Gaspari SuperPump Max is claimed to be the improved version of the original SuperPump 250, is it any better than its older brother and can it claim to be the best pre workout supplement?
The press release accompanying Superpump Max is well written and is focussed on showing you why it’s better than every other pre workout product out there. There were a few aspects of it which caught my eye:
- Contains the latest and most advanced array of ingredients ever seen in a pre-workout powerhouse
- Gaspari Nutrition doesn’t rely on cheap stimulant laden formulas, cleverly crafted to claim they contain high concentrations of efficacious ingredients in order to win your support. Those do nothing more than get you buzzed like a junkie and that’s about it.
- We rely on the ingredients backed by clinical research and actually use them in the doses validated by that research
Great marketing messages for sure, but how do they stack up when you actually scrutinise these claims rather than just taken them as gospel?
This review aims to find out so you decide whether Gaspari SuperPump Max is the best pre workout supplement for YOU!
Mixability – 3/5
I followed the instructions and mixed my 2 serving sample with around 500ml (16oz) water in a standard protein shaker with a metallic ball inside.
After shaking it vigorously I opened the top to see how well it mixed and was surprised to find a lot of foam on the top.
Upon closer inspection it was quite thick but after a few more shakes it disappeared. There were no lumps of powder drinking it so aside from this hiccup it mixed well.
Taste – 3/5
Gaspari SuperPump 250 fruit punch blast was VERY bright which can be attributed to the colouring (FD&C Red No 40). The taste was also VERY sweet, kind of like an artificial berry flavour with cherry being the dominant flavour.
My saliva became very sticky and my tongue turned bright red (think Gene Simmons from KISS!) and my breath smelt a little funky but a chewing gum sorted that out.
The taste was too artificial for my liking and far too sweet.
The Workout
Workout three of my 3day workout routine was on the agenda with heavy deadlifts followed by one arm dumbbell rows and then Romanian deadlifts.
I’d struggled to do 4 reps with 135kg the week before but I was well rested and ready to hit the 6 reps I needed. I drank Gaspari SuperPump Max 30 minutes before the workout as instructed and I waited.
No rush of energy, no surge of “I can’t wait to tear up the weights” mentality but I did feel energetic and I was able to do more reps than usual.
I hit my 6 reps quite easily and felt like I could have gone for 8-9 at a push. The energy was there but not really noticeable, kind of like a clean energy in the background. No wired feeling just energetic, a similar to the way plain old caffeine effects the human body
Side Effects – 5/5
There were no side effects whatsoever.
Energy – 3/5
Good clean energy but nothing amazing.
Focus/Drive – 2/5
Little effect on focus and drive, but nothing like the tunnel-vision, single-mindedness of USP Labs Jack3d, white flood and Hemo Rage Black Ultra Concentrate.
Pumps/Vascularity – 3/5
Whilst pumps and vascularity are no indicator of growth or strength increases many trainees like them and seek them. Gaspari SuperPump Max did give me a pump after heavy dumbbell rows and the veins in my biceps and shoulders were larger than usual.
The pump wasn’t the “Skin tearing muscle pump” the packet promised but decent enough whilst not being amazing.
Strength/Endurance – 4/5
My strength improved but this was most likely to my current creatine supplement rather than the limited amount in Gaspari SuperPump 250.
Muscular endurance was also good but I also attribute this to my creatine supplement and not this product specifically. In a separate workout in the past with Gaspari SuperPump Max I didn’t notice the same effect which is why I don’t put it down to it today.
Price/Value – 2/5
The cost per serving is high which makes it one of the more expensive pre workout supplements. In my opinion there are better pre workout formulas which are cheaper and more effective.
Overall – 3/5
If you’re sensitive to stimulants and want a lighter product this is for you but trainers needing something more hardcore to fuel there workouts should probably avoid. Also, if finances are an issue there are other better products available at a cheaper price.
