It is safe to assume that there isn’t a single gym rat unfamiliar with the name of Ronnie Coleman, 8X MR OLYMPIA who is popularly known for his legendary phrases, Yeah Buddy and Lightweight. And the famous line “Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder, but don’t nobody wanna lift no heavy ass weight”. Well here we are today, about to discuss his very own Yeah Buddy Pre Workout. According to Ronnie, “if you’re serious about your nutrition and training then the addition of proper supplements will absolutely help you achieve your fitness goals!”. And for the most part, we know it is true. Today, there are so many supplements available for bulking, cutting down, lean muscle mass, pre workout etc. Choosing the appropriate one for you can truly be a daunting task. And the horde of marketers trying to promote products regardless of their quality isn’t helping at all.
Now a fair warning before we begin. Just because there is a supplement series formed by a top level personnel in the industry doesn’t mean that it is the right fit for you. I have to agree with many other experts that the Yeah Buddy is not fit for a beginner given its high caffeine concentration. Rather, it is for a seasoned gym goer who has had their fair share of experience with pre workouts. Alright, let’s jump on to it without further delay;
Yeah Buddy Pre Workout Ingredients
As usual, we will kick off the review with the ingredient analysis and the nutrition facts. The recommended amount is 1 scoop, but it’s so strong we recommend testing a half scoop first. It has 30 servings per container. Please note that the below amounts are as of per serving.
4,000 mg of L-Citrulline Malate
The fatigue fighter in the bodybuilding world. Combination of the nonessential amino acid L-citrulline and malic acid. L-Citrulline is most commonly found in watermelons. Citrulline helps generate more arginine, which in turn helps generate more of nitric oxide. That in turn causes blood vessels to widen, increasing blood flow and circulation without increasing blood pressure. Hence resulting in quick recovery, faster blood flow for muscles when they are depleted of nutrients etc. Citrulline malate can help delay muscle fatigue by promoting increased ATP production during exercise. Reduces post-workout muscle soreness. Protein production increases with the increase in L-arginine as a result of citrulline malate. You can read more extensively on citrulline malate in our post.
2,000 mg Beta-Alanine
The handy little supplement who demands a little attention when the tingling sensation kicks in. Our concern is regarding Carnosyn which is a superior form of beta-alanine. Beta-Alanine combines with the amino acid histidine to form the dipeptide Carnosyn. It aids in helping delay the onset of lactic acid and muscle fatigue associated with failure, all while building endurance and improving recovery. The recommendation is to take it 4-6 grams daily for a minimum of 4 weeks. So you can see that the concentration of 2g in Yeah Buddy is insufficient. So you will have to wait longer in order for the effects to manifest. Check out our post on Beta-Alanine for more information.
500mg of AGMASS (agmatine sulfate)
Also known as Guanidine , it is produced by arginine. So now you can guess what it does. It raises the nitric oxide levels and pumps the muscles extremely well during workouts. Aside from purely improving athletic performance, AGMASS also treats depression and nerve pain. Studies show that when 1g of AGMASS is consumed as a pre workout for 3 weeks, it acts as a safe and effective treatment for neuropathic pain. Now this can come in real handy for professional athletes when you are consuming a minute amount of calories while training heavy. This is usually followed when a competition is coming up.
550mg of Choline Bitartrate
We know that pre workouts carry a most important function which is augmenting the mental focus and strengthening the neuro-muscular connectivity. Coffee is the leading ingredient here. Next comes the nootropics. Choline Bitartrate is one such ingredient commonly found in eggs. Due to its essential role in memory, brain and nervous system functions, it is used in nootropics, fat burners and pre workouts. Of course it doesn’t act alone. For the optimum results it is mainly combined with similar substances such as caffeine, L-Tyrosine etc. The recommended dosage is around 500mg-2,000mg. However evidence is insufficient to prove that choline supplementation has cognition augmentation in healthy, young individuals. Nevertheless, it would not hurt to have a bit extra other than what you are getting from your diet.
