Our first taste of Prime Nutrition actually came by way of the brand’s first Platinum Series supplement Intra-MD, which not only proved to be one of the most unique products we’d ever encountered. But it also managed to snatch a spot on our list of top 10 recovery formulas currently still sitting on there in at number six. We decided to get a hold of another Prime Platinum supplement to see if they could follow-up with an equally impressive performance, resulting in us picking up a tub of the pre-workout Max-HP. Looking at the product’s contents it does feature quite a simple set of ingredients, however as we have come to discover simple and unique combinations sometimes do actually tend to work out rather nicely. Today’s Max-HP review proves that theory once again, as the Prime Platinum Series pre-workout is surprisingly a little more than effective.
With what is these days almost considered the common dose of caffeine at 400mg, right off the bat you know you’re going to get a good hit of energy with Max-HP. For those that are used to that amount of caffeine there are other things going on in the supplement, although the energy is where we’re going to start. As you’d expect the energy does come on quite strong, kicking in a bit earlier than most pre-workouts which for us was about 10 minutes after taking it down. Not too long after that you will want to be in the gym or at least doing some sort of physical activity as the energy can turn into something uncomfortable if you don’t make good use of it. Due to the hard and heavy amount Max-HP does initially feel like just your usual high caffeine shot, however once you get going it does turn into something else. To avoid getting at all uncomfortable we did find taking it closer to a workout does help bring in the next phase of the experience in at around the same time as the energy, but does still leave room for extra unwelcome stimulation
After a fair bit of moving about, maybe once you get through one or two exercises you’ll find the energy in the product does turn into something much calmer, or more importantly more comfortable. It is then you notice that the intensity side of the supplement starts shining through fusing with the energy, giving you that ability to perform at a solid pace without losing any strength or endurance. The best way to describe the combination of effects is you’d do a set as per usual, at a weight you know will push you. Once you’ve completed your 5, 10 or 20+ reps you let the weight go and take your rest, although instead of the regular two or so minutes you find yourself ready to go in between 30 to 60 seconds. Of course feeling ready to perform is very different to actually performing, however once you pick the weight back up and complete your follow-up set you’ll realize your muscles are indeed as ready as you feel. With that confidence and ability established you’ll find yourself pushing a lot harder, with the increased intensity forcing more and more pain, and the enhanced energy encouraging extra reps and heavier weight. The combination of intensity and energy is something we have seen become a lot more common in effective pre-workouts, which is certainly not a bad thing as it forces brands interested in taking on the category to be even more competitive.
Even though at this point Prime’s Max-HP is already sounding pretty good, to standout in a very crowded pre-workout market it does need a little something else. That little something else is in fact pump, as in between all that’s going on with the energy and intensity squeezing a solid session out of you whether you want to do one or not, the product does also feature the swole factor. Depending on your workout and what you’re focusing on the time the pump comes in will vary, although for us it was a handful of sets after the energy collided with the intensity, or a little sooner on higher rep and/or smaller muscle group days. We’ve come to find that there are different kinds of pumps supplements have to offer, with most giving you that full feeling where your muscles are obviously and unnaturally dilated. The other kind of pump isn’t as common and mostly what Max-HP features, where it feels like each and every muscle fiber is being expanded. It doesn’t result in the fullness you get from most other pump pre-workouts, it’s a pump that’s a whole lot more fulfilling and forces you to feel the strain on every muscle when performing an exercise.
When you combine the pump with Max-HP’s energy and intensity, you get a good idea of how destructive things can become. While the two performance effects test how far you can be pushed until you have absolutely nothing left, the product’s pump ensures you have full control and enjoy the sensation of pain. We did say that the supplement is mostly made up of that dense focused pump, which by that we mean it does have a bit of fullness to it as well. You won’t get that abnormal swoleness pre-workouts like Cannibal Permaswole, Dilate and Giant Pump offer, you will however have trouble leaving the gym without feeling a little bigger than when you walked in. In saying that you may even have trouble walking afterwards as don’t be surprised if the pump is overshadowed by the performance side of the product, as it can encourage exhaustion more than muscle contraction.
Overall the supplement is surprisingly effective, not that we didn’t expect much from it just that it offers a lot more than you’d think. The energy does initially seem like a bit too much although as it calms down things only get better. Max-HP’s intensity joins its energy pushing you a whole lot more than you’re used to, then to amplify it all the pump makes sure you enjoy every second of the experience right from when it kicks in to finish. To compare it to a competitor, if you enjoy MAN’s Game Day and its combination of effects you’ll probably have a good time with Max-HP. It’s pump and performance effects aren’t as powerful as the likes of Game Day and are balanced slightly differently, but when they’re all wrapped together the two quickly become a lot closer in comparison. The Prime pre-workout definitely makes a good case for itself in the category scratching at the heels of some of the best balanced products out there, and will no doubt be a favorite for those that find it.
