Bodybuilding.com Coupons And Supplement Reviews

Yohimbine Effects and Information For Bodybuilders

Admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:31:11 +0000

In the previous post about Cellucor D4 Thermal Shock vs. D4 Extreme, I mentioned that the main difference between the two supplements was D4 Thermal Shock contained yohimbine. Yohimbine is not well known by most bodybuilder’s, so I did some research and this is what I found out.

What is Yohombine?

Yohimbine is derived from the bark of two trees found in Africa, the Pausinystalia yohimbe and Corynanthe yohimbe.

Its Original Uses

Yohimbine was originally prescribed as an aphrodisiac and help impotent man. It was the viagra of yesterday.

For Bodybuilders?

The bodybuilding community thought that since yohimbine helped with giving guys hardons that it may also boost androgenic hormones such as testosterone. However, science revealed that instead of raising hormones such as testosterone, yohimbine actually is a really strong vasodialator (inscreases the size of your blood vessels) allowing more blood flow.

Yohimbine To Loose Weight?

Since this extract blocks alpha receptors, an increase in lipolysis (fat metabolism) may result due to increased levels of norepinephrine in the blood stream. Norepinephrine raises fat utilization by the body because it directly stimulates a hormone, sensitive lipase. By turning on this enzyme, increased triglycerides and fatty acids are broken down. Increased release of free fatty acids into the blood stream results in more burned adipose tissue.

The studies I have seen have had mixed results. Some showing that increased fat loss occurred and others there was no significant difference among test subjects.

Word of Caution

And as always if you are going to purchase a supplement containing this extract made sure to purchase from a well respected company because supplement manufacturing is not regulated.

Cellucor D4 Thermal Shock vs. D4 Extreme

Admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:02:02 +0000

Cellucor is now carried at Bodybuilding.com after being exclusively sold at GNC. Cellucor offers two fat burning thermogenics of which are named D4 Extreme and D4 Thermal Shock. They are basically the same supplement with Thermal Shock containing more stimulants and the stronger of the two products.

D4 Extreme:
The weaker of the two supplements, D4 Extreme is still a potent product. After reading many reviews, users shouldn’t have any problem taking the full dosage and experiencing the jitters or anxiousness. Per serving the Extreme version contains 250mg of caffeine.

D4 Thermal Shock
The Thermal Shock version of D4 is definitely the stronger of the two containing both caffeine ( 290mg per serving) and yohimbine. It is highly suggested that users start with a low dosage and work their way up to the recommended 4 capsules per day. Many who have used D4 Thermal shock have experienced jitters after taking taking the supplement. If you are sensitive to stimulants, begin with the Extreme version and work your way up the the stronger version.

Either way before taking D4 Extreme or D4 Thermal Shock make sure you have your diet in order. Remember there is no miracle pill. These supplements will only aid you in your weightloss, they are not the answer.

I will write more on yohimbine in my next post.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALrMbvEZ1iM

CytoSport Cyto Gainer Review

Admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:18:18 +0000

Review Submitted by Matt:

Before I write my CytoSport CytoGainer Review, I will list the benefits taken from Bodybuilding.com

Benefits of CytoGainer:

54 grams of ultra high-quality whey proteins, consisting of glutamine-rich, partially pre-digested whey peptides for easy digestibility
Complex carbs only, consisting of long-linear chain maltodextrins for enhanced recovery
3 grams of Creatine Monodydrate to fuel muscles after intense training
2 grams of L-Glutamine to help preserve muscle tissue and boost immunity
98% lactose free
97% fat-free
No simple sugars, fructose, or sucrose
Mixes instantly – no blender required
Absolutely amazing taste!

I have taken CytoGainer for about a month now after hitting a weight plateau for nearly 3 months. I have gained almost 5 lbs since I began taking this supplement, which I am very happy with because it is very difficult for me to gain weight. I have not changed my diet other than adding this weight gainer. The weight I have gained is also pretty clean, mostly being muscle mass and not bodyfat.

I highly suggest the chocolate malt flavor, I really liked it. Unlike other whey protein powders I have used, this mixes into a very stick shake. It mixes with a spoon, but if you have a blender available I would use that instead. During the first week, I took the recommended 4 scoops after my training session, but settled on 3 for the rest of the cycle. The reason being because I have a very hard time consuming anything after working out. I also usually have a sensitive stomach to new supplements, but Cyto Sport caused my no discomfort or bloating : ).

Depending on how hungry I was in the mornings, I would also take another 1-2 scoops with my normal breakfast. Overall, I am very pleased with CytoSport CytoGainer because it helped me with my ultimate goal, to gain more weight after reaching a plateau.

