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Driven Sports Rize: Will This Pre Workout Rise Above The Rest?

by Nader Qudimat
Updated November 2, 2021
OVERVIEW
Type
Pre Workout
Price
$59.99
Serving Size
5g
Availability
Hard to get
Positives
Intense, long lasting energy
Excellent
Full 30 1-scoop servings
Negatives 
Prop blend
It's expensive
Mysterious ingredients
Limited availability

Bottom Line

Driven Sports is best known for their pre-workouts and their have been several – the original Craze, Craze V2, Frenzy, Crz and now Rize.

Rize is a hardcore stim-based Pre designed to last several hours – we’re talking energy and focus so extreme it will power you through any workout you can come up with – and you won’t crash halfway through.

Combine that with the fact that Rize contains cutting-edge stimulants and you end up with a very intriguing formula, although it’s all in a prop blend, you probably should expect this from Driven Sports, and everyone just wants what the original Craze offered, limitless focus and drive.

Rize features 30 servings in a 5.1g prop blend, so unfortunately you don’t know what you’re getting – and you’re paying for it because Rize is not cheap.

Rize looks to be a unique pre-workout that should hit very hard – but it’s more than just stims – with proven performance ingredients like creatine, betaine and citrulline.

However, based on the 5.1g dosing and the clinical dosing you’d need for these ingredients to be effective, Rize probably falls short in everything except energy and focus.

The Ingredients:

We'll start at the top and go through the prop blend:

Creatine Monohydrate

If we had to guess, this is probably dosed around 2 grams, well under the standard 5g dose.

That said, it’s nice to see creatine in a pre-workout – it’s the most proven performance enhancer on the market, bar none (1).

Creatine, of course, improves endurance because it’s involved in the production of ATP, the energy your muscles use to contract.

It also drives water into the muscles which creates extreme fullness (water-based pumps) – in fact it’s the original cell-volumizer.

Size and strength usually increases when you’re on creatine.

Can the dose here do all that?

We can’t say but to be honest, we’d grab a tub of creatine and use it anyway – it’s a cornerstone supplement that should be in your stack.

Betaine

Also known as TMG, betaine is a choline metabolite and comes from beetroots.

It’s hit the market in a big way in recent years and now can be found in quite a few pre-workouts.

Considered to be similar to and synergistic with creatine, it’s becoming well known as a mass and power enhancer (2), (3).

This is usually dosed around 2.5g, we don’t know how much is in Rize.

​L-Citrulline

​L-Citrulline is considered one of the most effective pump enhancers on the market, in fact some say there’s nothing more effective.

This ingredient usually comes by itself or in the citrulline malate version, which adds malic acid to the mix.

Citrulline works by converting to arginine in the body, which then stimulates nitric oxide production – which of course means pumps, pumps and more pumps.

Why not just use arginine?

Simple

Arginine does not absorb very well, citrulline absorbs much better and pretty much beats arginine at its own game (4).

While we don't know the dose in Rize but many pre-workouts use a 4g dose – at least.

​Cutch Tree Extract

​Also called Acacia catechu, this South Asian tree is somewhat common in joint health formulas as a cox-2 inhibitor, which reduces the perception of pain, and also acts as a anti-inflammatory (5​), (6​).

We assume this benefit could have some effect on cognitive performance during a workout – which makes sense given the reported energy and focus Rize brings to the table.

​Cacao Extract

​This ingredient comes from the theobroma cacao tree and is commonly found in chocolate.

It’s a natural source of caffeine, theobromine and PEA, the “feel good” mood enhancer.

You’ll find cacao in quite a few fat burners as well as some pre-workouts.

This ingredient will increase energy, improve focus, and elevate your mood.

It also increases blood flow, which should mean improved pumps (7​).

Cacao also acts as an antioxidant and contains epicatechin, which is a popular ingredient that is supposed to help inhibit myostatin, a type of protein that puts a limit on the amount of muscle growth you can achieve.

Imagine taking that limit off – if it’s dosed high enough.

Caffeine Anhydrous

​This is the most popular energizer/alertness aid/focus enhancer on the market.

Everybody loves caffeine whether it’s your morning cup of coffee or your pre-workout.

Most of the time, even the Pre’s with prop blends will tell you how much caffeine they contain.

Not Rize.

Usually, the caffeine content tends to vary based on the other stimulants.

In many stim-based pre-workouts, caffeine can range from 250-450 mg.

We don’t know how much is in Rize – for all we can tell, this could be the major ingredient that’s responsible for most of its energy effects.

CRZ The O.G. contains caffeine, but is more geared towards “tunnel-like” focus and can be taken for times when you need maximum alertness and focus.

​Tangerine Extract

​Why is tangerine here, and what can it possibly be used for?

As it turns out, more than you might think.

Tangerine contains high amounts of Vitamin C, which of course is a potent antioxidant.

While really not well researched, it appears that tangerine is also a cytophylactic, which means it is a compound that increases cellular production.

This stimulates the growth of new cells.Increased cell production promotes general growth in the body ( which may mean muscle growth), and also promotes recovery.

Interesting, right?

​Walnut Extract

​Probably better known as juglans regia, this is a natural source of DMHA, the potent stimulant and mood enhancer that was the original replacement for the banned stimulant DMAA.

Juglans Regia increases energy, alertness, and stimulates the production of the “feel-good” hormones.

There’s two types of DMHA (link to top pre workouts with DMHA), natural and synthetic.

This is the stronger type of DMHA found in walnuts – in fact this form of DMHA only needs a 50-80 mg dose to produce some serious energy and cognitive effects (8​).

It’s safe to say that much is in Rize – so now you have a good combination of caffeine, cacao and DMHA – serious energy and mood elevation!

Christmas Bush

​Also known as alchornea cordifolia, this compound contain terpenoids, steroid glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins (9​).

There’s not much information on why this is in Rize – the fact that it naturally contains saponins could mean it will stimulate testosterone production – maybe.

Otherwise, there’s just not much info out there on this compound.

​Is Rize Worth It?

Rize is an interesting take on pre-workouts.

It’s not quite like anything else on the market.

We like that it starts with creatine, betaine, and citrulline.

The caffeine’s great also – but we don’t know why some of the more unusual ingredients are here – not all of them are stimulants.

In fact, caffeine, cacao and walnut (juglans regia) are the main stim and focus enhancers.

What about tangerine, cutch tree, and christmas bush?

These ingredients provide limited benefits at best and the fact that this is a prop blend, who knows if they are even effectively dosed – or for that matter, what the effective dose for each of these is.

We don’t doubt that Rize rocks energy, focus and mood – maybe strength/power too.

Yet this lacks too much to be taken all that seriously when there are so many fully disclosed, extremely potent Pre’s out there that give you all the energy and focus you can handle – plus other benefits like pumps and performance.

With Rize, we have the prop blend (get with the times people) and the unusual ingredients that have little info to back them up.

​Is It Time To Rize Above The Rest?

​Driven Sports has a rep for potent Pre’s – so give Rize a shot – you may find that it’s the right Pre for you.

All we can do is scout the reviews (or try it out), and so far, the reviews are mixed.

Some say it’s better than Frenzy, others disagree.

It’s a love / hate thing with Rize. 

by Nader Qudimat

Forged by iron and cold steel, I'm Nader, a mid-30s natural bodybuilder. Once a 100lb skinny guy, I've transformed into a 200lb muscular athlete with over 15 years of lifting experience. Today, I leverage my transformation and extensive experience to guide countless individuals on their fitness journeys.

Click here to check out my 12 year transformation: Natural 12 Year Transformation

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