smooth as White Flood or Ether. The pumps were not Earth shattering, but that may be because I have been taking alot of different pre workout supplements and I may have built up my tolerance. I really don’t have any negative comments about it because it is on par with the more popular products like SuperPump 250 or N.O. Xplode. Right now you can get a free mixer plus an additional 10% off your purchase as a special promotion that wont last long. If your not a pre workout guru and just want a reliable product that is easy on the wallet then this is your N.O.2 “
#7 - Universal Animal Pump, 30 packs
- 8.5 out of 10
“This is one of the only pre workout supplements that is in pill form that made the list. That should be a good indication to you about how well this one did. There is no doubt that powder form N.O. supplements are better because your body can absorb the ingredients quicker, but still there are instances where the pill form would be better. Say if you are on the road and don’t have time to mix up a drink, you could just pop the pills with a drink and be done with it. So as far as flavor, there is none, but the effects such as mental focus and “pump” where definitely noticeable, but I wouldn’t say they were the best out of the bunch. This is a solid product that will work, its just not the best.. .”
#8 - Labrada Super Charge Xtreme N.O., 800 Grams, multiple flavors
- 8.5 out of 10
“Labrada products have been around for a while and has proven their products before like the Lean Body meal replacement drinks that everyone loves. Not to many people are aware of the fact that Super Charge Xtreme is a very underrated N.O. product that I for one was impressed with. I tried the grape and the fruit punch – both of which were decent tasting, and the pump I got was good, no headaches or gitters, just clean pumps for a good 3 hours. I would recommend any one try Xtreme N.O. It taste good, gives you great sustained muscle pumps and the results will speak for themselves.”
#9 - Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump250, 800 Grams, Grape Cooler
- 8.4 out of 10
“Gaspari Nutrition is always a safe bet. Good solid products that do exactly what you want it to do. The first thing that I would like to point out is the great taste and mix-ability of this product. I liked the grape cooler flavor the best, but the Orange was good too. This N.O. supplement is great for 2 reasons – It give you a great pump, and it helps to increase muscle density. There have been reports of this product keeping people up at night, so be aware of the fact that if you workout at night-time you should either workout earlier so you can take the recommended amount, or just plan of reorganizing your garage at 12:00 at night.”
#10 -
1 – Get Diesel Nos Ether, 660 Grams, Cherry Lemonade
- 8.4 out of 10
“The cherry lemonade taste was good which surprised me. Talk about under the radar products. You don’t hear much about Nos Ether but let me be the one to make you aware of a killer pre workout formula that delivers insane pumps consistently, over and over again. What I like about this stuff is that I don’t get over caffeinated to the point that your kidneys give out, nor does it lack that caffeine kick that you expect and often times rely upon to get you in the mood to crush steel. Its a great product that stayed below the radar no more. Come experience this years top rated under-dog of 2010!!
The most important thing to remember before taking a pre workout supplement is that you must take it in cycles. Meaning that if you are currently taking a pre workout supplement or have just finished one, then you should take a 2-3 week break before starting another one. This rule also applies to ANY supplement that contains stimulants like caffeine. If your taking a fat burner for instance, and want to begin taking a pre workout supplement than you need to wait that 2-3 week period before starting so you can start clean and feel the full effects of the product.