Rodja's Activate Extreme Test

[Rodja]

First, I would like to thank Rob and the DS crew for picking me to test out their new product. I have previously taken Activate and got some solid results so I am expecting this new version to be even better. Dosing will be 4 caps/day about 12 hours apart. I don't have a reason for doing this, I just like to take make supplements as evenly as possible.

My MMA training breaks down into 3 phases: strength/power, endurance, and technique. I train 2 out of the 3 phases 6x/week and sometimes combine them into one session.
Mon-weights, sprints
Tue-BJJ, endurance
Wed-weights, Thai boxing
Thu-BJJ, endurance
Fri-weights, Thai boxing
Sat-BJJ, endurance

It is a little vague ATM, but I will expanf after each training session. I haven't done my sprints today as of this moment, but my lifts were:
Flat BP-155x5, 165x4, 185x1, 190x1, 135x3x3 (Westside style)
BB Rows-205x3x5 (dynamic)
Dips-BWx10, BW+15x8
One-Arm Rows/Side Laterals-100x8/35x10, 100x8/35x10
Trunk Rotations/Weighted Crunches-60x20x2/110x30x2

Overall, it was a solid WO; nothing spectacular, but it was not bad. I am going to do sprints at about 8 PM and that will be the true test of whether or not today was a successful training day. I will take measurements tomorrow along with goals, etc.

 

[xjsynx]

W3rd!

 

[xjsynx]

So you are taking 2 caps twice daily?

 

[Rodja]

So you are taking 2 caps twice daily?

Yes.

 

[xjsynx]

I was confusing the dosage with the og ActivaTe dosage.

 

[Iron Warrior]

Subscribed: I don't know if I missed it but are you bulking, cutting, re-comping ?

 

[Rodja]

Subscribed: I don't know if I missed it but are you bulking, cutting, re-comping ?

I am going for a slight recomp, maybe stay the same weight, but trim a little BF and gain some LBM, and strength gains. I can't get too much bigger than a lean 180 otherwise cutting to 170 may be difficult and dangerous. I would say that I am in the 11% BF range and would like to eventually get down to about 7%.

 

[prld2gr8ns]

Great to see you getting a chance to log this rodja... looking forward to seeing what you get out of it.

 

[drksun]

good luck, sub'ed

 

[CryingEmo]

I'm gonna beat Rodja up. :hammer:


J/k dude, solid thread. :clap2:

 

[matthew76]

sub: good luck(work hard)

 

[Rodja]

I did my sprints after work today and I was only able to get 8 instead of my usual 10. The sprint was at 11 MPH on a 5% grade and the rest was 4 MPH at a 5% grade. I alternated between 30 seconds and 40 seconds on the sprint and 90 and 80 seconds on the rest. My HR just didn't feel right and I couldn't get enough air for some reason. Oh well, I didn't train for 11 days so I am not surprised to see a minor drop off in performance.

 

[matthew76]

chalk it bro - sometimes that's how it is

take it for motivation for your next workout

8 instead of 10 is better than an excuse on why you could not do 1 - so good job

 

[Rodja]

chalk it bro - sometimes that's how it is

take it for motivation for your next workout

8 instead of 10 is better than an excuse on why you could not do 1 - so good job

I started having trouble at 4, but I went for as long as I could. I am not really that upset by it, just disappointed.

 

[Rodja]

I had BJJ and conditioning training today. BJJ was open mat so I was able to get a solid 45 minutes of free rolling and I was able to get a few of my training partners with a brabo choke and a d'arce choke, which I learned from an instructional video today. My conditioning consisted of this: 10 burpees, 20 jumping jacks, 10 sprawls into a knee strike, and 10 box jumps on a 2 ft boxed followed by a 1/4 mile run. I did this 4 times with 1 minute rest between sets for a total of 16 minutes of training time. I am going to work my way up to 6 on these sets as I draw closer to my fight and maybe increase the reps as well.

Measurements-
Wt-178
BF%-11%
Chest-43.5"
Arms-15"
Waist-31"
Thighs-26"

I could make weight tomorrow if I needed to so I am going to focus on adding some LBM and stripping away some adipose. Ideally, at the end of this cycle, I will be at or slightly above my current weight, but 9-10%BF and with increased strength.

