Supplement Review: Musclepharm Combat Powder

Hi guys, it's been a long time since I last updated my blog due to my hectic schedule. But hey, I'm back and that's all that matters right? :)

There has been quite a large number of friends asking me about the sports supplements that I'm taking and it's not very easy to answer everyone. So I'll be using my blog as a platform to slowly introduce the various sports supplements that I'm currently taking. I will also give a short review about my experience taking them.

I'm lucky enough to be chosen as a sponsored athlete with Rich Nutrition and I have to say that the team running the whole show is really impressive. Here are the brands that Rich Nutrition is currently carrying.

Alright, let's begin with the featured product for this entry:

I've always been a fan of protein blend and BSN was my number one choice for the longest time. Well until the MusclePharm Combat came about.

Here's some details of the Combat Powder:

With a precision-engineered matrix that contains whey protein concentrates, hydrolysates, and isolates, as well as egg albumin and micellar casein, COMBAT is the ultimate timed-released protein super-food! Because each of the distinct protein sources found within COMBAT digest at varying rates, amino acids are not only flooded into the bloodstream within minutes after consumption, but will continuously be trickle fed to your muscles for up to 8 hours afterward!

Supplement fact for Combat Powder

After my encounter with BSN Syntha 6, I came to realise that if you're really in need of good tasting protein shakes, you must get protein blend! IT'S A MUST! I believe that it's the egg protein that is contributing to the rich taste. Normal whey protein is usually more flat tasting and most of the time slightly artificial.

In my humble opinion, Musclepharm Combat Powder taste as good or if not, slightly better than BSN Syntha 6. But the winning factor will be due to the variety of flavours that this brand offers!

I've tasted 3 different flavours(Milk Choc, Choc Mint & Choc Peanut Butter) and all 3 flavours taste amazing. Why did I choose all chocolate flavours, some might ask. I personally feel that the safest bet for protein shakes will be their line of chocolate flavours and if any company screws up the taste for their chocolate flavoured shakes, you can forget about the rest!

So all in all, here's my verdict:

Brand: Musclepharm
Product: Combat Powder

Taste: 4.5 / 5
Mixibility: 4.5 / 5
Price: 4 / 5

Who will I recommend this product to?

Anyone who is serious is their training and needs a good dose of rich tasting protein shake. But remember, protein blend tends to be slightly higher in the calorie count as compared to the normal whey protein but if you're managing your meals properly, having the Combat Powder will not affect at all.

Head over to www.richnutrition.com to get all your sports supplements today and get an additional 5% discount when you check out with "JJLJ85".

Thanks for reading and let's all continue to train hard!

Journey to Manhunt Singapore 2014 (Part 8)

We're exactly 2 months away from the Final show of Manhunt Singapore 2014 and everything seems to be building up now! Loads of media coverage and publicity events!

So in this post, I'm going to share with you guys what went down on Manhunt Singapore 2014 Press Conference.

Date: 26 June 2014
Time: 3pm
Venue: Filmgarde Cineplex at Bugis+

All 26 of us reported at 12pm and in this short 3 hours, we had to go through rehearsals, collect our outfits and most importantly, getting our hair styled and make up done!

A shot with Ram after claiming our sponsored outfit, PUDU Singapore

We were told to be creative with our outfits

Putting my new flops from Bali into good use

Next stop, we had to gather for rehearsals.....

In position! (frm left: Daryl, Baron, Khalis, Ehten, Jason)

Some random shots while Reeve and I were queuing up for hair styling & make up

Another shot with the guys!

When we were all styled and ready to rock the stage, there was a segment called "Relac one corner!!!"

Don't we look Badass?!

The 3 sleepy guys!

And the moment that we've all been waiting for..... time to rock the stage!!!

Love this shot! Paparazzi feel!!

Lining up before entering the hall

Our lovely makeup artist, Ben, making sure that everyone look their best

Time for my self intro

Done with the 1st segment.. moving on to SWIMWEAR!!

Shot with Reeve!

Gun were definitely not loaded! SKINNY!

Guess what we did immediately after the swim wear segment?? Put our clothes back on la!!!! haha.. so we all went back up to level 7 for group photo taking..

16 Junior Manhunt contestants

I was also lucky enough to be one of the few to be featured on The Newpaper & Newpaper Video.

