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So, you have limited money and want the best budget home gym equipment? Sorting through which products are worth it — and which ones are just disappointments waiting to happen — is no simple task. Lucky for you, we’ve combined decades of training experience and actual product testing to minimize the risk and maximize the payoff for you.

Benches, barbells, dumbbells, cardio machines, all-in-one trainers — this roundup hits every style of training. If you’re on the hunt for equipment that delivers big functionality without a big price tag, meet your one-stop roadmap to the home gym of your dreams.

How We Chose the Best Budget Home Gym Equipment

We’ve done the homework, and the home workouts, to ensure our recommendations are the best. Breaking Muscle’s knowledgeable team of product experts includes certified strength and conditioning coaches, CrossFitters, certified personal trainers, and diehard fitness enthusiasts. 

We even have a dedicated testing facility in Springfield, MO, where we put cardio and strength training equipment through rigorous testing to determine which items are worth your hard-earned dollars. Several of our Breaking Muscle team members own the products below in their home gyms, so we’ve included their feedback. I’ve also been a fitness writer and editor for over three years, during which time I’ve screened hundreds of home gyms and CrossFit boxes and constructed my own complete home gym that uses a number of these products. 

To ensure our home gym equipment picks stay within a reasonable price range, we set a limit of $2,000, but most items on this list came in far lower. 

Our Top Picks for the Best Budget Home Gym Equipment

• Best Budget Weight Bench: REP Fitness AB-3100
• Best Budget Barbell: REP Fitness Colorado Bar
• Best Budget Weight Plates: Fringe Sport Milspec Bumper Plates
• Best Budget Squat Rack: Titan T-2 Power Rack
• Best Budget Dumbbells: NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Adjustable Dumbbells
• Best Budget Exercise Bike: Diamondback Fitness 1260sc
• Best Budget Treadmill: ProForm City L6
• Best Budget Elliptical: Sole E20
• Best Budget Rower: Sunny Health Magnetic Rowing Machine
• Best Budget All-in-One Home Gym: Force USA G3

Best Budget Weight Bench: REP Fitness AB-3100

REP Fitness AB-3100

4.4

• Dimensions: 50.5″ L x 23″ L x 16.75″ H
• Bench weight: 70 pounds
• Back pad positions: Six angles
• Weight capacity: 700 pounds

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I’ve owned this bench from REP Fitness for 2.5 years, and love how it hits a sweet spot of versatility, ease of use, and straight-up toughness. The AB-3100 has held up to my regular use, the padding hasn’t ripped or compressed, and the frame shows no rusting.

For me, the most remarkable feature of this bench is its versatility. The three seat angles and six back pad positions unlock more exercises than any flat bench can offer. The ladder-style adjustment system makes changing the angle easy on either pad. Whether your workout calls for incline bench presses, chest-supported rows, shoulder presses, or arm training, the quick customization of an adjustable bench makes it a serious upgrade for any home gym. 

Despite the bench’s 70-pound weight, the handle and wheels make it easy to move around. I’ve tried a beefier bench from REP (the AB-5200) and noticed it was heavy and hard to move. The AB-3100 isn’t difficult to move; I just grab the handle at the front of the bench and stand it up, then wheel it wherever I need it. If portability is important to you, I’d recommend the AB-3100 over REP’s larger adjustable benches.

Although it’s easy to move, it’s also quite sturdy, and I’ve never felt unstable or unsupported on this bench. Part of that likely is due to the three-post design, where the posts have rubber grips on the bottoms for added stability. I appreciate this design because I can easily tuck my feet back on bench presses. Other benches I’ve tried have wide bases that prevent me from doing this.

The covering on the bench pad is also quite grippy, and I rarely slip whether I’m wearing a T-shirt or tank top. Finally, its 700-pound capacity gives me peace of mind when training solo.

The main drawback most commenters notice about the AB-3100 is the noticeable 1.7-inch gap between the seat and back pads. Some find the gap an eyesore; others experience low back discomfort because that area isn’t supported. Personally, I don’t have any issues with it. 

I’m tall and have a long body, but I can position myself so that I’m not hitting the gap when the bench is flat — the same applies when the back pad is inclined. I’ve even heard of some lifters reversing the bench by using the seat as a headrest with your neck in the gap. That may sound strange, but your gym, your rules.

It’s worth noting that this REP bench has no decline angle — only flat and six incline positions. If you love to decline bench press or have an obsession with lower ab exercises, you might long for this feature. But I haven’t missed it, especially since the bench doesn’t come with leg rollers — a must-have for decline exercises to stop you from sliding off the bench. 

RELATED: Best Weight Benches for Beginners, Small Spaces, With Racks, and More

Best Budget Barbell: REP Fitness Colorado Bar

REP Fitness Colorado Bar

4.5

• Material: Steel
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44 pounds)
• Weight capacity: 680.2 kilograms (1,500 pounds)
• Tensile strength: 190 KSI
• Loadable sleeve length: 16.1 inches
• Knurling: Moderate
• Warranty: Lifetime

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This popular barbell blends features of powerlifting bars and Olympic weightlifting bars into a single all-purpose lifting powerhouse.

Our product testers tried the Colorado bar and reported that it was packaged well and arrived at the facility without damage. They instantly appreciated the dual knurl marks and said that the medium volcano knurling felt good on their hands: somewhat aggressive, but not so much that it would tear their hands during a high-rep workout. The composite bushings rotated smoothly, and they were surprised by how quiet they were.

Like a number of all-purpose bars on the market right now, the Colorado bar comes in two finish options: hard chrome with hard chrome collars, or Cerakote with Rep’s proprietary black “Duracoat” collars. Both options are highly corrosion-resistant, but the Cerakote version comes brings a couple of perks. A big one: the Duracoat collars harden the steel rather than simply coating or bonding with it, so they won’t flake off over time.

The option of getting it with a Cerakote finish also gives you multiple color options and rust resistance — provided you maintain it. This usually involves wiping it down with gentle, alcohol-free dish soap and water and scrubbing off any chalk residue every couple of weeks (depending on how often you use it and how much of a chalk hog you are). 

Our Breaking Muscle team members were particularly impressed with the bar’s 1,500-pound capacity (not that anyone was in danger of reaching it). They noticed that it’s even got a respectable F2 rating according to Rogue’s F-Rating scale, which indicates it would last decades even when getting regularly dropped during grueling high-rep CrossFit workouts.

If your training includes heavy back squats, you might be disappointed about the lack of a center knurl on this bar. For Olympic lifts or power cleans, this is a plus, since the knurling won’t scratch your throat or chest. But a strip of knurling in the middle of a barbell is helpful on low-bar back squats because the bar can more easily shift around without one.

However, if you’re moving seriously heavy weights in the first place, a dedicated deadlift or power bar is probably already on your wishlist (or in your gym already). The great thing about a mixed-use bar like this one is that it’s good enough at most lifts, for most people. Instead of buying a powerlifting bar and an Olympic weightlifting bar, you can save space and money by investing in a high-quality multi-purpose bar like the Colorado Bar that will meet the demands of whatever training style you enjoy. 

At the time of writing, the REP Colorado Bar retails for $319.99 to $329.99, depending on whether you get the Cerakote or hard chrome finish. These prices put it on the higher end for a budget barbell. In our best budget barbells round-up article, the nine bars that made our list ranged from roughly $85 to $330, with a couple of mixed-use bars priced at $150 or less.

Sure, you could save yourself a couple of hundred bucks and go cheap if you’re only an occasional barbell user. But if you’re looking for a more durable, versatile bar to anchor your home gym, the REP Colorado Bar should last a lifetime. 

Best Budget Weight Plates: Fringe Sport Milspec Bumper Plates

Fringe Sport MilSpec Bumper Plates

4.3

• Material: Virgin rubber
• Diameter: 450 millimeters (~17.7 inches)
• Increments (pounds): 10, 15, 25, 35, 45, 55
• Warranty: 90 days to one year

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The Fringe Sport MilSpec bumpers offer the premium look and feel of elite international brands, but at a far more home gym-friendly price point from a US-based brand. 

One big plus that our testers loved is that these bumpers are made using virgin rubber. Virgin rubber offers better durability than the cheaper, recycled rubber crumb that tends to be used to make bumper plates. It also results in a bumper plate with minimal bounce. And finally, the virgin rubber bumpers received by our product tester had no odor, whereas many recycled rubber bumpers can be quite smelly.

The high quality of these MilSpec bumper plates has permitted them to meet the Army Combat Fitness Test (APFT). They’re also approved to be used outdoors, a serious benefit for high-volume gyms like those on military bases where indoor gym space can be limited. Fringe even states that the 10-pound bumpers can be dropped, which is a distinctive advantage over other companies who make their 10s too thin, and dropping causes them to bend and warp like a taco shell.

