Of Mind and Muscle - A review for Focus XT (Sponsored)

[OrganicShadow]

Huge shout out to the team at Serious Nutrition Solutions for hooking me up with a tub of Focus XT. I've used a few of their products over the years and have had nothing short of satisfaction with my results. It's a priveledge to be giving a full review on this product.

Why I need to FOCUS
1)At the gym - I'm very social, maybe too social. I get caught up in conversations around me and it affects my tempo. Tried using headphones, I just get preoccupied with the music and the muted people around me - it's actually more distracting. A girl I'm seeing comes in after work close to the end of my workout, she distracts me too. It's the accent, I can't help it.
2)At work - I work night shift as a generalist in a hospital laboratory and responsible for every department. When the floors are busy I'm busy and keep moving; but when the ER is busy I'm running circles. It can get mentally and physically tiresome to keep up with numerous tests running at once, especially when somethings are timed results and everything is STAT. I'm also responsible for all the maintenance of instrumentation in the laboratory which have designated time slots to be performed.
3)In class- Silly me, never took Physics 1/2 in college. Now I need it for my doctorates. Well, back to Rutgers I go! That won't start till September. In addition, studying for the GRE's and MCAT. The GRE isn't so bad, but that MCAT is like pulling teeth! Ugh.

DAY 1 - THURSDAY 6/16
Just woke up... I have 45 minutes to throw back a shake and get to the gym for biceps/quads. Time to get my head straight.
INITIAL THOUGHTS
Appearance: Is anyone else's somewhat cakey? It's not quite a perfect powder but more confectionate in texture. At first i thought something was wrong because it was only about 3/4 full. Then I read the label, it's supposed to be that way. OK, I can roll with that. No issues scooping.
Mixability: You really don't even need to mix it - maybe a light swirling but that's it. Easily mixed with some cold water.
Taste: A light and refreshing Blue Raspberry. A nice little wake up before I head out the door.
Timeliness of onset: I often use driving as a guage of if my pre-workout is in effect, I think my perception changes and I become more aware of other vehicles. Didn't feel it. It wasn't until I put the headphones on that I began honing in on the task at hand. A good 20 minutes and a trigger - now I'm focused. Nice.
Effectiveness: Now I feel synchronized with the music in my sets. I'm mentally emerged in it as a soundtrack to my lift. Keeping better track of numbers. I have a tendancy to be overambitious with some exercises, I'm making smarter decisions about my motions and weights. A clear mental connection with my body's work and better focus on negative reps. Noticing small things I need to tweak in my motions.
Duration: Lasted long after my lift (usually 45-60 minutes). I go home and eat right after and usually just do small mindless tasks until I unwind. I was pretty quick to jump in the shower and pull out my day's to-do list. Definitely more efficient with my time today.

No crashes, jitters, sickness, head pain, etc. Word up. Stay tuned for episode 2.

[Bry17]

subbed!

Now I feel synchronized with the music in my sets. I'm mentally emerged in it as a soundtrack to my lift. Keeping better track of numbers. I have a tendancy to be overambitious with some exercises, I'm making smarter decisions about my motions and weights. A clear mental connection with my body's work and better focus on negative reps.

hardcore bro. this log's gonna be good.

No crashes, jitters, sickness, head pain, etc

Poetry to my ears.

[NomZ]

Awesome first review so far, thanks for posting up.

[ScienceGuided]

yea some get like that,takes all of 10 seconds to unclump whatever is clumped and you are good to go! the humidity will do that a bit.


another great point that goes unnoticed,music is on another level when you have a good scoop of focus XT in you! I always have my ipod with me so I agree with you a lot.

[OrganicShadow]

DAY 2 - FRIDAY 6/17
Ever have your conscience interrupt your sleep with that thought "Hey, you need to be somewhere soon."
I woke up at 3:21 and I'm expected at the gym by 3:30.. uh oh.

I sprint to get ready, pack my bag, and throw back a shake. A modified version for today.
2 scoops Isopure
No sesame oil - I need this fast acting
1 scoop Focus XT
1 scoop Lit Up - I normally wouldn't do this but I could use the extra pick me up.
Mix with some water... Mmm, like liquid cotton candy with a nutrition profile.

I get there a little late and my trainer busts my ass for it. Ending the week with a big lift - back width and thickness, hamstrings, and abs.
Our back width portion had a few unorthodox motions I've never seen. One was almost like a rear delt DB fly but waaay back and keeping the weight closer to the hip. I got a good momentum out of this but could have easily done it wrong. As I said before - Focus XT gets me concentrating on my form. Another was a lat pull down but as wide a grip possible and reversed. First set hurt my wrists until I understood how to hold it, then it all came clear where to hit it.

My buddy Anthony is a clown 24/7... especially when he got some action the night before, so today he was in circus mode. I was still engaged in conversation but never left sight of what I was really trying to accomplish there. I still maintained quality tempo with my workout while having a social aspect. Not once did I feel (or have my trainer yell at me) I was taking too long between sets or loosing focus.

Got home, ate, showered, and went straight to house chores - man, I'm about to start using this when I need to clean the kitchen!

yea some get like that,takes all of 10 seconds to unclump whatever is clumped and you are good to go! the humidity will do that a bit.

Yeah, I didn't think much of it - highly doubt it would have affected the overall quality. But thanks for clearing that up.

Sooo I've been reading that there may be a non-caffeine version coming in the future? I would gladly invest in that - I feel like I have so much caffeine from supplements, coffee, tea, etc that I'm immune to it and it may be causing more than needed stress.

I also heard something about a Key Lime Pie flavor?!?!?!?! OMG.

