Are today’s expensive “Pre Work drinks” better than the old E\C\A stack?

[powerlifter1983]

In the early 2000s before pre workouts were a thing I used to buy ephedrine tablets from the gas station and caffeine and aspirin tabs from Walmart. Took them as my “Pre Workout” and had some of the most hardcore workouts of my life.

What is better about the $40 for 30 (or less) servings in the powdered stuff they sell today?

 

[Elvia1023]

There are 1000's of products available. Everyone is different. So the answer to your questions is yes and no. It depends on many factors with the most important being what exactly does the user want from the product. Some people want to get a great pump and a small boost in energy so many preworkouts for them will be much better than an ECA stack. An ECA stack will only do certain things (energy, focus, appetite suppression etc). If that is what someone is after you can't really beat it.

Will some feel better using your old ECA stack compared to most of the preworkouts today... maybe. You can buy preworkouts that stim junkies will find amazing and give you the craziest buzz ever. There are also loads of shit products on the market today. Some people respond great to certain ingredients. I personally don't like ephedrine that much so I much prefer many of the powdered products today and eca's never felt great. I also don't respond that well to DMAA which is another powerful stimulant but many love it.

For a super boost in energy, focus and appetite suppression you can't really beat ECA for most people but that doesn't mean there aren't similar products today. I have injected ephedrine (amps from pharmacy) and I get much more from a lot of powdered preworkouts but everything has it's place. ECA is just 3 simple ingredients that you can still buy today.

A lot of people especially those who don't use stimulants could probably take 300-400mg caffeine only and some would respond badly but many would feel incredible in the gym off that. Today there are many effective supplements and stimulants that do a variety of things so pick a good mix and you will only get good results. Whilst having more things available may have overcomplicated things and there is a lot of shit (supplement industry is full of crap) we have only advanced in regards to supplement availability, choice and quality. Granted some things are harder to get hold of now because they were banned years ago but you can still get them

 

[stackdizzy]

I have fond memories of the ECA stack, Yohimbe with taurine, pretty much any pre workout just switch when it quits working, kratom and caffeine, just caffeine, and various amines(not meth)....and caffeine.. Lol I am sure some guys have tried way more stuff but its hard to say which is best! Eca is cheap enough just check it out again, let us know. Personally kratom and caffeine has been my go to for sometime now.

​

 

[BIG1512]

Do you all remember Ultimate Orange?

 

[Tank4411]

For the price, not even close.. eca wins.
If money is not an issue, I have found a few that are better. I personally like gorilla mode. Kratom and noopept seem to really help with my muscle mind connection…. I miss ultimate orange and jack3d…..

 

[Gunsmith]

I personally hate pre workouts but I'm very sensitive to stimulants.
100mg caffeine and 5mg yohimbine HCl half an hour before I get the gym and that's all I need during prep or when energy is really low.

Typically a diet Mt Dew with my pre workout meal is plenty and I suspect that 2hr after that when I get to the gym the caffeine is gone

 

[qbkilla]

I keep it simple, not going to spend a lot of time thinking about a pre workout.

A whole food meal an hour before training, then an energy drink with 300mg caffeine on way to the gym.

For cardio, 3x a week, I drink the energy drink and add a bronkaid, along with my 3iu of gh. No meal prior= fasted.

 

[jaxino]

I love Ephedrine 50mg prewo is just dope.

 

[totalrecomp]

There are 1000's of products available. Everyone is different. So the answer to your questions is yes and no. It depends on many factors with the most important being what exactly does the user want from the product. Some people want to get a great pump and a small boost in energy so many preworkouts for them will be much better than an ECA stack. An ECA stack will only do certain things (energy, focus, appetite suppression etc). If that is what someone is after you can't really beat it.

Will some feel better using your old ECA stack compared to most of the preworkouts today... maybe. You can buy preworkouts that stim junkies will find amazing and give you the craziest buzz ever. There are also loads of shit products on the market today. Some people respond great to certain ingredients. I personally don't like ephedrine that much so I much prefer many of the powdered products today and eca's never felt great. I also don't respond that well to DMAA which is another powerful stimulant but many love it.

For a super boost in energy, focus and appetite suppression you can't really beat ECA for most people but that doesn't mean there aren't similar products today. I have injected ephedrine (amps from pharmacy) and I get much more from a lot of powdered preworkouts but everything has it's place. ECA is just 3 simple ingredients that you can still buy today.

A lot of people especially those who don't use stimulants could probably take 300-400mg caffeine only and some would respond badly but many would feel incredible in the gym off that. Today there are many effective supplements and stimulants that do a variety of things so pick a good mix and you will only get good results. Whilst having more things available may have overcomplicated things and there is a lot of shit (supplement industry is full of crap) we have only advanced in regards to supplement availability, choice and quality. Granted some things are harder to get hold of now because they were banned years ago but you can still get them

Knocked it out of the park with this answer!

