[Mini] Review of AI Sport Nutrition's Maniac (Pink Lemonade flavour)

Along with my tub of Red Raspberry RecoverPRO were a couple of samples of Maniac (one for each Sean and I), and since this has been a month of trying new products, I figured why not just use it and see what it was like. This is what happened . . .


What is it?



* Increased Pumps
* Extra aggression in the gym
* No Crash
* Increased Muscle Mass
* Increased Vascularity
* Insane Endurance
* Extreme Focus

For more information on the product, please review AI Sports Nutrition :: Maniac.


Smell: In the packet, Maniac smelled strongly like lemonade.

Taste: Definitely lemonade - it could have been a Sprite, it has that taste. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of lemonade or lemon flavoured products (even though I like lemons), so I was not doing cartwheels over the taste. Taste was true to the said flavour though.

Solubility: On shaking there was no trace of the powder and no clumps or excess was left in the water or on the bottom of the shaker; no bubbles left on top of the water either.

Texture: Like fruit juice diluted with water.

Aggression: I wasn't actually aggressive when training today. Sometimes my aggression gets so high that I just want to beat something to a bloody pulp, but there was none of that, not even a hint. Just determination to keep goin.

Focus: Had extreme focus for my training. In fact, I was so focused on my sprints during HIIT that most of them were MORE than 20 seconds!

Endurance: Today was this week's longest resistance session and I was fine. No faltering or dying, and not feeling exhausted.

Pumps: I had excellent pumps, which is normal anyways, since I did a Full-Body session.

Vascularity: Vascularity was AWESOME! I did some posing practice in my recovery periods towards the end of my resistance session, and vascularity was like, "wow - I want that for competition and ALL the time!"

Muscle Mass: I'm not currently aiming for muscle accretion, since I am in a fat loss phase re competition preparation. However, one sample and one session is not enough to comment on body composition effects that a product may contribute towards, whether gaining muscle or maintaining current muscle mass.

Other Effects: Energy was great - very pleasantly surprised. No crash of energy either, which is good.

Overall: I only used a single scoop of Maniac once, which is not enough to give an overall score, and I would need to have used it for a prolonged period of time to give a real evaluation on it.

Would I use again? Actually, yes - albeit in a different flavour - to see what long-term effects of a full tub brought.

Would I recommend? I really would have to use a complete tub of Maniac to see what its long-term effects are re progress and results, etc., before I could say whether or not I would recommend it. Based on my one sample for my one day of training, though, I definitely recommend trying a sample.

[Mini] Review of APS Nutrition's Mesomorph (Tropical Punch flavour)

Mesomorph has been getting a lot of attention, mostly because of the Creatine Nitrate in its ingredient profile. It is definitely a product that Sean has been interested in trying for a long time, and eventually I just got him a tub. A tub that sat in the cupboard (he was using it) until Monday before I used a scoop. Yes, I was not tempted to use it, despite the great feedback I've seen on it and Sean's raving on about how much he loves it. Honestly, since I started using Assault at the start of the year, I have had NO interest in trying any other preworkout product, because Assault meets my needs, especially since I do NOT have to stack myriad stimulants alongside it for daily function (which I have had to do in the past). However, I finally agreed to use a SINGLE SCOOP of Mesomorph as a favour to someone, so that I can say I have used it and comment on my experience with it.


What is it?



* No upset stomach or bloating!
* Alpha-Male aggression.
* Endless endurance.
* Most comprehensive Thermo-energy matrix ever put in a pre-workout powder.
* Skin-splitting vascularity and insane pumps!
* Maximize Strength, Stamina, & Recovery!
* Eliminate Lactic Acid & Toxins!
* Boost Immunity & Eliminate Free Radicals with Optimal Antioxidant Delivery!

For more information on the product, please review APS :: Mesomorph.


Smell: Tropical Punch flavoured Mesomorph smells fruity, but with a hint of something else.

Taste: I did NOT like the taste at all. Unpleasant, but not the worst tasting supplement I have used. Nothing like Tropical Punch - the taste was actually a shock to me, and I drank it FAST.

Solubility: On shaking there was no trace of the powder and no clumps or excess was left in the water or on the bottom of the shaker.

Texture: Like fruit juice diluted with water.

