Igniter Reviews

[BigTaurus]

I’ll provide my experience using Igniter to give potential users some idea of what they can expect when using Igniter themselves. Please feel free to share your Igniter experience on this thread!

First up, my info to provide a baseline/training experience, etc: 53 yo male, 6’, 2”, 240 lb, 41 years of weight training, 35 years of personal training. I’ve tried every Biotest supplement that’s been released going back to Tribex

and currently use nine other Biotest products. My goals with using Igniter were:

• To see if I experienced any of its stated benefits.

• If I felt any difference between one scoop and two scoops.

• How I felt using Igniter vs using Surge.

• How I felt using Igniter during 30-40 minute strength/size focused workouts vs longer longevity style workouts utilizing more endurance.

• What my experience would be using Igniter AND Surge for the same workout.

I’ve been using Surge since it was released. Typically I mix one scoop of Surge in 20oz of water and start consuming it 15-20 minutes before a weight training workout, while continuing to consume it throughout my workout until the end. I love Surge, and up until now I wouldn’t want to train without it. However, the majority of my workouts are 30-40 minutes in length, similar to Christian Thibaudeau’s The Best Workout Plan For Natural Lifters. Surge definitely makes me feel stronger, my muscles are fuller, and my energy is increased. When I do train with a style that requires more effort from my heart and lungs, I feel Surge working even more. Like Coach Thibs says, "The more volume of physical activity you do (not just weightlifting), the more you’ll benefit from Surge.” So I’m really curious to see how it feels to train with Igniter by itself since it doesn’t contain the HBCD, the electrolyte blend, the L-Leucine, or the Sucrose that Surge does.

I realize that both Igniter and Surge can be used together as directed (Chris Shugart covered that HERE), and that is how most people will use them. I suspect that is exactly what I will end up doing. However, in order to give Igniter an honest chance, I feel it’s important to use it by itself first to see what I experience, but that’s just me.

Here is the Igniter container next to a bottle of Indigo-3G for scale.

The opened container is about half full. Like most powdered supplements, “settling” is a real thing and I will be shaking the container a bit each time before using.

Black Igniter scoop vs a clear Surge scoop to show the difference in serving size.

One scoop of Igniter mixed in 8oz of water.

I did NOT use a blender, I simply added one scoop of Igniter to 8oz of water and stirred it briskly. You could add it to a sealed container and shake it as well. The texture was perfectly dissolved, no grit, no froth.

Taste: For now there is just one flavor, CherryBerry. My taste buds thought it tasted EXACTLY like fruit punch. I thought it tasted excellent! To the best of my recollection, I haven’t had anything fruit punch flavored since I was a child - but my taste buds remember - that’s fruit punch. Great job Biotest. If this is the only flavor that’s ever used, I would be perfectly happy with that. If they ever release a different flavor, like the once teased Watermelon, I’m sure it would be just as good.

I consumed the whole mixture and immediately started my mobility/warm up routine followed by a weight training workout 20 minutes later. 15 minutes after consuming one scoop of Igniter, I felt it “kick in” - intense mental clarity and focus - way more than Brain Candy or Power Drive - and with ZERO negative side effects - no jitters, no head aches, no head pressure - bad ass! I am not a coffee drinker, so this was literally the first time I’d had caffeine since I tried the caffeinated version of Brain Candy. I’m not a caffeine fan - my only reservation about using Igniter was due to it containing caffeine - but so far, with one scoop, it’s all good – now let’s see how it performs during a workout.

I performed a quad/chest/shoulders/tri’s workout from Christian Thibaudeau’s The Best Workout Plan For Natural Lifters II. It took me 25 minutes to perform four intense exercises, one for each body part. I would describe the PHYSICAL effects of Igniter as that of a half dose of Surge - good muscle pumps and fullness, good power and strength, quick recovery - but literally about half of what I feel with a full scoop of Surge - which is what I expected based on the ingredients in one scoop of Igniter.

However, I would describe the MENTAL effects of Igniter as above and beyond any neuro-stimulating supplement I’ve ever tried. Heightened mental clarity, intense focus, enthusiastic drive - a “crispness” to every movement. Also, a general sense of “well being” - a really great mood.

In summary - one scoop of Igniter before a workout, on a scale of 1-5, 5 being the best experience:

Physical Effects: 3 - Definitely noticeably strong muscle pumps and increased strength. Looking forward to feeling the effects of two scoops.