I will say this: with most energy drinks costing north of $3.00 around here almost all the pre's we sell here are cheaper per serving and the well thought out ones will blow away an energy drink when it comes to pump, hydration, endurance and overtime performance enhancement and ultimately gains.


ECA vs a stim bomb pre? Depends on how one gets along with certain exotic stims. No one knows how they respond to:
N-methyltyramine
higenamine
theobromine
isopropylnorsynephrine
theophylline
synephrine
norsynephrine
N-phenethyl dimethylamine
2-aminoisoheptane
methylsynephrine
n-methyl-b-phenylethylamine
n, n-dimethylphenylethylamine
y
alpha-y

until they try them or a combo of them.

Not everyone has easy access to ephedrine these days as well so there is that.

 

[qbkilla]

How does ephedrine compare to Adderall for energy and also speeding up metabolism?

 

[KillerStack]

I don't think any of the OTC stims are as good as ephedrine, if I consider the mood effects. Many stims can jack you up but ideally it should also make you feel good. And in my experience they haven't been as good as ephedrine. Only the ADHD meds are better but then you are a criminal unless you have a script.

Some "downers" can make stims even better in many ways, like phenibut and kratom. I thought phenylpiracetam increased the dopamine high from stims.

 

[TeknoViking]

2 x Primatene tablets and 200mg caffeine

 

[Fleezy]

ephedrine/caffeine/citrulline/sea salt

ECCSS stack


should be the new staple IMO


better, and with no NSAID

 

[TrippplePPP]

Do you all remember Ultimate Orange?

That was my first experience with ephedra. I had no clue what I was in for and was cranked. It was definitely a bad experience. The add said nothing about the actual effect I would get. I was expecting 25lbs on my squat that day per the add. Little did I know I was drinking liquid stimulant. I ended up riding it out and feeling really relaxed afterward. I later would use Xenadrine RFA-1 daily for years and years.

 

[lifter]

In the early 2000s before pre workouts were a thing I used to buy ephedrine tablets from the gas station and caffeine and aspirin tabs from Walmart. Took them as my “Pre Workout” and had some of the most hardcore workouts of my life.

What is better about the $40 for 30 (or less) servings in the powdered stuff they sell today?

I don't think so. ECA is the best route for legal PWO IMO. The powders just have a lot of caffeine and a bunch of other shit that sort of works.

 

[cmryan]

ephedrine/caffeine/citrulline/sea salt

ECCSS stack

I'd add some taurine as well but otherwise

should be the new staple IMO

better, and with no NSAID

I believe the aspirin was just to act as a methyl donor. And if that's the case, alpha gpc (or some form of choline) would be a better choice and maybe even potentiate the effects of the ephedrine and/or caffeine in a positive way.

 

[maxmusle1]

I still use the E/C/Y Stack when I cut, especially if I’m Clen burnt .
25mg ephedrine sulfate (Bronkaid Max)
200mg Caffeine (No Doz )
3mg yohimbine HCL

The old stuff was ephedrine hcl (better) but it’s only in Canada (Kaizen 8mg bags of 500 or 1,000 ) . It’s a damn big Pharma scam , the herb can’t be made into “street speed” so why can’t we have ma huang ? Chinese have used forever. Now two equity firms own Bronkaid Max and 8 big OTC products , they are just like “the Pharma Bro” they want to sell weight loss drugs that don’t work and you hade to pay all the fees . God forbid you find a plant that helps thermogenesis! Take that off tne market! Lol (sarcasm)
Max

 

[D2]

miss the original eca fm AST's Dymetadrine

 

[WeakFNG]

Do you all remember Ultimate Orange?

I definitely do. It was a bit too much for me. I liked HEAT from Metaform. It came in chocolate and orange. It was the consistency of a protein shake. I got really good results with it.

 

[lifter]

I still use the E/C/Y Stack when I cut, especially if I’m Clen burnt .
25mg ephedrine sulfate (Bronkaid Max)
200mg Caffeine (No Doz )
3mg yohimbine HCL

The old stuff was ephedrine hcl (better) but it’s only in Canada (Kaizen 8mg bags of 500 or 1,000 ) . It’s a damn big Pharma scam , the herb can’t be made into “street speed” so why can’t we have ma huang ? Chinese have used forever. Now two equity firms own Bronkaid Max and 8 big OTC products , they are just like “the Pharma Bro” they want to sell weight loss drugs that don’t work and you hade to pay all the fees . God forbid you find a plant that helps thermogenesis! Take that off tne market! Lol (sarcasm)
Max

Truth. Word.