 

[zbtboy]

Great log thus far, Rodja! Will def keep an eye on this one.

 

[PumpYouUp]

Alright Rodja! Will be following along again for sure! When is your next match up?

 

[Rodja]

Alright Rodja! Will be following along again for sure! When is your next match up?

I definitively have one set up for mid-to-late November, but I would really like to get another fight between now and then.

 

[AnonyMoose]

subscr'bd - this is a good log. . .

 

[EasyEJL]

sub'd I was thinking of using this between fadogia/trib test boosting cycles, really interested

 

[peece]

very on board for this

 

[Rodja]

Todays lifts-
Cleans-165x8, 185x6, 190x1 (traps were dead)
Lunge/Squats on Smith-135x5x3/135x10x3 (20 seconds rest)
Wide Grip Pulldowns-170x6x2
Step-Ups/Hammer Curls-90x5x2/50x6x2 (20 seconds rest)
Trunk Rotations/Woodchoppers-60x20x2/60x10x2

Overall, I felt pretty good during this WO and my recovery between sets was pretty good. My MCL in my right knee was a little cranky, but not enought to slow me down. I have to skip my second training session today to pack and move out of my apartment. I know the AX is still building in my system, but I am already feeling the effects of the Rhodiola, which is awesome.

 

[matthew76]

sweet... interested in your results and impressions of AXtreme

looking good so far

 

[neoborn]

/subbed.

 

[Rodja]

Yesterday was an awesome BJJ class. I pulled off a freakin gogoplata on a blue belt. It is definitely one of my proudest accomplishments in BJJ as of this moment and I actually starting shouting after I pulled it off. I have been moving the past couple of days so I haven't been able to get in all parts of my training since Tuesday. I am going to lift in a few hours and I will update tonight.

 

[peece]

Yesterday was an awesome BJJ class. I pulled off a freakin gogoplata on a blue belt. It is definitely one of my proudest accomplishments in BJJ as of this moment and I actually starting shouting after I pulled it off. I have been moving the past couple of days so I haven't been able to get in all parts of my training since Tuesday. I am going to lift in a few hours and I will update tonight.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[prld2gr8ns]

I am going to lift in a few hours and I will update tonight.

Ah, Rodjey you forgot about us.:sad:

 

[Rodja]

Ah, Rodjey you forgot about us.:sad:

Sorry, I went to watch my friends play a show and forgot to update before I left.

Close Grip BP - 205x8, 225x4
Clean and Press - 135x8, 145x6 PR
BB Rows - 225x10, 245x8
Pressdowns/Weighted Crunches - 150x12/110x30, 150x12/120x30
Pull-Ups/Trunk Rotations/Facepulls - BWx5x2/70x20x2/70x15x2

Great WO, strength was great and I had a nice pump and vascularity. I am going to incorporate more rear delt work in my lifting to strengthen my shoulder integrity. Abs seem to be slightly more visible, but I think it is too early to say. For 5 days in, I can definitely feel a difference in recovery and sleep. The nettle and rhodiola combo was a brilliant idea for sleep and recovery.

 

[CryingEmo]

Hey Rodja, I find that conditioning practices destroy me, my joints hurt, and I really can't do much the next day. How do you maintain strength? It seems rediculously catabolic... I've been drinking like 10-15 grams of bcaa's to stave off catabolism, but I'm not sure if that's helping. 2 conditioning practices a week is too much for me. Argh.

 

[matthew76]

haha, try teaching and rolling 3 classes a week for 12 years...

5 days in and already feeling its effects... think i'll grab me some

good job bro!

 

[Rodja]

Hey Rodja, I find that conditioning practices destroy me, my joints hurt, and I really can't do much the next day. How do you maintain strength? It seems rediculously catabolic... I've been drinking like 10-15 grams of bcaa's to stave off catabolism, but I'm not sure if that's helping. 2 conditioning practices a week is too much for me. Argh.

