Category: Diet and Training

Cellucor C4 has quickly become one of the most popular pre workouts available on the market. Cellucor prides itself on having high quality supplements that can help you reach your body composition goals very quickly.

When shopping for a pre workout you want to buy something that will help you increase your energy levels, muscular strength and endurance, lean muscle gains and of course you want it to taste good.

Cellucor C4 has been shown to help you:

• Amplify Pre Workout Energy
• Intense Focus during weight training workouts
• Great Muscle Pumps
• Delicious Flavors
• Award Winning Pre Workout Formula

So how does Cellucor C4 rank in the major pre workout categories? Lets dive in and take a closer look.

Energy Profile:

The first thing you have to understand about Cellucor C4 is that it is not one of the strongest energy inducing pre workouts on the market. Cellucor C4 is a great pre workout powder for someone who is sensitive to stimulant based pre workouts or who is a beginner in the weight room.

The explosive energy blend in Cellucor C4 comes in a proprietary blend and contains 135 Mgs of Caffeine and contains high doses of Vitamin B12. While many other pre workout powders contain a lot more caffeine and/or stimulants you will get a nice clean jittery free experience with Cellucor C4.

Energy Rating: 4.0/5.0

Muscular Strength and Endurance:

Cellucor C4 contains Beta Alanine and Creatine Nitrate to boost muscular strength and endurance. Creatine and beta alanine are a great duo as one boosts strength (creatine) and one boosts muscular endurance (beta alanine).

C4 also has 1,000 Mgs of arginine AKG to further boost blood flow and nutrient absorption.

With 1500 mgs of beta alanine and 1,000 mgs of creatine nitrate you get a nice dosage of both ingredients, however not quite as high as we would like to see.

Strength and Endurance Rating: 4/5.00

Taste and Overall Ingredient Profile:

Cellucor C4 contains a proprietary blend for its energy blend and a precise amount of muscular strength and endurance boosting ingredients with 1,500 mgs of Beta Alanine, 1,000 mg of creatine and 1,000 mg of arginine.

The taste of Cellucor C4 is top notch as it comes in many delicious flavors such as Fruit punch, green apple and icy blue razz. Big downside: it contains artificial flavors and suralose (an artificial sweetener). Great taste, but it’s not natural.

Best Exercises For Huge Shoulders

Developing big and impressive shoulders is vital for creating a powerful looking masculine physique. Your shoulder muscles are crucial for an aesthetic appearance because the wider your shoulder muscles are the smaller your waist will look. This creates an illusion and gives you flawless aesthetics.

Having a solid V taper, thick deltoids and a small waist is the male equivalent to having curves and a small waist.

Developing big and round deltoids that pop should be one of the most important aspects of your training regimen. Most gym goers lack shoulder development because they don’t realize that the deltoid muscle has 3 separate heads you need to develop.

The common shoulder routine consists of db shoulder press, lat raises and the occasional military press. While these exercises are important for overall shoulder development – they only target the medial deltoid – which is the center portion of the shoulders.

When you are training your chest you are indirectly hitting the front head of the shoulder (anterior deltoid) – but to take your shoulder development to the next level you need a more concentrated approach.

Incorporating exercises that target the anterior deltoid muscle will develop this head much quicker.

The last head that is often most neglected is the posterior deltoid – which is the back of the shoulder muscle. This is a hard muscle to train and you really need to perform exercises that target it directly.

A well-developed posterior deltoid will make you look more impressive from the side and back. When you see someone with big posterior delts it really stands out because it is so rare.

It is vital that your shoulder routine targets all three heads. If one of your deltoid muscles is lagging – it will be painfully obvious. Develop all three heads with this Ultimate Shoulder workout and you will soon resemble a Greek God!

Let’s first dive into 3 major principles that you need to follow to get the most from your shoulder regimen.

Heavy Weight and Progressive Overload for Thick Deltoids

Many guys overcomplicate developing a muscle group. The best time tested and proven strategy is to lift HEAVY on the most important exercises and focus on making small incremental improvements each workout. This is what progressive overload is all about!

This means that you need to track each shoulder workout and focus on increasing the weight and/or repetitions. Tracking your shoulder workouts will push you to the next level, increase your focus, and speed up your results.

Your shoulders are a stubborn muscle group and it is vital for quick development that you emphasize the progressive overload principles.

Take for instance the Db shoulder press – one of the best mass building shoulder exercises we are going to discuss in the next section. You should be tracking your weight and repetitions with each workout.

If you performed the Db shoulder press with 65 lbs at 8 reps the previous workout, you need to be pushing yourself to do 9 reps with the same weight the following workout, or move up to 70 lbs and do 7 reps. This FORCES your muscle to respond and get bigger and stronger. This is the key to fast results and developing those boulder shoulders!

Your MUST emphasize all 3 heads of the Shoulder

We chatted about this in the intro, and it is ital that you focus on developing all 3 sections of your deltoid muscles to build those aesthetically looking delts that “pop.”

Most lifters put all of their focus on the medial section of the shoulders with exercises like the db shoulder press and seated military press. While this builds one section – you are neglecting your anterior and posterior deltoids.

Developing your anterior and posterior deltoid muscles is the missing link to most lifters having impressive boulder shoulders.

If you want your shoulders to look thick and aesthetically pleasing developing all 3 sections is the blueprint. You should be putting equal emphasis on each section.

Muscle Confusion = Fast Results

No, this isn’t the marketing gimmick for the next beach body workout routine! Just like working any other muscle group, you need to constantly vary your regimen to unleash powerful gains. Your body eventually gets use to whatever type of overload you are placing on it.