Feels really great to be featured when it comes to health & fitness

Click here to find out why some of the contestants think they are sexy!!
Manhunt Singapore 2014 Press Conference

So that's all for the happenings during the Press Conference. It was a super fun experience! Really enjoyed the company of all the contestants. It doesn't feel like we're competing again each other at all. I will like to thank Edward for taking all these wonderful photos and keeping us entertained throughout the entire event.

Many more events and happenings coming up so you better stay tuned. Meanwhile, train hard & God bless!

Journey to Manhunt Singapore 2014 (Part 7)

So here I am. Back again to complete my Lab Series post! This post is going to be really fun simply because Lab Series did something really beneficial for all 26 Manhunt Contestants! Ready to find out? Lets go!!!

After having our skin analysed at Lab Series Store @ Ion Orchard, I didn't know what the staff was going to do with all the data. We then found out that there was going to be a Lab Series workshop of all 26 contestants the following Saturday.

Boy were we in for a treat! Never crossed my mind that I will attend a workshop for skin care but thanks to Manhunt & Lab Series, we are all able to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy skin from a young age.

Believe it or not, it was my first time meeting some of the fellow contestants! Was really great to finally meet everyone in person and to be honest, the atmosphere was really positive and everyone was just so genuine towards each other!

Here are some of the happenings during the Lab Series Workshop

Presenter going through some fun facts of mens' skin

We were given Lab Series products based on our skin analysis results! Time to was our faces!

Changing a new basin of water for the next segment with Nigel

Next it was time for some shaving! Believe it or not, I've never shave my beard in my life! 

So after the workshop, we were told that there'll be a short interview with last year's Manhunt contest, Rafi.

Click to watch my interview

Nicholas & I chilling!

So here are the products that I've received from Lab Series.

I've been using these products for the past 2 weeks and I'm loving the results! Will like to take this opportunity to thank Lab Series for being so generous to all the Manhunt Contestants! We're all sold to this brand already because it is truly a really awesome brand. Big thanks to Edward for taking time off to snap all these photos for us too! 

Will be back soon with more interesting posts! Till then, take care & God bless!

Journey to Manhunt Singapore 2014 (Part 6)

Now now.. with the increase of Manhunt events happening, I'm quite behind in my blog post for my Manhunt journey. So I'll be using this post to clear 3 events and all of them are by the amazing LAB SERIES.

Received a phone call from Debbie (our hardworking coordinator) that myself, together with 4 other contestants, were invited to the Introducing of Singapore's New Celebrity Endorser at Kuro bar.

Everyone should know who the new Celebrity endorser is by now but if you're still unaware, it is the one and only Shane Pow.

Courtesy of www.hisstylediary.com

I've always heard of the skin care brand Lab Series but I was really impressed with the history, vision as well as the brand positioning of Lab Series when the Brand Manager, Christine did the opening speech for this event.

Shane was then introduced to the public as the new Celebrity Endorser. We were then directed to this really cool room with 3 huge posters of Shane for the signing of the event.

We managed to grab a shot with Shane too!

Kelvin Lee(Beam Artistes Manager), Nicholas Ngo, Reeeve, GuoJin, Me, Baron

A shot of Samuel Seow

The following Monday, the 5 of us we invited to Lab Series store at Ion Orchard for a mini tour as well as to get our skin tested. I was really impressed with the amount of thought put in when designing of the store. As you may already know, Lab Series is a skin care brand that only focuses on Men. So naturally, the store is designed  for the convenience and comfort of men. That's such a refreshing thought isn't it? Been awhile since I heard some emphasis on men being placed during any decision making process!! *Two thumbs up for Lab Series*

After the introduction to the store, it was time to get our individual skin analysed. As there were only 2 counters to do that, the rest of us decided to have some fun!

Next, it was my turn to get tested!!

The consultant explained every step clearly to allow me to understand what she was actually testing with the diagnostic tool. The result is broken down into 5 components: Flakiness, Tone, Texture, Oil Level & Firmness.

Next, based on the results from the analysis, the consultant will use the recommended products to do the 3 steps facial regime. Any one from the public can enjoy this service too!

And like every event, we always end of with a nice group shot! Thank you so much to Edward for taking time off to snap photos for us! Really nice of u.

Really though I have the time to cover the Lab Series workshop in this post. Seems like my wrong! Will be back really soon to cover that!

Have a great weekend everyone and stay fit & healthy!

The new Samsung GALAXY S5 with LTE & Gear2 Review (Part 2)

Hope everyone is doing really well this June Holiday!

