mccyjcb's RedCon1 Big Noise log

[mccyjcb]

Haven't did a log in a while..so this one should be good! I'm stoked to finally start another log, as they help you be way more accountable in your workouts and diet. I'll be logging RedCon1 Big Noise, their stim-free pre workout / pump product. But don't let that minor description make you think it doesn't get the job done.




Ingredient profile: 9/10


IMO, the dosing of all ingredients are dosed accordingly with what most would recommend for these ingredients. So it's not underdosed in that way. Although without knowing what % the Huperzine A is, we can not know how much Huperzine A extract we are actually getting. But I'll give RedCon1 the benefit of the doubt. The only ingredient that I'd like to see in this formula would be a nice dosing of Citrulline malate, which has been proven to have ergogenic effects. Nonetheless, a great ingredient profile right from the start.

How I plan to take:
Wake up @4:30am
Eat pre-workout meal, typically a bowl of cereal or oatmeal
Sip on Big Noise from 4:45am to 5am (taken along with baby aspirin, and 5g BCAA)
Begin workout out at 5:15am or so

I plan to drop caffeine this weekend, to give my body a 2-day adjustment period from no caffeine that way the the lack of caffeine doesn't effect my thoughts of Big Noise.

Workout plan:
I'm more into powerlifting, so I'm doing 5/3/1, 4 days per week with a dedicated arm day on Saturdays. So workout schedule looks like this:
Monday: Bench
Tuesday: Squat
Thursday: Military Press
Friday: Deadlift
Saturday: Arms

Weight: 174.4
Calories: 2700 on workout days, 2400 on rest days

Goal for the log: Gain 1.5lbs, ultimately weighing 176lbs

Although I may not get the full benefit of the pumps from a product like Big Noise considering I rarely operate in the 12+ rep ranges, the nootropics and betaine will be, hopefully, great for my program.

I'll be officially starting the log on Monday, but I couldn't resist getting this thrown up and planned out.

[dk5bdubs]

Following along my friend!

Quick question. Did you have a health issue and thus why the baby aspirin? Just curious.

[Cheftepesh]

I'm in here my friend. Lets see the gainz you make off this.

[mccyjcb]

Following along my friend!

Quick question. Did you have a health issue and thus why the baby aspirin? Just curious.

Nope! I've just read several studies that claim no adverse effects to taking it, at least none that pertain to me. I'm planning on switching to willow bark extract after I run out of my current bottle though

[mccyjcb]

Week 2: Bench
Moving Avg Weight: 174.5
Calories: 2700

Woke up at a before-sunrise time of 4:28am, and out of bed by 4:35am. Then:
4:40am: Bowl of fruity pebbles (quite possibly my favorite cereal) + 16oz water
4:45am: mixed up 1 serving Big Noise + 6g BCAA in ~16oz water
4:45am - 4:55am: journaling + sipping and finishing PWO
5:10am: get to the gym and go to sauna to warm up for 5 min
5:20am: begin workout. sip on half serving of gatorade throughout workout

I always start Upper days with shoulder dislocations in sets of 20, then move onto the lifts
Bench: 185x5, 210x5, 240x5x5
Incline Dumbbell: 75x5x10
Pull-Ups: 10x10
Rope face pulls: 3x15

Had a great pump in my biceps going after all of those pull-ups, which I typically don't get it. Well, not as much of one as I did this morning.

[Cheftepesh]

Nice chest workout. Good to see the product is working out well for you.

[mccyjcb]

Week 2: Military Press
Moving Avg Weight: 174.2
Calories: 2700

Military Press: 100x5, 115x5, 130x5, 100x10x5
Pull-ups: 8x10
Incline Dumbbell: 90x3x8 increased weight this week
Barbell Row: 165x5x5

Was stoked about going up on incline dumbbell press. Was hitting 85x9-10 the last couple workouts, so decided to go up to 90lbs and successfully hit 8 reps for 3 sets. Focus was great as well. Of course, with no stims, you don't get that jolted feeling, but you do still get a certain level of focus. The best part about non-stim pre workouts is the fact there is no crash afterwards.

[Cheftepesh]

Week 2: Military Press
Moving Avg Weight: 174.2
Calories: 2700

Military Press: 100x5, 115x5, 130x5, 100x10x5
Pull-ups: 8x10
Incline Dumbbell: 90x3x8 increased weight this week
Barbell Row: 165x5x5

Was stoked about going up on incline dumbbell press. Was hitting 85x9-10 the last couple workouts, so decided to go up to 90lbs and successfully hit 8 reps for 3 sets. Focus was great as well. Of course, with no stims, you don't get that jolted feeling, but you do still get a certain level of focus. The best part about non-stim pre workouts is the fact there is no crash afterwards.