Mental Effects: 5 - Intense focus AND a good mood - Biotest nailed it with this one. Thrilled that I experienced NO negative side effects. So many neuro-stimulating supplements give me the jitters and/or headaches.

Taste: 5 - I thought the CherryBerry was great!

I’d say that Igniter is not just the best pre-workout supplement that Biotest has created - it’s the best pre-workout supplement that I’ve ever tried. I strongly recommend it!

Now if we could just get the laws changed so that Biotest can again produce the original “Mag-10 Destroyer” pro-hormone supplement (The literal best supplement ever created), we’d really be having some fun.

Tomorrow I will be upping the dose to two scoops of Igniter, 20 minutes before a similar workout as was done today. Then on day three I will be consuming one scoop of Igniter 20 minutes before a workout while consuming one scoop of Surge during the workout. I’ll report my experience here. Looking forward to what others experience with Igniter.

[Brant_Drake]

That’s all I have to say.

[BigTaurus]

LMAO, that’s just funny right there!

[hicks92]

This is really great! Thank you!!!

[BigTaurus]

You’re welcome, but Brant_Drake’s post above is better. I am so stealing that pic…

[hicks92]

Of course it is​:joy:

[TrainForPain]

What a fantastically written and well-detailed early review! Thank you for doing that!

[BigTaurus]

I’m real curious to see what other users experience will be like. I was pleasantly surprised that it worked as well as it did for mental focus with one scoop.

[doogie]

I’m curious how much of the effect was just because you aren’t used to caffeine

[BigTaurus]

A good question doogie. I’d wager that the positive mental effects I felt were due to the synergistic effect of caffeine with tyrosine and uridine, as opposed to not being used to caffeine. Here’s why:

I’ve tried many caffeinated supplements, going back to the ephedra stacks of the 90’s & including Biotest Hot Rox & Caffeinated Brain Candy, all dosed with 300 mg. Many users received positive benefits from all of those products. Unfortunately I got headaches, head pressure, a jittery feeling - so I couldn’t take any of them long enough to experience any potential benefits. Was it just the caffeine, or the combination of other ingredients in all of those products? I don’t know. But I was able to use the other ingredients in most of those products without caffeine with no negative side effects - but I still didn’t get the same positive effects using Power Drive or caffeine-free Brain Candy that I got with Igniter. Some - but not at the level and totality I did with Igniter.

The Igniter write-up states, “The synergy of caffeine with tyrosine and uridine creates intense mental arousal and a robust sense of focus and determination.” Also, “The combined neurological response of caffeine and tyrosine creates aggressive, relentless stimulation, driving extreme intensity and powerful mental engagement.” I’ve heard these claims made before about other ingredients mixed with caffeine. Brain Candy had caffeine and N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, along with other ingredients. For many users, those claims were exactly what they felt. I wish I had too, but I just didn’t.

The fact that I didn’t get a headache or jitters AND received positive effects makes me think that Igniter’s ingredients are just the right combination to take the edge off of the caffeine AND produce the desired effect for me. But hey, it was just one scoop on one day - in a few minutes I’ll be taking two scoops and after my workout, I will report what I experienced here on this thread.

[BigTaurus]

DAAAAAAAAAAAMN!!! 10 minutes into a hams/back/bi’s workout on 2 scoops of Igniter - I want to get on a PA system and start yelling Conan quotes. Damn you Biotest! Just take my money - take it all!

[BigTaurus]

OK, second weight training workout using Igniter. Yesterday I consumed one scoop 20 minutes before working out, today I consumed two scoops 20 minutes before working out. Yesterday was great, would today be any different? The result…

Best workout in 21 years.

Seriously.

Those Mag 10 Destroyer workouts back in 2004 were legendary. I would say that Igniter is the next best thing.

Look, the sustained mental intensity that this stuff provides has to be tried to truly be understood. If there is anything else out there even close to how this stuff makes you feel mentally, I’m unaware of it (sorry, never taken any illegal drugs, smoked pot or even seen steroids - but I am a supplement whore). It’s the “cleanest”, “leanest”, most “pure” mental edge I’ve ever experienced. Not aggressive, like Alpha Male could make you feel, but supremely confident and motivated, ultra focused and a really great mood. How in the world they are able to pack 350 mg of caffeine in 2 scoops and not have any negative side effects has really got me curious. The effects last about 90 minutes after consumption and there is NO crash or letdown of any kind.