Aggression: Actually, my aggression was not as high as the week before, where I was easily aggravated and training only served to bring it out more instead of calm me. During training I was relatively relaxed, if tired. I went through a full spectrum of emotion on the day I used Mesomorph, though, pre AND post-training.

Endurance and Stamina: After the weekend and the way my body was feeling, I was dreading training on Monday. However, once I started training, my body responded and got me through. My HIIT was explosive, after the lacklustre HIIT of the week prior. Endurance throughout training was back to being great.

Thermogenesis: This was no different than usual.

Vascularity: This was excellent, and definitely more noticeable now that I have a tan.

Pumps: I had excellent pumps, which is normal anyways, since I did a Full-Body session.

Strength: The resistance session I did after using Mesomorph was NOT about strength.

Recovery: I was still sore from Saturday when I started my resistance training. Legs were suffering a little, but by the end of my session I was ok and the pain was not as noticeable. Energy lasted throughout the day, which was interesting, considering I have been faltering after my training over the last week.

Immune System: I can't really comment here.

Other Effects: ~10 minutes after dosing Mesomorph I started shaking, like shivering when I am extremely cold, which was odd, a reaction likely caused by the stimulants in it, given that I have not used anything more than the 150-300mg of caffeine a day (from Assault usage) since the start of the year. The shakes lasted for ~20-30 minutes. The only other effect I experienced was strong Beta-Alanine tingles. No bloating or upset stomach either (the stomach issues I have been experiencing over the last two days I have been dealing with on and off for the last few months and has nothing to do with Mesomorph).

Overall: I only used a single scoop of Mesomorph once, which is not enough to give an overall score, and I would need to have used it for a prolonged period of time to give a real evaluation on it. However, I WILL note something interesting - the day that I used Mesomorph I was great re energy, but on Tuesday I had barely any energy, and this went into Wednesday. On Tuesday I actually cut my training short because of the way I was feeling, something very rare for me to do, and as I mentioned on Tuesday, "I feel like I used to feel if I hadn't been using stimulants for a day or so back when I was heavily dependent on them to function, almost like I have CRASHED BIG time, and I don't understand it!" and I wonder if this was an effect from having used Mesomorph, the Geranium in it, if it did not possibly affect me until later. Like I said, interesting - and something that would need prolonged use to determine if because of Mesomorph or not.

Would I use again? No - however, that is not because of the formula or that the product is ineffective, but for personal reasons. Using the one scoop that I did was only as a favour for those who have been wanting me to use Mesomorph, and I actually dragged my feet to do this, since using Assault and having that work for me, I have been reluctant to use anything that has strong stimulants in it, because I have an addictive personality, and with my stimulant abuse history, know how easy it would be for me to go back to that, and I don't want to.

Would I recommend? Mesomorph's formula is solid. It's either a product you will love or hate, use or not use, depending on your goals and needs and other individual factors (like with me).

Impressions of MusclePharm's Green Apple Assault

Assault (Green Apple flavour)

Smell: N/A. In the tub the Green Apple Assault has no smell - I got my nose as close to the powder as I could, and even with it in the scoop, you can barely catch the faintest of the most faintest hint of apple. When mixed with water there is a scent, reminding me of the chewy, Green Apple flavoured New Zealand lolly I had when I was younger (I don't like lollies and even as a child, when I ate them it was rare - when I did, I would only have Minties, sour (green and yellow) gummy bears, or the mentioned chewy green apple lolly).

Taste: 9.5/10. Green Apple is definitely my favourite of all the Assault flavours I have tried (Blue Arctic Raspberry, Raspberry Lemonade, Green Apple). Distinct taste of apple. Not the sour, tart taste of a Granny Smith apple (my definition of "green apple"), but more like a Braeburn apple (who actually has the Granny Smith as a "parent" apple). It is not sweet either, which I like (not a fan of sickly "sweet" products). I personally would have preferred a little tartness, like Green MAGnitude's Sour Apple flavour (which has the best taste of any supplement product I have ever tried), but no biggie, and MusclePharm have again shown how good their flavouring is.

