CT Fletcher Sidewalk Kraka Review

They said it was dead and buried.

They said it was gone forever.

But CT Fletcher had other plans.

Today saw the return of Sidewalk Kraka, one of the most explosive pre workout supplements to ever hit the market.

CT promised that his Iron Addicts Brand would “rise like a motherf**kin’ Phoenix” after it crashed in early 2018, and true to this word, he’s done just that.

The question is…. does it deliver?

Today, it becomes the latest supplement to go through my deliberately harsh supplement rating system.

As a guide, most supplements finish with 2 or 3 stars, and nothing has ever achieved the golden 5 star review (yet)…

Let’s see how good the 2019 version of Sidewalk Kraka really is.

Transparency Is Key

The first sign of a rock solid formula is something that isn’t even in the formula.

Transparency.

It used to be “the done thing” to hide a formula behind a proprietary blend. The corporate reasoning was to prevent rivals from duplicating the product, but the real reason was to hide a poor nutritional breakdown of under-dosed ingredients.

Even now, a company is still within their rights to use a proprietary blend according to the guidelines set out by the FDA.

However, if they are truly confident in the product they have created, they will display full label transparency.

I’m pleased to say, just like when Iron Addicts first arrived on the scene in 2016, they continue this transparent approach. You can see everything in black and white on the back of the tub.

No hidden dosages, no missing numbers.

An open and honest approach is the first sign of a great product. And as you’ll see when we get into the ingredients inside Sidewalk Kraka below, this pre workout means business.

CT Fletcher Sidewalk Kraka Review

They say the third time’s a charm.

And if they’re right, then Iron Addicts are on to a winner here.

Because fans of CT will know that this is the third pre workout released by the Superman from Compton, coming after his initial pre ISYMFS (created by iSatori), and the original Sidewalk Kraka released in 2016.

The good news is with each release the product has grown into a real powerhouse.

The 2019 version of Sidewalk Kraka is a force of nature.

It’s a big, confident product that lives up to its own high expectations.

I fully expected CT to pop his head out of the shaker and call me a motherf**ker.

A full clinical dose of beta-alanine… a boatload of caffeine… the crash-combating effects of l-theanine… they’ve really tightened up what was already a strong formula.

Of course, there is one notable absentee from the old product; DMHA.

This is the exotic stimulant which provided the euphoric feeling associated with the original blend of Sidewalk Kraka. DMHA hit the banned list a couple of years ago, prohibiting it from inclusion in pre workout supplements.

It is replaced by an interesting blend of hordenine, synephrine, naringin and NMT, which ultimately serves to do the same thing.

Of course, as with all stimulants, there is a risk this will eventually get banned too.

That throws Sidewalk Kraka into a grey area regarding use by athletes. If you are actively competing and are looking to use a pre workout for your sport, I’d play it safe here and opt for something like AML Pre Workout instead.

However, if you just want something to power you through your gym sessions, you’ll absolutely love this pre workout.

Next, I’ll walk you through all of the key ingredients in the product, so you can see exactly what you’re getting and why…

3.2g Beta-Alanine

The skin-tingling sensations of beta-alanine are well documented by now.

But while most supplements use it as a superficial ingredient to allow the user to “feel” the product, beta-alanine comes with a ton of training benefits it if is correctly dosed.

Thankfully, Sidewalk Kraka goes down this route and provides you with the full clinical dose of 3.2 grams.

This means continued use of the product will unlock all of beta-alanine’s benefits.

A 2007 study found that just four weeks of beta-alanine usage reduced fatigue and increased the length of time trainees could workout at peak levels. Then, in 2010, researchers found that elite rowing athletes improved muscular endurance by 2.5% (a massive improvement, given that these athletes were already at the top level). (1, 2)

It was also shown to significantly improve the punching power of amateur boxers in the closing stages of three minute rounds. (3)

But perhaps the most interesting research, from a gym perspective, comes from the College of New Jersey, where trainees using beta-alanine during a heavy squat program improved their reps per set (to muscle failure) by a crazy 25%! (4)

So although it’s often thrown in for the fact that it allows a user to “feel” a product, beta-alanine has some ridiculously good training advantages when it is correctly dosed.

