REVIEW: Activate Xtreme & Novedex XT (8 Weeks)

[Kyle.Lgk]

Log: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=115466141

REVIEW:

Cliffs from the Review:
-Added strength on all lifts, while cutting BF from ~12% to 6-8% (185 - 170 - 175 lbs)
-Recovery was amazing, went high intensity & high volume on most lifts and trained 52 times in 60 days
-Increase in Aggression, but also in Drive offset by occasionally feelings of lethargy
-Decrease in mental libido, but increase in sexual performance and stamina
-No changes in Joint or Sleep issues
-Look below for a breakdown in strength changes on various lifts
-Look below for a list of all the supplements I was taking during the stack
-Look below for pictures

REVIEW: 8 Weeks of Activate Xtreme & Novedex XT
Dosage: Act-X = 4 (2am / 2pm) / NXT = 1 each night
Weight: 185 --> 170 --> 175 ::: I was cutting on this stack so weight loss was the goal

MASS & BODY FAT:
One thing I get tired of hearing (especially in the forums) is "I want to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time"... while its possible, its more optimal to shoot for 1 at a time in a periodized fashion... HOWEVER, I noticed a great Muscle Gain to Fat Loss Ratio with these supps. I'm assuming this is mostly due to the Novedex (ATD), which has studies showing an average of I think 3.5% BF loss during a cycle. I was cutting on this stack so naturally I lost fat anyway, but I noticed an unusual amount of cut on my body. It was like I was dried out and the muscle separation was a lot more pronounced. This effect didn't even fade during periods of cheat meals, high carbs and high sodium (which tend to diminish this look). I wouldn't suggest using the Novedex as a fat burner due to the potency of the product, but it definitely makes a great cutting supp for those who are interested in Non-PH T-Boosting/E-Blocking products. That said, I think this would be an even better stack on a bulk... I almost feel wasteful using it on a cut. I plan to run it again next winter when Im adding mass.

STRENGTH:
-Strength increased even while weight was dropping.
-I lost 6 lbs in 36 hrs for a modeling show and landed at 170. This definitely put a dent in my progress. Took me a few days to bounce back from that and I'm sure I lost some mass.
-If I had been bulking with this stack I imagine strength gains would have been much more dramatic. Take a look...

STRENGTH CHANGES:

:::Lower Body:::
Squats: 275 x 5 ----> 275 x 8
Deadlift: 405 x 1 (+ 365 x 3) ----> 435 x 1 (+ 375 x 4)

:::Chest:::
Bench Press: 255 x 1 ----> 275 x 1
DB Chest Press: 85s x 5 ----> 100s x 5

:::Back:::
Bent Over DB Rows: 100s x 8 ----> 125s x 12
Wide Grip Chins: BW x 10/8/7/6 ----> 10/10/8/8
Cable Lat Pull Downs: 180 x 5 ----> 220 x 8

::: Delts/Traps:::
Military: 155 x 6 ----> (Quit doing heavy military cuz of aggrevated left shoulder)
DB Delt Press: 75s x 4 ----> 80s x 5
BB Shrugs: 275 x 10 ----> 500 x 6 (+405 x 10)

:::Arms:::
Weighted Dips: 1P x 6 + BW x 10 ----> 2Ps x 5 + 1P x 6 + BW x 10
BB Curls: 105 x 6 ----> 135 x 3
DB Curls: 50s x 5 ----> 60s x 5

TRAINING/RECOVERY:
Recovery was amazing... My volume was insane for most of the workouts without sacrificing much intensity.
I always began workouts with the hardest (usually compound) lifts and went to failure on most sets.
I trained on average from 1.25 - 1.75 hrs, usually in the early afternoon, hitting every muscle group in anywhere from a 3-5 day split.

I trained 52 times in 60 days:
3 two-a-day workouts
9 rest days
2 active rest days
5 day deload period (trained lightly all 5 days)

Side Effects:

Drive: My drive was strong at first, then it seemed to go up and down after that. I know the activate Xtreme gave me a productivity boost, but I also felt a bit of lethargy at the same time. Hard to explain, but as long as I forced myself into a task or social situation I thrived... it was just that initial boost to get my ass out there that was tough. But thats what friends and significant others are for

Aggression: I'm aggressive by nature so naturally this trait was amplified. I was more irritable with family then anything, but I controlled it well with my girl and my friends. Also, if anyone tested me I was always quick to throw down... and once in that mode, I could snap easily. Luckily nothing ever got to that point. I think the aggression is a double edged sword, it can be used for good or evil hehe

Libido: The loss in libido from the Novedex (ATD) wasn't a problem at all. I mean I could go without sex and it wouldn't bother me, but anytime my girl would get tender I would be in the mood immediately... my sexual performance & stamina were great (even if I was WASTED), so the loss in libido is mental, not physical (at least for me)

Sleep: Hard to say really cuz I always struggle with sleep. Not because "thats the way I am" but more because I take so many stims. I'm already 2 days off the stims being done with the stack and sleeping much better. Makes me wanna be off them completely.

