Swolverine Products Tested AKA “The Stack”
A few months back I was contacted by Swolverine about reviewing a few of their products. And I’m not sure if you know this, but I actually turn down a lot of free products because after a quick review of the ingredients it’s clear that they aren’t something I can positively review.
So, after a quick bit of recon on Swolverine.com it was clear that I was going to jive with what they are trying to achieve, and I gave them the thumbs up for a review.
The next step was figuring out what to review… and Swolverine sent me what I’m referring to as “The Stack”, which is really cool! But because The Stack was comprised of 4 separate products, it took some me extra time to really dig my teeth into them.
After testing the 4 Swolverine products for the last couple of months, here are my thoughts one product at a time, and “The Stack” at the end of the review…
BCAA
Highlights
L-Leucine – used by muscles as fuel, and promotes protein synthesis.
L-Isolucine – energy production and muscle repair.
L-Valine – cognitive function and muscle repair.
These three are what you’ll see in almost all BCAA formulas, and are essential for the body. Meaning you must get them from food or supplementation. The body cannot produce them.
L-Glutamine: Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, and is produced by muscle tissue. In times of high stress when the body cannot produce enough Glutamine muscle wasting can occur. So it makes sense that supplementing Glutamine during times of high stress would decrease muscle wasting. Or to increase recovery times.
It has also been shown to improve gut function.
Electrolytes: after being an endurance athlete (Ironman & ultra runner)… I feel like electrolytes are something that are way overlooked by a lot of CrossFit athletes. Electrolytes are essential for controlling your fluid balance, helping your muscle contract, maintaining correct acidity of your blood, and regulating blood pressure. Do you think you might want to make sure you have enough of them… I think so!
My thoughts…
This is a really cool product to have the BCAA’s, Glutamine, and Electrolytes! And I can personally say that I’ve had a great experience with aminos, Glutamine, and Electrolytes.
When I take enough of the Swolverine BCAA product there is a noticeable positive impact on my recovery after one (or multiple) hard workouts. Meaning I get WAY less sore than I would without them, or with a traditional whey protein shake.
I also feel like my muscles are a bit more energized.
One thing that you NEED to consider with this product is that it says there are 50 servings, but you need to be taking it 2+ times per hard training day to feel the effects. And the amount that YOU need might take a bit of trial and error.
I would start with a serving before and a serving after your workout. Then, try adding a double dose to your pre-workout and see if you feel like you’re less sore…
You should notice that you just don’t feel as sore and beat up as you would normally the day (or two) after some hard training.
Of course this is subjective, but after enough trial and error, you’ll be able to tell if it’s making a difference.
My only gripe with this product is the natural and artificial flavor, because I really can’t know what that is or what it’s doing in my body. I will have this gripe with any product that has natural or artificial flavors.
Click here to buy Swolverine BCAA
Beta-Alanine
Essentially Beta-Alanine decreases the accumulation of lactic acid in your working muscles, and therefore allows you to go stronger, longer. It does this by increasing your carnosine stores.
What you need to know is that when taking Beta-Alanine… I’ve noticed that if I’m doing an intense workout… let’s say 50 calories on an Assault Air Bike… there’s a point where I know that the hurt is coming, and I’m going to need to slow down (usually around 20 calories).
Well, when taking Beta-Alanine, the point where the hurt hits and I have to slow down is pushed back. Now, I’m not exactly sure how much longer I’m able to push, but it’s a pretty interesting feeling.
The first time I felt it, I was crushing an Assault Bike workout, feeling the lactic acid building up, and it was like… it only built up to a certain point, and I was able to maintain my pace longer than I was expecting.
It’s kind of a trip. A good trip!
The awesome thing about the Swolverine Beta-Alanine is that it’s just pure Beta-Alanine, AND they have enough per serving to feel the difference. This is one of the few Beta-Alanine supplements that I’ve taken where I don’t have to take extra to get an effective dose.
