Legion Pulse Pre-Workout Review: Why I Loved It (My Results)

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I recently reviewed the stim-free Legion pre-workout (and loved it), so I wanted to get my hands on Legion Pulse to see if it was also a good option to recommend to people who don’t mind a pre-workout that contains caffeine.  

Key Takeaways

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• Legion Pulse has a high cost per serving, at $2.25 per serving. After analyzing over 50 pre-workouts available in the US market, the average price was around $1.61 per serving.

• Legion Pulse uses high-quality ingredients that are third-party tested and clinically dosed, which justifies the higher cost per serving.  Meaning, Legion uses effective doses of each ingredient (backed by science) and has a certificate to prove it.  

• Legion Pulse is for the experienced gym-goer who prioritizes the highest quality ingredients and third party testing. It is best used for intense workouts lasting at least 45 minutes.

What Is Legion Pulse? 

Legion Pulse uses a simple, yet clinically dosed blend of citrulline malate, beta-alanine, betaine, caffeine, L-theanine, and Alpha GPC. 

This blend is very high in caffeine (at 350mg per 2 scoop serving), and is best saved for experienced pre-workout users. 

For reference, a typical 8oz cup of coffee has around 85mg of caffeine and the FDA’s acceptable safe limit for caffeine intake in a day is 400mg.  So if you take 2 scoops of Legion Pulse, you probably shouldn’t consume any other caffeine throughout the day.  

The blend of ingredients offers a pre-workout that provides a good pump, energy, and mental focus. 

Legion as a brand prides themselves on the fact that they use all natural ingredients (i.e. no artificial flavors, sweeteners, or colors), and third party tests their products in a state of the art facility. 

While it comes at a high price point of $2.25 per serving, this is a great pre-workout option for individuals who prioritize quality over quantity. 

For users who want the benefits of a high quality product and clinically-dosed ingredients, but don’t want such a high caffeine content, consider using Legion Pulse Stim-Free alongside Legion Pulse. 

Legion Pulse is meant to be taken as a 2 scoop serving. So you could mix one scoop of Pulse with one scoop of Pulse Stim-Free to get your clinical doses of citrulline, beta-alanine, betaine, and alpha-GPC, but with only 175mg of caffeine. 

Claims vs Reality: How I Felt After Taking Legion Pulse? 

I really love this product, and I spent several weeks testing it alongside Legion Pulse Stim-Free depending on my schedule. This is one of my favourite pre-workout combinations to date, because I could mix and match them based on how many stimulants I wanted that day. 

For example, for my intense early morning workouts I would take 2 scoops of Legion Pulse. 

If I was working out later in the day, or if I planned on having other caffeine sources like coffee or energy drinks later in the day, then I would use one scoop of stim-free and one scoop of regular. 

Finally, if I was working out late in the evening, then I just stuck with the stim-free formula so as to not disrupt my sleep. 

The first time I took the full dose of Legion Pulse, I finished my weight lifting and HIIT workout, and proceeded to rearrange my basement and build a new shelf before looking at my watch and realizing I was going to be late for work. 

Suffice to say, this product gave me phenomenal energy and focus. 

When it came to strength training workouts, I was blown away by how strong I felt and the great muscle pump I got. I also felt like I had faster recovery between sets which allowed me to do more volume overall in my workouts.

I personally tested the Fruit Punch flavor and I really enjoyed it. It was still a bit tart, but not outright sour. 

The only thing that would be stopping me from using this pre-workout exclusively is the high caffeine content. In my day to day life, I really enjoy having 1 to 2 cups of coffee in the morning. 

Since this pre-workout contains 350mg of caffeine per serving, there isn’t any wiggle room in my day to enjoy other caffeine sources. Having one small cup of coffee would put me at 445 mg of caffeine, over the FDA’s accepted safe upper limit of 400mg. 

Legion Pulse Ingredients

Citrulline

Citrulline acts as a nitric oxide (NO) enhancer in the body. Nitric Oxide helps the body to dilate and constrict blood vessels, ergo improving blood flow to the muscles and heart. 

In regards to exercise, supplementing with citrulline pre-workout may help delay fatigue during high-intensity exercise. It may also increase muscular endurance and strength as well as enhance recovery. 