I will admit that I am blessed when it comes to endurance, but the main thing to increase is overall kcals, mainly carbs. I eat fruit several times per day for quick energy and I would recommend that your first 2-3 meals include a serving of fruit. The best ones in my book are blueberries, pineapple, bananas, and raisins. Not only do they add carbs, but they each have a great overall nutrient profile and help you to stay healthy to maximize recovery.

 

[Rodja]

It appears as though I have picked up a fight for sometime around late September. So, I have about 7 weeks or so to get myself into competition shape. Luckily, I don't have to worry about my weight, but I am going to put a huge focus on my cardio until this fight. Luckily, I will have about 6-7 weeks between this fight and my next, so I can take a week off after the first one to give my body some rest.

Today is day 7 of my log and here are my impressions/observations:
1. Sleep is phenomenal; I can sleep for only 6 hours and fell like I had 9
2. Vascularity is starting to improve
3. Strength gains are starting to come along nicely
4. Joints are a little dry, particularly my knees and elbows
5. DOMS has been reduced
6. Appetite is up slightly
7. Increased nutrient repartitioning; I have blood glucose crashes if I don't eat in 3 hours intervals
8. Mood is great
9. Pumps are improved, but not massive...yet
10. Cardio has not increased significantly, but it is still early in the cycle
11. Aggression is way up

 

[xjsynx]

:clap2: Nice detail Rodja...

 

[Rodja]

I did cardio ~1 hour before lifting, but I felt strong throughout the WO. Cardio today was a 2.5 mile run which I finished in 17minutes.

Flat BP - 165x5, 185x1, 195x1
BB Rows - 205x5x3 (20 seconds rest)
Dips - BW+10x8, BW+25x5 (PR)
V-Handle Pulldowns/Side Laterals - 160x6x2/35x10x2

I skipped my core session because my abs have had lingering soreness and I wanted to get a little extra rest for them today. Sleep, vascularity, and pumps have been great. Acne is increased on forehead and shoulders, but nothing horrible. Unlike with ATD, I am not experiencing any weak erections either. So far, so good...

 

[Rodja]

Today was a long day of training. I had BJJ, sparring, and distance cardio back-to-back-to-back, but I managed to survive. Sparring went ok, but I need to develop a better sense of reach and start incorporating more uppercuts into my stand-up game. BJJ was a good session and I focused more on sweeps and transitions than actual submissions. I am starting to incorporate scissors half-guard into my game and have been able to get several sweeps from that position on a consistent basis. Cardio was 2.5 miles and I finished in 18 minutes, which was a little worse than Monday, but I also was not anywhere near the level of fatigue yesterday as I was today during cardio. It is the beginning of my pre-fight prep and I am going to become a conditioning demon over the next several months. Hopefully, the Activate Ex will help my recovery and strength levels over the length of this trial. I have set a few PR's already and I hope to keep improving.

 

[DrnkMnky]

Logs looking good! I'm in.

 

[Rodja]

Today's lifts:
Cleans-185x6, 195x2
Lunge/Squats-135x5/135x10, 145x5x2/145x10x2
Step-Up/Hammer Curls-90x5x2/50x6x2
Pull-Ups/Trunk Rotations-BWx5x3/60x20x3

Good pump and strength roday. I am looking a lot leaner and drier over the past few days, but I am at 177. I have increased my kcals by about 150 over the past couple days, mainly coming from carbs and EFAs. Since I did this, I have not had as many blood-glucose issues as before.

 

[Rodja]

Today's lifts:

Close Grip BP-225x8, 235x4
Clean and Press-135x8, 155x6 (PR)
BB Rows-245x10, 275x8
Pressdowns/Pull-Ups/Cable Laterals-150x12/BWx5/25x10, 150x15(PR)/BWx5/30x10
Woodchoppers/Facepulls-60x10x2/80x15x2

I had a good WO today; it take me a minute to get going, but I got ther. My legs and hips were tired from biking up hills yesterday, which affected my strength on the cleans and woodchoppers. I had a couple of PRs today, so I guess you could say that today was a success. My cardio is starting to get back to where it needs to be, but I still have a ways to go to get to the level of conditioning I want.

 

[Rodja]

I decided to slightly change the routine today and I had some great strength and pumps to go with it.