With one scoop I thought the physical effects were “good” - about what a half scoop of Surge feels like. Two scoops - game changer. Up the weights, up the reps, up the volume - I plowed through 40 minutes of weight training like it was nothing - so I did another 40 minutes, then went outside and ran up a hill ten times. The mental stimulation made me want to do more - the physical effects allowed me to do more. I could’ve kept going but I was getting hungry - it will be interesting tomorrow to see how Surge interacts with Igniter - I’m guessing I won’t get hungry! I’ve tried 2 scoops of Surge during workouts - didn’t make me feel like this stuff did. Lots of crossover ingredients, but there’s a “synergy” thing going on with the Igniter ingredients - it’s perfect - just perfect.

Will anyone else have these same results? I’m pretty sure this stuff is going to be a hit. As long as some of us have been in the fitness game and have been taking Biotest supplements, I know how excited we get when a new product gets released. This one has some legs. Just try it and see what you experience. Typically before a new product release, there is feedback from T Nation coaches and writers that have been testing the new product. I never really read anything this time, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve only used it 2 days, but I just ordered 6 more jars - it’s that damn good (FYI, $250+ discounts are now active on Igniter, too).

Tomorrow I’ll be trying one scoop of Igniter 20 minutes before a workout and one scoop of Surge during the workout. I’ll report here how it goes.

[Moonflower]

This is my new favorite thread right now and I wish I had more $$$ for more Igniter…I haven’t even tried it yet and I’m pumped about this release lol.

These reviews are fantastic, mega props for your experimentation and documentation!

[BigTaurus]

Yeah man, when you can afford it definitely give it a go - but until then just keep training, eating right, rest, repeat - progress over perfection every time. Thanks for checking out my review, I’ll keep posting updates.

[itisfinished]

BT, Awesome review. Looking forward to your experience with SWF + Igniter.

Personally, I’m a big fan of novel stim combinations and have tried a wide range of combinations over the years from Hot-Rox and old school ECA stacks to Gorilla Mind energy drinks, which have a similar ingredient profile to Igniter. I’ll be picking up 2 tubs in my next order.

Also, can we get a run on Mag-10 Destroyer or Legacy? That is still one of my all time favorites. That and Orange & Banana Cream flavors of Low Carb Grow! should be brought back ASAP.

[Moonflower]

Of course, progress is so much more important. I ordered one container, it’s just that I wish the budget allowed for more right now if it’s as good as your reviews indicate.

[TrainForPain]

@Moonflower

These reviews are fantastic

Totally agree! It’s like motivation on top of a supplement review - I’m fired up!

[BigTaurus]

Day 3! Today I am going to consume one scoop of Igniter 20 minutes before working out, and one scoop of Surge during the workout.

But today we’re going to train just a tad differently…

After 2 days, I know Igniter works for me. So today’s workout is going to be about answering the main question most everyone has been asking about Igniter - how does it interact with Surge? I thought the best way to answer that question would be to REALLY put these two supplements to the test. Now we’ve all had days where we didn’t feel like training. Some days, you grind through it, some days, well, you just know to pack it in. That’s one of the great things about Surge, for me anyways. Once I’ve had a bit of it in my system for 20 minutes and I’m warmed up - I’m good. I just keep sipping it through my workout and I always feel physically strong and “tight”. There’s never been a time where I stopped a session because I wasn’t “feeling” it. Nor have I had to down regulate whatever intensity I was shooting for. Surge keeps me physically dialed in. I know most of you can confirm this in your own training.

That all being said, there are just some days where you don’t feel like training in the first place. So I thought I’d test out this supplement stack by seeing if it would not only help me to train better, but actually get me through a session that I would otherwise absolutely not even do. And when you’re Irish like me, what better way to feel like staying in bed instead of getting up and training then getting hammered! Sooooo, last night I did something I haven’t done in a loooong time - drank tequila. I won’t say how much, but that bottle of Herradura Ultra has seen better days. All for the sake of this review, so it died for a good cause. Passed out around 1am and had already purposely set the alarm for 7am. So that’s the plan - gonna see if Igniter and Surge will do anything to assist me in training while being painfully hungover and sleep deprived - and thirsty AF.