For example, the 10-pound bumpers from Fringe are 1.05 inches wide, which is significantly thicker than the 10-pound Rogue Echo Bumper Plates that are only 0.83 inches wide. Over thousands of repetitions, that extra 0.2-inch width can be the difference on whether a bumper plate endures or fails.

Fringe offers their bumper pairs in a full weight range: 10, 15, 25, 35, 45, and 55 pounds. Few companies provide 15-pound and 55-pound sizes, and Fringe’s more extensive selection creates flexibility in crafting a custom set to suit your training needs. For example, if starting your warm-ups with 10-pound bumpers feels too light, you can opt for a 15-pound pair instead. Additionally, you can select 55-pound pairs instead of 45s if you compete in powerlifting because they’re equivalent to 25-kilogram plates.

Just remember that the 55-pound plates are 3.2 inches wide, so you’ll only be able to fit five of them per side with little to no room for a barbell collar — capping you at a total of 595 pounds if you’re using a typical 45-pound Olympic barbell.

However, it’s worth noting that the warranty for these bumper plates is limited. The 10s and 15s have a 90-day guarantee, with the remaining plates covered under a one-year warranty. Considering the high quality of these bumpers, it’s unlikely you’ll need to return them. But if you do, you’ll be on the hook for return shipping charges. 

Best Budget Squat Rack: Titan T-2 Power Rack

Titan T-2 Power Rack

4.4

• Dimensions: 57″ W x 50″ D x 71″ or 83″ H 
• Tubing size: 2×2
• Hole spacing: Two inches
• Rackable capacity: 850 pounds

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The T-2 power rack by Titan Fitness is an excellent budget option for anyone looking for a sturdy, compact squat rack with a few important bonuses thrown in.

At the time of writing, the price of the T-2 is $419.99 for the 83-inch tall version and $399.99 for the 71-inch. To perform barbell lifts safely at an all-in cost of roughly $400 is reasonable on its own. But the rack’s complementary pieces are what make it a real bargain, and a truly versatile lifting base. 

For example, the base model T-2 comes with plate horns, so your weight plates won’t get strewn across your floor. It also includes pin-pipe safeties to ensure you stay safe while lifting solo, plus a set of reinforced J-hooks and a pull-up bar. Seriously, that’s all just with the base model! Many companies charge extra for these attachments or include them but at a total cost that is significantly higher than Titan’s.

Despite being budget-friendly, this rack has an impressive construction. It features heavy-duty 2-inch x 2-inch uprights built using 14-gauge steel. And with an 850-pound rackable capacity, it’s enough for everyone but the most elite-level lifters. 

Personally, I love that the Titan rack has a flat-foot design. Many power racks only have the bottom of each post on the floor, but the T-2 features steel tubing along the entire base directly against the floor. This makes the rack significantly more stable, to the point that you don’t necessarily need to bolt it down. However, it includes bolt holes in the feet to secure it to your floor if you want extra stability with heavier weights.

While the T-2 comes with an impressive set of attachments, Titan also offers more advanced accessories you can buy separately later when you have the funds and/or interest. From additional j-hook and safety options to specialized add-ons like monolift arms and a leg press attachment, you can expand your power rack into a highly versatile training station at an affordable cost.

The main downside to the Titan T-2 is its height. Even the tallest option is only 83 inches, which puts a noticeable constraint on how high up you can mount your J-hooks. Since the highest tubing hole is about eight inches below the top of the rack, you’ll only be able to mount a bar as high as approximately 75 inches, or 6 feet, 3 inches. If you’re a very tall lifter, you might find this an annoyance for certain lifts like back squats or military presses, but for most people, it’s more than adequate.

One other downside: assembling the Titan T-2 can be a challenging project that requires a team effort. The assembly manual appears to be little more than exploded diagrams of somewhat confusing part numbers and arrows. Despite its simplicity, a second person is most likely required to hold the uprights as you bolt them to the flat foot components.

RELATED: Best Squat Racks for Small Spaces, Beginners, and More

Best Budget Dumbbells: NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Adjustable Dumbbells

NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Adjustable Dumbbell

4.1

• Weight range: 10 to 55 pounds
• Weight increments: 2.5 to five pounds
• Adjustment type: Sliding pins
• Dimensions: 19.4” L x 11.4” W x 8.5” H with storage tray 
• Materials: Steel, plastic
• Warranty: 90 days

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The NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Adjustable Dumbbells are an excellent choice if you’re looking for a versatile and space-saving solution. With these adjustable dumbbells, you can say goodbye to a cluttered home gym and hello to a more streamlined workout experience.

The standout feature of these dumbbells is their 10 to 55-pound range, which is adjustable in both 2.5 and 5-pound increments. This means they can effectively replace 30 individual  dumbbells, saving you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in purchase price and shipping, as well as plenty of floor and shelf space.

The convenient storage trays with the dumbbells make keeping your workout area tidy and organized easy. Some brands sell their trays separately, but NordicTrack includes theirs by default, so you won’t be tripping over loose weights or searching for where you left them. Simply place the dumbbells back in their designated slots after each set, and you’ll never find yourself wondering where they are.

Another great feature is the easy-to-use weight selector. Thanks to the intuitive tab system, changing the weight on these adjustable dumbbells is a breeze. Simply pinch the bright tab in the center of the plate channel, slide it to the weight increment you need, and release. Within seconds, you can get back to your workout. Need an in-between weight, like 22.5 pounds? Just slide the tab near the handle to add the smaller 2.5-pound microplate. 

It’s worth noting that these dumbbells lack certain weight increments: specifically 17.5, 27.5, 37.5, and 47.5 pounds. This is because the weight selector tab on the handle allows you to add 2.5 or 5 pounds, but not both simultaneously. If these specific weight increments are crucial to your training routine for some reason, you may want to consider an alternative.

Further, the 90-day warranty period might be shorter than expected for some users, and it’s crucial to know that the 90-day guarantee only covers manufacturing defects. I was expecting a much longer warranty on these, and knowing that they aren’t covered if you accidentally drop (and break) them within the first 90 days would definitely prevent me from tossing them on the ground like a gym bro. 

Best Budget Exercise Bike: Diamondback Fitness 1260sc

Diamondback Fitness 1260Sc

3.9

• Overall dimensions: 59” L x 23” W x 50” H
• Weight: 130 pounds
• Weight capacity: 300 pounds
• Display: LCD monitor to track workout metrics

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The Diamondback 1260sc is an excellent choice for home gym enthusiasts looking for a sturdy and durable bike for home use. Our testers found that it brought a commercial-gym quality build that was ready to withstand even the most intense home gym workouts.

 It’s worth noting that this bike is noticeably more expensive than some of the alternatives. At the time of writing, the 1260sc was on sale for $999.99, but it’s regularly priced at $1,538.45. You can find other decent-quality bikes available for less than $1,000, but the features and build quality of the Diamondback 1260sc make it a great value.

During their test drive, our product testers noticed that the bike felt extremely smooth due to its reinforced pedals and cranks. The resistance click lever made it easy to apply magnetic resistance to ramp up the intensity. 

But the little things are what really made this bike stand out: the included water bottle holder, the multiple handlebar grips, and the rear-wheel drive that helps to keep sweat from dripping down the wheel and causing corrosion. 

Another big plus of the Diamondback 1260sc is its highly versatile digital console. Rather than sticking to proprietary programming, this bike plays nicely with a wide range of apps and any wearable technology that is ANT+ compatible, such as Garmin and Wahoo devices. The BLE FTMS connectivity easily pairs with Zwift, Rouvy, Myzone, and SPIVI apps. There’s even an integrated tablet holder, so you can stream workout classes while using your bike. 

No apps? No problem. The console still shows you all the fundamental data to track your workouts and effort consistently, including watts, time, distance, RPM, and heart rate. Although it shows these basics, the console is still barebones compared to other bikes on the market. It doesn’t offer any programs, so you must be your own trainer, look up free fitness classes online, or join a subscription service.

Despite being a more budget-friendly model, this bike has the customizability of a high-end spin bike. It features a v-shaped frame with highly adjustable handlebars, so you can fine-tune the height and fore/aft to get an ideal fit. You can raise or lower the seat to fit your leg length, and the fore/aft is also adjustable to ensure you’re comfortable during long rides. You can even choose between classic or SPD clipless pedals by flipping the pedal around to get the exact riding experience you crave.

Best Budget Treadmill: ProForm City L6

ProForm City L6

3.0

• Overall dimensions: 70.25” L x 29” W x 44.5” H
• Weight: 125 pounds
• Weight capacity: 250 pounds
• Display: LED display for workout stats

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The ProForm City L6 is an easy-to-use and compact treadmill for people who like walking or light jogging and using iFit’s wide range of workouts and programs. 