First you will need to vary the exercises that you are performing for each section of your shoulders. Even if the specific exercises don’t change for a month or two you need to at least change up the order in which you perform them. This creates a different overload and will force your muscles into growth.

The next aspect of creating muscle confusion is varying your repetition ranges. This means that some days you are performing heavy sets putting the maximum amount of overload on your delts and other days you are performing more repetitions. One workout you can try going heavy and staying in the 4-6-repetition range and the next workout try going moderate reps in the 8-12 range.

The next element to maximizing your shoulder development is that you want to make sure you are varying your rest times. One of the best ways to shock the muscle into growth is the combination of heavy sets with short rest times.

So what does an insane shoulder workout routine look like that develops all 3 heads of the deltoids and unleashes powerful gains? Let’s check one out!

Ultimate Shoulder Training Program

Db Shoulder Press

Sets: 4

Reps: 8-12

Rest Time: 60 Seconds

Pace: 2:2

Target: Medial Deltoid, Anterior Deltoid

2. Standing Barbell Military Press

Sets: 4

Reps: 6

Rest Time: 75 Seconds

Pace: 2:2

Target: Medial Deltoid, Anterior Deltoid

3. Db Lateral Raises

Sets: 4

Reps: 10

Rest Time: 75 Seconds

Pace: 1:2

Target: Medial deltoid

4. Db Arnold Press

Sets: 5

Reps: 12

Rest Time: 60 Seconds

Target: Anterior Deltoid

Pace: 2:2

5. Db Shrugs

Sets: 4

Reps: 8

Rest Time: 75 Seconds

Pace: 1:2

Target: Medial Deltoid, Posterior Deltoid

6. Seated Db Rear Deltoid Raise

Sets: 4

Reps: 8

Rest Time: 75 Seconds

Pace: 2:2

Target: Posterior Deltoid

7. Reverse Rear Delt Fly

Sets: 4

Reps: 10

Rest Time: 60 Seconds

Pace: 2:2

Target: Posterior Deltoid

8. Dumbbell Front Raise

Sets: 3

Reps: 12

Rest: 60 Seconds

Pace: 1:2

Target: Anterior Deltoid

Dendrobex is a trademark by Driven Sports, Inc, and is largely derived from the organic compound dendrobium extract. It is widely used in traditional Chinese Medication and has found its way to supplements and pre-workout formulas.

Reported Effects

1. Elevated Mood “Runners High”
2. Improved hydration
3. Enhanced Energy Level

Dendrobium Extract, in its traditional use, was primarily used to replenish fluids. It is used to moisten the lungs and stomach and has been used in patients who have hydration concerns such as dry mouth, stomach pain, thirst, mouth sores, dry lungs and sunstroke.

It was used to counteract dry conditions, and used to replenish the body for unhealthy loss of liquids. In some instances, the hydrating element of dendrobium has also been known to create beautiful and healthy skin.

Other effects include:

Healing properties – The Chinese use this as a longevity tonic when combined with licorice roots. They used this as a tea, and claim that it provides healing energy to the body

Skin enhancing effect – It moisturizes the skin and prevents dryness as well as flaky skin.

Improved breathing capability – Dried out lungs, and air passages are often caused by smoke or pollution. Dendrobium extract has been known to provide relief by hydrating the passageways.

Helps with various sicknesses – It has been reported to have a positive effect in patients suffering from tuberculosis, dyspepsia, fever, and anorexia.

Improved bodily functions – There are also claims that it improves the overall functionality of the lungs, stomach and kidneys.

Increased functioning of body – Sexual impotency, eye problems, arthralgia, lumbago and pain in the hands and feet may also be treated.

Enhances immune system – It also improves the immunity system and helps the body become stronger against infections and diseases.

Dendrobex has been included as one of the main ingredients for Driven Sports Craze, which promises to help build size and strength as well as improve performance. Because it helps strengthen the immune system and functions as an energizer to the body.

Possible Dangers

Dendrobex should be avoided by people who are sensitive to caffeine and stimulants as this may trigger unwanted side effects. People with existing medical conditions should also check with their physicians prior to taking in performance enhancers.

FDA approved?

Dendrobex has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Certain products that contain dendrobium extract have been banned by the FDA, including Dendrobium Moniliforme Night Sight Pills (Superior), which was manufactured in China.

Studies

There are no reported studies that specifically address the effectiveness of Dendrobex, but the relation to studies made on Phenylacetic acid and the effects of caffeine have been made. A journal named Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism tackled the effects of caffeine, and suggests that it enhances cognition, promotes alertness and motor control.

It is possible that this neuroprotection role is also how Dendrobex works. Being rich in phenylethylamine, it releases neurotransmitters to make the body more coordinated. There are also some human studies that show that phenylethylamine causes “runner’s high” as well as elevated mood.

The British Journal of Sports Medicine published a study showing that 20 men showed signs of increased phenylacetic acid after exercise, which means that phenylethylamine levels elevates after exercise.

Alternative Names

Dendrobex is a trademark of a compound that is otherwise known as dendrobium extract.

Conclusion

Dendrobex promises to be a good supplement for people who need to improve performance in the gym, and may theoretically boost your energy and improve muscle coordination. Dendrobium extract has been widely used as a traditional medicine from ancient times, and most likely has some healing properties that are worth trying.

As always, caution needs to be taken when using products that are not yet evaluated by the FDA, as it may have side effects that may cause more harm than good. Check out saw palmetto for another somewhat controversial active ingredient.