Not only that, we’re gonna go old school - front barbell squats, 30 degree db incline presses and barbell rows, 5x3, circuit style, followed by ez bar skull crushers, db Arnold presses and db curls, 3x6 circuit style - all to failure, no reps left in the tank, purposely choosing exercises that will be physically taxing. The goal - how much, if any, power can I produce in a “less than ideal” physical state? Specifically going low rep, medium volume to see if I can literally create the right amount of force to be able to use the amount of weight I know I’m capable of using. Would I even complete the workout? Would I just roll into a fetal position and moan for a while? Sounds like a helluva test for Igniter and Surge to me!

Ok, one scoop of Igniter and I start my mobility/warmup work. Heads pounding, purposely not taking aspirin to see “what happens”. Just to be clear, had I not already known what Igniter and Surge could do by themselves, and if I wasn’t completely comfortable with what I can and cannot handle safely in a training session, I would not even attempt to train in this condition, let alone with heavy weights. Just getting up and down from the floor is taxing - Irish by the grace of God - this is gonna be f’ing great…

17 minute mark of warmup, 3 minutes to go - I can actually feel the Igniter kicking in, I kid you not. Headache is easing some.

Time to see what this stuff can do. I start sipping one scoop of Surge and will continue through the session. (Of course I could’ve taken more Igniter, had a scoop of Surge before the workout along with one during, etc. - I could’ve been sane and not got hammered the night before too, but that’s the point - would one scoop of each be enough to do…anything?)

Couple warmup sets before the work - I am shocked that I am actually starting to mentally AND physically feel like I can even do this. That’s the Igniter, it sure as hell ain’t me.

First 3 sets of everything was exactly how it should be weight-wise. Wasn’t until the end of the third sets that I actually felt…normal. I’m probably not doing this justice, so let me be clear that I had nothing when I started warming up - no drive, no motivation, certainly not physically ready for any of this - but it’s been about 40 minutes since I took the Igniter and 20 minutes of sipping Surge - the headache is gone and I feel good - really good. Not like yesterday where I had 2 scoops of Igniter and could pass a breathalyzer - but as good as day one with one scoop of Igniter. If nothing else, this stuff might be a hangover cure. Having Surge too, I am locked in physically and for these last 2 sets - I’m actually going to up the weight! I haven’t done that sober without Igniter! Let’s see what happens!

Wow! Just finished the last 2 sets of squats, chest presses and rows - added THIRTY lbs on squats and TWENTY pounds on presses and rows - 2x3, smooth on the last reps, not shaky - feel great! Honestly, I’m stunned. Could I have done all 5 sets with the added weight? Maybe, but I didn’t feel like I could until the end of those 3rd sets - that’s where the Igniter/Surge combo really kicked in - it dawned on me like, “Wait a minute - I can go heavier - I can certainly do more than 3 reps on these last 2 sets, so fuck it - let’s up the weight!” Typically, those last 2 sets are tough. Heck, I felt like I was finally warmed up and ready to go! Here’s a pic to show I’ve actually not only survived so far - I’m doing better than I did sober on just Surge - now I’m really impressed!

Next circuit!

Just finished ez bar skull crushers, db Arnold presses and db curls, 3x6 circuit style. THAT-WAS-FUN! I added 10 lbs to everything from the start and crushed it - just crushed it. Finished the Surge while doing this circuit. Gonna finish with heavy loaded carries for 3 sets of 1 minute with 30 seconds of rest in-between.

Aaaaaand, I’m finished. Well there you have it gang. I was able to perform a heavy, low-rep, medium-volume hour-long weight training session with 5 minutes of intense cardio afterwards - all while starting hungover, very tired, having a headache and having ZERO motivation to do any of this. I was able to not only get motivated, but stay motivated throughout. The real kicker - I was able to ADD SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT to everything I did - I literally got stronger as the session went on - I didn’t know what to expect, but I would’ve NEVER thought that - I just wanted to see if I’d be able to train at all.

Guess I need to start drinking regularly.

Or maybe, just maybe, taking Igniter AND Surge for the same training session actually helps you get motivated, stronger and train longer than just taking one or the other. Synergy. I think this stuff just works really well together.