The price of this foldable treadmill is part of what makes it so attractive. At the time of publication, it retails for $699.99. This is definitely in the budget range for a treadmill, as most units with similar features cost at least $1,000.

Our Breaking Muscle testers found the assembly process basic and straightforward, as the ProForm City L6 has fewer parts than a typical treadmill. It’s doable as a one-person job but would be easier with two.

Our product testers were also impressed with how compact this treadmill is. It has a foldable frame, which makes it ideal for small workout spaces. For instance, the frame folds down small enough that our product tester could fit it under a bed. Despite its 125-pound weight, the front wheels make it surprisingly easy to move — a handy benefit for smaller users.

One downside: our Breaking Muscle team members found that the 1.6 CHP motor wasn’t fully up to the challenge of intense training. One product tester is nowhere near the 250-pound limit, and when they brought it up to its 8 MPH max speed, it shook a lot as they ran — which wasn’t even a full-out sprint. Serious runners or sprinters doing HIIT treadmill workouts should consider a different treadmill with a stronger motor, but for lower-intensity running and jogging, the L6 should be more than adequate.

Additionally, you might feel cramped on this treadmill due to its deck size if you’re on the tall side. Our product tester is 5-foot-3 and it worked well for them, but if you’re much taller than about 5-foot-10, its 17.5-inch wide and 45-inch long deck might feel too small to run comfortably.

Best Budget Elliptical: Sole E20

Sole E20

3.5

• Overall dimensions: 72” L x 24” W; 60” H
• Weight: 325 pounds
• Weight capacity: 300 pounds
• Display: 5.5-inch LED

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A well-made elliptical from a reputable brand can often run you $1,000 to $2,000. The Sole Fitness E20 provides a stable, low-impact ride and a respectable warranty for far, far less, making it an easy choice for a budget elliptical. At the time of writing, it’s on sale for $599.99, and can usually be found new for no more than $700.

The E20’s console is simple and easy to use. It features built-in pulse grips and is compatible with wireless heart rate chest straps, so you can know how hard you work without missing a beat. Additionally, there’s a handy-dandy media shelf on the console. This means you can store your tablet or smartphone on the ledge to watch TV or movies without worrying about your device falling off and getting damaged. There’s even a water bottle holder, which might seem like a mandatory accessory for an elliptical, but is missing from a surprising number of budget-friendly units.

Sole Fitness is known for its stellar warranties. Despite this being a budget model, the E20 still has impressive coverage: unlimited warranty on frame, 3-year warranty on electronics, 1-year warranty on parts, and 1-year labor warranty. If you ever need warranty work, their service center is just a call away, with all their technicians based in the US.

One downside: the E20 can’t fold. This means you’ll need an entire 70” x 64” area to store the machine permanently, plus additional room around the unit to access it without tripping over your other fitness equipment.

Another downside to the E20 (and most ellipticals): it’s quite heavy at 175 pounds. The E20 has two transport wheels, but you’ll have to lift the machine from the back for it to kick in. This means you’ll have to use some serious elbow grease if you ever have to move it.

Best Budget Rower: Sunny Health Magnetic Rowing Machine

Sunny Health Magnetic Rowing Machine

3.4

• Dimensions: 89″ D x 18.9 “W x 23.6” H
• Storage: Folds in half for vertical storage
• Resistance: Magnetic
• Weight capacity: 250 pounds
• Display: LCD monitor
• Available programming: None

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Sunny Health’s magnetic rower features a range of resistance that make this cardio machine suitable for beginner and intermediate rowers — and finding your sweet spot is as simple as turning a knob. But even better, the resistance is applied magnetically, which makes it quiet compared to air-powered rowers.

Although not very wide, rowers are notorious for taking up a large amount of floor space due to their length — they can be up to 95 inches long. The Sunny Health Rower folds up to just 43.3 inches by 18.9 inches, saving a lot of space in your living room or home gym. You can fold it up by simply removing one of the cotter pins on the rails, so you’re unlikely to find yourself leaving it unfolded. 

The “budget” side of this rower feels more apparent when using the monitor, which claims to track time, total distance, and calories. But many commenters feel it only does one of those features (time) with any dependability or accuracy. More than a few users have noted that they use it only as a timer. Advanced rowers will definitely notice the lack of a sophisticated monitor.

Similarly, the basic monitor lacks any programs or interactive features. If you’re using your smartphone, this isn’t a big deal. However, I would have appreciated a few simple workout programs to be included.

RELATED: Best Rowing Machines for Beginners, Small Spaces, Seniors, and More

Best Budget All-in-One Home Gym: Force USA G3

Force USA G3

4.0

• Dimensions: 87” H x 78” W x 60.5” D
• Maximum resistance: Up to 772 pounds for Smith machine
• Type: Plate-loaded
• Warranty: Lifetime structural

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The Force USA G3 is an affordable all-in-one trainer that combines six machines: a power rack, Smith machine, and functional trainer, along with a chin-up station, core trainer, and suspension trainer station. The amount of versatility you get in a footprint that’s basically a squat-rack-and-half is pretty incredible. 

What I especially like about the G3 is that only the essential attachments are included, while many extras are optional. Keeping extra attachments optional keeps the overall price as low as possible while allowing you to purchase only the attachments you’d actually use. 

But if you want to expand this unit’s capabilities, you have tons of options. The 18 attachments they offer for the G3 even include popular new-school training tools like lever arms. These allow you to simulate dozens of machine-like exercises at an affordable price. Since they mount directly to the guide rod uprights, you can fine-tune their position for any exercise.

Despite its incredible versatility, the G3 isn’t cheap. It retails for $1,999.99, which makes it the most expensive home gym equipment piece on this list. This is a hefty price tag for a budget item and might require some time for you to save up if you want to pay for it upfront. At the time of writing, Force USA does offer a financing option through Affirm.

Another downside to this unit is that you’ll need your own weight plates. Unlike the selectorized G20, the G3 is a plate-loaded all-in-one-trainer, meaning it requires plates to provide resistance.

While the amount of plates you’ll need will vary based on your current strength level (or aspirations), don’t forget that if you’re using the Smith machine or functional trainer components, the cable system has a 2:1 pulley ratio — so 100 pounds will only feel like 50 pounds. The small but crucial detail means you must provide double the weight to feel your desired resistance. If you love heavy weights, this is worth factoring into your budget. 

Similar to the weight plates, you’ll also need your own barbell (may I recommend the REP Colorado Bar?) if you want to use the power rack for traditional barbell exercises. 

What Are the Benefits of Having a Home Gym?

• Versatility: You can exercise whenever you want because a home gym is open 24/7. There’s no need to worry about gym hours or waiting for equipment to become available.
• Privacy: You can work out in the comfort of your own home without feeling self-conscious or judged by others. Plus, there are no restrictive clothing rules to adhere to.
• Convenience: You don’t have to travel to a gym, saving you time and money on transportation.
• Customization: You can choose the equipment that best suits your specific needs, goals, and preferences.
• Hygiene: When you’re the only person in your gym, you don’t need to worry about messes or germs from public users. 
• Motivation: A home gym can help you stay motivated and committed to your fitness goals.
• Cost–effective: A home gym can end up being more cost-effective than a gym membership over time. 
• Family time: You can work out with your family members, making it a fun and healthy activity for everyone.

What Home Gym Equipment Should You Start Out With?

The number of home gym items that sit around for years without use could make anyone cry. But not all of these neglected tools are bad workout equipment. Plenty of them are just a bad fit. 

And despite the fitness tech or gym equipment trending right now, there are only three things that you actually need to exercise at home:

1. Equipment to apply resistance to your muscles
2. Equipment to challenge your cardiovascular system
3. Space for the equipment

Pretty simple, isn’t it? So, the home gym equipment that you start with should be equipment that you’ll actually use. 

And the easiest way to figure out what you’ll use is to ask yourself, “How do I like to train?”

Enjoy running? Get a treadmill. Hate running but love cycling? Exercise bike it is. Have a passion for rowing? A rowing machine will be your new best friend.

Apply this same question to resistance training, and you’ll figure out whether you should invest in free weights, resistance bands, bodyweight training equipment, or machines.

What To Consider When Buying Home Gym Equipment

Price

Home gym equipment can vary widely in price, depending on the product’s quality, features, and brand. Set a realistic budget for your home gym and look for equipment that offers the best value for your money. 

When comparing prices, factor in the cost of maintenance, warranty, and delivery. This is especially important for oversized items like treadmills and elliptical machines.

Training Style

Home gym equipment can be classified into two main categories: cardio and resistance training. Cardio equipment like treadmills, bikes, and rowers are designed to improve cardiovascular fitness. Resistance training equipment, such as dumbbells, benches, and resistance bands are designed to build muscle and increase strength. 