Other Notes: Green Apple Assault is a pretty green colour - fittingly matching the MusclePharm green My opinion of Assault has not changed since I first used it, and the addition of the Green Apple flavour only serves to further establish it as my top [equal] favourite product ever and one of the best available, IMO. To see my comprehensive thoughts and experience with Assault, taste and smell aside, please see my Review on MusclePharm's Assault.

Review of Muscle Pharm's Assault (Blue Arctic Raspberry flavour)

I wanted to try the Blue Arctic Raspberry Assault flavour, and Drew was great enough to give me some to last a while. I have used Assault on and off (Sean's stash) when I have not had another preworkout available, but never consistently or cumulatively, and this was my first real opportunity to see how it affected me. The conditions under which I used Assault were not typical of me re other supplements and products used with (i.e. no stimulants, not full dosages of the supplements I was using, and using the bare minimum and not even all of my staples), I was VERY pleasantly surprised with my experience, and already have a tub of the Raspberry Lemonade flavour on the way for continued use. The latest addition to my list of STAPLES, Assault is a product I do not want to be without! See why . . .


What is it?



* Allows you to train harder and longer
* Lift more
* Recover faster
* Increase the anabolic environment and response to training
* Increase nutrient delivery to and waste products from working muscles
* Increase oxygen saturation
* Increased blood flow
* Increase energy output
* Improved mental focus without overstimulation or crash

For more information on Assault, review Muscle Pharm :: Hardcore Series :: Assault.


Formula: 11/10. The addition of the Suma Root is what sets Assault apart from other preworkout formulas, and is the reason why Assault works so well for me.

Smell: 9/10. In the tub the Blue Arctic Raspberry Assault smells like bubblegum. When mixed with water, it has a slightly sweeter scent, but still like bubblegum.

Taste: 8/10. The Blue Arctic Raspberry Assault tasted like a Bubble-O-Bill ice-cream (something we have in New Zealand - bubblegum flavoured ice-cream with a bubblegum nose). The taste could also be likened to the flavour of the Mixed Berry Powerade ZERO.

Solubility: 10/10. The The Blue Arctic Raspberry Assault mixed well on shaking, even for only a few seconds, with no residue.

Texture: 10/10. Like flavoured water/Mixed Berry Powerade ZERO.

Energy: 11/10. I am a stimulant junkie and have ti have COPIOUS amounts of caffeine STACKED with several other stimulants/stimulant products to even be functional. However, when I was using Assault, I had actually been without stimulants for a little while and was not using any with it - a very RARE occasion for me. Assault contains little caffeine or stimulants, and if it had been any other preworkout product I would have had to stack it WITH my regular stimulants and INcrease the recommended dosage of that product in order to even see effects re energy, but with Assault ONE SCOOP was enough to give me NOTICEABLE effects re energy - during a time when at any other time, I would be going into serious stimulant withdrawal and be barely alive. The energy from Assault is smooth and focused, and lasted ~12 hours each time - one of the definite highlights of the product.

Mental Focus: 10/10. My focus didn't waver, either in the gym or out of it, and working was definitely easy. As with energy, without stimulants I am non-functional, but I was alert and very productive, with great concentration.

Pumps: 8/10. I got some decent pumps using Assault, even though the bulk of my training re sets/reps was not really optimal for or focused on getting pumps.

Vascularity: 8/10. I actually started seeing veins in my deltoids that I have never seen before when using Assault, which was interesting. Vascularity during training was pretty good, especially through deltoids and arms.

Endurance: 10/10. Definitely had this - my speed endurance just got better and better! The endurance and speed endurance I had using Assault was what I experience when I use Drive, and that's saying something (I will never have to use Drive again)!

Strength: 9/10. I actually adjusted my training programme a week before starting Assault, and was lifting heavier deliberately for most exercises, with strength a focus. I was definitely surprised on a couple of exercises that I was actually able to move a weight I have not used in quite some time, and for pretty much all exercises - except Close-Grip Pull-Ups, which suffered terribly (although there was only a minute rest between sets, and usually I use ~3 minutes for this exercise) - I was able to use weights that I had left off at the end of my last strength-focused training period.

Training Intensity: 10/10. I always train with intensity (aside from the 'off' days, which we all have every now and then, when my body just will not do what I want it to do), and this was no different. However, I was able to even able to keep my intensity high during my post-weights cardio, not something I am often able to do after EVERY resistance session (and usually I will just do this at moderate to high intensity).

