Final weeks of contest prep with KARBOLYN

[-Jorgy-]

Preface:

First off I would like to thank �sixthsense� and All American EFX for the opportunity to be a product tester for this product that I have wanted to try for quite some time now.

-Thank You-

I will be testing and logging my use of KARBOLYN during the final weeks/days of my contest prep. Also I will continue to log post competition, while gradually bringing my macros back up. I do plan to utilize the product for my final peak-week as well as for my �load� phase prior to stepping on stage.

Competition day is May 19th; it is the Mr & Ms Natural Minnesota and IFPA Pro North American bodybuilding and figure championships. (see signiture #1 below for link) I will be competing here for my IFPA Pro Card.

I have been dieting since January 1st and have been following the nutrition advice of my Prep Coach and Owner of Team Wilson: (see signiture #2 below for link) Part of this diet strategy is to utilize the precise timing of nutrients. More specifically precisely timing your workout nutrition, what and when to ingest it are critical. For more info refer to his article here: (see signiture #3 below for link) It is specifically in these workout nutrition �shakes� where I will be replacing my existing carb sources with KARBOLYN.

Previously/currently I have used in these shakes: Kool-Aide powder, Gatorade powder (sugar, Glucose-Fructose), Pure Dextrose, Waxy Maize (several different companies), GenR8 Vitargo, Dymatize FLUD, even and probably some I�m forgetting. I will be to the best of my ability comparing the KARBOLYN to these and what I recall of each.
I will do my best to not give any scientific details I have no data to support, i.e. my insulin level was much higher today than normal.
I will try to keep my review as objective as possible.

My nutrition and supplementation is to remain unchanged up to peak-week. Also, as I am paying someone for their services I am not going to be specific on the diet break down and go into many specifics on a daily basis. I will however state that right now my daily macros are:
Total Calories=1971
Protein=198
Carbs=180
Fats=51
With a significant portion of these carbs coming in during my training shakes, now from KARBOLYN.

I hope you all enjoy my review and at the least find it to be informative of what I am claiming to notice from using this product.

-Tim-

[-Jorgy-]

Day 1:

I received my shipment today and was very excited to have gotten it on this day. Today is the first day of my outdoor soccer season. This means I will now be playing in full field, 90 minute games. This may not seem like much but on a restricted calorie diet it can be very difficult to keep up an intensity that is required to remain competitive for the duration.

I was shipped one 2.2 pound container of Fruit Punch and one 2.2 pound container of unflavored. I wanted the unflavored so I could continue to use this product when I have to cut out all artificial sweeteners leading up to competition day.

My initial serving today was 40g worth of KARBOLYN, because this is what fit my macros today. I mixed it with 16oz of cold water in a shaker.

First off I will be using the Fruit punch flavor. The product review goes like this:
�Mixability: Just as promised, mixed well. I added it to the cold water and as it sank it was almost fully dissolved before it hit the bottom. This is uncommon compared to other carb products but similar to that of Gatorade powder. The thing I first noticed was that it had zero clumping; now I state this because I have a very difficult time with Vitargo especially when added to cold water. The Vitargo seems to form a waxy ball that will never break up and mix in once it is formed.
After shaking briefly it was fully dissolved into the liquid. Probably could have just stirred it and been ok.
�Taste: The taste was excellent, not too over powering and without a chalky residue or strange aftertaste. I only tasted the product alone by itself and then added my other pre-workout ingredients. Mixed it with vanilla protein powder and it was �treat like� with a smooth texture.
�Other Sightings: After I mixed it up in the shaker I transferred it to a clear water bottle to prevent any spilling in my bag. I was pleasantly surprised when; later (about an hour) I took out the water bottle and did not see any sediment settling to the bottom. This is not the same as with a Waxy maize product where you get a large amount of crap settling to the bottom if it sits.

