preworkout intake?

What do you guys consume prior to working out, be it suppliments or food?  If its powder or pill, what brand?
 
I have no-xplode and trying to finish it up.  I am almost done with it and have taken only 1 scoop prior to working out.  Last week, I did 2 scoops on an empty stomach, which they recommend, and I was about to die at the end of my routine!!  I was out of breath and felt soo tired.  It lasted for about 30 min before my heart rate went back down so that I could shower.  Maybe it was b/c my rest period was btw 30 sec - almost 1 minute.  
 
Bodybuilding.com gave me a sample of naNO and I loved it!  It tastes better than no-xplode and works just as good or even better!  The only downside to naNO is that you have to treat it like a delicate baby.   You can't shake it and you can't leave it uncovered for more than 30 seconds. :pat:
 
Sometimes, ill drink a scoop of whey protein prior to working out with water (i mix it with skim milk for after workout).  then sometimes ill blend water, half an apple, and 1 scoop of whey as my preworkout drink.
 
I'm looking into buying some creatine but don't have any idea which product is popular/worth buying.  Any recommendations?

I worked at Vitaman world here in san diego for awhile and I do know a lot about this stuff. No-xplode is prb the most popular energy suppliment out there right now. Also for energy you would want to take a muli vitaman and also depending on weight about 50grams of protein, the best for a pre-workout is nitro tech by muscle tech, it is one of the most advanced proteins out there right now. Also one of the most agressive creatines out there is Plasmavol you only take it prior to workout and it has about 44 grams of creatine per serving and can give you goings of 20% on your first workout, I and like 10 of my friends can attest to this also you wont be getting tired either and a 16 serving bottle is only 30$ and you dont have to maintain. If you want a more traditional creatine regime you should go with cell tech or creakic by muscle tech for you creatine once again muscle tech is prb the best suppliment company on the market and I only speak from  experince and what all my old customer feedback was. Lastly I cannot stress how  freeakin coll leukic by muscle tech is because it keeps you in a anabolic state all the time so if you get any of the aforementioned products be sure you get also get leukic. Hope that all helped

i dont like no-explode.
 
id recommend the following preworkouts:
 
Optimum Nutrition Vassive N.O.
Gaspari Nutrition Super Pump 250
Gaspari Nutrition Plasma Jet
CytoSports Fast Twitch
 
for creatine:
 
Optimum Nutrition BCAA + Creatine

Don't waste money on Creatine, your body can only hold a certain amount and then the rest is excreted.  You can get you bodies total creatine levels by eating medium rare steak once a week.

When I was playing ball, I was taking Muscle Milk 4 times a day
1)when I woke up
2) right before workout
3) right after workout
4) right before bed
(why is all spelled out on the jug)

The only issue with Muscle milk is that it is high in good fats so you NEED to be burning lots of calories, but the protein right before and right after is the key.

I drank muscle milk like 6-7 yrs ago and that sh*t got me fat.  I only drank it post workout but it was the best tasting protein powder.  I only recommend it for the skinny folks who want to bulk up.

Protein break down:
Muscle Milk_ This is a casein protein which slowly absorbs into the digestive system and slowly relases into the muscles. Muscle Milk is more of a old school favorite and not really the best for bodybuilding. 
 
Whey Protein-This is rapidly absorbed into the digestive and be deleivered to the muscles in about 15 mins, This is a good all round protein and is the most widely used protein in bodybuilding. The best here are Nitro Tech,Any Optimum Nutrition,Or Probolic SR
 
Soy-This isnt the best protein to take to build muscle but is easily aborbed into the system and is easy on the stomach. 
 
 The best protein stack is
Nitro tech before and after workouts
Generic whey all day
and probloic sr for bed time due to its protein blend and 12 hour deleivery
 
Also note that with creatine it all is about the deleivery sytem of the product itself, most just skie insulin levels to make the blood stream force the creatine into the muscles but shit like creakic or plasmavol use nano technology which shrinks down the creatine molecules so that much less is wasted and is more readily absorbed. Also not you do lose strengh while off creatine so it is always best just to stay natural but if ur serious about gettin big you will need creatine.

STERIODS!!!
 shit works .. jsut make sure you love your huevos lol 
 
but on the real. I heard that stuff is bad for you .. 
 
ill eat protein bars every once in a while..

[QUOTE=MR.J;279953]STERIODS!!!
 shit works .. jsut make sure you love your huevos lol 
 
but on the real. I heard that stuff is bad for you .. 
 .[/QUOTE]


If you are going to do this you NEED to understand the proper cycle and supporting supplements as well as the down time post cycle.  If you do not administer it properly you WILL have problems.  


I agree Muscle Milk is not the best but I haven't been trying to gain mass in about 4-5 years since I retired.  Plus when you play 136 games in 145 days in the sweltering heat, you really don't need to worry about getting fat=).  That is why I mentioned you better be burning serious amounts of calories though.