One thing to note… you will probably feel tingly when it hits your system. For me, my face starts to feel tingly and itchy. It’s not all that comfortable, but I love that I know it’s working as intended. #greatproduct
Click here to buy Swolverine Beta-Alanine
Citrulline Malate
Known for promoting healthy blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, and improving performance.
I’m not sure if y’all remember all of those NO (nitric oxide) products when they were all the rage a few years back… well, the active ingredient in those products was (usually) arginine, and the arginine promoted blood flow to the muscles.
It was known as “the pump” supplement!
Anyway, Citrulline is what arginine is converted into before creating the NO (nitric oxide) that eventually signals to increase blood flow to the muscles. Basically this is just taking out a step, and hopefully improving effectiveness.
For all of you athletes out there, you DO want more blood flow to your muscles!
This is what will bring nutrients that will help recovery and keep you moving.
For those of you who are performance athletes that don’t benefit from “the pump”… you also want more blood flow to perform, you just need to flush out the blood.
At the end of the day getting more blood flow to my muscles is what I want, and adding the Swolverine Citrulline Malate to my pre-workout has been a benefit to my weightlifting and CrossFit workouts! #thumbsup
Click here to buy Swolverine Citrulline Malate
KRE-ALKALYN
Ok, if you don’t already know this… creatine (which is what this is) is the most studied sports supplement in sports supplement history, AND it has the most scientifically proven positive benefits with the fewest side effects.
Creatine has been proven to increase strength and performance in athletes, and decrease muscle loss and increase strength in the aging population.
In my opinion all of the active population should be taking creatine. Men, women, grandma, and grandpa. The only time that I wouldn’t recommend creatine is if your doctor specifically said not to take it.
Now, here’s the deal with KRE-ALKALYN… it’s said to have higher bioavailability (more of it is usable), less opportunity for bloating and cramping (which can happen with creatine monohydrate products), 1.5 grams is equivalent to 10-15 grams of creatine monohydrate, and there is no loading phase needed.
So, conclusion… I think that you should be taking some kind of creatine, period, and if you want a high quality creatine product at a good price… this KRE-ALKALYN by Swolverine is a great choice!
When taking this product you will feel an increase in strength and a boost in explosive performance (short bouts of exercises, around 12 seconds or less).
Click here to buy Swolverine KRE-ALKALYN
The Stack
This is where things get fun!
You get to put these very effective supplements together into a powerful punch of performance and recovery!
Here’s what I’m doing…
Pre-Workout
BCAA
Beta-Alanine
Citrulline Malate
KRE-ALKALYN
I try to start sipping on this 30 minutes prior to starting my warm up. That being said… there are times that I forget, and I’ll start sipping as I’m warming up and into my workout. This isn’t ideal, as I like an empty stomach when training, but if I only add 8-12 ounces of water, it’s ok on my stomach (this is just me).
This will give you the benefits of the supplements, and have them hitting when you need them most during your training. It will also start the recovery process as you’re training, which has been shown to be as effective (or more effective) than supplementing after training.
Post Workout
BCAA
The BCAA’s will continue to flow and help you recover from the hard training that you’ve just done. You basically want to saturate your body with aminos before, during, and after to get that recovery.
Conclusion
Give this stack a try, and let me know what you think.
I really love how in (almost) all of the Swolverine products there isn’t any additional unneeded sweeteners or fillers in the , and how you really feel like you’re getting your moneys worth because one bottle of most of their supplements will last for a LONG time!
If you have any questions about this review please comment below. I’m happy to help or have a conversation about any of the things I’ve talked about above.
Where to buy
Click here to buy Swolverine KRE-ALKALYN
Click here to buy Swolverine Citrulline Malate
Click here to buy Swolverine Beta-Alanine
Click here to buy Swolverine BCAA
*above could be affiliate links. I get a small commission if you click through them and buy, but they in no way make the products cost anymore. If you decide to use them please let me know so I can thank you. Affiliate Disclosure
