If there’s one bodybuilding supplement category that I’m huge fan of, its pre and post workout supplements. Pre and post workout times are crucial times to get the proper nutrients and supplements into your system. You need fuel and energy that will sustain you throughout your workout and you need proper elements to rebuild and start the recovery process after your workout. Formulated products are a quick and convenient way to do this.
I’ve tried a ton of different supplements in my life, including various pre and post formulas. Since post workout supplements aren’t supposed to give you any stimulating effects, it’s difficult to tell whether or not the product actually works. The important factor here is to make sure you’re getting the essential supplements your body needs to start repair and recovery after a grueling workout. Some of the essentials are creatine, glutamine, and branched chain amino acids which both NO Shotgun and NO Synthesize contain. However, pre workout formulas are designed to give you a boost of energy. Since my weight routine starts at 5 a.m. every morning, pre workout formulas are of extreme importance in my supplement program. What I’ve noticed with many pre workout formulas is that the effects are generally greater the first several times but diminish after that, or you have to mega dose the product, taking two to three servings. This may be OK, but can get expensive. Both NO Shotgun and NO Synthesize recommend only one serving, which is another feature that attracted me to try them.
To date, the most effective product I’ve taken for pre and post workout times are VPX’s NO Shotgun and NO Synthesize. They’re essentially the same product, with the exception that NO Shotgun which is the pre workout formula contains VPX’s Red Line blend which consist of stimulants. There’s a ton of ingredients in these products, but as I stated, some essentials I look for are creatine, glutamine and branched chain amino acids.
Before I started taking both products, I first tried NO Synthesize on its own, taking a half serving with a couple caffeine pills pre workout, then a full serving post workout. My muscles felt fuller, but mainly I was gaining strength while gradually losing fat simultaneously. Once I started throwing in the NO Shotgun, I noticed not only increased energy, but sustained energy throughout my workout, as well as increased strength and fat loss. Granted, my bench press didn’t go up 100 pounds that week or anything outrageous. But the bottom line is these products work quite well for me and have become a staple in my supplement regimen. I don’t get any kick backs from this (from VPX or the website I’m recommending), but the cheapest place I’ve found these supplements is at massnutrition.com.