The clinically accepted dose of citrulline pre-workout is 6-8g taken approximately 1 hour prior to exercise. With a full 8g of citrulline, Legion Pulse meets clinical dosing standards. 

Beta Alanine

Beta-Alanine is an amino-acid that increases carnosine levels in muscle tissue. This carnosine acts as a buffer in the body, buffering the hydrogen ions that build up in the muscles during exercise. This hydrogen ion buildup is what causes feelings of fatigue. 

Since beta-alanine buffers the fatigue-causing hydrogen ions, muscle fatigue is delayed which means you can exercise at higher intensities for longer periods of time. 

Beta-Alanine should be taken daily over the long term (longer than 2 weeks) for optimal results. The optimal dose is 3-6g daily. Since Legion Pulse has 3.5g of beta-alanine, it meets clinical dosing standards. 

A common side effect of beta-alanine supplementation is skin tingling, called paresthesia. This is a harmless side effect, but may be distracting for some users. 

Betaine Anhydrous

Betaine is a compound that can be naturally found in beets, spinach, and whole grains. Betaine helps to make L-Carnitine, which can convert stored fat into energy. 

Theoretically, higher levels of l-carnitine mean more fat conversion to energy, which can result in positive body composition changes. The increased energy output from l-carnitine can positively affect strength and power output. 

The majority of the research looking at betaine and exercise performance use a dose of 2.5g daily. Legion Pulse meets the clinically studied dose at 2.5g. 

Caffeine Anhydrous

Caffeine anhydrous is a specifically concentrated form of caffeine which reaches peak levels in your blood within 30-60 minutes. 

As a pre-workout stimulant, caffeine can improve performance for high-intensity activities, increase endurance, strength, and power and improve cardiovascular performance. 

Possible side effects include anxiety and jitteriness, especially when taken in really high doses like the 350mg found in Legion Pulse. 

While there’s no perfect clinical dose since many individuals respond to caffeine in different ways, the FDA’s accepted safe upper limit is 400mg daily. At 350mg per full serving, Legion Pulse is very close to this upper limit. 

As such it’s my professional recommendation to avoid taking other sources of stimulants like coffee or energy drinks if you take a full serving of Legion Pulse.  

L-Theanine

Theanine is an amino acid that is found naturally in tea and some mushrooms. It can help promote relaxation without causing drowsiness. 

When paired with caffeine, theanine’s relaxing effects can improve mental focus and reduce jitteriness which is a common side effect of high-stimulant pre workouts. 

The clinically studied dose of l-theanine is 200-400mg daily, and it may be more effective over several weeks of consistent supplementation. 

WIth 350mg per 2 scoop serving, Legion Pulse meets clinical dosing standards. 

Alpha GPC

Alpha-GPC is a precursor to acetylcholine, which is a chemical messenger that is important for muscular control and different brain functions. 

Acetylcholine is linked to improve memory and muscle contractions. Since Alpha-GPC increases acetylcholine levels, the theory is that by supplementing with Alpha-GPC, you can see benefits like increased power and strength. 

The current dose for Alpha-GPC as a pre-workout supplement is 300-600 mg taken 30-60 minutes before exercise. With 300mg per serving, Legion Pulse meets those clinical dosing standards. 

Highlights: What I Like About Legion Pulse

Clinical Dosing

Legion Pulse uses clinically studied doses for all of its ingredients: citrulline (8g), beta-alanine (3.6g), betaine anhydrous (2.5g), L-theanine (350mg), and alpha-GPC (300mg). 

Some companies add small amounts of popular ingredients into their formulas (called “dusting” or “sprinkling”) so that they can advertise that their product has said ingredient. 

Legion Pulse uses full, research-backed doses of all of your performance ingredients which ensures the best workout possible, and helps to justify the high cost per serving. 

Good Taste

When mixed with the recommended 10-12oz of water, Legion Pulse had a really strong taste. Even without the use of artificial flavors or colors, Legion Pulse does a good job of masking the naturally bitter taste of the raw ingredients. Most flavors fall more on the sour/tart side. 

It’s very common for pre-workouts to be either extremely sweet, extremely sour, or have a bitter aftertaste, especially products which are clinically dosed and have high quantities of ingredients. 