CytoGainer Ingredients Label

Mike Mentzer Heavy Duty Interview

Admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:32:37 +0000

Mike Mentzer was one of the original bodybuilders that trained using High Intensity Training (HIT) principles. Mike called his style of training “Heavy Duty”. Listen to this phone interview of Mike Mentzer where he discusses Heavy Duty training and other valuable bodybuilding information.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE6xlnvyOf4

Universal Animal Pak Review

Admin — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 00:46:00 +0000

Universal Animal Pak is one of the most popular multi vitamins made specifically for athletes and bodybuilders. As of August 2009, Universal introduced a new formula of Animal Pak. I have yet to try the new formulation but I will discuss my experiences with the original.

When writing an Universal Animal Pak review, you must start with the amount of pills you are required to take in each pack. As the picture above shows, each pack contains 11 pills. This could be a problem for some that have trouble swallowing pills. Luckily, it was not hard to get them all down. Only a couple of them are actually large pills, most are small and easy to swallow.

Reading other reviews from people whom have taken Animal pak, many claim that it gave them a great energy boost. Now that I can’t speak of the new formula, but I didn’t feel much of an energy boost from the original formula. It should be said however, that I am not really looking for an energy boost form my multi vitamin, that is what Jack3d is for : ).

This supplement is also a little pricey. The directions say to take either 1 or 2 packets a day, but if you are eating a clean diet you can get away with taking one.

Animal Pak did however do the job I wanted from my multi vitamin supplement. The reason for taking it was to make sure I was getting all the vitamins and minerals I needed that were missing from my diet. This supplement has everything in it that I need.

I just have a hard time thinking that my body is able to absorb all those nutrients in one dosage. For this reason, I like taking Optimum Nutrition’s Opti-men. It contains many of the same core ingredients and one pill is taken 3 times daily.

For those of you who have taken the new formula, what are your experiences? Leave your comments on the new forum.

Animal Pak Review Thread

BSN True Mass Review

Admin — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 05:35:54 +0000

Review by Clark C.

Here are the BSN True Mass Product Highlights

Sustained Release (8 hours of amino acid nitrogen delivery)
Multi-Funcitional A.M.-P.M. Protein and Carbohydrate Blend (Ideal for post workout)
6 Different Ultra-Premium Proteins
Active Protein Utilization Enzymes for Increase & Efficiency of Use
BCAAs and Essential and Non-Essential Amino Acids
Medium Chain Triglycerides for Fast Burning Energy Source
Glutamine Peptides and Glutamine AKG
Good Source of Fiber
Aspartame Free

I have been using True Mass for my bulking cycles for two years now. When taking this supplement my strength increases steadily and my recovery times shorten. I also find that the weight I gain from True Mass is pretty clean with my little fat gain.

The taste is great. My favorite flavor is the chocolate milk shake. I really like this supplement because it doesn’t give me the bloated feeling like many other weight gainers do. It isn’t the easiest stuff in the world to mix, so I usually use a blender to mix my shakes when I have one available. True Mass still can be mixed with a spoon, but you will most likely get some clumps in the shake.

The only con about BSN True Mass is it is a little pricey for me as a college student. One tub contains 18 servings which costs just under $38. It is well worth it however, if you are looking to add extra calories into your diet.

As far as how much I take, I follow the directions and take 3 scoops post workout.

BSN True Mass Nutritional Label

VPX NO Shotgun Review

Admin — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:03:56 +0000

VPX No Shotgun Review by Chandler L.

I have used many of the pre wokout supplements on the market today. I had currently been taking USPLabs Jack3d, but decided to try something new out and decided to go with No Shotgun after reading some positive reviews. I have been taking it for three weeks now and I will tell you about my experiences.

Overall 8/10

The pump and vascularity I get from the No Shotgun is great. I usually take it about 20 minutes before I start training and by that time, I can feel its full effects. The energy boost I get is also good. The only problem is that it only lasts about 45-60 minutes. That may be just because I have a very high tolerance to pre workout supplements since I have been taking them for so long. That is the primary reason I love Jack3d so much is because I never get tired when I train with it. As far as the ingredients go in No Shotgun, I like what they added to this supplement other than the No complexes including creatine monohydrate, multiple protein sources, and beta alanine.

Price and Taste 8/10

I opted for the bottle that contains the 28 servings and the watermelon flavor which was a mistake. I was not much of a fan of the watermelon flavor. Even though the flavor was not the best, it mixed easily and wasn’t clumppy at all. I end up taking about a serving and a half per training session, so a bottle will last be almost 5 weeks. So spending $40 on VPX No Shotgun for a 5 week cycle is not bad at all.

Found this on youtube

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPGWYQ4UbI4

USPLabs OxyElite Pro Review: Ultimate Fat Burner

Admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 09:17:24 +0000

I recently finished a cycle of this so I’ll write a USPLabs OxyElite Pro Review and share my results.

A month ago I decided to go on a 4 week cut.

I first determined my baseline caloric intake and dropped that by 500 calories a day.

