Bando's take on Bodybuilding.com Signature Series

[Bando]

Alright I'm going to do my review in a series of replies to this thread as I'll never sit down and type it all out at once.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough protein bar

I usually don't get my protein from bars as they upset my stomach, give me nasty gas and the taste is always questionable. None of these issues presented themselves with these. The taste is really off the charts as far as these go. I don't have a big sweet tooth so several of them were eaten 1/2 at a time. It's hard for me rate them on a ##/## scale since I'm usually not a bar fan, but they're up there with Quest bars for less money. This is the one thing I know for sure I'll be ordering on my next Bodybuilding.com order, I like having them in my gym bag for when a craving for bad food hits.

BCAA Intraworkout, Cherry Limeade Flavor

Intraworkouts are something I use consistently. I've had this two ways for comparison, the first way makes almost every BCAA palatable, in a shaker bottle full of ice. This stuff is more than palatable when ice cold, I ended up draining my full shaker bottle halfway through my workout, something that usually takes me a full workout to do. A couple of times I've had it with just gym fountain temperature water and it's fine, still finish the whole bottle of mixture by the end of my workout. Another thing I've noticed is this stuff doesn't stink to high heaven the next day if you leave a little in your shaker bottle, so that's a plus. The taste is decidedly not Cherry Limeade it's more of a sour cherry, but perfectly palatable with no aftertaste.

Couple of notes on Intra BCAA's in general for readers that don't normally use them. Why can't they figure out how somehow make the scoop attach to the lid or something?? Still haven't found mine (1st world problems.)

When I use BCAA's I take in 2X as much liquid during a workout than when I just drink water. It's not a lot of work to put some ice in your shaker bottle and really have a great tasting but non filling beverage while lifting and it's not that much per serving to not be using an intra. The week before this package arrived I was completely out and I was way sorer the day after workout than I was when I was using an intra. Took me awhile to figure out which variable made me so sore and figured out it was the lack of an intra. I lost a lifting day to do active recovery stuff just because everything was too sore for heavy lifting. So there's my sales pitch for Intra Workout BCAA's.

This week I started premixing and freezing my shakes and added the Bodybuilding.com Signature Series Creatine to them and will be reviewing that next. I began the multi's last week (don't normally take them) and will be reporting on that soon as well. Haven't tried the Pre-yet, I think I've gotta get rid of some things in my gym bag I just don't have room for it right now but plan to try/review that soon as well.

Thanks for reading!

[ForumNature]

Alright I'm going to do my review in a series of replies to this thread as I'll never sit down and type it all out at once.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough protein bar

I usually don't get my protein from bars as they upset my stomach, give me nasty gas and the taste is always questionable. None of these issues presented themselves with these. The taste is really off the charts as far as these go. I don't have a big sweet tooth so several of them were eaten 1/2 at a time. It's hard for me rate them on a ##/## scale since I'm usually not a bar fan, but they're up there with Quest bars for less money. This is the one thing I know for sure I'll be ordering on my next Bodybuilding.com order, I like having them in my gym bag for when a craving for bad food hits.

BCAA Intraworkout, Cherry Limeade Flavor

Intraworkouts are something I use consistently. I've had this two ways for comparison, the first way makes almost every BCAA palatable, in a shaker bottle full of ice. This stuff is more than palatable when ice cold, I ended up draining my full shaker bottle halfway through my workout, something that usually takes me a full workout to do. A couple of times I've had it with just gym fountain temperature water and it's fine, still finish the whole bottle of mixture by the end of my workout. Another thing I've noticed is this stuff doesn't stink to high heaven the next day if you leave a little in your shaker bottle, so that's a plus. The taste is decidedly not Cherry Limeade it's more of a sour cherry, but perfectly palatable with no aftertaste.

Couple of notes on Intra BCAA's in general for readers that don't normally use them. Why can't they figure out how somehow make the scoop attach to the lid or something?? Still haven't found mine (1st world problems.)

When I use BCAA's I take in 2X as much liquid during a workout than when I just drink water. It's not a lot of work to put some ice in your shaker bottle and really have a great tasting but non filling beverage while lifting and it's not that much per serving to not be using an intra. The week before this package arrived I was completely out and I was way sorer the day after workout than I was when I was using an intra. Took me awhile to figure out which variable made me so sore and figured out it was the lack of an intra. I lost a lifting day to do active recovery stuff just because everything was too sore for heavy lifting. So there's my sales pitch for Intra Workout BCAA's.

This week I started premixing and freezing my shakes and added the Bodybuilding.com Signature Series Creatine to them and will be reviewing that next. I began the multi's last week (don't normally take them) and will be reporting on that soon as well. Haven't tried the Pre-yet, I think I've gotta get rid of some things in my gym bag I just don't have room for it right now but plan to try/review that soon as well.

Thanks for reading!

I'm not a big bar guy either but these are seriously good. Thanks for reviewing!

[Bando]

I'm not a big bar guy either but these are seriously good. Thanks for reviewing!

I've got my last 2 tucked down in my gym bag like they're bars of gold lol. Had one maybe 90 minutes before heavy squats today, usually my stomach has to be completely empty for any workout, much less leg day, but I was perfectly fine.

[nics1246]

I've got my last 2 tucked down in my gym bag like they're bars of gold lol. Had one maybe 90 minutes before heavy squats today, usually my stomach has to be completely empty for any workout, much less leg day, but I was perfectly fine.

Awesome. Good stuff, man

[scandalpk]

You all are Just doing awesome Great work.

[Bando]

Bodybuilding.com Signature Series Pre-workout

Sorry for the delay in reviews, I'm in a long overdue upper body deload due to some pain in my hands (getting better.)

To start out, keep in mind I don't normally use a Pre. Today was heavy squat day so perfect time to crack the seal on my bottle of pre. I started it in the locker room as I was getting dressed, drinking fountain temp, taste is same as the intra, did 3/4 scoop. Did my 5 minute rowing warmup, waited for a rack for 5-10 minutes then began working up to the handful of heavy sets on the schedule for today. I guess I timed it right as I started to tingle on my 1st working set, would like to say I felt stronger but heavy sets were heavy. Tingling didn't last long. Was getting a little nervous, strength was a little off and I didn't want to be failing in a crowded gym. My squats have a climax set where if I get one rep for it, I repeat that workout next time until I get two or more. I had initially set that number at 330, but on the fly adjusted it to 325 as I had no confidence I would get 330 back upstairs. At this point I was getting really sweaty, gym was not hot. Unracked 325, got the rep and knowing it was my last set went for another not caring if it was gonna be a fail, got it. Had to immediately sit down and take off my belt, no big deal.

Stripped my plates and did calves and leg accessory work, this whole time I was sweating like crazy, felt OK just hot. I had to dump the last couple oz of the pre and switch to my Bodybuilding.com Signature Series Cherry Limeade Intra. Towards the end of the workout everything settled down but I had a wicked upper body pump, like it was arm day or something. I'm thinking some effect of the pre-gives a great pump, can't wait to actually try it on an upper day (1/2 scoop this time).

Happy with the day, happy with the pre, have no problem with a little extra sweating, looking forward to working on dosage and timing to maximise that crazy pump.

Week 2 of the multi, have not been getting enough AM hydration to notice anything but making some changes there.

Thanks for reading!