The most important thing you should do is choose equipment that matches your training style and preferences. This will ensure you actually use the equipment instead of it getting used for a couple of months and then collecting dust.

Goals

Home gym equipment can help you achieve different fitness goals, such as weight loss, muscle gain, endurance, strength, or flexibility. You should have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish with your home gym equipment and only choose items that will help you reach those specific goals. 

For example, you should look for cardio equipment if you’re interested in improving your cardiovascular fitness because it will give you a practical way to train in that manner. If you want to gain muscle, you should look for resistance training equipment that can provide progressive overload and work major muscle groups, like the Force USA G3 all-in-one trainer.

Available Space

Home gym equipment can take up a lot of space in your home, especially if you have multiple pieces of equipment. Before purchasing, measure the available space in your home and choose equipment that can fit comfortably and safely in your designated area. You can also look for equipment that is foldable or compact, which can save you some space when not in use.

You should also consider the equipment’s weight and ensure it won’t exceed the capacity of your floor or walls for wall-mounted items. Just 10 to 15 minutes of planning can save you a ton of headaches (and home repairs).

Final Thoughts

If you want to build a home gym that suits your needs and budget, you don’t have to spend a fortune on fancy equipment. You can get high-quality equipment without breaking the bank as long as you’re intentional and honest about how you like to train and focus on covering the basics instead of opting for luxurious products. 

FAQs

The post Best Budget Home Gym Equipment: Affordable Barbells, Treadmills, Squat Racks, and More (2023) appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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With 10 of the world’s premier athletes scheduled to square off at Dell Diamond Stadium on Oct. 27-28, 2023, there’s plenty of anticipation surrounding the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational. A stacked roster headlined by reigning champion Oleksii Novikov will have an opportunity to not only impress the crowd in Round Rock, Texas, but also secure a record-setting prize purse of $133,785.83, as of the time of this publication.

To emerge victorious, participants like Novikov and 2023 World’s Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper must go through a grueling gauntlet of six challenges over the course of the two-day contest. And with competition date inching closer, Rogue Invitational officially released the full lineup of strongman events on Oct. 10, 2023.

Day One (Friday, Oct. 27, 2023)

The first day of the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational will feature three events, all of which will test the athletes’ strength, power, and conditioning. Here’s a breakdown of each event, starting with an ultra-demanding deadlift challenge that made its debut in 2022.

Event 1: Tower of Power – Deadlift for Reps

Rogue ramped up its annual strongman competition a year ago by putting together the Tower of Power event. Ukrainian former powerlifter Pavlo Nakonechnyy proved to be the most proficient at the newly unveiled event by completing 12 reps of 18-inch barbell deadlifts during the 60-second time allotment.

As if lifting 900 pounds (408 kilograms) as many times as possible in one minute wasn’t challenging enough, competitors had to deal with much different leverages due to the height of the tower platform. Back again for the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational, this event should bring the best out of Nakonechnyy and 2023 North America’s Strongest Man Trey Mitchell, who completed 10 reps in his first encounter with the Tower of Power. Starting the day with a deadlift for reps competition will certainly set the tone for event No. 2.

Event 2: The Iron Bull Sled Pull

No specifics were provided about this event. However, sled pulls are undoubtedly one of the most popular feats of strength fans enjoy watching, especially when vehicles are involved.

Event 3: Ultimate Log Medley

Although we don’t know exactly what the Ultimate Log Medley will entail, the 2022 Rogue Strongman Invitational included an event called “Yoke Carry, Overhead Log Lift Medley” that consisted of carrying a 1,000-pound (453.5-kilogram) yoke for 50 feet, followed by performing three reps of an overhead press with a 360-pound (163-kilogram) log. Mitchell Hooper easily outpaced the rest of the pack by completing the circuit in just 32.69 seconds.

Meanwhile, 2022 Canada’s Strongest Man Maxime Boudreault took another 14.1 seconds to wrap up the No. 2 spot. If the final event of the first day of the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational features the log press again, that could be a chance for 2022 America’s Strongest Man Bobby Thompson to earn some valuable points. Coming off consecutive third-place finishes at the Arnold Strongman Classic, Thompson showcased his upper-body strength at the 2023 event by hitting three reps of a 430-pound (195-kilogram) log press on the Austrian Oak challenge, which tied for second with Hooper.

Day Two (Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023)

Day Two of the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational will kick off with another event that captivated last year’s audience and wrap up with one that could have some CrossFit inspiration behind its name.

Event 4: Rogue-A-Coaster

Just like the competitors, the Round Rock crowd will be locked in for 90 seconds during the dynamic Rogue-A-Coaster event. Particularly taxing on the lats and rear delts, it takes pull day to another level — and then some. The athletes will start their Saturday morning by sitting at the bottom of a section of a rollercoaster and attempting to pull 600 pounds (272 kilograms) worth of sandbags loaded onto a cart up to the top and dump them over within the 90-second limit.

This 54-inch incline rope pull didn’t pose much trouble for Nakonechnyy (38.51 seconds) or Novikov (39.04 seconds) in 2022. However, neither could outdo 2021 Rogue Strongman Invitational champion Martins Licis (33:83 seconds), who will not be at this year’s event.

Event 5: Apollon’s Wheels

No specifics were provided about this event. However, it’s safe to say all the participants should have some idea of what’s to come.

Made famous by French strongman Louis “Apollon the Mighty” Uni, Apollon’s Wheels was his 366-pound (166-kilogram) barbell loaded with a pair of railway car wheels. Featuring a thick diameter of nearly two inches, it requires excellent grip strength just to handle the bar. It takes incredible coordination to power clean it off the floor and get it into a front rack position And it takes serious strength to press that weight overhead.

The fifth event (also named Apollon’s Wheels) at the 2018 Arnold Classic Strongman Classic utilized a replica reproduced by Ivanko Barbell Company that weighed 400 pounds (181 kilograms). Hafþór Björnsson, who went on to win the World’s Strongest Man title later that year, took home first place by performing four full reps of a clean and press in the two-minute timeframe. Rogue certainly seems to be paying homage to the famous barbell in 2023 based on the name of the penultimate event.

Event 6: The Duel

“The Duel II” was an elimination-style, multi-round event at the 2022 CrossFit Rogue Invitational that consisted of a legless rope climb, 10 overhead squats, and a sandbag carry. Although CrossFit and Strongman competitors may not cross paths often, the final event of the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational could have a similar feel as “The Duel II” but with a different array of exercises and much heavier loads.

Complete 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational Roster

• Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
• Mitchell Hooper (Canada)
• Trey Mitchell (USA)
• Luke Stoltman (UK)
• Mateusz Kieliszkowski (Poland)
• Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine)
• Bobby Thompson (USA)
• Tom Stoltman (UK)
• Evan Singleton (USA)
• Maxime Boudreault (Canada)

Novikov’s campaign to become a back-to-back Rogue Strongman Invitational champion will come down to his ability to dominate both new and repeat events. Whether he can fend off the likes of Hooper and Mitchell remains to be seen when the strongest men in the world reunite at Red Rock.

Featured Image: @rogueinvitational / Instagram

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Steady-state cardio — plodding along at a consistent pace for the duration of a session — can have its place in a training program. However, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can actually be a more efficient means to reach your fitness goals. And just like there are a variety of ways to build the ultimate physique, there are different machines you can rely upon  to help get you there. 

Although a treadmill offers the unique advantage of being able to train on an incline, it doesn’t give you a true full-body workout. Meanwhile, an elliptical machine may be a low-impact option for your joints, but that also comes at the expense of any muscle-building upside. 

Luckily, there’s a piece of home gym equipment that provides the best of both worlds: the rower, sometimes called an erg or rowerg. In fact, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a machine that tests your muscular strength and endurance (and mental fortitude) quite like the erg.

Whether your primary goal is to burn body fat or boost your conditioning, these HIIT rowing workouts will get the job done. And if you’re just getting your feet wet with this type of training, there’s a beginner-friendly plan that will put you on the path to becoming more proficient and confident on the rowing machine. 

HIIT Rowing Workouts 

• For Fat Loss 
• For Conditioning
• For Beginners

HIIT Rowing Workout for Fat Loss 

A successful fat loss plan focuses on two factors: how you fuel up and how you put those resources to work. If your primary goal is to trim a few extra pounds off your frame, pairing interval training with a nutritional protocol that prioritizes protein and limits processed foods will provide the perfect stimulus to help accomplish that feat. Although this rowing workout may seem easy on the surface, you’ll quickly learn how challenging (and effective) time-specific training can be.