The product effects review goes like this:
As I stated above this was not used during a workout today but for energy for my soccer game. I started drinking my shake 30 minutes before the start of the game and finished it within about 5 minutes.
First thing I noticed is nothing! I did not feel like I had just drunk 16oz of fluid and then started to jog around, a good thing. I also did not feel anything strange or abnormal, no pump or rush of energy. But I wasn�t expecting to so that�s ok.
Long story short I was able to play at a high level for the full 90 minutes. Meaning I had sufficient lasting energy. Can I fully credit the KARBOLY? Who knows but I can say I�m excited to try it again. And while using more than just the 40 grams I did today.
Also, I did not at any point feel any cramping, bloating or have the urge to rush to the bathroom. Very different from other products I have used, Waxy seems to hit me about 35-45 minutes after ingestion and give me a very bloated pregnant feeling, not cool. I would also like to note I did not get the horrible gas that typical follows about 2 hours behind as with other products mainly Dymatize FLUD!!!

Morning after: well I feel fine� not like I had just played a full soccer game. I expected to be very sore and tired today. Mainly because it was an artificial turf field and my body usually takes a beating on the harder surfaces. But also because my post game nutrition was very limited; 1 scoop casein and 1 serving peanut butter. Can I say this is due to the KARBOLYN? Maybe partly, maybe I�m in better shape than I thought from the pre-contest cardio. But I do know I will be using this again for soccer games as I have nothing negative to say about it!

Tomorrow it will be a back and trap workout, my first with KARBOLYN, looking forward to it.

-Tim-

[-Jorgy-]

Follow me on my journey to becoming a Professional Natural Bodybuilder by liking my FB "Athlete Page"

Click the link below in my signature or from the title bar above

[sixthsense]

Game on!

[-Jorgy-]

DAY 2:

Back and Traps and HIIT day.

Today it was 80 degrees and sunny here for the first time in weeks. Makes it very difficult to find the motivation, especially being worn down and draggin ass from the restricted calories. So I was putting allot of hope in the KARBOLYN to keep me going. And as I expected it didn�t let me down. It was another intense workout where my weights were still as high as before I started dieting. So no loss of energy or intensity.

Per the structure of my diet I have a pre, during and post shake. All consisting of protein and carbs. I am now using the KARBOLYN in all 3 shakes as my only carb source.

Again the mixability is flawless, it mixes instantly and does not clump or settle to the bottom.

As for taste I have to say it is strong but not too over powering. I mix it in a full shaker and can only imagine that mixed with 8oz of water it could get pretty sweet, I will try this later to verify. Today I mixed the Fruit Punch flavor with chocolate, vanilla and a banana protein. And I have to say I was happy with how they all tasted. I have done this with Kool Aid as well so I kind of knew what to expect. The main difference being that the KARBOLYN gives the shakes a kind of creamy texture. I can�t quite explain it but it�s nice. Not gritty at all.

I really can�t comment on if I felt a better pump today or not. I will keep you posted on that subject. I do know that I did not nor have not �crashed� yet and become lethargic like sometimes happens from the pure sugar intake.

On a very positive note I can say with certainty that I do/did not feel any bloating or cramping at all. For me I always get cramps from Waxy especially from FLUD by Dymatize. Followed by bad gas, but none today! To me that alone is well worth it, especially on date nights

I did have to pee half way through my workout which is uncommon but may have been due to the increased water from being slightly dehydrated the day after a soccer game. I�ll keep an eye out for if this is a regular thing.

So far I have to say that I am pleased. Blown away, not yet.

I will update on how I think my recovery may be affected later.

-Tim-

[-Jorgy-]

DAY 2:

Back and Traps and HIIT day.

Today it was 80 degrees and sunny here for the first time in weeks. Makes it very difficult to find the motivation, especially being worn down and draggin ass from the restricted calories. So I was putting allot of hope in the KARBOLYN to keep me going. And as I expected it didn’t let me down. It was another intense workout where my weights were still as high as before I started dieting. So no loss of energy or intensity.

Per the structure of my diet I have a pre, during and post shake. All consisting of protein and carbs. I am now using the KARBOLYN in all 3 shakes as my only carb source.

Again the mixability is flawless, it mixes instantly and does not clump or settle to the bottom.

