Higher Power Build XS

Nutrional Facts:

Link to product: bodybuilding.com – Build XS

To start this review I will list the ‘scores’ that I have given to the product, then I will go into some details about why I gave the scores I did and will go over some of the ingredients of the powder.

Scores:

Taste: 5/5

Pump: 4/5

Focus: 5/5

Strength: 3/5

Vascularity: 4/5

Cost: 5/5

Recovery: 4/5

Jittery/Shaky Feeling didn’t really exist although there is a tingling sensation which is very minor cause by the Beta Alanine. Alright, lets go over the scores and explain why I rated each the way I did. First up taste, this is hands down the best Pre Workout/Creatine/Any Powder I have ever tasted. Mixed Berry is delicious. There was a bit of a sour (think sour candy) kinda of taste which I love and over all I could probably drink this stuff all day long (not recommended). There is also a grape flavor which I have not tried.

Pump. This one is a little harder to rate because it depends a lot on your actual workout for the day. Bicep/Chest day = huge pump. Back/Tricep = decent pump. Leg/Shoulder = not much pump. I did however, notice a difference between the pump I was getting before using this as a Pre Workout supplement and the pump definitely got better. This may have to do with the increased vascularity as well. Either way when you take this and hit the gym there will be a pump and it will feel awesome.

Focus. Another 5/5 yeah the focus I would have after drinking this stuff was insane. Usually take a scoop about 30mins-1hour before I hit the gym and I am so pumped to hit the gym that when the time finally comes to go to the gym I can’t help but focus on my workout the entire way there, and during the workout. I loved the focus effect. It really made me feel like I was pushing myself harder then normal and helped me get some extra reps out.

Strength. I wouldn’t say the strength gains I have been seeing are only because of Build XS. I would base most of the strength gains off of my new workout AND the amount of focus I could pour into my workouts. So in effect the product did help increase my strength by allowing me to focus, recover, and attempt more.

Vascularity. The veins are coming back quick. My forearms are so pumped during a workout that I have veins popping out all over, ones I have never even seen before. The 2 ‘python’ veins running up my bicep are almost constantly out now. My delts of a branching of veins that are starting to reach my chest. I would definitely say that Build XS + Lowering Body Fat % have led to some nice vascularity.

Cost. This rating really depends on the individual, everyone is going to have their own opinion on whether the cost is high, low, in the middle or whatever they feel it is. Personally I think the price is pretty damn good for the number of different things you are getting. Compared to similar products its dirt cheap. Also according to bodybuilding.com they own the Higher Power brand and do not have to pay any middle man for their product so it can be sold directly for cheaper.

Recovery. Well for a Pre Workout supplement this could mean during the workout and post workout recovery, so lets look at both. During the workout I am able to recover from sets much faster and it seems to take longer to fatigue. This is great during an intense workout. The only thing that truly holding me back is the lower back injury which seems to make my back spasm. Post workout, usually the drive home is bearable depending on the split for the day. The next day there is usually very little soreness, and with my 3 days in a row routine it takes the third day before I really feel any soreness. Overall my recovery speed has increased tremendously.

Alright the ingredients should be familiar to most. Creatine Monohydrate its been around a while and its benefits have been proven and gives you the recommended 5grams per serving. Glutamine is also a staple supplement, it is believed to increase protein metabolism while helping prevent muscular cell breakdown. Beta Alanine is a bit newer and this is the first supplement I have taken with this ingredient in it. Here is the info from bodybuilding.com:

By promoting high levels of intramuscular carnosine, ?-Alanine promotes high energy levels and supports maximum muscular endurance and improved performance.

Taurine is a common amino acid that increases protein synthesis, and is believed to increase muscle fullness. It does this in a similar way to creatine, by expanding the cells to allow more water, and therefore more hydration. Some believe this amino acid also helps intramuscular contraction which would help you lift heavier weights.

Ribose has a lot of interesting information. Instead of rewriting everything, just follow this link: Ribose

Tyrosine, again, has a lot of interesting information and a lot of science so follow this link: Tyrosine

Well that covers all of the main ingredients. It is interesting to note that some people may experience a stronger tingling feeling from the Beta Alanine. I would occasionally get a tingle in my arms or finger tips but it seems some people the tingling can be so intense that it feels like bugs are crawling on them, I did not experience this but if you do you may want to stop taking the supplement. I think about sums it up. Overall the product worked pretty well without making outrageous claims so that is always a plus. If you have any questions or comments feel free to ask! Enjoy!

Build XS is a creatine powder. But not just any creatine powder it is filled to the brim with tons of other nutrients and Amino Acids. Here are the full ingredients:

The only ingredient I was not familiar with is Beta Alanine which has become fairly popular from what I have read. All of the ingredients are intended to lower muscle fatigue, build strength and size, as well as increase protein synthesis. The L-Taurine gives a huge energy burst and intense focus. I can’t remember a time I was more focused in the gym except maybe back in the day taking NO2 and CE2.

The flavor I went with is mixed berry and it is DELICIOUS. It has almost a sour kind of taste which I love and it mixes with water very very well. Plain Creatine Monohydrate usually doesn’t mix all that well but there was no chunks or powder left after I finished the bottle of water.