Tabata Intervals  

There’s a reason the Tabata protocol remains one of the most popular styles of high-intensity interval training: It works. Designed in an easy-to-follow format, a workout consists of clearly defined intervals of max-effort exercise and complete rest. Typically, the high-intensity interval lasts for 20 seconds, forcing you to go all out for what sounds like a fairly reasonable amount of time.

However, the difficult part about Tabata-style training is that you only get a rest period of 10 seconds, or half the amount of the high-intensity interval. That back-and-forth battle usually wages on for eight cycles, adding up to a four-minute round. Most workouts run around 20 minutes, which includes a brief rest period of 1-2 minutes between each completed round.

Despite its short working intervals, Tabata delivers impressive results. It has been shown to be effective for improving both body fat composition and some cardiometabolic health outcomes in university female students. (1) Additionally, a 2020 study on the impact of Tabata training showed it was also effective in reducing body fat percentage and waist-to-hip ratio in overweight individuals. (2)

Ultimately, there’s no reason to make things complicated when it comes to your fat loss journey. This rowing workout relies upon a tried-and-true setup that should leave you feeling gassed by the end. It’s best to leave this for the end of a strength training session as a high-impact finisher, or perform it on a non-lifting day to reap the rewards of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. 

Tabata Rowing Circuit 

• How to Do it: Sit on the rowing machine seat and strap your feet in. Set the drag level between three and five. Grab the handle, maintain an upright posture, and simultaneously push with your legs while pulling with your upper body. Warm up at a comfortable pace for one minute before increasing to max effort for your first high-intensity interval. 
• Programming: Perform 8-10 sets (one round) of 20 seconds of max-effort rowing followed by 10 seconds of rest. Repeat for three to five rounds, depending on your fitness level. 
• Rest Time: Rest one to two minutes after each round.  

HIIT Rowing Workout for Conditioning 

Metabolic conditioning can have some crossover with fat loss training, but it also brings muscle-building benefits. And out of all the home gym equipment you should consider investing in, a rowing machine is a fantastic choice since it is capable of helping you achieve your dream physique in multiple ways.

This all-inclusive workout combines sprint intervals on the erg with various strength exercises for the ultimate conditioning session. 

On/Off Circuit

Prepare to move around with this workout. At the same time, prepare to enjoy the conditioning rewards of mixing max-effort speed intervals on the rower with muscle-building exercises that will test your strength and stamina.

Rather than rowing for a specific time interval, your goal is to complete 250 meters as fast as possible. Then, you will go through a type of superset using resistance training exercises that target your chest, shoulders, triceps, quads, and glutes. Working hard on the rower will target your back muscles, so doubling up by targeting them with a strength-training exercise could cause excessive fatigue without added benefit.

This workout can serve as the baseline for your creative efforts. You can vary the routine in a variety of ways by increasing your target distance on the erg, increasing the time or load for the supplementary movements, or by choosing specific exercises based on your personal physique goals. Ultimately, the point is to push yourself through each phase, take a few minutes to recover, and find a way to keep going. 

Rowing Speed Interval

• How to Do it: Sit on the rowing machine seat and strap your feet in. Set the drag level between five and seven for added resistance. Grab the handle, maintain an upright posture, and simultaneously push with your legs while pulling with your upper body. Warm up at a comfortable pace for one minute before increasing to max effort for your first high-intensity interval.
• Programming: Complete a 250-meter row as quickly as possible.
• Rest Time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Paused Push-Up

• How to Do it: Begin in the top of a traditional push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders, your arms locked out, hips and legs straight, and toes on the ground. Lower yourself down until your chest is one to two inches from the floor and hold for two seconds. Engage your triceps and extend your arms to return to the starting point. 
• Sets and Reps: Perform as many reps as possible in 30 seconds.
• Rest Time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Goblet Squat

• How to Do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly pointed out. Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell with both hands at chest-level (the “goblet” position), engaging your front deltoids (shoulders) to support the weight. While keeping your torso upright, push your hips back, bend your knees, and sit into a deep squat position. Drive through your heels and return to the starting position.  
• Sets and Reps: Perform as many reps as possible in 30 seconds. Use a weight that allows at least 10 to 12 repetitions in the first round.
• Rest Time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Dumbbell Overhead Press

• How to Do it: Stand with your feet hip-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder-level. Keep your wrists in a neutral position (palms facing each other) and push the weights toward the ceiling, fully extending your arms and locking out your triceps. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position, maintaining full control on the eccentric (lowering) portion of the lift.  
• Sets and Reps: Perform as many reps as possible in 30 seconds. Use a weight that allows at least 10 to 12 repetitions in the first round.
• Rest Time: Rest two to three minutes before repeating the first exercise.

HIIT Rowing Workout for Beginners

If you’re new to cardio training, or just new to the rowing machine, don’t be intimidated by the idea of an intense session on the erg. Instead, embrace the concept of pushing yourself for short spurts so you can earn some well-deserved rest. Plus, you can look forward to improving your technique with each and every stroke. 

1:2 Work-to-Rest Intervals

A key difference between the previous fat-burning and conditioning workouts and this beginner-friendly plan is the amount of time you’ll spend working at a lower intensity. Instead of following a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio, beginners should opt for a 1:2 work-to-rest rate. 

This structure is essentially the opposite of Tabata, which requires you to recover in half the amount of time as your high-intensity interval. Using a specific work/rest approach will give you the benefits of improving your VO2 max while also allowing a sufficient period for recuperation. (3)

You’ll be starting out with 20 seconds of work, followed by 40 seconds of rest. However, don’t be afraid to switch up that 1:2 ratio as you get more comfortable on the rower. Once you have completed this workout a few times, you can ramp up the difficulty by cutting the rest interval to 30 seconds. Then, trim it down another 5-10 seconds as you improve. 

20 On/40 Off Rowing Circuit

• How to Do it: Sit on the rowing machine seat and strap your feet in. Set the drag level between three and five. Grab the handle, maintain an upright posture, and simultaneously push with your legs while pulling with your upper body. Warm up at a comfortable pace for one minute before increasing to near-max effort for your first high-intensity interval. Make sure to rest for double the amount of work-time for each cycle.
• Programming: Two sets of 8 rounds — each round requires 20 seconds of hard rowing, followed by 40 seconds of easy rowing.
• Rest Time: Rest for three minutes after completing the first round.

How to Warm-Up for a HIIT Rowing Workout

A structured warm-up isn’t just a means to break a sweat or get your head in the game prior to a workout. Besides being beneficial for performance, it’s also a proactive measure that can help prevent injuries. (4)

Because the erg requires you to recruit essentially every major muscle group, you need to prepare accordingly. Diving straight into any of the three HIIT workouts isn’t a sound strategy — especially if you’re hitting the gym after sitting at a desk for hours.

Set yourself up for success by completing this four-part warm-up which focuses on getting your shoulders, back, quads, and hamstrings ready for a rowing session that will leave you feeling accomplished from head to toe. 

HIIT Rowing Workout Warm-Up

1. Arm Circle: Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your arms fully extended out to your sides so they are parallel with the floor. Keep your arms straight and begin making small circular motions in a forward direction. Progress to bigger circles for a wider range of motion. for 20 to 30 seconds. Then, perform the same movement in the opposite direction for another 20 to 30 seconds.  
2. Inch Worm: Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart and your hands by your sides. Look down at the floor and start reaching your hands out in front of your feet as you allow your knees to bend slightly. Carefully walk your hands forward until they are directly under your shoulders and your body is parallel to the floor. From that full plank position, keep your legs straight and walk your hands back toward your feet. Brace your core and raise your upper body to return to the starting position. Perform 10 repetitions before moving to the next exercise. 
3. Paused Bodyweight Squat: Stand with your feet at a shoulder-width distance and your toes pointed slightly out. Brace your core, push your hips back, and slowly lower yourself down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold for two seconds, then push through your heels and drive upward until you reach the starting position. Complete 15 to 20 full-depth squats before finishing up with the final part of the warm-up. 
4. Rowing Machine: Get on a rowing machine and set the damper to a low level (between one and four). Maintain a steady but comfortable pace for three to five minutes to prime your muscles and get in the flow for the high-intensity workout to follow. 

Full-Body Benefits in Far Less Time

While you will most certainly work harder, you’ll also be working smarter with these HIIT rowing workouts. Ramping up the intensity means you won’t have to spend nearly as much time repeating the same motion until you’ve reached a state of boredom. Instead, efficient interval-style training will let you reap the full-body rewards of centering your next workout around the simple but incredibly effective rowing machine. 