I'm back today for the part 2 review for the new Samsung GALAXY S5 with LTE & Gear 2! It has been about a month since I've received them and here are more functions that I'm really loving.

Samsung Gear 2

The Gear 2 is not your ordinary fitness tracker that only allows you to track your fitness goals. This gadget can do so much more. 

Notifications

Being connected to my S5 via bluetooth, I am able to see what's happening on my phone without the need to take it out from my pocket. Notifications that I'll usually receive will be emails, text messages (SMS or Whatsapp) and even from Facebook and Instagram. 

Music player

With a 4GB memory space in this smart gadget, I have the exact same playlist on my phone and my gear 2. The gear 2 has a standalone music player with a built it speaker that allows me to play my favourite tracks with a decent volume. I can also connect my bluetooth headphones without the use of my phone.

Camera

#nofilter (It's a 2 Mega Pixel Camera but good for quick shots!) 

Another function that I really love playing with is the built in camera function. I feel like a private investigator whenever I use this function but I must say that it take pretty decent photos! Here are some of the photos that I took in the gym. 

There are many more functions in the Gear 2 and I'm sure that I will get to learn them all as I journey with this wonderful gadget.

Now with the Samsung GALAXY S5 with LTE, I'll like to take this opportunity to share with you some amazing apps that Samsung has created.

The Samsung Enhanced S Health App (Available for selected Samsung Smart Phones)

The Samsung Enhanced S Health App turns your device into a personal-health-management powerhouse. You can track health statistics and weight. You can also view and track environmental conditions, and even track your exercise regimen. All you need to do is to set up your profile to begin, and your BMI will be estimated and ideal daily calorie intake recommended. You can then work on achieving the recommended 10,000 steps daily with Pedometer, or choose from 4 types of workouts in Exercise mode and set fitness goals.

You can also activate the Coach application in S Health, which recommends improvements and challenges based on a simple assessment of your current lifestyle. On your journey towards a healthier lifestyle, you can complete fun activities by taking on missions and collecting achievement habits.

I didn’t know about the S Health App until I went for the product training and since then, I’ve been diligently keeping track of my meals.

GALAXY Gifts

GALAXY S5 LTE comes with a set of specially curated third party content and services via GALAXY Gifts (worth over US$500). Users can browse through a variety of content, download them and use in their daily lives to motivate them towards achieving their fitness goals.

Some of these third party content and services include the following:

·         Lark – Your Personal Wellness Assistant, which provides easy personalised recommendations on how to be fitter and healthier. GALAXY S5 LTE users receive free 12-month premium Lark services (worth S$45).

·         RunKeeper – Turn your GALAXY S5 LTE into a personal trainer in your pocket. Track your fitness activities, measure your performance over time and share achievements with friends. GALAXY S5 LTE users receive free 12-month membership (worth S$25) for RunKeeper Lite.

·         Skimble – Workout Trainer provides thousands of multimedia workouts led by expert coaches. Workouts come equipped with dynamic move-by-move videos, photos and text instructions. GALAXY S5 LTE users can enjoy a free 6-month Pro+ premium membership experience (worth S$52). 

·         MapMyFitness – Built to help runners, joggers and walkers of all ability levels and ages. Easily track pace, distance, calories and time with audio alerts and much more. Track running, cycling, and over 600 types of other activities. GALAXY S5 LTE users receive free 6-month ad-free MVP access (worth S$45).

PROMOTIONS

Purchase GALAXY S5 LTE in 16GB with contract

- Trade in current smartphone or tablet and get an additional $50 overtrade from 14 June to 30 June 14.

- FREE 16GB micro SD card (worth $26) on a while stocks last basis

Purchase GALAXY S5 LTE in 32GB without contract and receive

- FREE Wireless Charging Kit (worth $108) on a while stocks last basis

- Battery Pack (worth $88) on a while stocks last basis

*For GALAXY S5 LTE in 32GB purchases without contract at Samsung Experience Stores, there will be additional free gifts -

Accessory Pack (HDTV Adapter and Extra Battery Kit) worth $126

S View Cover worth $78

So, after the Samsung GALAXY S5 with LTE & the Gear 2 for almost 1 month, here are my ratings:

Samsung GALAXY S5 with LTE

Design: 9/10
Performance: 9/10
Features: 9/10
Value: 9/10

Samsung Gear 2

Design: 8/10
Performance: 9/10
Features: 9/10
Value: 9/10

Thanks for reading and till the next post, take care & God bless!