Dips-BW+25x6, BW+35x6 (PR)
BB Rows-225x12, 245x10x2
Incline DB-70x6x2
Facepulls/Weighted Crunches-80x15/120x15, 90x15x230x15x2

My weight was at 179 today, but it was probably due to eating a lot this weekend. My appetite has been up for the past several days and I thought that I would take advantage of that. Delts and arms are starting to get more vascular and defined.

 

[Rodja]

Update as far as conditioning is concerned: my cardio has made a rapid improvement over the last 10 days or so. I am able to complete all of my conditioning drills and not feel like I am about to vomit. BJJ and sparring are doing excellent and my recovery between sets and rest periods is outstanding. I have zero negatives to report as of this moment.

Today's Lifts

Front Squats-155x6
Reverse Lunges-90x8 (per leg)x3
SLDL-185x10, 205x8
Grip Work-30 second holds w/ 80x1, 30 seconds w/90x1

I am starting to implement some more leg work to maintain a higher level of posterior chain strength. I am pretty sure that this is the reason that my lower back has been more susceptible to injuries over the past year because I have not serious leg training for about 15 months now. I am also starting to dose at 6 caps/day for the rest of the log (2 w/ breakfast, 2 pre-WO/mid-day, 2 before bed).

 

[Rodja]

Well, today was my last day of lifting on Activate X, but not my last WO. I will be sad to see the bottle become empty.

DB Press on Swiss Ball-50x20, 50x15, 50x12
Pressdowns-150x10x3
Chin-Ups-BWx10, BWx8
Side Laterals-30x15x3
BB Curls-95x6+3
Hammer Curls-50x5+3
Trunk Rotations/Hanging Leg Lifts/Weighted Crunches-50x20x2/BWx12x2/130x15x2

This was a great WO. Intense and the pump I got in my arms and delts was fantastic. My cardio the last few days during BJJ, sparring, and conditioning have been good and I have seen some good improvement over the past 3 weeks. I have also seen a big increase in vascularity in my forearms and delts. I will post my wrap-up w/ measurements and observations on Sunday.

 

[Rodja]

Here is my final review and stats

Wt: 181 (+3)
Chest/Back: 44.25 (+.25)
Arms: 15.25 (+.25)
Thighs: 26

Observations:
1. Strength increased steadily on most compound lifts
2. Cardio increased in BJJ and sparring
3. Sleep was much improved
4. Acne on my shoulders/scapula area
5. Aggression was much higher
6. Increased fullness/dryness
7. Libido/erections were much higher
8. DOMS was decreased

Overall, I would give this an 8/10. The sleep and libido improvements were fantastic, but, the strength and recomp were not as apparent compared to the old NHA stack. However, I will take that over having the libido of an 80 year old. I also think that this would be ideal for a 6-8 week cycle instead of the 1 bottle run that I had. I have nothing bad to say about the product and I give DS a big :thumbsup: for improving this over the old Activate and not needing to take an AI to get similar effects.

 

[Big_Tom(tk)]

Here is my final review and stats

Wt: 181 (+3)
Chest/Back: 44.25 (+.25)
Arms: 15.25 (+.25)
Thighs: 26

Observations:
1. Strength increased steadily on most compound lifts
2. Cardio increased in BJJ and sparring
3. Sleep was much improved
4. Acne on my shoulders/scapula area
5. Aggression was much higher
6. Increased fullness/dryness
7. Libido/erections were much higher
8. DOMS was decreased

Overall, I would give this an 8/10. The sleep and libido improvements were fantastic, but, the strength and recomp were not as apparent compared to the old NHA stack. However, I will take that over having the libido of an 80 year old. I also think that this would be ideal for a 6-8 week cycle instead of the 1 bottle run that I had. I have nothing bad to say about the product and I give DS a big :thumbsup: for improving this over the old Activate and not needing to take an AI to get similar effects.

Great Review! I just finished up my 4 weeks as well. I am on to another 4. I, like you , feel I will better be able to judge its full effectiveness by goin 8.

 

[neoborn]

Weight? BF%? Good job, nice review!

Much Love,

Neoborn

 

[AnonyMoose]

nice review bro!