References

1. Lu, Y., Wiltshire, H., Baker, J. S., Wang, Q., & Ying, S. (2023). The effect of Tabata-style functional high-intensity interval training on cardiometabolic health and physical activity in female university students. Frontiers in Physiology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1095315
2. Domaradzki, J., Cichy, I., Rokita, A., & Popowczak, M. (2020). Effects of Tabata training during physical education classes on body composition, aerobic capacity, and anaerobic performance of under-, normal- and overweight adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(3), 876. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030876
3. Helgerud, J., Høydal, K. L., Wang, E., Karlsen, T., Berg, P. R., Bjerkaas, M., Simonsen, T., Helgesen, C. S., Hjorth, N. L., Bach, R., & Hoff, J. (2007). Aerobic High-Intensity intervals improve VO2max more than moderate training. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 39(4), 665–671. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e3180304570
4. Ding, L., Luo, J., Smith, D. M., Mackey, M. J., Fu, H., Davis, M. M., & Hu, Y. (2022). Effectiveness of Warm-Up Intervention Programs to Prevent Sports Injuries among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(10), 6336. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106336

Featured Image: Microgen / Shutterstock

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As a registered dietitian, I am asked almost every day for recommendations on the best type of protein supplement. And while I’m sure to only recommend proteins whose quality and formulation I can stand behind, there’s another feature that’s also pretty important: the flavor.

If you don’t like how a protein powder tastes, you are pretty unlikely to stick with it all the way to the bottom of the jug. This is a shame because the benefits of a higher-protein diet are really something that only happens over the course of weeks and months.  

If you want to increase your muscle mass, control cravings while losing weight, or boost recovery from your workouts, these are the best-tasting protein powders that may help make it happen. 

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.

How We Chose the Best Tasting Protein Powder

Our process for choosing what protein powders taste the best is very selective. And yes, to be clear, it involves us actually tasting over 75 proteins.

But to ensure that you can make a well-informed decision and don’t end up with an actual milkshake instead of a protein shake, we test for a wide range of criteria. These include not only flavor, but also price, formulation, solubility, side effects, third-party testing, and the customer experience. Try any of our recommendations and be confident that we did the homework so you don’t have to.

Our Top Picks for the Best Tasting Protein Powder

• Best Tasting Protein Powder Overall: Jacked Factory Authentic Iso
• Best Tasting Protein Powder for Women: Ritual Essential Protein Powder
• Best Tasting Chocolate Protein Powder: XWERKS Grow
• Best Tasting Plant-Based Protein Powder: Transparent Labs Rice & Pea Protein Powder
• Best Tasting Whey Protein Powder: Legion Whey+
• Best Tasting Vegan Protein Powder: Vega Sport Premium Protein Powder
• Best Tasting Vanilla Protein Powder: Swolverine Whey Protein Isolate
• Best Tasting Protein Powder for Weight Loss: Myprotein Impact Whey Protein
• Best Tasting Casein Protein Powder: Kaged Casein
• Best Tasting Low Carb Protein Powder: Onnit Whey Protein

Best Tasting Protein Powder Overall: Jacked Factory Authentic Iso

Jacked Factory Authentic ISO

4.0

• Protein type: Whey isolate
• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.20 to $1.33
• Calories per serving: 110 to 130
• Protein per serving: 25 grams, depending on the flavor
• Flavors: Cookies & Cream, Unflavored (if you buy from Amazon)
• Third-party tested: No

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Jacked Factory Authentic Iso is an affordable, high-quality, great-tasting protein powder that packs a lot of flavor and a solid 25 grams of protein into a surprisingly low-calorie serving. 

This protein has a personal connection, as my hubby is a lifter on an eternal quest to find the protein that’ll help him build muscle mass the quickest, while still tasting like a well-earned post-workout treat. Jacked Factory’s rich chocolate-flavored whey supplement is the one he keeps coming back to.

The protein in Jacked Factory Authentics Iso powder is sourced from whey — a byproduct of dairy cheese production. Whey isolates aren’t usually considered to be the tastiest or creamiest of proteins since they have less fat and carb content than either whey concentrate or milk isolate protein. However, Jacked Authentic gets consistently high ratings from reviewers — and from my husband — for how well it mixes and the overall flavor.

As a dietitian, I like how simple the formulation is, with no fillers, gums, or dyes. It does use the artificial sweetener sucralose in its formulation which is a deal-breaker for some people, but does help in keeping the overall calories so low. There are a few users who report that they found this product overly sweet, but the general consensus is that each of the eight flavor options currently available brings the goods and tastes like what they promise.  

At the time of this writing, this product has a 4.4 out of five star overall rating on Amazon. Out of 509 reviewers, Jacked Factory Authentic Iso is given a 4.6 out of five stars for how easily it blends, 4.3 out of five stars for the quality of the ingredients used, and 4.2 out of five stars with regard to flavor.

RELATED: Best Protein Shakes

Best Tasting Protein Powder for Women: Ritual Essential Protein Powder

Ritual Essential Protein Powder

4.4

• Protein type: Pea protein
• Number of servings: 15
• Cost per serving: $2.66
• Calories per serving: 115 
• Protein per serving: 20 grams 
• Flavors: Vanilla
• Third-party tested: Yes

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Whether you are picking up toddlers all day, carrying heavy grocery bags, or hitting the weights, you need adequate protein to power you through it. Ritual Daily Shake is our top choice for women to help us accomplish everything we do in our day-to-day. It only has one flavor option available. However, you won’t be disappointed by the handcrafted vanilla, which is sourced from vanilla bean extract farmed and harvested in Madagascar. 

Building muscle and maintaining muscle mass requires good protein intake. Ritual uses organic pea protein and we know from randomized trials that pea protein positively helps repair muscle damage after exercise. (8) And as a mom of two small kids, I am here to tell you: yes, running after your wild toddlers in the yard definitely counts as exercise. 

To really determine if the flavor blends well, our product tester tried Ritual Daily Shake two ways: in a blender cup with plain water and in a smoothie with strawberries and blueberries. She gave it a 5 out of 5 rating for solubility. It dissolved easily in water alone and had a great consistency and a smooth texture.

Our tester noticed a slightly chalky aftertaste, but it wasn’t enough to keep her from finishing her drink or using the protein powder again in the future. She also found that the taste enhanced the smoothie and did not overwhelm it. She ranks the taste for Ritual Daily Shake as a 4 out of 5. 

Best Tasting Chocolate Protein Powder: XWERKS Grow

XWERKS Grow

4.3

Protein type: Whey protein isolate

Number of servings: 30

Cost: $1.97 per serving

Calories per serving: 110

Protein per serving: 23 to 25 grams

Flavors: Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Strawberry, Vanilla

Third-party tested: No

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XWERKS Grow protein powder is sourced from dairy cows that are not exposed to hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides and are 100% grass-fed only. The formulation is simple, clean, and doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients, sweeteners, flavors, or coloring. 

Like some of our other top picks, this powder’s protein source is whey isolate, which means it has been micro-filtered to remove excess calories caused by non-protein sources like fat. (3) XWERKS Grow also has about 4 grams of glutamic acid per scoop. Glutamic acid is noteworthy for its ability to assist in muscle growth, but it is also a flavor enhancer that can improve our sensitivity to the fifth basic taste: umami. (4)(5)

Our supplement tester scored XWERKS Grow protein powder’s formulation, taste, and solubility as a 5 out of five. They really emphasized that this product is incredibly smooth – your days of gritty chocolate flavoring are over. Our Breaking Muscle team member reported this as the “finest protein powder I’ve ever drank” and was excited by how easily XWERKS dissolves. You barely need a shaker and blender ball to mix this protein powder to get the perfect amount of chocolate flavoring. 

Best Tasting Plant-Based Protein Powder: Transparent Labs Rice & Pea Protein Powder

Transparent Labs Organic Vegan Rice & Pea Protein

4.5

• Protein type: Pea protein isolate, rice protein
• Number of servings: 30
• Cost: $1.67 per serving
• Calories per serving: 130 to 150
• Protein per serving: 24 grams
• Flavors: Chocolate, French Vanilla 
• Third-party tested: Yes, by independent labs

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As more of the population becomes health-conscious, there has been a big push to create plant-based protein powders. Plant-derived protein sources may have protective factors against chronic diseases like diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and chronic kidney disease. (6) Of the plant-based protein powders currently available, Transparent Labs Rice & Pea protein powder is our top pick. 

What made it stand out? Transparent Labs brand does a fantastic job of being exactly that — transparent. There are no proprietary blends in any of their supplements. They tell you exactly how much of each ingredient you get in a serving of their products. For every 32.05 gram scoop of the vegan protein powder, you get 20,000 milligrams of organic rice protein and 9,411 milligrams of organic pea protein isolate. Blending these two organic protein sources creates a “complete protein,” which means it contains sufficient amounts of all nine essential amino acids. 

While Transparent Labs’ chocolate vegan protein powder can work in water alone, the texture doesn’t lend itself to this simple preparation as readily as egg or whey. Our tester reports that this powder had a somewhat gritty texture.