Recovery: 9/10. My body only started suffering from training sessions the last few days. Before that, I experienced no DOMS from training, even though I was lifting heavier and doing different things from what I had been doing for the few months prior. And after resistance training, my body most often still felt FRESH, and I was able to make post-weights cardio INTENSE. Sleep was definitely deep and restful. I also want to note that pre, during and now, I have only been using HALF the recommended dosage of IGF-2, dosing only first thing (no pre-bed!) - the only product that has ever really helped me re recovery - and my recovery is as good, if not better than using IGF-2 (recovery being one of the primary reasons why I love IGF-2)!

Nutrient Repartitioner: N/A. I didn't really use Assault for this purpose - in fact, most of the time I was using it, when I ate, I was FORCING the food down because I had NO appetite (which is also rare for me).

Other Effects: 10/10. No Beta-Alanine tingles experienced . . . A lot of sweating during pre-weights cardio (which I don't mind, and could have also been attributed to the fever I was running throughout the first few days of starting Assault) . . . No crash experienced, either physical or mental . . . Assault seems to have a cumulative effect, becoming more noticeable as you use it . . .

Other Comments: I had not used creatine for ~3 weeks before using Assault (another rarity) and my muscle creatine threshold levels had returned to baseline. When using creatine, I dose pre AND post-training, but with Assault it was only pre. Although it takes ~3 weeks at five grams a day for the body's muscle creatine levels to return to reach threshold (meaning I was nowhere close to it), using creatine definitely makes a difference and could have contributed to some of the training effects I experienced.

Overall: 11/10. Assault is the FIRST preworkout product that I have ever used that I used the RECOMMENDED dosage and saw results. It is also the ONLY preworkout product that I have ever used STANDALONE and NOT stacked with multiple stimulant products. The fact that I was FUNCTIONAL on ALL levels withOUT having ANY additional stimulants aside from the minimal caffeine in Assault is the primary reason why Assault fast became my #1 preworkout product of choice and the only one I will use, and my FIRST EQUAL FAVOURITE PRODUCT EVER! For the first time I am NOT using stimulants and I am NOT going into withdrawal, training intensity is awesome and I can breathe well without 'help', my fitness re endurance and speed endurance and strength are on the rise, and my recovery has been awesome using only HALF my regular dosage of IGF-2 - the results speak for themselves! Definitely the inclusion of Suma Root in Assault makes the difference, working synergistically with the Rhodiola Rosea in IGF-2 (I dose these products 60-90 minutes apart), and cumulative effects make for constant progress and improvement on all fronts.

Would I use again? Yes! After using Assault, even for a week, there is nothing else I would choose or want to use pre-training any more - it gives me what I want and need. I can FINALLY stop abusing stimulants and give my body an INdefinite break from them without it being detrimental to my functionality!

Would I recommend? Definitely - I already am! I cannot say enough about Assault!

Review of LG Sciences' T-911

What is it?



* Improve mood and confidence
* Boost testosterone and reduce estrogen
* Increase sex drive

For the product write-up see T-911 by LG Sciences


Taste: T-911 has an orange taste.

Mood/Aggression: 8/10. My mood on T-911 is more steady and calm, with aggression - although still there and can make itself known - taking a back seat.

Testosterone Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Testosterone (total and free) levels from pre to post-T-911, I did not have bloods done.

Estrogen Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Testosterone (total and free) levels from pre to post-T-911, I did not have bloods done.

Libido/Sex Drive: 11/10. T-911 is the product that has the most noticeable difference on my libido, and it seriously ramps it up beyond all belief. It's crazy thinking like a guy and be wanting sex all the time, but that's the way it goes on T-911.

Other Effects: T-911 is actually an awesome product to use pre-training, and it gives me a kick re energy and focus - better than the majority of preworkout formulas I have used . . . It also dries me out, and I have often dosed it a little more on days when I want to be drier . . .

Overall: 10/10. T-911 is one of my favourite products. The most noticeable effect is the raging libido, but not only that, but it can be used as part of a very effective pre-training stack for great performance in the gym. Another reason why I like it is because despite my high stress levels, it helps calm me down, with my mood not as much all over the place.

Would I use again? Yes.

Would I recommend? Yes.