The raw ingredients used in pre-workout like citrulline are naturally very bitter or sour, and can be difficult to mask.

I personally had the fruit punch flavor, and found that it was still quite a bit on the sour side. 

• Related: Legion Whey+ Protein Powder Review

Third Party Tested

All Legion products are third party tested through an organization called Labdoor, known for being the gold standard for independent third party testing. This helps ensure the quality and purity of your products. 

Incredible Energy

The combination of caffeine, L-theanine, and Alpha-GPC provided a long lasting energy and good mental focus without causing jitteriness or anxiety. 

How people tolerate caffeine is widely varied, so while I personally didn’t experience jitteriness while using this product, this may not be the case for everyone. 

I recommend starting out by using a single scoop serving to assess your tolerance, and go up to a full scoop if you feel comfortable doing so.  

Just remember, if you only take a full scoop of Pulse, you won’t get the clinical dosing of the other ingredients, so consider combining with one scoop of Pulse Stim-Free if that’s the case.  

Great Customer Service

Legion Pulse is quick to respond to customer concerns, offers free shipping on orders within the US, and has a non-judgemental, money back guarantee on all of their products. 

I actually came back after writing this article to add this point in here. While browsing the reviews and getting a feel for what other customers thought of this product, I could see that Legion replied to every review left on their products. 

When customers were dissatisfied, they issued a refund without requiring the customers send the unused portion of the product back. 

This level of customer care and attention isn’t always found in this industry, and it adds a layer of confidence knowing that if you are trying this product for the first time and are really unhappy, you can get your money back, hassle-free. 

Drawbacks What I Did Not Like About Legion Pulse

Cost

Legion Pulse costs $2.25 per serving (with the option to pay as low as $2.02 per serving if you use the subscribe and save feature). With most pre-workouts available on the market costing between $0.95 and $2.00 per serving, Pulse is definitely on the high end of the cost scale. 

That being said, the product contains no artificial sweeteners, flavors, dyes, or fillers. Their ingredients are 100% natural and third party tested, and they use clinically-researched doses of ingredients. 

For consumers who prioritize quality, the higher cost per serving may be justified. 

High Caffeine Content

Legion Pulse contains 350mg of caffeine per serving, which is right up against the FDA’s accepted safe upper limit of 400mg. 

This is definitely not a drawback for everyone. Many people look for the strongest/most highly caffeinated pre-workouts available, many of which are between 350mg and 400mg of caffeine. 

This isn’t as much a drawback as it is a point to be aware of. If you are an individual who enjoys drinking coffee and/or energy drinks throughout the day, then this product may be too highly caffeinated to safely add into your day. 

• If you’re looking for a pre-workout with less caffeine, read my review of Xwerks Ignite Pre Workout.

How Does Legion Pulse Stack Up Against Our Criteria For Pre Workouts

Price

Our rating: 2/5

Legion Pulse is on the high end of pre-workout cost per serving, at $2.25. In analyzing over 50 pre-workouts on the market, the average cost was $1.61. 

There is some nuance to consider, because there can be massive differences between pre-workouts. 

When doing the cost per serving analysis, I included pre-workouts which had clinical doses of ingredients, and those that didn’t. I also included products that had only 2 or 3 ingredients, and others that had up to 12. 

This wide variety of formulas results in a wide range in cost per serving, from $0.76 to $3.00. 

Legion Pulse definitely falls on the high end of this range, but the fact that they use high quality ingredients and undergo third party testing helps to justify the cost. 

Taste 

Our rating: 4/5 

Legion Pulse is available in 18 different flavors. I personally tried the Fruit Punch flavor and found the flavor to be quite strong, even when mixed with a full 10-12 oz of water. 

Among the 18 different flavors that Legion Pulse offers are some very unique options, including Strawberry Margarita, Mojito, Frosted Cranberry, and Apple Cider. 

Mixability 

Our rating: 5/5

Legion Pulse pre-workout mixed easily and completely with no leftover residue. 

Energy

Our rating: 5/5

Legion Pulse is a high caffeine (350mg) formula which provides good lasting energy and mental focus. 