As for taste I have to say it is strong but not too over powering. I mix it in a full shaker and can only imagine that mixed with 8oz of water it could get pretty sweet, I will try this later to verify. Today I mixed the Fruit Punch flavor with chocolate, vanilla and a banana protein. And I have to say I was happy with how they all tasted. I have done this with Kool Aid as well so I kind of knew what to expect. The main difference being that the KARBOLYN gives the shakes a kind of creamy texture. I can’t quite explain it but it’s nice. Not gritty at all.

I really can’t comment on if I felt a better pump today or not. I will keep you posted on that subject. I do know that I did not nor have not “crashed” yet and become lethargic like sometimes happens from the pure sugar intake.

On a very positive note I can say with certainty that I do/did not feel any bloating or cramping at all. For me I always get cramps from Waxy especially from FLUD by Dymatize. Followed by bad gas, but none today! To me that alone is well worth it, especially on date nights

I did have to pee half way through my workout which is uncommon but may have been due to the increased water from being slightly dehydrated the day after a soccer game. I’ll keep an eye out for if this is a regular thing.

So far I have to say that I am pleased. Blown away, not yet.

I will update on how I think my recovery may be affected later.

-Tim-

Day 2 follow up:

Feel good this morning. Tight and sore like expected but not overly in pain. And absolutely no bloating/cramping all night!

My weight was up slightly today which surprises me as I was expecting a drop. Maybe this is due to the fast uptake of the carbs and them actually going into the muscles so I stay full longer, I can't say for sure but I will keep an eye on this: "Quickly hyper-loads muscle tissue with glycogen for optimum performance, endurance & recovery because it's absorbed 18.21% quicker than dextrose or sugar"

Today is cardio only for me so I will not be using KARBOLYN as I prefer to get in more food calories. But tomorrow is my high carb day as well as legs so I will have an update after that workout.

-Tim-

[Armstrongha]

Looking forward to hearing more of your review!

[-Jorgy-]

Looking forward to hearing more of your review!

Thanks, and I hope it gets better when I hit 50 posts and can start to post links and pics and stuff

[-Jorgy-]

Day 3:

Abs and cardio without any KARBOLYN, let's just say I learned my lesson.
That won't happen again!!!

The 35 minutes on the stepmill damn near ended me

[-Jorgy-]

Off for a morning leg session. Pre-during-post KARBOLYN totals = 90 grams. Sitting here drinking my pre-shake watching the sun rise, the taste is awesome!

Gotta love when high carb day falls on leg day

Update to follow.

[-Jorgy-]

Day 4:

Today was leg day for me and I decided to get them done first thing in the morning. Also, today is my high carb day so I can really see if I notice a difference. I had 3 shakes containing KARBOLYN, pre-during-post totaling 90 grams of carbs from all three. This is normal for my high carb days so no changes there. I also want to note that last leg day was also a high carb day for me as well, but using Vitargo as my carb source during training.

My workout today was this:
Hack Squat
Leg extension
Angled leg press
Wide leg smith-machine squats
Lying leg curls

Today I will try to follow this format somewhat:
1-Strength/Rep Increase: On the hack squat I ended up pushing out 3 more reps compared to last leg day. So at 2 weeks out from my competition I am still continuing to get stronger, I�m happy!
2-Sustained Workout Energy/Stamina: No problems with energy or stamina, if I had time I would have included lunges too. May do them later when I go back for cardio.
4-Pumps: No noticeable difference in pump, however I could see that I was full enough to see the feathering in my quads today. Can�t say if that�s from the KARBOLYN or from being slightly leaner than last week.
5-Recovery from Workouts: So far seems good, especially for being on restricted carbs. But the next few days will be the true test.
6-Side Effects: again no bloating or cramping I�m assuming I will have none from here on out but will continue to update.
7-Overall assessment: I love the taste and mixability of it, no problems there. Last night I made my shakes so I could be ready for this morning and there was some settling after 12 hours. But there was protein and BCAAs in there as well. I might do a time study with just KARBOLYN this weekend.