I personally don't use many stims PRE. I have BP issues so this makes it a great way to get my creatine and PRE. This also stacks well with Big Noise.

[mccyjcb]

I personally don't use many stims PRE. I have BP issues so this makes it a great way to get my creatine and PRE. This also stacks well with Big Noise.

There's no creatine in this?

[Cheftepesh]

There's no creatine in this?

Sorry meant stacking with Tango.

[mccyjcb]

Sorry meant stacking with Tango.

Ah okay. Makes sense

[mccyjcb]

Yesterday was my bench day! This was an after-work workout. Got home about 5:20pm, drank Big Noise by 5:25pm, to the gym by 5:40pm. Probably started workout around 5:50 or so. Had 30g carb pre workout in the form of fruity pebbles and some blueberries then had about 10g carb intra workout via gatorade.

Bench: 200x5, 225x5, 250x5x5 note: this was much too heavy. Was only about to get 5 reps on the first two sets. I won't be adding weight for my next cycle.
Pull-Ups: 70 total reps
Incline dumbbell bench: 90x3x8
Barbell Rows: 155x4x7
Cable Rope face pulls: 90x3x15
Cable lat pulldowns: 130x3x15

Man! Such a good pump in my chest after this workout. I threw in a set of dips at the end and I didn't want to stop, the contraction and mind-muscle connection was very present. But I knew if I didn't stop I'd be wayyyy too sore. I'm really really liking this no stim thing. It brings me back to when I didn't take caffeine pre workout and just lifted the weights. It's definitely a different kind of feeling, and I very much enjoy it. I may never go back to stim pre workouts after this log. I just don't see a point.

[Cheftepesh]

Yesterday was my bench day! This was an after-work workout. Got home about 5:20pm, drank Big Noise by 5:25pm, to the gym by 5:40pm. Probably started workout around 5:50 or so. Had 30g carb pre workout in the form of fruity pebbles and some blueberries then had about 10g carb intra workout via gatorade.

Bench: 200x5, 225x5, 250x5x5 note: this was much too heavy. Was only about to get 5 reps on the first two sets. I won't be adding weight for my next cycle.
Pull-Ups: 70 total reps
Incline dumbbell bench: 90x3x8
Barbell Rows: 155x4x7
Cable Rope face pulls: 90x3x15
Cable lat pulldowns: 130x3x15

Man! Such a good pump in my chest after this workout. I threw in a set of dips at the end and I didn't want to stop, the contraction and mind-muscle connection was very present. But I knew if I didn't stop I'd be wayyyy too sore. I'm really really liking this no stim thing. It brings me back to when I didn't take caffeine pre workout and just lifted the weights. It's definitely a different kind of feeling, and I very much enjoy it. I may never go back to stim pre workouts after this log. I just don't see a point.

Went away from most stims when I found out I had high blood pressure. This works great for me.

[mccyjcb]

Oh yeah...

Moving Avg Weight: 174.8
Calories: 2700

Weight seems to be going up at a decent rate so I'm going to stick with 2700 for now. Although I'm about a pound behind where I want to be, I'm not going to rush it

[Cheftepesh]

Looking good. Keep pushing my friend.

[mccyjcb]

Yesterday was Bench day, with numbers reset for Training Max. Added 5lbs to Military Press, Bent Over Rows, and Bench. 10lbs to Squat and Deadlift. All training numbers are calculated from a TM, which was 90% of 1RM, but now TM = 90%*1RM + 5 or 10lbs

Calories: 2700
Weight: 175lb

Bench: 220x5x5
Barbell Row: 165x5x5
Pullups: 75 total reps
Incline Dumbbell Bench: 90x3x9

This was an off workout. I'm not sure what it was; had zero focus and the pump just wasn't there. Did my normal routine as outline in the first couple posts. I can usually attribute this to a couple things, either poor sleep or poor eating choices the day before, but neither were the issue. I guess not everyday we can give it our all. Nonetheless, I still hit all reps I wanted during the workout. Just a bit more grueling than normal.

As for Big Noise, I'm finding the flavor, or lack thereof, to be the biggest problem. The flavoring is very light, and I find it has somewhat poor mixability. I'm always finding specs in the shaker, even after shaking the same amount as I have in the past with other pre-workouts.

