I'll never forget.
The label said "do not exceed 3 scoops", which really meant "take 3 scoops :)".
I was driving to the gym when my field of vision narrowed, my grip tightened on the steering wheel.
And I had what was, to an 18 year old who had never run an actual program, the craziest workout ever.
Back in early 2008 I first started taking pre-workout. I started with the basic proprietary products of the time. I tried NOXplode, White Flood, Super Pump and a host of other products and settled on NOXplode.
I was out of town visiting my parents and went to a small town Vitamin Shoppe and asked the employee where the NOXplode was.Â
He gave me a serious look and said "are you sure?"
He reached to the bottom shelf and grabbed this little, miserable, plain white bottle with a big warning label on it.
"NOXplode is fine. But jack3d is the best product you can buy. Look at these containers: which do you think spent more on packaging and marketing? Which do you think has more filler? I'm telling you. You HAVE to try this."
I wasn't sold, but I was a complete cheapskate and jack3d was actually cheaper.
Holy shit.
Those proprietary formulas from the late 00's to early 10's had some insane blends. I was young, so I didn't care that I couldn't sleep or that I crashed like I was coming down on gas station meth.
It was like a challenge to find the most hardcore product you could and share it with your friends and see who could handle it.
The workout didn't even matter anymore.
Looking back on it, they probably could make an over the top after school special about the dangers of abusing pre workout and it might not be as bad as we really were with them.
But once they cracked down on DMAA and the other research stimulants that were in the products we loved, we were left with garbage.
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Once I started training for powerlifting I didn't get the same benefit from those formulas anymore, but that's probably worth it's own post.
This post is just to reminisce about a different time that's easy to look back on as "the good ol' days".Â
I remember driving to the gym, blaring my favorite music, with my shaker in hand and just knowing it was going to be a good workout.
I miss that feeling. And nothing today just "does it" for me.
That's why I made Crystal Pump.Â
I wanted that feeling again.
And I truly believe I succeeded in making a product that specifically works best for strength athletes.
Did you take those hardcore products of the early 10's?
How do you think those compare to modern "hardcore" products?
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5 comments
Crystal pump is great because it has actual effective (not just minimum effective) doses of both nootropics and energy components. The powder is super fine which makes it mix well, but stay back when opening it cuz you’ll inhale it. This is as close to old school formulas as you’ll get without DMAA… or just add a little DMAA on your own lol.
Gone are the days of Jack3d and getting crazy workouts from a 5g scoop, and you’re definitely not getting anything worthwhile from todays 5g scoop preworkouts (looking at you C4). I wrote off pre workouts years ago. I couldn’t stand mega corps and their BS “proprietary” blends putting god knows what in there and profits over people. Most of the stuff on the market just seems like it has super high stim, BA, and/or niacin just to keep customers coming back because they “felt something” for 37 minutes. Not even thinking about how they feel after. Crystal pump is different. I feel energized and focused during my training sessions, it lasts so much longer, and I don’t feel like garbage or jittery. The only secret to a truly great pre-workout is transparency, and that can be seen on the back of the CrPu bottle. You won’t find any blends or proprietary garbage, only full doses ingredients and supplements that will help you maximize your efforts. The Crystal Pump team even goes in depth on why they chose certain ingredients and the benefits behind them on their Instagram.
Coming from a power lifter, no other preworkout has been as helpful for my workouts as crystal pump. Works wonders for meet day or heavy/long SBD days. Full focus and energy throughout the whole session, 0 crash.
Many who are gray in hair can recant the woes of when DMAA was taken off the shelf. I would be remiss to say I didn’t enjoy the intense focus and stimulation that came with some peril. Three scoops you say? If three is god than 4 must be better. Alas i yearn for the days of old with what’s left of my fleeting youth.
I missed jack3d so much it’s unreal…that is until I experienced the exquisite taste of crystal pump rock candy flavor on my palate