Wondering what peoples’ experiences have been with Spike?
Yesterday, I purchased and tried my first does of Spike. I tried one pill and didn’t feel anything…but then again I’m an ER nurse and practically immune to caffiene. Today, I’ll take two before training.
BTW, it’s kind of a horse pill, and I drank a ton of water with it for it to go down my esophagus. (Helpful hint)
#2 BTW, I bought it at GNC, and GNC normally sucks, but the salesman there yesterday was decent…what a pleasant surprise!!!
#3 BTW, I looked at all the similar supplements and all except the Biotest stuff had some kind of Soy in them. Hooray for Biotest! My heroes!!!
#4 BTW, lots of Biotest supps there, which wasn’t the case in the past. Which maybe can explain #2 BTW. Hooray for Biotest again!!
My experience with Spike has been pretty good. It’s very subtle, the way it makes you feel. I started out taking 2 at a time and noticed a change within a few hours. It was odd when it hit me because I felt normal, then all of sudden it was like… well, you know how when your on a flight and your ears pop and you have that sort of fuzzy headed feeling, then eventually it clears up? It felt a lot like that except I felt normal then the ‘pop’ and I felt a sense of clarity that’s really only come to me at really intense moments.
Not sure how much sense I’m making here but what I felt wasn’t physical, it was more of a mental clarity and a stronger sense of mind-body connection.
For some people it seems to take a while for it build up. Like it has a cummulative effect in your system. None of the jitters just a clear head and noticable increase in focus and clarity of thought.
Very Subtle. I actually forget or don’t notice its there, but my workouts have been great since I started taking it. I only use it on lifting days. I would recommend it.
I also drink some green tea in the afternoon and have not had the caffeine jitters or anything from it. I am still able to relax. Its nice to be in control like that.
Apparently I’m a non-responder. Power Drive provides me with a nice, clean focused feeling and enhanced mental energy and it’s cheaper so I don’t feel too bad :-). One warning: Get your water before you pop the pills! I accidently let one dissolve in my mouth once. GOD awful taste!
After 5 days on Spike my workout went from failure in 3 sets to no failure in 4 sets. I record everything lift so I can see the improvement. I bought Spike for the mental boost it seemed to help. Then I went off of it to use some other supplements. I do maintenance on high tech equipment and found I was losing my edge. I find Spike doesn’t blow your head off it lifts it off and hands it to you to use as needed. One side effect motor mouth.
old guy
Aside from a very slight short term benefit (2-3 hours) of subtly reducing the mental fatigue caused by lack of sleep I’ve noticed no positive effect. My wife had no benefits whatsoever from Spike.
I get the mental clarity/ mood boost less than a quarter hour after taking it, even if I’ve just eaten breakfast. The boost is not dramatic or obtrusive (unlike caffeine), but the change in the level of psych I can reach in the gym or anywhere else if I embrace it is.
If you respond this well, take it easy in the gym; Spike makes it possible to psych up for a bunch of lifts in a row, but this will leave you extremely burnt-out when you’re done. Better to keep it in the bank for an important lift; I try not to get psyched up at all any more, unless I need it. I kind of prefer Power Drive for workouts that involve heavier olympic lifts, because it provides a strength boost without too much psych.
Studying / Memorization - Find this works great for studying. I actually stopped taking my Rx Strattera and now only use Spike or Power Drive. I don’t do this everyday though as I like the novelty of taking the Spike. I noticed increased benefits taking at the time of studying and at the time of the recall. So 1 study night and 1 at test time.
Additionally, I notice that 1 is better than 2 for studying.
Training / Competition - It is unbelievable for any type of training activity. I use it outside the weight room specifically on my runs. I can actually say that I noticed benefits beyond that of simply a better training experience. My paces are increased and my cadences are much more in tempoed. In fact I notice such a difference that I don’t use it as much so that I can still get that nice jolt come competition time :).
I notice that 1 works great for training and lower intensity / longer duration activity. Long runs / Cycling
2 works great for short burst intense activity. Sprint Runs / Sprint Cycling
I keep it as a novelty item with specific times I use it. Another time I love to use it, is learning a new activity, specifically something more difficult as far as coordination is concerned. When I hit the pool on a day where I know I will be working on my stroke technique, I’ll Spike up because I know that I am more in tune with my body. Definitely increases proprioception.
Disclaimer: I am extremely sensitive to stimulents.
It works rather nicely for me, but primarily as an enhancer of other things- if I work out then the endorphins are much buzzier; coffee will hit me much harder; feelings of sociability are higher.
If I take two, then I really notice it but I crash rather hard 6 hours later- incredibly tired and needing to sleep. One Spike is a gentle lift and there is no noticable comedown.
I’m like you, caffeine does nothing for me! Alternatively, neither do many many other stimulants, including Spike. So i’m a non responder. But my girlfriend took my bottle and is just ecstatic about how well it works for her. Side note: she is extremely sensitive to stimulants.
Minimal for me. About the same as a cup of coffee. But I do keep Spike on hand. It’s a very convenient, very fast-acting pick-me-up for times when I’m really rushed and don’t have time to make and sit down and drink a cup of coffee.
If I am working on no or little sleep, I think Spike is great, one in the morning, and one in the early afternoon. On the days that I have gotten a good night of sleep and taken Spike, I have not noticed much of an effect. Probably the best effect of Spike is that it seems to negate a poor night of sleep. I bought 2 bottles from GNC, and I keep it for those days.
I’ve consistently noticed that it reduces the “energy barrier” involved in starting tasks.
I don’t notice much in the gym, perhaps because I am already energized for that, but at work or around the house, I think it is great.
It helps me be productive instead of procrastinate. Don’t be fooled by a lack of “feeling” it… personally, it’s effects are too subtle for me to “feel”, but added productivity or motivation are certainly very valuable to me.
I certainly do notice a difference in my total productivity on vs off.
I take one and it feels very similar to Power Drive as far as focus during my training.
If I take 2 - I can feel my hair growing.
FYI - Spike is really good at helping you over a hangover. I’ve never had a hangover, but I have friends that know people that have taken Spike the morning after.
One Spike is good for a workout, but it’s a bit hi/miss. I think me being on Paxil interferes with it. I won’t take more than one at a time in fear of an adverse reaction.