This seems to be the recurring theme among reviewers on their website as well. Out of 286 reviews, Transparent Labs Rice & Pea Protein holds 4.2 out of 5 stars. Many reviewers report that they really “clicked” with this protein once they added it to hot and cold cereals, pancake mix, or in a non-water beverage such as almond milk. 

Best Tasting Whey Protein Powder: Legion Whey+

Legion Whey+

4.0

• Protein type: Whey isolate
• Number of servings: 30 to 78
• Cost per serving: $1.54 to $2.00
• Calories per serving: 100 to 130
• Protein per serving: 21 to 24 grams
• Flavors: Apple Pie, Banana Bread, Cinnamon Cereal, Dutch Chocolate, Birthday Cake, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cocoa Cereal, Cookies & Cream, French Vanilla, Fruity Cereal, Honey Cereal, Mocha Cappucino, Pumpkin Pie, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Banana, Unflavored
• Third-party tested: Labdoor

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The “best tasting whey protein powder” title goes to a product that is made without the use of added sugars, has 100 percent natural ingredients (meaning it is naturally flavored and sweetened), and has a third-party testing grade of “A” from Labdoor. Legion Whey+ is sure to have a flavor that you will enjoy because there are just over 15 flavor options!

The Breaking Muscle product review staff gushed about the Cinnamon Cereal flavor option and gave it a 4.5 out of 5 because it left them wanting more of that well-known Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal flavor. If you don’t like cinnamon, another one of the classic or unique options, such as Banana Bread, might speak to you.

Many reviewers specifically praise this lactose-free protein for how easy it is to digest. This makes it a popular choice for fortifying everyday foods with protein-rich flavor. For example, you could add cereal-type flavors to literal cereal, add French vanilla to tropical fruit breakfast smoothies, or put birthday cake protein powder in cake balls. 

This protein powder blends perfectly and many users (including our product tester) report no issues with Legion Whey+ powder’s solubility.

The only complaint our review staff lodged was against the Legion website itself. The customer service policies and actual customer service team are all great, but navigating the website requires getting past a ton of obnoxious pop-up ads and personal email requests. If you can get past these and add the powder to your shopping cart, your prize will be what we think is the best-tasting whey protein powder on the market. 

RELATED: Best Whey Protein Powder

Best Tasting Vegan Protein Powder: Vega Sport Premium Protein Powder

Vega Sport Protein

4.2

• Protein type: Alfalfa, pea, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed
• Number of servings: 12 to 20
• Cost: $2.22 to $3.55 per serving
• Calories per serving: 170 to 180
• Protein per serving: 30 grams
• Flavors: Berry, Chocolate, Mocha, Peanut Butter, Vanilla
• Third-party tested: NSF Certified for Sport

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If you are a practicing vegan or simply prefer plant-based protein powder, Vega Sport Premium hits some big checkboxes: a complete amino acid profile, third-party testing, and user-beloved flavors.  

Vega Sport Premium is sourced from a unique protein blend combination of peas, pumpkin seeds, organic sunflower seeds, and alfalfa. This gives it a light, not overly pea-y texture that mixes equally well in plain water, a smoothie, or any dairy-free beverage.

This supplement is made without any added sugars — meaning that the creamy flavor you get comes from all-natural ingredients, plus the plant-based sweetener stevia. While many stevia-flavored protein powders can have a unique flavor or aftertaste, our testers report that the stevia in Vega is undetectable, and the overall flavor is natural and clean. With regard to flavor, users couldn’t be happier.

On their website, they have had 499 reviewers say their peace. Of the 499 reviews, 419 gave this product a 5 out of 5-star rating, 56 gave it a 4 out of 5, 22 gave it 3 out of 5 stars, and 1 user each gave a 2-star and 1-star rating.  

With regard to mixability, this product has earned a 4.5 out of five stars from us because it blends so easily. Try this supplement in coffee, a blueberry and strawberry smoothie, and even mixed in with peanut butter on a PB&J sandwich!

RELATED: Best Pea Protein Powder

Best Tasting Vanilla Protein Powder: Swolverine Whey Protein Isolate

Swolverine Whey Protein Isolate

3.6

• Protein type: Whey isolate
• Number of servings: 30
• Cost: $2.10 per serving
• Calories per serving: 110
• Protein per serving: 26 grams
• Flavors: Chocolate, Honey Cinnamon Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry, Vanilla
• Third-party tested: Lief and Micro Quality Labs

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Vanilla-flavored protein powders are flooding the protein supplement market right now. In fact, if you were to search “vanilla protein powder” on Amazon, you’d find over 2,000 results. We don’t hand out the award for our top pick for best-tasting vanilla powder lightly, but Swolverine Whey Protein Isolate certainly earned it. 

While it’s more expensive than most other protein powders on our list, our Breaking Muscle testing team gave Swolverine a solid 5 out of 5 for its formulation. For only 110 calories, you get 26 grams of protein but only one gram of carbs, and 0.5 grams of fat. 

This makes this product ideal for those looking to maintain muscle mass while dieting. Consuming whey protein has been directly correlated with a reduced risk of muscle mass loss, increasing skeletal lean muscle mass, and preventing muscle mass from being used for energy when utilizing caloric restriction. (2)

Our testers gave Swolverine Whey Protein Isolate a 4 out of 5 ranking for both taste and solubility. They report that a serving-size scoop blends quickly and completely in a run-of-the-mill blender bottle, even noting that it was “kinda weird” how easily this powder turns into a thin mixture. This may be off-putting for some users though who prefer their protein shakes to be thicker.

For this reason, if you’re someone who prefers a thicker protein shake, consider adding Swolverine to milk or dairy-free milk. When mixed with milk, Swolverine received high praise from our tester who said it was very rich and tasted great.

Best Tasting Protein Powder for Weight Loss: Myprotein Impact Whey Protein

Myprotein Impact Whey Protein Powder

3.8

• Protein type: Whey protein concentrate
• Number of servings: 10 to 200
• Cost: $0.95 to $1.30 per serving
• Calories per serving: 100
• Protein per serving: 19 grams
• Flavors: Birthday Cake, Chocolate, Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Smooth, Chocolate Stevia, Cinnamon Cereal, Fruity Cereal, Marshmallow Cereal, Mocha, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Cream, Unflavored, Vanilla, Vanilla Stevia, White Chocolate Peppermint
• Third-party tested: No

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If you are picky about flavor, MyProtein Impact Whey Protein powder probably has the answer. At the time of writing, it comes in 20 different flavors. Flavors like white chocolate peppermint, salted caramel, and birthday cake give you a wide range of non-junk food options to support your weight loss journey, making this an easy pick for the best-tasting protein powder for weight loss. 

A scoop of MyProtein Impact provides 18 grams of protein, which is on the low side, but impressively, it does it with just 1.5 to two grams of fat, three grams of carbohydrates, and 95 to 100 calories per serving (depending on which flavor you decide to roll with). Plenty of research has supported whey protein supplementation as a way to manage caloric intake, reduce fat mass, and prevent muscle mass catabolism (breakdown) when dieting. (7) And when you’re dieting, your protein needs might actually be higher than when you’re eating in a caloric surplus. MyProtein Impact can be a low-calorie way to reach your recommended daily intake of protein, while still getting to partake in fun, dessert-like flavors. 

Of all the flavor options available, the Cookies and Cream option doesn’t appear to be very popular. However, the Fruity Cereal, Chocolate Brownie, and Birthday Cake options get the most consistently high marks from our reviewers. But because there are so many fun flavor options, try and get creative in the way you use them. You could add protein powder to a fruity smoothie bowl or make high-protein baked goods. Several reviewers love how easily this product mixes without leaving a gritty texture, even when mixed with plain water or low-fat milk. 

RELATED: Best Supplements for Weight Loss

Best Tasting Casein Protein Powder: Kaged Casein

Kaged Casein

4.0

• Protein type: Isolated Micellar Casein 
• Number of servings: 29
• Cost per serving: $1.38
• Calories per serving: 110
• Protein per serving: 25 grams 
• Flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter 
• Third-party tested: Informed Sport

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If you have searched for protein powder supplements, you have probably found whey protein to be the most popular. However, it is not the only dairy-based protein source. Allow me to introduce casein. Casein isn’t as popular in the protein powder world as whey, but it offers some unique advantages that are worth taking seriously. First and foremost, it’s a slow-digesting protein, whereas whey gets digested quickly. (9) But this just means that you can use casein protein powders, like Kaged Casein, for different scenarios than whey protein. 