The addition of L-Theanine in this formula can help counteract the potential jitters and anxiety that comes with taking high doses of caffeine. This combination helps to increase mental focus and may prolong the effects of caffeine, reducing the likelihood of a crash.

• Related: Do You Crash AFter Pre-Workout? Causes + Fixes Explained

Pump 

Our rating: 5/5

Legion Pulse contains clinical doses of three ingredients known to help increase nitric oxide production: Citrulline, beta-alanine, and betaine. The combination of all three provides a good lasting pump. 

Strength

Our rating: 5/5

Legion Pulse contains a great blend of ingredients which support mental focus, increase strength, and delay fatigue. The end result is a pre-workout which provides almost immediately noticeable increases in strength and volume output. 

When used for long duration (>1 hour) strength-based workouts, I found Legion Pulse incredibly effective for increasing strength and endurance. 

Where I might normally gas out on my third or fourth set and have trouble completing my reps, I found that when I took Legion Pulse, I was able to complete my final sets much easier. In some cases, I even increased my weight on the last sets. 

Who Should Take Legion Pulse? 

Legion Pulse is for:

• Individuals looking for a highly caffeinated pre-workout

• People who prioritize quality ingredients and third party testing

• Individuals looking for unique pre-workout flavours

Who Should Not Take Legion Pulse? 

You should avoid taking legion pulse if:

• You are on a tight supplement budget

• You are sensitive to caffeine

• You workout within 5 hours of your bed time

What Are Other Customers Saying About Legion Pulse? 

On the Legion website, Legion Pulse has over 19,000 verified reviews, making it a very reliable sample size. On this site, it has a 4.6 out of 6 overall rating. 

The reviewers rave about the great flavor as well as the good energy and pump that Legion Pulse provides. One reviewer loves it for getting them through 2 hour long workouts, where another appreciates Legion Pulse for helping her feel focused during her 4am workouts. 

One recent reviewer had this to say, essentially summarizing everyone else’s reviews on the page: 

This preworkout gets me going and energetic for my workouts, without making feel anxious or jittery (even though I use the one with caffeine). I’m a morning workout person so I always need a good preworkout. I’ll never use any other one. Also, the flavors are awesome!

As I scoured the reviews, I was hard-pressed to find customers who had anything negative to say, so I sorted the reviews by 1 and 2 star ratings to see what people didn’t like about Legion Pulse. 

All I could really find where complaints about the taste. A small percentage of customers felt like the product didn’t “do anything for them” or had products that arrived in a damaged state. 

I was impressed to see that in all instances, the Legion Team responded to every negative review and indicated that they processed a refund for the customers who complained with no questions asked.  

I also spent some time browsing Amazon reviews. On Amazon, Legion Pulse has a lower rating (4.2 out of 5 stars) based on nearly 15,000 reviews. 

Again customers were quick to praise the good pump and energy that this product provides, but some individuals were turned off by the high cost. 

Further to my point above about Legion’s great customer service, one customer who initially had a negative experience with Legion Pulse came back to edit his ad to include: 

“Update: increasing [my rating] to 4 stars because the company reached out and were quite helpful. Possibly figured out why this made me feel fatigued. Thank you Lauren for your help!”

While the vast majority of customers had nothing but positive things to say about Legion, their customer service seems to be one more reason to consider Legion products. 

Legion Pulse Alternatives

Legion Pulse Stim-Free

If you appreciate all of the positive attributes of Legion Pulse like natural ingredients, clinical dosing, and third party testing, but want to avoid the high amount of stimulants then consider trying Legion Pulse Stim-Free. 

Pulse Stim-Free is nearly identical informula to the regular version, with the only significant difference being that the stimulant-free formula doesn’t contain caffeine or l-theanine. 

If you workout late in the evening and you don’t want caffeine to impact your sleep, or if you enjoy consuming other sources of caffeine in your day (e.g. coffee, energy drinks), then opt for the stim-free version instead. 

My favourite way to use these two products (Legion Pulse and Pulse Stim-Free) is to do a single scoop of each pre-workout. This provides 175mg of caffeine which allows me to safely consume coffee or an energy drink at other points in my day, but still gives full clinical doses of pump and strength ingredients like citrulline and betaine.