The directions say to take 1 17g scoop prior to your workout. I had 1 issue with this and that is that the scooper is bigger than your average bottle of waters opening and therefore hard to pour a whole scoop in. I ended up using three scoops to get what I thought was 17g. Right away I could feel the pump building I was dying to hit the weights. My energy and focus were through the roof. Nothing was even distracting me at the gym. I had a goal in mind and that is all that I could focus on. It was quite intense. My workout went much better than I expected. I was doing more weight than I thought I would be able to and I had so much energy that after I finished my 2 Pullings, 1 Pushing, and 1 Leg workout I even added some Oblique work, ab work, and shrugs.

So how do I feel today? Awesome. Simply awesome. I am not sore which is good. A lot of people tend to use soreness to measure their workouts effectiveness, this is not necessary. If your muscles are moving weight that makes you struggle there are getting torn down and rebuilt during rest, even if your not sore. My hamstring is the only thing that is bothering me but I attribute that to not stretching enough before the Dumbbell Split Squats. My chest, back, arms, shoulders, abs, and even my obliques feel great and ready for more. My gym schedule has been pretty odd the last few weeks because I tend to go Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday then have 4 days of rest. Not the best, but it is what I have to work with for now.

My opinion on Build XS? Although I have only taken it once so far, it feels very promising. In a few weeks I will be able to add a new review with some decent gains/results for now I am just excited to write about this crazy stuff. The company that makes Build XS is called Higher Power and is actually owned by BodyBuilding.com and therefore cuts out multiple middle men and makes most of their products fairly cheap compared to the competition. I also have been taking Higher Powers ZMA which has been feeling great as well.

So far I would definitely recommend Build XS even if it is just for the focus and intensity. I have a good feeling that the results will be good and I will be able to recommend it because of that as well but we shall see.

Alright enough for this short review I am getting pumped to take it and hit them gym again but I have to wait another 11 hours. So enjoy!

When I got them I thought the case was pretty cool as everything comes in a triangle shaped box. One of the best features about these earbuds is the cable management. You have 3 sliders to adjust how the cables fit. There is a “style” that zagg calls Hangin’ Tight which works great at the gym. Essentially you make a loop and put your head through with the earbuds hanging on your back with the slider pulling them together. Then you have to adjust the other 2 sliders so that the earbuds can reach your ears and all cables stay in place together. With this setup you don’t have to worry about your earbuds falling out because if they do they won’t go far.

The actual in ear pads are also very nice and seem unique too. They are more of a foam than rubber and they conform to and lock in your ear which really helps with the noise cancellation. The buds are angled as well so that they fit in your ear without staying against your ear uncomfortably.

The cables are coated with Invisible Shield which mean they are durable as hell and won’t tangle. The inline mic and music controls work pretty well although they look and kind of feel cheesy. There is a volume slider but it is very sensitive. 1 small slide and your volume either shoots way up or way down. There is 1 button for answering/hanging up on a call, pausing and playing music, fast forwarding and rewinding, and skipping songs. Once you get the hang of the quick double press or double press and hold you won’t even have to think about it.

The 3.5mm jack is angled at 90 degrees which makes it stick out of the phone a lot less. Included with the earbuds is a sweet round Zagg zipper case which holds 3 other types of plugs for your ears and houses the ear buds when not in use.

After using these at the gym and now constantly wearing them everywhere in the Hangin’ Tight style I have decided that these are the greatest ear buds I have ever owned. I think these would even stay in place during a full on sprint because of the foam plugs.

Whether you need new earbuds or not go to zagg.com enter their contests and get your 40-50% off coupons then buy these buds they are worth it. Plus the 12 weeks of Christmas have tons of stuff to win. If your not already follow @zagg, @zaggdaily, and @csheldrick on twitter. Enjoy!

Just got a 50% off coupon that’s good for3 uses. If you use it please say so in the comments!

After using this case for the last 2 days (it arrived on Friday the 27th -wicked fast) I have decided that this is best case I have ever had for a phone. I wish all the people at Default Case the best of luck with their cases and hope to see more new cases in the future!

Remember the $0.01 is for a limited time only (like a prize for early adopters) so I would say hurry up and get yourself this awesome case! Enjoy!

iPhone 4 Design

The new design and shape of the iPhone 4 makes the invisble shield an awesome added protection. Since the new design has 2 glass sides, and 1 band around the outside there are no hard curves to apply the shield to. This should make the new invisible shield very very easy to put on the new phone from day 1 and keep my investment protected for a long time. Of course the shield won’t protect the bands but that is what bumpers or fat rubber bands can be used for. All in all so far I am glad I decided to try out the invisible shield again, especially since the only problem I had with the original was caused by the curvey phone design.

The Pricing

The Invisible Shield is very fairly priced for the amount of protection you get. Starting at $14.99 for individual front and back pieces or $24.99 for the full body protection you are getting a great deal of coverage for the cost lower than that of your average case.

You can check out ZAGG’s website here. They have shields for hundreds of different phones, computers, gps’s, and tons of other devices. They also have a bunch of videos showing the strength and durability of their shields, as well as how to apply the shield.

Enjoy and have fun protecting your awesome gadgets.