[NomZ]

Caffeine Free Focus XT is about 4 weeks out. The Key Lime flavor is just what some of us really want it to be

[ConcreteConny]

Count me in

[MAxximal]

I can`t wait for the the caffeine free version

[sns8778]

Glad you are enjoying it thus far.

Focus XT or any nootropic powder may have some clumps in the container. Nootropics are just that way, especially ones containing Choline and ALCAR. They can easily be broken up using the scoop, and it doesnt affect the mixability.

[OrganicShadow]

Never done this before:
I woke up and went to make the morning shake and managed to turn the blender on without adding water. Needless to say some of the powders went flying across my kitchen counter. CLEARLY I needed to focus. Lol

Anyway - hit chest and quads today. Finished in less than an hour! Thats including 16 sets of chest, 4 sets of leg press, and a short ab circuit. My tempo has been phenominal lately. Started cardio post workout (25m treadmill, 3.0 speed, 6.0 incline) and it went by pretty quick.

In addition: I decided to try a scoop before work. I had to come in an hour early and we're short a person tonight so the extra boost will be nice. Good thing too! I have a blood bank survey to complete for the College of American Pathologists (basically to show I know how to do my job to big brother). And it's looooong.

[ConcreteConny]

Never done this before:
I woke up and went to make the morning shake and managed to turn the blender on without adding water. Needless to say some of the powders went flying across my kitchen counter. CLEARLY I needed to focus. Lol

[schizm]

I also heard something about a Key Lime Pie flavor?!?!?!?! OMG.

Caffeine Free Focus XT is about 4 weeks out. The Key Lime flavor is just what some of us really want it to be

Detailed log Organic!! Very nice!!
....and crap, I may have been the instigator of that Key lime flavor...Nom is right...that was me just wanting that flavor...I don't think I sat in on the 'Flavor committee' this go round

[ScienceGuided]

perhaps you fellas can get a "key lime caff free focus XT" petition going? lol

[Bry17]

perhaps you fellas can get a "key lime caff free focus XT" petition going? lol

where do i sign?

Pink Lemonade will still probably be my favorite.

[OrganicShadow]

Due to a change in my workout routine there's a subsequent change in nutrition timing:
I'm not entering my workout fasted upon waking up. Of course, the morning ****tail of pills will continue lol. Really its just Focus XT for pre-workout now... no shake.
The shake is gonna come in post workout and before I jump on the treadmill for cardio.

Today's the first day I tried this and I'm seeing a BIG difference in the intensity of the effects. Once again, it's not like a slap in the face but a gradual onset. I'm gonna play around with some timing to get a feel for optimal dosing for a preworkout.

Why did it edit c0ck? c0cktail is a perfectly acceptable and fashionable word in the English language. Only in vulgar Shakesperian/George Carlin/Dane Cook humor would this word have some sort of sexual meaning. Sheesh.

[ConcreteConny]

where do i sign?

Pink Lemonade will still probably be my favorite.

Pink Lemonade ftw

Due to a change in my workout routine there's a subsequent change in nutrition timing:
I'm not entering my workout fasted upon waking up. Of course, the morning ****tail of pills will continue lol. Really its just Focus XT for pre-workout now... no shake.
The shake is gonna come in post workout and before I jump on the treadmill for cardio.

Today's the first day I tried this and I'm seeing a BIG difference in the intensity of the effects. Once again, it's not like a slap in the face but a gradual onset. I'm gonna play around with some timing to get a feel for optimal dosing for a preworkout.

Why did it edit c0ck? c0cktail is a perfectly acceptable and fashionable word in the English language. Only in vulgar Shakesperian/George Carlin/Dane Cook humor would this word have some sort of sexual meaning. Sheesh.

Nice, glad to see you playing around with the dosing a bit and getting the best effect
And I laughed at the "mindless ranting" at the end

[schizm]

Due to a change in my workout routine there's a subsequent change in nutrition timing:
I'm not entering my workout fasted upon waking up. Of course, the morning ****tail of pills will continue lol. Really its just Focus XT for pre-workout now... no shake.
The shake is gonna come in post workout and before I jump on the treadmill for cardio.

Today's the first day I tried this and I'm seeing a BIG difference in the intensity of the effects. Once again, it's not like a slap in the face but a gradual onset. I'm gonna play around with some timing to get a feel for optimal dosing for a preworkout.

Why did it edit c0ck? c0cktail is a perfectly acceptable and fashionable word in the English language. Only in vulgar Shakesperian/George Carlin/Dane Cook humor would this word have some sort of sexual meaning. Sheesh.

...and further, what if I had a pet Peac0ck named 'Fluffy'? I wouldn't be able to talk much about him without being edited out with **** either?!?! MAN!!! Filter has failed me and my aspirations of having a pet Peac0ck!! Dahhhhmmmm yoooouuuu guuuyyyyyssss!!! <slams head on desk>

[Clickster]

...and further, what if I had a pet Peac0ck named 'Fluffy'? I wouldn't be able to talk much about him without being edited out with **** either?!?! MAN!!! Filter has failed me and my aspirations of having a pet Peac0ck!! Dahhhhmmmm yoooouuuu guuuyyyyyssss!!! <slams head on desk>

You never fail to crack me up schizm. haha!

[ConcreteConny]

...and further, what if I had a pet Peac0ck named 'Fluffy'? I wouldn't be able to talk much about him without being edited out with **** either?!?! MAN!!! Filter has failed me and my aspirations of having a pet Peac0ck!! Dahhhhmmmm yoooouuuu guuuyyyyyssss!!! <slams head on desk>

[OrganicShadow]

Night driving + Focus XT = Awesome experience.

Made better by 2x12"x600W subs

@ Schizm -->