Yesterday I used 2 scoops of Igniter and no Surge. Would I have had equal or better effects if I used 2 scoops of Igniter and no Surge today? Mentally, yes. Physically, I strongly doubt it. Here’s why: I trained way more intensely today than I did yesterday. Throw out the hangover & not feeling great - the cluster dextrin & electrolyte blend in Surge are literally what allowed me to physically sustain my intensity throughout the workout. The pharma-grade L-Leucine in Surge helped prevent muscle breakdown. Could I have used 2 scoops of Igniter and 1 scoop of Surge? Sure - but I didn’t need to. There is a “sweet spot” of cost/benefit with one scoop of each.

I’d like to specifically mention one of the ingredients in Igniter, Alpha-GPC. Biotest used to have a liquid Alpha-GPC product, it was a fave of mine. Most users reported that it instantly improved their strength. Unfortunately, it was an expensive product to manufacture and it just never fully caught on, so it got dropped. I am thrilled to see it in Igniter. I suspect that it has a lot to do with the immediate strength gains I experienced while using Igniter - as well as the cost of the product. But you get what you pay for.

I’d like to see this stuff stick around. I think Igniter is a must-have product if you’re serious about physical performance. The positive mental effects that it has produced for me, with no negative side affects, is the best I’ve ever experienced in a supplement. The immediate strength gains I experienced I believe are directly attributed to the Alpha-GPC in Igniter. I will certainly be recommending it to all of my personal training clients. Biotest nailed this one. Just try it and see what it can do for you.

I’m gonna break down by levels what I think would be best for using Igniter and/or Surge:

Elite
This would be straight out of Christian Thibaudeau’s Metcon for Muscle Plan. If you are training intensely enough to reduce bodyfat below 10% while maintaining or adding muscle, all in a relatively short timeframe, this would be the ticket.

Igniter: Consume TWO scoops 20 minutes before training.

Surge Dose 1: Completely consume one scoop 20 minutes before training.

Surge Dose 2: Drink one scoop throughout the workout and afterward if you’ve not finished during training.

Surge Dose 3: Completely consume one scoop one hour before bedtime.

Advanced
For the overwhelming rest of you who want to either get stronger, more muscular, look good naked or some combination thereof.

Igniter: Consume one scoop 20 minutes before training.

Surge: Drink one scoop throughout the workout and afterward if you’ve not finished during training.

Question: Can you use Igniter by itself?

Answer: Yes, but it wouldn’t be “optimal”. My first day using Igniter I used one scoop with no Surge. My mental focus and motivation was much better than by just using Surge by itself. My physical performance was equal to what a half scoop of Surge feels like. My second day using Igniter, I used two scoops with no Surge. My mental focus and motivation was the best I’ve ever experienced. My physical performance was excellent, but my workout basically consisted of one intense set on 4 different body parts. My third day I used both Igniter and Surge and my workout was way harder - 24 total sets, 3-6 reps over 6 different body parts. I crushed it. Remember, sooner rather than later, you’re going to start wearing down if you’re training intensely and not using Surge regularly. If you’re not getting cluster dextrin, an electrolyte blend and pharma-grade L-Leucine somehow, you will start to regress. Don’t get me wrong, the mental effects of 2 scoops of Igniter is special stuff. But the cost/benefit sweet spot is with one scoop each of Igniter and Surge in my humble opinion.

Now it’s your turn to try Igniter and see what it can do for you. Please feel free to add your Igniter experience to this thread - or start a new one, whatever floats your boat. But please share your experience so that others can learn from it. But definitely try it - I think you’ll find it’s what’s been missing in your supplement routine.

[Moonflower]

@BigTaurus

But today we’re going to train just a tad differently…

reads post

My man playing on hard mode in multiple ways. What a fun workout too.

That’s crazy…so you could probably fly or something with that stack and if you weren’t hungover and sleep deprived?

Really enjoyed these reviews and your ideas for experimenting, definitely tells me a lot about it before I even try it. Major kudos to you!

[BigTaurus]

Seriously, I think Igniter could allow you to totally fake an interview for a job you know nothing about. It’s a cheat code.

Glad you enjoyed the reviews, info for everyone was the goal - looking forward to your Igniter experience!

@Moonflower

@BigTaurus

But today we’re going to train just a tad differently…

reads post

My man playing on hard mode in multiple ways. What a fun workout too.

That’s crazy…so you could probably fly or something with that stack and if you weren’t hungover and sleep deprived?

Really enjoyed these reviews and your ideas for experimenting, definitely tells me a lot about it before I even try it. Major kudos to you!