Transparent Labs Bulk

If Legion Pulse is a little bit outside of your pre-workout budget, Transparent Labs Bulk provides a clinically dosed, all natural, third party tested formula at a more reasonable cost per serving ($1.66 compared to $2.25).

• Read my complete review of Transparent Labs Bulk

Transparent Labs Bulk contains equal or higher amounts of citrulline, beta-alanine, betaine, and alpha-GPC as Legion Pulse. 

Transparent Labs Bulk is a bit lower in caffeine and theanine, with 200mg of each per serving. Legion Pulse has added L-Tyrosine which can delay fatigue, Theobromine which offers an energy similar to caffeine but without the crash, and ginseng which can help the body adapt to stress.

Are There Any Promos or Discounts For Legion Pulse? 

Legion offers a subscribe and save feature that allows you to save 10% on your products, dropping the cost of Legion Pulse from $2.25 to $2.02 per serving. 

They frequently run sales on their website, which you can keep up to date on here. 

The Legion website also has a rewards program where you can earn 3% cash back as points that can be redeemed for discounts, with extra points for creating an account and bonus points on your birthday.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Legion Pulse The Best Pre Workout?

Legion Pulse is a fantastic pre-workout providing energy, strength, pump, and mental focus. It is third party tested and comes in a wide variety of flavors. It comes with the downside of being one of the more expensive products on the market. 

Is Legion Pulse Third Party Tested? 

All Legion products are third party tested by an organization called Lab Door, known for their state-of-the-art facilities. 

Is Legion Pulse Good For Weight Loss? 

Legion Pulse can support weight loss, but will not on its own result in weight loss. It contains caffeine and a blend of ingredients which can increase energy, which can then increase exercise performance. This can help you have more effective workouts and burn more calories.

Is Legion Pulse Safe For Women? 

Legion Pulse is safe for women to use, but should be avoided if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It is recommended to take a single scoop serving first to assess tolerance. 

How Much Caffeine Does Legion Pulse Have? 

If you take the recommended 2 scoop serving, Legion Pulse contains 350mg of caffeine. 

Does Legion Pulse Have Creatine?

Legion Pulse pre-workout does not contain any creatine.   

How Long Does Legion Pulse Last For? 

Legion Pulse has long-lasting effects, between 1 and 2 hours. It should be used for intense workouts lasting longer than 45 minutes. 

Does Legion Pulse Need To Be Cycled? 

Legion Pulse doesn’t necessarily have to be cycled, but cycling is recommended to help reduce the risk of building up a tolerance to the caffeine. If you find that Legion Pulse is no longer providing substantial increases in energy, it’s recommended to take 1-2 weeks off of all caffeinated products. 

Will Legion Pulse Make Me Jittery?

Legion Pulse does contain a high amount of caffeine which increases the likelihood that it will cause jitteriness or anxiety. The addition of L-theanine in the formula may help mitigate that side effect. It’s recommended to start with a single scoop serving to assess your tolerance level. 

What Flavors Are Available For Legion Pulse? 

Legion Pulse is available in 18 different flavors, ranging from more traditional flavors like grape, fruit punch, and blue raspberry to more unique flavors like apple cider, strawberry margarita, and mojito. 

Where Is Legion Pulse Made? 

Legion Pulse is made in the USA in NSF-Certified facilities. The facilities are FDA-inspected and in compliance with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations. 

What Is Legion Pulse Shipping Policy?

Legion Pulse offers free shipping on every single order within the contiguous US. For international customers, Legion offers free shipping on orders over $199. While most orders typically arrive within 3-5 days, international orders may take up to 14 business days.  

What Is Legion Pulse Return Policy? 

Legion has a generous return policy, and a complete money-back guarantee. If you are unhappy with your product, the company will offer you a full refund without you having to return the product. This is only applicable on first time purchases of a product and must be completed within 3 months of purchase. 

How To Contact Legion Athletics?

Legion Athletics can be reached by phone Monday to Friday between 9am and 9p EST at (855) 645-5305.  

You can also e-mail them at contact@legionsupplements.com or write to them at:

Legion Athletics, Inc.
1255 Cleveland St., 4th Floor
Clearwater, FL 33755. 

Legion Athletics are active on social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

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