Sidewalk Kraka delivers a full 3.2 grams, maxing out those benefits.

A full clinical dose will come with some crazy skin-tingling face buzz, but if you can’t handle that, it appears CT Fletcher doesn’t give a s**t.

374mg Caffeine

Oh my goodness.

You wouldn’t expect a CT Fletcher pre workout to be mild, but a caffeine dose of 374mg puts it right at the top end of the pre workout market.

That’s almost twice what you’ll see in many pre workouts.

This one is definitely not a product for the feint-hearted.

Caffeine has been used by athletes for decades now, because it is damn effective at what it does. It’s the most well-researched stimulant in history, and this dose will unlock all of the energy boosting effects it possesses. (5, 6, 7)

50mg L-Theanine

With that monstrous serving of caffeine, we could expect a crash as nasty as the helicopter vs tank collision in Rambo III.

But the inclusion of l-theanine will go some way to blunting that.

It creates a calming effect, and can prolong the effects of caffeine by making it a little less “in your face”. (8)

However, I must point out that the research above used a 1:1 ratio of caffeine vs l-theanine. Sidewalk Kraka has a 6:1 ratio, so don’t expect any miracles.

500mg Choline Bitarte

Choline is a popular pre workout ingredient because it can improve the nerve signals to muscles during training.

This can lead to greater muscle contractions.

It’s also touted as a focus enhancing ingredient, after a 2008 study from researchers at the University of Granada discovered an increase in brain function. (9)

1g Agmatine Sulfate

Agmatine is a trendy, yet somewhat puzzling choice…

It has rapidly grown in popularity in the bodybuilding world, and is now included in most pre workout supplements due to its reputation as a pump enhancing substance. (10)

However, more research is needed before agmatine sulfate can justify the level of hype it has received.

Most of the body of research uses it via injection, and a 2014 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food concluded that oral consumption of agmatine serves no purpose for bodybuilding. (11)

“That agmatine is touted for bodybuilding purposes, is completely unsubstantiated, and backed by outright false claims.”

– Dr. Gad Gilad, study author.

I say it’s a puzzling choice because in using agmatine, Iron Addicts are unable to use citrulline malate.

We do get a small serving of arginine in its place, but this is a rather useless ingredient.

You guys know I’m a huge fan of citrulline malate. If you don’t, read here to see why.

The two substances clash, so you won’t find any citrulline malate in here.

This was also the case when it was originally released in 2016. Citrulline malate is instead included in the intra-workout “pump formula” Swoliosis.

This could be seen as a red flag, but it’s not. The intention of Iron Addicts is for you to combine both products, with Sidewalk Kraka as your pre and Swoliosis as your intra. More on that later.

185mg Stimulant Blend

The original Sidewalk Kraka formula relied on a strong combination of Eria Jarensis and 2-Aminoisoheptane to provide the user with a huge energy burst that powered them through the toughest of workouts.

But since the ban on DMHA, supplement companies have been scrambling to find “the next big thing”.

Iron Addicts opt for a combination of 75mg hordenine HCL, 60mg synephrine HCL, 25mg naringin, and 20mg N-methyl tyramine HCL.

Most of the doses here are generous, to say the least, and will replace the euphoric effect of the original Sidewalk Kraka with an almost like-for-like experience.

Synephrine (a.k.a. bitter orange extract) works by freeing up fatty acids for use as energy in the gym, which is why it’s often included in so-called “fat burner” products. The main benefit here, however, is that it works very well as an energy booster alongside caffeine. (12)

We usually find it in doses of 30-50mg, but there’s 60mg on offer here.

Naringin is an energy boosting substance found in grapefruits, and works by temporarily blocking the body’s PDE enzymes, ensuring continuous energy. A dose of 25mg is sufficient to get those benefits. (13)

N-methyl tyramine (a.k.a. NMT) is used to activate the body’s “fight or flight” response, boosting various training factors including mood, energy output, and focus. (14)

Last up we have 60mg hordenine, which works by inhibiting the MAO enzyme, in turn prolonging the effects of all the ingredients above. (15)

Once again, 50mg is the typical dose found in most leading pre workouts, but Iron Addicts Brand outdo themselves by including 60mg.