Side note: I mixed the fruit punch flavor with cookies and cream protein and it wasn�t very good. But I do really like it with vanilla and chocolate.

-Tim-

[-Jorgy-]

Day 4:

Today was leg day for me and I decided to get them done first thing in the morning. Also, today is my high carb day so I can really see if I notice a difference. I had 3 shakes containing KARBOLYN, pre-during-post totaling 90 grams of carbs from all three. This is normal for my high carb days so no changes there. I also want to note that last leg day was also a high carb day for me as well, but using Vitargo as my carb source during training.

Just wanted to add that I also had a pre-workout meal before the KARBOLYN.
Meal at 4:30
KARBOLYN at 5:30-7:30
Workout started at 6

-Tim-

[sixthsense]

Excellent work in here so far!

[-Jorgy-]

Excellent work in here so far!

Thanks!

[Derek2010]

Subbed. Check out my log: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=144349971

[-Jorgy-]

Day 5:

Following a high carb day and being on a Saturday and well rested I was feeling confident going into this workout, Chest and delts. As usual I had a pre-during-post shake all containing KARBOLYN and protein. So far this prep my strength actually was still increasing up until about 5 weeks out, which was 3 weeks ago. But since then it has been remaining high. And today was no exception. I was still able to dumbbell press 110s for 8 reps and hit the rest of my similar weights throughout the entire workout.

1-Strength/Rep Increase: No increase today but still no decrease even after a slight reduction in carbs last week. So that�s good.

2-Sustained Workout Energy/Stamina: I was able to complete my entire workout like normal. Did have a really good pump, but may have been from having full glycogen stores again finally. I did however after doing my training and posing practice really ran out of energy while doing cardio. This was going onto 2.5 hours of training though and following a big leg day.

My recovery seems to be much better. I am not feeling as sore from back day even though I completed the same workout and ate the same or slightly less than last week. I�ll keep an eye on this going forward.

I am still impressed with how well it mixes and tastes. So far a very nice addition to my prep!


-Tim-

[-Jorgy-]

Bi's, Tri's, Abs and cardio done. Will post soon!

[-Jorgy-]

Bi's, Tri's, Abs and cardio done. Will post soon!

Day 6:

Today was an arm, abs and cardio day. With posing mixed in before cardio. After being so tired for cardio yesterday I decided to try something a little different. Based on the study that shows:

Results: Karbolyn was absorbed 18.21% quicker than glucose and had a sustained energy response of nearly 1 hour over glucose. Glucose peaked at 30 minutes but dropped dramatically, and was spent before 120 minutes.
However, Karbolyn peaked at 45 minutes and was still present after 120 minutes. This would make Karbolyn superior to glucose for an instant burst of energy and provides enough sustained energy to endure a workout, ride or athletic event.

I decided to combine the KARBOLYN that would normally be my pre and during shakes into one larger pre-workout shake. This proved to be a really good idea! Not only did I get really good energy and a better pump but it was sustained throughout all of my workout at the higher level. It was still 2.5 hours all said and done but the stepmill seemed much easier to achieve the heart rate I was targeting. Again, a very good thing for me right now. If I can keep my intensity high the entire time the more likely it is that I am burning more calories.

Still no cramping bloating or any general feeling of discomfort!!!

-Tim-

[-Jorgy-]

Subbed. Check out my log:

Great man I'm on board!

[-Jorgy-]

Day 4:

Today was leg day for me and I decided to get them done first thing in the morning. Also, today is my high carb day so I can really see if I notice a difference. I had 3 shakes containing KARBOLYN, pre-during-post totaling 90 grams of carbs from all three. This is normal for my high carb days so no changes there. I also want to note that last leg day was also a high carb day for me as well, but using Vitargo as my carb source during training.

My workout today was this:
Hack Squat
Leg extension
Angled leg press
Wide leg smith-machine squats
Lying leg curls


-Tim-

Just wanted to update after this. Today is the 48 hour mark after my leg day. So normally I would not be able to walk.

