Have you heard of the brand Redcon1? Although it is not very well known here, it is one of the top brands abroad. This company has a really wide range of sports supplements of extremely good quality. The specificity of this company is the fact that its target group is not only athletes. Redcon1 supports members of the integrated rescue system and soldiers to a large extent. The very name of the brand means a state of complete readiness, which is the basis of its philosophy. Today, we will take a look at one of the most popular products of this manufacturer - the Total War pre-workout, which is receiving a huge amount of positive feedback. Were we satisfied with it? And how does it perform in comparison to other pre-workouts on the market? Find out all this in our review today.
Content of the review
If the Redcon1 brand appeals to you, you don't have to limit yourself to its pre-workout. In addition to classic supplements, you can also find instant MREs or pre-prepared meals in its range. Some of the most famous celebrities associated with the brand include bodybuilder Kai Greene, wrestler Kenny Omega, or famous strongman Robert Oberst, for example.
Quality ingredients
First of all, of course, we have to look at the ingredients. The substances contained predetermine how successful or not each supplement will be. Most of the pre-workouts rely on very similar proven substances, some of them arebut some manufacturers like to surprise their customers and include something unusual in the formula. In the case of Total War, the formula is a combination of traditional and proven substances along with a few less common ingredients. In addition to caffeine, citrulline and beta alanine, we can also find tea tree extract and black pepper extract. The complete composition then looks like this:
- 6,000 mg of L-citrulline malate - improves blood flow in the circulation, helps to achieve maximum performance and effectively slows down the onset of fatigue
- 3,200 mg of beta alanine - the substance responsible for the tingling and itching under the skin that is typical of pre-workouts, and promotes performance
- 1,000 mg of beetroot extract - improves blood flow and vascularity during training
- 1 000 mg of taurine - improves concentration, supports post-workout recovery and is involved in countless energy-related processes
- 250 mg of caffeine anhydrous - prevents the perception of fatigue, can kick in very effectively
- 150 mg of juniper - supports digestion, counteracts water retention and has detoxifying effects
- 100 mg of di-caffeine malate - a stronger form of caffeine, promotes concentration and delays fatigue
- 50 mg of Chinese tea tree and cocoa tree extract - genuine cocoa contains the stimulant theobromine, which can very effectively stimulate, Chinese tea tree suppresses fatigue
- 25 mg of naringin - improves fat metabolism, acts as an antioxidant
- 10 mg of black pepper extract - significantly improves the utilization of other substances
We must not forget about the sweeteners and dyes used. Sucralose has been used to sweeten, and we can also find, for example, citric acid, disodium phosphate or the anti-caking agent silica. None of the above substances need to add wrinkles to your face.your face, as they are perfectly safe and very common ingredients in food supplements. The only exception is acesulfame K (acesulfame potassium). This is a somewhat controversial substance, but no toxic effects have yet been confirmed with certainty. You will come across it in a large number of supplements and although its presence never makes us uncomfortableIt should be noted that in small quantities you don't have to worry about it either.
In the end, I have to rate the composition with a very high mark. Personally, I am quite happy with the combination of higher citrulline content along with a good dose of beta alanine, which works great for me. But it's true that it's not necessarily the same for everyone.
Average taste and hassle-free preparation
A very important criterion when evaluating any supplement is, of course, its taste.For testing, we chose the Rainbow Candy flavor, which is one of the most popular ones. Right from the start, it should be mentioned that when evaluating the taste, it is simply impossible to avoid subjective feelings, so it is quite possible that you yourself would rate the product differently in this respect. For myself, however, I have to say that Total War certainly doesn't taste miraculous. Compared to the other pre-workouts I've had the chance to try, it performed sort of mediocre. Upon first taste, I couldn't help but notice a rather distinct artificial aftertaste, but all things considered, I enjoyed it quite a bit. After a very short time, however, I grew quite tired of the flavour and I certainly can't say that I was downright looking forward to it.
In terms of solubility it was a little better. Total War just needs to be shaken a few times and you're good to go. You can't avoid a little residue on the strainer, but it's not a disaster. The most important thing is that you don't constantly bump into lumps when drinking it, which can make drinking the pre-workout quite unpleasant.
A kick that's worth it
All of the above is completely meaningless if Total War doesn't kick ass. The composition may look downright exemplary on paper, but it's the actual effect you feel on yourself that makes the difference. In this respect, Total War does really well. You need to feel the right pre-workout on you after you drink it, and I have to say that Total War feels good on you. There's no shortage of proper tingling and burning under the skin that's guaranteed to kick you off. If you don't like it, this product is definitely not for you. I, however, was pleased beyond measure. Even after a long and active day where I came to my workout with almost no energy, I was able to finally get everything done in high quality without any issues.
At this point I must point out one rather important thing. The original packaging says that a single serving is one full scoop. In the Czech Republic, however, the dosage is adjusted according to the local legislation, which means that one dose here is marked as half a scoop. If you still decide to take a full scoop, keep in mind that in one dose you will take in about 350 mg of caffeine, which is a hefty load. For this reason, I really don't recommend exceeding this dosage, and ideally not even taking Total War in the later hours.
You'll pay extra for the quality
The price is probably the biggest negative of this product. One dose will cost you less than 26 crowns, which is definitely not negligible. if you use the pre-workout before every workout. For example, such Rise and Shine, which is ranked right after Total War in our ranking of the best pre-workouts, comes out much better in price. Is this price adequate for how Total War works? I guess that's pretty subjective. If you don't mind spending a little extra on supplements, it's worth paying extra for quality. But if you're looking for a combination of low price and quality, you can find a product that will suit you much better.
Final assessment
I was really impressed with the Total War pre-workout from Redcon1. It has a very high quality formula, which is reflected in the premium effect. A small minus I see in the not very pleasant taste, but it is nothing terrible. On the contrary, I must once again praise the trouble-free solubility, thanks to which the whole preparation process takes only a few seconds. Someone may be put off by the relatively high price, which is actually quite high compared to other pre-workouts on the market. But if you don't mind investing an extra penny in supplements, it will pay you back in the form of a perfect effect. In the end, I have to rate Total War very positively.
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