100mg Theobromine

Theobroine provides a lighter version of the effects of caffeine.

The main difference between the two ingredients is that theobromine will give a more sustained release of energy. (16)

Notable Absentees

If you used the original products, you’ll see that Iron Addicts have changed the formula a little bit.

In the new version of Sidewalk Kraka we have the obvious exclusion of the now banned DMHA, replaced by the stimulant blend shown above.

We also have no citrulline malate, and no betaine.

Not to worry, though.

These ingredients are found in their intra-workout supplement, Swoliosis (previously known as Sleeve Buster).

Better still they are clinically dosed in that product.

Sidewalk Kraka focuses on the stimulant side of things, Swoliosis on the pump. Iron Addicts Brand started the trend of breaking a pre workout into two fully dosed products, and they’re continuing that approach with the new line-up.

IAB want you to use both products alongside each other for the maximum experience, and I suggest doing the same.

The original formula also included 1g glycerol powder, which has now been moved over to Swoliosis, and that move makes sense as it works very well alongside citrulline.

Sidewalk Kraka Review – The Final Verdict

If you’ve ever wished CT Fletcher could bottle one of his motivational speeches into a pre workout, this is the supplement for you.

It’s big, it’s brash, and it’s explosive.

It’s also magnificent.

Combined with Swoliosis, it provided some of the best training sessions I have ever had.

Hats off to CT Fletcher! When the original supplement line went through a turbulent time and folded, it would have been easy to stay out of the business, or to release a sub-par line-up of cheap products to cash in on his YouTube fame.

He hasn’t done that.

Sidewalk Kraka is a cutting edge, top of the line pre workout. It might even be the best one out there right now.

Yeah, I said it.

It receives a massive 4.5 stars, the joint-highest score I’ve ever given to anything. Ever.

References:

1. Stout, J. R., et al. Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on the onset of neuromuscular fatigue and ventilatory threshold in women. Amino Acids. (2007)
2. Baguet, A., et al. Important role of muscle carnosine in rowing performance. J Appl Physiol. (1985)
3. Donovan, T., et al. Beta-alanine improves punch force and frequency in amateur boxers during a simulated contest. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. (2012)
4. Hoffman, J., et al. Beta-alanine and the hormonal response to exercise. Int J Sports Med. (2008)
5. Duncan M. J., et al. The effect of caffeine ingestion on mood state and bench press performance to failure. J Strength Cond Res. (2011)
6. Childs E., et al. Subjective, behavioral, and physiological effects of acute caffeine in light, nondependent caffeine users. Psychopharmacology. (2006)
7. Kim T. W., et al. Caffeine increases sweating sensitivity via changes in sudomotor activity during physical loading. J Med Food. (2011)
8. Haskell, CF, et al The effects of L-theanine, caffeine and their combination on cognition and mood. Biol Psychol. (2008)
9. Moreno, H., et al. Chronic dietary choline supplementation modulates attentional change in adult rats. Behavioral Brain Research. (2013)
10. Keynan, O., et al. Safety and Efficacy of Dietary Agmatine Sulfate in Lumbar Disc-associated Radiculopathy. An Open-label, Dose-escalating Study Followed by a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial. Pain Med. (2010)
11. Gilad, G. M., et al. Long-term (5 years), high daily dosage of dietary agmatine – evidence of safety: a case report. J Med Food. (2014)
12. Seifert, J. G., et al. Effect of Acute Administration of an Herbal Preparation on Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Humans. Int J Med Sci. (2011)
13. Orallo, F., et al. Implication of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibition in the vasorelaxant activity of the citrus-fruits flavonoid (+/-)-naringenin. Plant Med. (2005)
14. Tsutsumi, E., et al. Stimulatory effect of N-methyltyramine, a congener of beer, on pancreatic secretion in conscious rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. (2010)
15. Barwell, C. J., et al. Deamination of hordenine by monoamine oxidase and its action on vasa deferentia of the rat. J Pharm Pharmacol. (1989)
16. Baggott, M, et. al; Psychopharmacology of theobromine in healthy volunteers. Psychopharmacology. (2013)