Taste / Mixability: 7/10

[Cheftepesh]

Yesterday was Bench day, with numbers reset for Training Max. Added 5lbs to Military Press, Bent Over Rows, and Bench. 10lbs to Squat and Deadlift. All training numbers are calculated from a TM, which was 90% of 1RM, but now TM = 90%*1RM + 5 or 10lbs

Calories: 2700
Weight: 175lb

Bench: 220x5x5
Barbell Row: 165x5x5
Pullups: 75 total reps
Incline Dumbbell Bench: 90x3x9

This was an off workout. I'm not sure what it was; had zero focus and the pump just wasn't there. Did my normal routine as outline in the first couple posts. I can usually attribute this to a couple things, either poor sleep or poor eating choices the day before, but neither were the issue. I guess not everyday we can give it our all. Nonetheless, I still hit all reps I wanted during the workout. Just a bit more grueling than normal.

As for Big Noise, I'm finding the flavor, or lack thereof, to be the biggest problem. The flavoring is very light, and I find it has somewhat poor mixability. I'm always finding specs in the shaker, even after shaking the same amount as I have in the past with other pre-workouts.

Taste / Mixability: 7/10

That's odd. I find many PWO to be very over flavored.

[mccyjcb]

That's odd. I find many PWO to be very over flavored.

Not the case with this one.

[mccyjcb]

Deadlift day
2700 calories
Weight: 175.3

Was kind of having a s*** day as I got a flat tire on Monday, and after having taken it to Les Schwab to get fixed, turns out it can't be fixed. So I then had to get 4 new tires, which was a somewhat unexpected expense. But! I didn't let that get in the way of having a good leg workout. Decided the day wasn't over yet and I could stay make it a great day. Went home early and took a nice big heaping scoop of Big Noise, which is more than I normally do. Proceeded to have a great leg workout where I hit a rep PR on deads.

Sumo dead: 300x5, 345x5, 390x14, 300x5x5 note: 14 reps at 390!! All controlled reps. Was really happy with this.
other accessory movements including leg extensions, leg curls, set of weighted lunges, and calves. I should have taken a picture of my calves afterwards, so pumped up veins were showing!

[Cheftepesh]

Deadlift day
2700 calories
Weight: 175.3

Was kind of having a s*** day as I got a flat tire on Monday, and after having taken it to Les Schwab to get fixed, turns out it can't be fixed. So I then had to get 4 new tires, which was a somewhat unexpected expense. But! I didn't let that get in the way of having a good leg workout. Decided the day wasn't over yet and I could stay make it a great day. Went home early and took a nice big heaping scoop of Big Noise, which is more than I normally do. Proceeded to have a great leg workout where I hit a rep PR on deads.

Sumo dead: 300x5, 345x5, 390x14, 300x5x5 note: 14 reps at 390!! All controlled reps. Was really happy with this.
other accessory movements including leg extensions, leg curls, set of weighted lunges, and calves. I should have taken a picture of my calves afterwards, so pumped up veins were showing!

Congrats on the PR.

[mccyjcb]

Week 5: Bench with accessory
Weight: 175.5 note: up 1.1lbs from beginning of log, little over half of the way where I want to be by the end of the log
Calories: 2700

Today was a really good day at the gym. Woke up at ~4:25am, out of bed by 4:30am. Routine for morning workouts looks like this:
1. Get out of bed
2. Restroom / weigh myself
3. Put workout clothes on
4. Drink 5-7g BCAA's with a tbsp of ACV
5. Eat serving of cereal
6. Drink big Noise, typically this is about 4:45am
7. Journal for 5-10 minutes
8. Leave house by 5
9. ~5 min drive to the gym, hop in sauna for 5-10 minutes
10. Start warm-up / workout by 5:20-5:25am

Bench: 235x5x5
Incline Dumbbell Bench: 85x3x10 note: dropped down from the 90's to get 10 reps instead of 8. somewhat the same volume
85 total reps of pull-ups
miscellaneous cable flies with a couple sets of dips, each taken to a RPE of 8 or 9
Bent Over Row: 145x3x9

Had a solid pump afterwards. Non-stim PWO's are so interesting because they allow you to stay focused (if it's a good one) and go through the workout and hit all reps like you would if you had taken a stim PWO, but there's no excited feeling or over-stimmed feeling. It's refreshing to say the least. I like it a lot.