Joints: Many people have reported joint soreness when running an ATD... I noticed no problems. I've had issues with my left shoulder for a while now and its actually better then its ever been. I supplement with glucosamine, chondriton & msm and laid low on the military press to compensate for this problem.

Alcohol: I drank occasionally at the beginning of the stack and more frequently towards the end. Mainly because its summer and I'm getting ready to move away for grad school (gotta party with friends as much as possible before I go). The nights I drank didn't seem to hinder my workouts the next day too much, and I don't think there was any adverse reaction between the alcohol and the supps. I always tried to seperate the alcohol and supps with a meal like: Supps --> Meal --> Alcohol or Alcohol --> Meal --> Supps.

OTHER SUPPS:
Other supplements can be variables that change the equation so just in case anything I experienced had something to do with anything else I was taking, here is my main list of supps I used:

Dymatize Elite Whey: Upon Waking & Post Workout
ON Casein: Upon Waking & Before Bed
Universal Torrent (High GI Carbs, Quality Protein with lots of leucine, 1g of creatine per scoop): Post Workout
CL Green Mag: As part of my creatine supply in conjunction with Torrent
CL White Flood: Preworkout Boost
CL Glycergrow: Used it on and off intra-workout
Core ABC (BCAAs / Beta Alanine / CM): Used Intra-workout occasionally for recovery, endurance and pump
NOW Beta Alanine: Avg 4-6g a day
Supp Direct BCAAs: Added to intraworkout shake on harder days
Eco Green Multi: AM
Joint-V: Glucosamine, Chondriton, MSM, etc...
ZMA: Before bed
Tribulus + Mens Virility: Occasionally on an empty stomach (to offset libido issues from NXT)
CoQ10: 100mg Daily
Gingko Biloba: 120mg Daily
Vitamin C: 2-4g daily depending on activity
Calcium + D: Occasionally
Saw Palmetto: In the hopes to minimize balding caused by DHT (Wishful thinking)

================================================== ===============================
Pictures

Most Muscular:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/photo/...ppuser=4289471

Back Shot / Rear Double Bicep:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/photo/...ppuser=4289471

Rear Deltoid Shot:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/photo/...ppuser=4289471

Side Tricep Shot:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/photo/...ppuser=4289471

Side Chest n Ab Shot:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/photo/...ppuser=4289471

Front Pose (Arms Up):
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/photo/...ppuser=4289471

Legs:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/photo/...ppuser=4289471

================================================== =====================================

[rhetro]

Nice review. I'm on this stack myself, but I only added the AX in this week(week 4).

[Pilson]

Hey Man! nice review...i finished for about 3 weekss my cycle of 8 weeks mass fx and 4 weeks novedex....i really enjoyed and felt that the novedex is the REAL DEAL!

im waiting maybe 5 weeks to do some act with novedex and lean xt to see some lean muscle hehe...thx!

[Be_Easy]

Hey Man! nice review...i finished for about 3 weekss my cycle of 8 weeks mass fx and 4 weeks novedex....i really enjoyed and felt that the novedex is the REAL DEAL!

im waiting maybe 5 weeks to do some act with novedex and lean xt to see some lean muscle hehe...thx!

how were your gains? did you lose bodyfat? I started this stack around May 20 and plan on running it for the full 8 weeks

[Kyle.Lgk]

Nice review. I'm on this stack myself, but I only added the AX in this week(week 4).

Hows it going with the Novedex on its own? I believe that was the more potent of the 2

[Big_Tom(tk)]

Thanks for taking the time to post a review!!

[nwskier]

posted in the other thread, but just wanted to say great write up and results!

looking forward to seeing what your next stack brings.

[Kyle.Lgk]

Hey Man! nice review...i finished for about 3 weekss my cycle of 8 weeks mass fx and 4 weeks novedex....i really enjoyed and felt that the novedex is the REAL DEAL!

im waiting maybe 5 weeks to do some act with novedex and lean xt to see some lean muscle hehe...thx!

Thanks... Novedex is definitely a potent supp.... Hows mass fx?... im curious if its any better then act-x

[haiz69]

Great review! Thanks!

[rhetro]

Hows it going with the Novedex on its own? I believe that was the more potent of the 2

It was going well. I agree the Novedex is the more potent of the two, but the strength of stacking them together is undeniable.

[Kyle.Lgk]

posted in the other thread, but just wanted to say great write up and results!

looking forward to seeing what your next stack brings.

Thanks buddy

[Baller323]

So far, I'm really liking ActivaTe Xtreme - it's doing way more than the original did -- I'm actually feeling more of an effect than I did when taking Activate AND X-Factor in simultaneously.

[Coolio10]

great comprehensive review.

[Kyle.Lgk]

It was going well. I agree the Novedex is the more potent of the two, but the strength of stacking them together is undeniable.

I agree... Act-X is still a solid product, u never hear anyone talking bad about it