In this article I’d like to share with you my experience with pre-workout supplements and more importantly my Cobra Labs Shadow-X review.
Another Overrated Workout Supplement?!
There’s a plethora of pre-workout supplements out there, with more and more coming out every single day, all of which make wild promises of skin ripping pumps and personal records in the gym while the product is promoted by competitive bodybuilders and authorities in the fitness industry.
The problem here is you’re forking over your hard-earned cash for a heavily marketed supplement that often you have no idea what the shiny little tub actually contains. The majority of pre-workout supplements out there will contain the same ingredients such as caffeine, beta alanine etc. however the dosage provided in this shiny pre-workout supplement is more often than not masked by a proprietary matrix with names like the ‘energy pump focus matrix’.
The primary reason WHY these pre-workout supplement companies place a proprietary matrix on their pre-workout supplements is to under dose the ingredients that count and to ‘pad’ the formula with minute doses of additional ingredients (for example, olive leaf extract).
This one supplement I’m reviewing today is a breath of fresh air.
Shadow-X by Cobra Labs.
“Shadow-X is a mind blowing pre-workout designed for hardcore users only
1 scoop will take you to a state of focus and intensity you’ve never felt before
Mind lock mental focus, intense muscle pumps and savage training intensity”
The Shadow-X pre workout formula is as follows:
- Caffeine Anhydrous – 350mg
- Beta Alanine – 2000mg
- Taurine – 1000mg
- L-Citrulline – 2000mg
This is per serve (1 scoop!). Most supplement companies will do the dodgy on the servings per container label and state that a pre-workout supplement has 30 servings per container, little does it mention that this is at a half dosage – e.g. by consuming the recommend amount of 2 scoops you’re instantly brought down to 15 actual servings per workout.
Shadow-X by Cobra Labs clearly states that at the full serving size in order to get those scientifically backed doses of ingredients you’ll get 30 serves per tub.
My Shadow-X Pre Workout Review (My Experience Using Shadow-X)
Here’s my complete experience using several tubs of Shadow-X.
Focus
Shadow-X gave me fantastic focus between half a scoop and a full scoop (start with half a scoop to assess your tolerance).
This is a ‘clean’ rush of energy as opposed to the dirty or ‘wired’ feeling a pre-workout supplement like 1 MR or Craze provides.
Enter the gym with Shadow-X and a plan for your workout and prepare to kill it
No Crash
As much as I value my workout intensity I’m not willing to sacrifice the rest of my day for it, therefore it’s imperative any pre-workout supplement I use does not come with an almighty crash afterwards. There’s no crash here!
Mixability
Shadow-X is great in terms of mixability – forgot your shaker? No worries – a single scoop of shadow-X mixes easily in a glass of water with a teaspoon unlike many other pre-workouts!
The only other pre-workout I’ve seen with this level of mixability is Mike Matthew’s Pulse.
Taste
I’m not a fan of the taste of supplements in general with the exception of protein. Tropical and fruity based flavours which are generally artificially flavoured exude a chemical taste. I’ve been using the Lemon Zero flavor of Shadow-X and admittedly it isn’t that bad!
Value
Having used Cobra Labs alternative pre workout supplement, The Curse I can vouch for the value of their whole line-up of supplements – you’re getting clinically proven dosages of ingredients (complete transparency on the labels!) at a rock-bottom price.