But not today. Today I feel like I could go ahead and train legs again, weird. And I even was able to do 35 minutes on the stepmill with no problems. Now I would like to point out leg day was also a high carb day for me but so was my previous leg day. And I was sore as hell after that one.

Am I saying that KARBOLYN kept me from not getting sore at all, no. But I am saying that my recovery seems to be really good right now. Which surprises the hell out of me since I had my macros reduced 6 days ago.

Currently I am 2 weeks out from a competition and my macros are:

• Calories=1789

• Protein=196

• Carbs=136.5

• Fats=51

This alone is enough to get me excited about this product. Lets see if it continues.

-Tim-

[sixthsense]

Nice work so far!

[-Jorgy-]

Nice work so far!

Thanks man, kind of threw allot in there at once but I keep it on a word file until I have internet access.

[-Jorgy-]

Day 7:

Today was back and traps followed by HIIT cardio.

1-Strength/Rep Increase: I was able to hit all my reps at the same weights as my previous workout. This was not expected since I have been so depleted and flat lately.

2-Sustained Workout Energy/Stamina: No problems with energy or stamina during workout, I did make it through cardio but was exhausted afterwards. I followed this immediately with my post serving. And by the time I got home from the gym I was awake and had enough energy to mow my lawn and do some yard work, amazing.

3-Pumps: No noticeable difference in pump, which is good and I am assuming meant the carbs hit the muscles since I was so flat all morning.

4-Recovery from Workouts: So far seems good, especially for being on restricted carbs. Surprised by the quick recovery!

5-Side Effects: again no bloating or cramping I’m assuming I will have none from here on out but will continue to update.

6-Overall assessment: I love the taste and mixability of it especially mixed with chocolate protein.

I have to say so far I am pleased with this product and would purchase it later.

[-Jorgy-]

Day 7:

Today was back and traps followed by HIIT cardio.

Following this workout/day I had a nice weight drop. Very happy about that. I had the energy to burn the extra calories and fat.

[-Jorgy-]

Day 8:

Today was just posing practice and a soccer game, no gym time.
As with my workouts I have been taking a dose about 30 minutes before training or in this case my soccer game. I wanted to note that I had not had any carbs since post workout yesterday and was extremely sluggish. I didn�t have high hopes of being very productive for this game.

I managed to play at a normal level for 80 minutes but then began to feel worn down. At this point I sat out for the remaining 10 minutes as I was more concerned with staying injury free at this point.

No bloating cramping or extremely full feeling at all from running after ingesting.

-Tim-

[-Jorgy-]

Day 8:

Day 8 Update:

The morning after this soccer game I did not feel like I had played a full 80 minutes on very few carbs. I felt great!
I am thinking the KARBOLYN helped with this.

Also I had another weight drop.

-Tim-

[-Jorgy-]

Day 8 Update:

The morning after this soccer game I did not feel like I had played a full 80 minutes on very few carbs. I felt great!
I am thinking the KARBOLYN helped with this.

Also I had another weight drop.

-Tim-

I was exhausted all morning until my pre-workout carbs though. It wasn't like some miraculous thing. I just wasn't extremely sore and beat up.

[-Jorgy-]

One thing I did want to note here was that before my soccer game the other day was the first time I had it in my macros to get a full scoop. Now the label says 1 scoop (50g of carbs) is equal to 50.8 grams weight.

This was NOT the case here for me. I stopped at 51 grams and had more left in the scoop still. Probably 4-5 grams worth or more. this does not surprise me, especially with such a fine powder that can pack easily, that is why I always use the scale. Even do for protein powders too when I need to be accurate. Most powders do have some error no matter what the companies try to do it's just in the nature of it.

Not a problem for me as I have not come across anything that is right on. But I did want to bring it up here.

-Tim-

[sixthsense]

Good call on the grams and the scoop. This kind of thing occurs with every powder on the planet, LOL.

I also actually WEIGH everything as you do!

[braskibra]

keep it going dude following along with you, ive been using mine pre and intra im gonna try it postwo now!!!