100mg of Theacrine
Theacrine has the same functionality as Choline. However, there is very little research proving the efficacy of this ingredient for exercise performance. Also since there is 400+mg of caffeine we believe that more brain stimulants is unnecessary. It does not augment endurance in any way. Our opinion is that this was an unwanted inclusion. They could have either increased the amount of beta-alanine which is a proven supplement, or they could have added something like BCAA.
420mg of Caffeine Blend
This is the reason why we mentioned at the start of the post that this pre workout is not for the amateur. The blend contains Caffeine Anhydrous and Encapfeine. Caffeine Anhydrous is the more refined, purified form of caffeine which has an even higher effect on the nervous system as opposed to regular coffee. Caffeine is the one common ingredient in all pre workouts except for stim-free powders. There is a vast amount of proven studies to show that caffeine is responsible for improving focus, memory, learning, and overall neuro-muscular coordination.
Apart from these, Caffeine also aids in burning fat because of its thermogenic effect. We have talked extensively on this in some of our posts regarding fat burners. In fact, Caffeine has a much more pronounced effect than glucose as shown by a study among cyclists. However, please note that consuming too much of anything, no matter how good it is can lead to serious side effects. The same applies to caffeine. We will talk about the side effects separately. Just make sure not to consume extra coffee if you are using Yeah Buddy.
100mg of Methylliberine (Dynamine):
Dynamine Methylliberine, a purine alkaloid, is found in the kucha tea leaf. The structure is similar to theacrine and so is the functionality. It may enhance energy, mood and focus just like caffeine. Just like most other supplements, the effects are minimal when taken alone. The recommendation is a dosage of 100mg for a subtle boost in energy levels. But its effects aren’t as strong as that of caffeine. Therefore the best way to reap its full potential is to take it with caffeine. A major benefit with Dynamine plus Caffeine is that individuals who are looking to increase the effects of Caffeine can do so without having to take more Caffeine, and without increasing jitteriness. Check out this post for a full scientific overview on Dynamine.
50mg of Adhatoda Vasica
A bit of a strange ingredient to be found in a pre workout. Because Adhatoda Vasica is mainly used for treating respiratory system related problems. Mainly found in ayurvedic medicine, it is used for treating cold, cough, chronic bronchitis and asthma.
Yeah Buddy Pre Workout Side Effects
Now the million dollar question. Is Yeah Buddy pre workout safe? Well that is what we mentioned right at the beginning. Apart from the usual tingling sensation on the skin’s surface, which ordinarily goes down after around 20 minutes, the caffeine content here is the problem. 420mg is a crazy hype of a serving and by far a higher dose than the majority of scientific research recommends safe for daily consumption. Therefore please consult trained personnel before using this supplement to verify if it is safe for you. The usual pre workout side effects such as Diarrhea, nausea and jitters is an anticipation of course. But even the seasoned gym goers should consider taking a half or even a quarter scoop initially just to be on the safe side.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Good combination of ingredients | Huge dose of caffeine |
| Most users claim that they didn’t experience a crash or jitter | Lowered dosage of beta-alanine |
| Reasonable pricing | Not the best flavor choices |
Yeah Buddy Pre Workout Review and Conclusion
I’d genuinely liked to have say something different than “it is not the best pre workout”. For one thing, the caffeine concentration is way higher and you have other stimulants to amplify the effect as well. Secondly, the beta-alanine dosage is less than optimal. While it may be sufficient to raise carnosine levels for you to witness a difference in performance, the duration it requires is definitely longer. Yeah Buddy has no sugar and only 1% carb concentration. The pricing is around ~$32 for 30 servings which is average compared to a few other pre workouts in the market. However most of them offer better value than Yeah Buddy. Yeah Buddy pre workout will definitely deliver a performance boost so you are welcome to always try IF you are seasoned. Otherwise stick to good old creatine or a well known pre workout.
Hey, while you are here, grab a Yeah Buddy T-shirt if you’ve ever been inspired by Big Ron!
Leave a Reply