Since casein hangs out in the digestive tract longer than whey protein, it helps you to feel fuller for longer, while also helping to control glucose (blood sugar) levels, and facilitating muscle growth and repair. When compared to whey, casein is best used during periods of fasting, such as long breaks between meals and even sleep. (9) 

Kaged also packs a punch when it comes to calcium – delivering 608 milligrams per scoop. This is a hefty dose of calcium when compared to other protein powders. To put it in perspective, the amount of calcium present in the other powders in this review varies from 0 milligrams (Transparent Labs Rice & Pea Protein Powder) to 260 milligrams (Vega Sport Premium Protein Powder). Calcium is an important mineral and electrolyte used for muscle contraction. Without it, we would not be able to flush our muscles with energy in the form of glucose during exercise and post-workout recovery. (10) So, we appreciate that Kaged Casein adds in a healthy amount.  

Most protein powders that use casein in their formulation are thicker in texture than plain whey. Our Breaking Muscle review staff gave this product a 4 out of 5 for formulation and solubility. We deducted a point for mixability due to how long it takes to get this protein to actually dissolve. However, after a little while, the mixture became pretty smooth and ended up creamier and richer than any whey shake.

We also gave it 4 out of 5 stars for taste. We tried the Vanilla Shake flavor, which doesn’t currently appear to be available. However, customers on Kaged’s website have praised the Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor. One customer called it “amazing” and another said he has “tried a few others and always come[s] back to Kaged chocolate peanut butter.”

Many reviewers actually appreciate this extra thickness, as it results in a milkshake-like treat, especially if you cool it down in the fridge or freezer before drinking. Kasein also works great in food preparations like chia seed pudding, protein ice cream, or no-bake cheesecake bites.  

Best Tasting Low-Carb Protein Powder: Onnit Whey Protein

Onnit Whey Protein

4.4

• Protein type: Whey isolate
• Number of servings: 30
• Cost: $2.00 per serving
• Calories per serving: 110
• Protein per serving: 20 grams
• Flavors: Mexican Chocolate, Vanilla
• Third-party tested: Informed Sport

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For only three grams of carbs per serving, Onnit Whey brings offers unique flavors and a few perks for your digestive system. Along with 20 grams of whey protein isolate, each scoop brings a blend of digestive enzymes and a dose of the healthy probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus. These added components are known to aid in carbohydrate digestion. Those who struggle with whey-based protein powders may find Onnit Whey easier to digest and experience fewer GI symptoms. 

Our product review team gives Onnit Whey Protein powder a 5 out of 5 stars for solubility but a 3.75 out of 5 stars for taste. Our reviewer found the texture to be rather thin when mixed with water alone, but far superior when added to oat milk. However, she loved the Mexican Chocolate flavor, finding it more unique than the usual chocolate protein formula. 

Reviewers on Onnit’s website concur that the mixability is great and that the protein powder blends smoothly into smoothies, cereals, and milk (both animal and plant-based). However, not all long-time users rave about the new vanilla flavor ingredient formulation. If you try this powder and decide that it’s not for you, don’t worry — we rank Onnit’s customer service 5 out of 5 stars due to their responsiveness online and their money-back guarantee. 

Benefits of Protein Powder

Protein powder supplements offer plenty of benefits. You should consider adding one to your diet if any of the following support your health and fitness goals: 

• Increased overall muscle mass and strength (1)
• Slowing or preventing muscle loss from dieting or aging (2)(7)
• Improving weight loss and weight management(7)
• Reduced risk of certain chronic diseases (6) 
• Quicker post-workout recovery time (1)
• Improved satiety (your sensation of fullness) (7)

What To Look For in the Best Tasting Protein Powder

Choosing which dietary supplement to roll with is a big decision. We understand that there are a lot of things to consider when researching which protein powder will fit the bill for your individualized health goal and be enjoyable to drink. As a registered dietitian, I also recommend considering solubility, texture, cost, calories per scoop, macro and micronutrient formulation, added ingredients, and lingering side effects.

Macronutrients

When you read a nutrition food label, you will notice percentages to the right of the fat and carbohydrate listings. However, if you keep scrolling down the label, you will find that our third and final macronutrient, protein, does not have a percentage for the daily value listed next to it. Percent daily value is based on a 2,000-calorie daily intake. This percentage is not required to be listed on the food label for protein.

Since the amount of protein needed in a day varies so drastically with regard to physical activity, medical concerns, age, sex, and anthropometrics (such as height and weight), you will only find it represented as grams. What your body needs from a protein powder will be based on your desired nutrition targets.  

• Physical activity. Multiply your body weight in kilograms by 0.8 grams of protein to determine your daily protein needs. As you increase your output through minimal, moderate, and high-intensity workouts, you will need to multiply your body weight in kilograms by 1.0, 1.3, and 1.6 grams of protein, respectively, to build lean body mass appropriately. It would be wise to incorporate a protein powder with some carbohydrates for post-workout recovery to help replenish your muscles’ energy storage. 
• Anthropometrics and overall goal. You will need to adjust the amount of protein you intake daily to align with your nutrition goals. If you want to gain muscle mass and recover quicker post-workout, a powder with a higher protein content can help. If you want to lose weight and implement protein intake as a way to help with satiety, the amount you will need will heavily depend on your current height and weight. 
• Medical concerns. To promote healing, our protein needs generally increase post-surgery and even when recovering from illness. Those who have diabetes usually need a higher protein intake than the general population. However, those who are not on dialysis but have impaired renal function will have decreased protein needs. 

Protein Source 

Protein can come from a wide range of plant or animal-based sources. The most common form of protein found in protein powders is whey protein. Whey, along with casein, is a byproduct of the cheese-making process. The main difference between these two popular proteins is the rate at which we absorb them. 

Casein is digested and absorbed slowly because it curdles when exposed to stomach acid. It can take as much as  5 hours or more to fully digest. On the contrary, your body breaks down whey usually within 90 minutes after consumption. Casein is great for when we know we won’t eat for a long time and need slow-released amino acids — such as before going to bed. Whey protein is ideal for post-workout recovery and muscle synthesis. (9)(11)

Plant-based protein is just as reliable as whey protein when it comes to gaining muscle and cultivating lean body mass. Many studies have shown that when pea protein and brown rice protein contain the same amount of protein as animal sources, they are as effective at delaying workout fatigue and improving post-workout recovery times. So if you are vegan, vegetarian, or just looking for a plant-friendly option, don’t feel like you have to compromise in either quality or taste. 

Other Ingredients

Be sure to review the list of ingredients on the nutrition facts label when choosing a protein powder. The manufacturer will note on the label if their protein powder contains common allergens. Check the label carefully to make sure you are not exposed to anything that could cause an allergic reaction or gastrointestinal upset, such as soy, artificial sweeteners, dairy, nuts, or gluten. 

It is always a good idea to consult with a registered dietitian nutritionist who can personalize dietary supplements to your health needs. Things like fiber, probiotics, digestive enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants should be taken into consideration when choosing a dietary supplement, to ensure it helps bolster your health targets. 

Flavor and Solubility 

We can’t skip over flavor when considering which protein powders taste the best. Drinking the same protein powder every day can feel repetitive and boring, which can discourage us from using our protein supplements as we should. To prevent this, I encourage my clients to shake up the way they approach protein powder and incorporate it into their diets in a creative way. 

For example, adding chocolate peanut butter-flavored protein powder to muffin mix would be a great way to fortify the mix with more nutrients. Mixing vanilla protein powder into a cold coffee can make a yummy iced latte. Cinnamon cereal and pumpkin spice choices would be delicious flavor options to put in pancake batter, bread dough, and overnight oats.

Solubility is another crucial factor to consider. If a protein powder doesn’t dissolve well and forms clumps when you mix it, you probably won’t want to consume it again. According to our testers, the products above had varying levels of solubility. The Transparent Labs Organic Vegan Rice & Pea Protein Powder scored a 3.75. The other products we tested scored a 4 or 5 on the grading scale, with 5 being deemed perfect for mixability.

Third-Party Testing  

Third-party testing for label accuracy and purity isn’t the norm in the supplement industry, but it’s important to look for. Third-party testing shows that a manufacturer went the extra mile to prove that their ingredient list is free of banned substances, microbial life, heavy metals, and toxins and that it contains only what the label says. 

Final Thoughts

Incorporating protein powder into your fitness and health routine doesn’t have to be boring. To help stir your tastebuds, we have compiled our picks for the best-tasting protein powder currently on the market. We have a rigorous vetting process for testing products and out of the nearly 100 protein powders we have tried, only 10 made the cut. 

Protein powder is an excellent way to supplement your diet to increase your overall protein consumption. Keep in mind that protein powder should be exactly that though – supplemental and not serve as a routine meal replacement. A diversified, well-balanced diet consisting of whole food sources from each food group should constitute your normal eating patterns. However, if you are looking for a great-tasting, low-carbohydrate, low-fat, calorie-conscious protein supplement, we have you covered. