When it comes to building muscle, supplements can be a very beneficial way to get even MORE results from your training and nutrition.
Because yes...you SHOULD have your training and nutrition dialed in before you start adding in supplements. Putting supplements (even good ones) into the mix will not make up for gaping holes in your "big ticket" items.
With that in mind, I tested out three products from Kaged (formerly known as Kaged Muscle...they've rebranded recently) to see how well they stack up.
I used all three of these Kaged products in my training and supplementation strategy leading up to my "49th Birthday Challenge Workout" where I trap bar deadlifted 490 lbs for 49 reps.
Click here to see the video of that 49th Birthday Challenge...in it, I detail the full training regimen I used in the two weeks prior to the workout in order to peak for it and actually get through it!
Each Kaged supplement I reviewed targets a different aspect of muscle building and performance.
Want to learn more about and/or get Kaged products? Click here now.
Kaged Creatine HCL Review
So here's the deal...Creatine monohydrate is the "gold standard" of creatine.
In my experience, Creatine HCL is on par with creatine monohydrate in terms of overall results (i.e. strength increases). It's effective but it doesn't necessarily give you better "bottom line" results in the gym.
Kaged Creatine HCL uses a patented version of the ingredient that is higher quality than "bargain basement" creatine HCL.
What the HCL version DOES have over the monohydrate form is for those have digestive issues with monohydrate, HCL can be easier on the gut, allowing you to reap the benefits of creatine without digestive upset or bloating that monohydrate can sometimes cause.
As well, you won't need to take as much of it per serving in order to get the same overall creatine dose.
It's essentially a different way to get to the same endpoint.
Here's the ingredients list (basically just creatine HCL as the primary ingredient).
Did it work?
It worked exactly as well as creatine monohydrate does for me. Personally, I have no issues with creatine monohydrate and absorption, so it's nothing I could compare head-to-head.
I did like the fact that I didn't have to take as much of it get the full load of creatine.
They do mention that you don't NEED to load Creatine HCL....this is actually also true of creatine monohydrate. After about 30 days of continuous use, you'll achieve the same level of creatine in the muscle as if you did a 5 day load.
Personally, I prefer to do the loading, so I did when I was preparing for my birthday challenge...I wanted to get as much creatine saturation as quickly as I could as, due to circumstances, I only had two weeks to really prepare.
Kaged Creatine HCL worked just as well with loading as monohydrate. I could feel and see the difference in my training sessions as I got more creatine loaded in.
So bottom line, this stuff absolutely works on par with creatine monohydrate and has several advantages that you may find useful in your own supplement regimen.
Get Kaged Creatine HCL here...
Pre-Kaged Non-Stim Pre-Workout Supplement Review
Pre-workout supplements come in two basic categories... stimulant and non-stimulant. Which essentially comes down to caffeinated or not caffeinated.
Personally, ever since I used to do the ephedrine/caffeine/aspirin stack years ago and ended up with a shredded nervous system and trouble sleeping, I generally avoid the stimulant-based pre-workout supplements.
I prefer pre-workout products that SUPPORT the body rather than lighting it up.
The nutrient spectrum in the Pre-Kaged stuff is a good one...it covers all of the non-stimulant aspects of setting your body up for success in a workout... from cellular hydration to nervous system support to cellular energy support.
Did it work?
After testing, I've definitely found a different between when I take it and when I don't. I've used almost all of the ingredients in it separately and they ARE effective.
The good thing is, in reading the label, Pre-Kaged contains EFFECTIVE dosages of the ingredients in each serving. For example, L-Cirtulline is a fantastic supplement for cellular hydration...however, anything less than 6 grams or so in a serving won't have the effect you're looking for. At 6.5 grams, this stuff has enough to work. A bit more wouldn't hurt, but it IS enough to get a good effect.
This is not a "throw everything at the wall" supplement. While it does have a lot of ingredients, each one has a purpose and is research backed.
This is a very good pre-workout supplement and definitely one I would recommend if you're not a fan of stimulant-based pre-workouts.
Re-Kaged Recovery Supplement Review
Post-workout nutrition has a tremendous impact on how well you recover from your training.
And while the whole "4 hour post workout window of opportunity" hasn't been shown to be the end-all-be-all, in my experience, the sooner you can get good quality nutrients into your body after a workout, the better you'll recover.
That means getting in some high-quality protein, primarily.
The Re-Kaged formula has this in the form of fast-digesting whey protein isolate, along with digestive enzymes to help with absorption.
It also contains glutamine which, in my experience, DOES help a lot with recovery (the research is mixed on this one, so I'm talking from my own experience). Three grams is about the minimum dosage that it takes to get past the gut, so I always punch it up with an extra teaspoon of straight L-Glutamine on the side, no matter what post-workout shake I take.
Does it work?
It does. It's tough to empirically gauge the concept of "recovery" but I did take this regularly after all of prep workouts for my birthday challenge and my numbers kept going up on every training session that I did.
The creatine and betaine are nice additions, though because creatine is a "loading" supplement it's not really going to help a lot with acute recovery.
Post-workout recovery doesn't have to be complex...primarily it's about getting good nutrients in and resting.
Re-Kaged definitely fits the bill here...and the strawberry-lemonade is actually VERY tasty. I looked forward to it after every workout.
I like this stuff a lot.
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