This means that I should have lost about 1 lb a week with the following logic.

500 Cals x 7 days = 3500 = 1lb fat lost

Since I didn’t just cut fat calories from my diet, I also cut carbohydrates, I should loose a little less than a 1 lb a week because fat contains more calories than carbohydrates per gram.

Along with cutting down on my daily calories, I also did cardio 4 days a week.

2 HIT sessions of 20 mins and 2 lower intensity sessions of 45 mins in duration

I performed cardio in the morning on an empty stomach and took 2 OxyElite Pro pills and also drank a cup of coffee. Around 6 hours later, I took another 2 pills for a total of 4 per day.

My 4 Week Results on USPLabs OxyElite Pro

Starting Weight: 250lbs

Ending Weight: 242lbs

So I ended up loosing 8 lbs total at an average of 2 lbs per week. Since I only cut my caloric intake down to about 1 lb weight loss per week, the combo of cardio and OxyElite helped me loose an extra pound per week. I really liked this supplement and will use again for my next cut. I felt its thermogenic effects, which I liked. I sweated ridiculously during training and cardio. I also had the feeling of an increased baseline body temperature, which hopefully led to an increased basal metabolic rate and more burned calories.

Post your experiences, comments, and questions on the forum here

OxyElite Pro Review

Gaspari Nutrition Sizeon Review

Admin — Sat, 15 May 2010 03:04:30 +0000

This is the second Gaspari Nutrition product that I have tried with Superpump 250 being the first. Gaspari has recently came out with an improved formula, Sizeon Maximum Performance, that makes it more of a complete intra-workout supplement. The original formula was mainly creatine based, but the new additions give you additional benefits including a whey complex and carb complex. As I have referenced in a previous review, consuming high glycemic carbohydrates and protein during your workouts will help boost your and gains and quicken recovery times. The only problem is that studies show that a certain carbs to protein ratio, 3:1, is most effective, and the Sizeon label does not tell you really how much of each complex is contained per serving. However, I think any additional carbs and protein during your training sessions will be beneficial. Here is a list of Q and A’s discussing the differences between the new and old Sizeon formulas.

Q: What is the difference between SizeOn Maximum Performance and SizeOn Pre-Contest?

A: SizeOn contains the revolutionary OUTLAST carbohydrate complex for maximal performance in the gym and recovery and it contains pterostilbene – our patent pending, naturally occurring insulin secretagogue – which helps to push those carbohydrates (and amino acids and other nutrients) into skeletal muscle cells to maximize glycogen synthesis, cell volumization and myogenesis. This formula is geared towards an athlete looking to “bulk up as fast as possible.” SizeOn Pre-Contest does not contain the OUTLAST complex nor pterostilbene.

Q: What is the difference between the new version of SizeOn and the original?

A: The new version of SizeOn contains high amounts of whey protein hydrosylate, leucine, along with more carbohydrates as well as pterostilbene to support insulin levels already within normal range. All in all, it is a much more advanced product based on cutting edge research.

Q: Can SizeOn only be used by bodybuilders or can athletes looking to build muscle mass and enhance their recovery use it as well?

A: SizeOn can be utilized wishing to speed their recovery, build muscle mass, and increase performance.

The Sizeon Review:

Overall: 9/10

I really like the new Maximum Performance formula because of the additional complexes that make it a complete intra-workout supplement. I also like how the main creatine used in the formula is indeed monohydrate. I have read many studies that prove that monohydrate gives the same results as the more expensive hybrid forms. So the fact that they used monohydrate most likely kept the price tag down a little. I received great strength increases while I took Sizeon. My most impressive strength increase was in the barbell curl. I went from 6 reps to 13 reps of 135lbs during the 4 weeks I took this supplement. The reason I gave a 9 instead of a 10 is because since the end of the cycle, about 2 weeks ago, my strength has decreased a small amount which is expected after discontinuing any creatine supplement. However, I am still able to get 9 reps of the 135lbs so I am very pleased with a 3 rep increase in strength.

Taste: 8/10

I got the wild berry punch flavor and had no complaints. I have a sensitive stomach so it took a few workouts with the sizeon for the stomach to be completely “cool” with it.

Mixibility: 10/10

Just dump it in a water bottle, shake a few times, and you are good to go.

Price: 8/10

I train 4 times per week, the Sizeon cycle lasted me just over 4 weeks with about a scoop and a quarter for each training session. The recommended dosage is one scoop, but I am a big boy at 247 so I cheated a little. At about $10 bucks a week it was worth it.

Free Shipping At Bodybuilding.com This Month

Admin — Wed, 12 May 2010 06:03:03 +0000

From the 12th through the 25th Of May, Bodybuilding.com is offering free shipping on all orders over $99.

You can still use the coupons here to save more money on your orders in addition to the free shipping.

So grab all your supplements for summer quickly and save some extra cash!