[Cheftepesh]

Week 5: Bench with accessory
Weight: 175.5 note: up 1.1lbs from beginning of log, little over half of the way where I want to be by the end of the log
Calories: 2700

Today was a really good day at the gym. Woke up at ~4:25am, out of bed by 4:30am. Routine for morning workouts looks like this:
1. Get out of bed
2. Restroom / weigh myself
3. Put workout clothes on
4. Drink 5-7g BCAA's with a tbsp of ACV
5. Eat serving of cereal
6. Drink big Noise, typically this is about 4:45am
7. Journal for 5-10 minutes
8. Leave house by 5
9. ~5 min drive to the gym, hop in sauna for 5-10 minutes
10. Start warm-up / workout by 5:20-5:25am

Bench: 235x5x5
Incline Dumbbell Bench: 85x3x10 note: dropped down from the 90's to get 10 reps instead of 8. somewhat the same volume
85 total reps of pull-ups
miscellaneous cable flies with a couple sets of dips, each taken to a RPE of 8 or 9
Bent Over Row: 145x3x9

Had a solid pump afterwards. Non-stim PWO's are so interesting because they allow you to stay focused (if it's a good one) and go through the workout and hit all reps like you would if you had taken a stim PWO, but there's no excited feeling or over-stimmed feeling. It's refreshing to say the least. I like it a lot.

I tend to use stims for work over being stimmed out during my workout. I like the focus of less stims.

[mccyjcb]

Week 5: Military Press
Weight: 175.8 note: weight is moving at exactly the pace I want it to
Calories: 2700

Military Press: 105x5, 120x5, 135x7, 105x5x10
accessory movements

Didn't have a huge pump this morning, nor was the focus completely there. But I still had a great workout nonetheless.

I'd like to touch on the flavor again from my original post. I would most compare this Sour Gummy Bear flavor with the golden colored gummy bear, and I think I would know because I have gummy bears multiple times per week LOL. Although not my favorite candy, I do partake in a couple because I have unlimited access to them. I'd rate taste at about 7/10

[Cheftepesh]

Week 5: Military Press
Weight: 175.8 note: weight is moving at exactly the pace I want it to
Calories: 2700

Military Press: 105x5, 120x5, 135x7, 105x5x10
accessory movements

Didn't have a huge pump this morning, nor was the focus completely there. But I still had a great workout nonetheless.

I'd like to touch on the flavor again from my original post. I would most compare this Sour Gummy Bear flavor with the golden colored gummy bear, and I think I would know because I have gummy bears multiple times per week LOL. Although not my favorite candy, I do partake in a couple because I have unlimited access to them. I'd rate taste at about 7/10

Gotta ask. How do you have unlimited access to gummy bears?

[mccyjcb]

Gotta ask. How do you have unlimited access to gummy bears?

haha well...I work at a bank and my coworkers always have gummy bears / candy in their drawers and they let me have as many as I want.

[Cheftepesh]

haha well...I work at a bank and my coworkers always have gummy bears / candy in their drawers and they let me have as many as I want.

Lucky, where I work candy and caffeine make you king. No one shares.

[mccyjcb]

Week 6: Military Press with accessory
Weight: 177.3
Calories: 2700

superset:
Military Press: 115x5, 130x5, 145x6 (AMRAP, got 1 more than prescribed), 115x10x5
pullups: 85 total reps
incline dumbbell: 90x3x8
shoulder rope face pulls
cable chest flies

My shoulders were on fire by the end of this workout, in a good way. The burn was so real, and the pump was definitely there. I was really happy with the 6 reps at 145. Not quite a PR for me, but I haven't hit that kind of weight in at least 6 months.

[mccyjcb]

Final review
Weight: 178.4 note: weight gained = 4lbs
Calories: 2700

Ended up gaining 4lbs, 2lbs over my goal. Not sure what happened lol. I kept calories the same and didn't really start gaining until the last 10 days of the log. Didn't change anything in my diet really. So bizarre. I do look quite a bit softer, and feel softer. I'm trying to continue to be in a caloric deficit, but I just hate feeling soft.

Taste / mixing (Sour Gummy Bear): 7/10
I tried mixing it with various amounts of water, but found that 8oz of water was the best for flavor. The flavor tastes most similar to the yellow gummy bear, but is very faint. I had to focus on the flavor when I would drink it to try and figure out what it tasted like. Maybe that's because they added less sucralose or Ace-k, or whatever it may be, I'm not sure. When mixing, also, there were quite a few specs / chunks left in the mixture. It doesn't mix very well, even after shaking for a good 10 seconds. Adding more water did nothing to solve this problem. 7/10 because of the lack of flavor and the poor mixability.

Effects: 9/10

I had great workouts on multiple days with this. You may think it's under dosed with no caffeine, but that's exactly why I wanted to try it. I'm being more conscious of my stimulant intake as of late, and completely dropped them for this log. It's a different feeling lifting without caffeine like I have for god knows how long, but the strength was really still there in almost every workout. I also think the lack of caffeine enhanced pumps since caffeine is a vasoconstrictor. The only thing that I'd like to see added to this formula would be a solid dose of citrulline. Other than that, no complaints here on effectiveness.

Overall: 8/10

Overall, a really good pre-workout. Especially for the person who is either stim-intolerant or looking to reduce their stimulant intake.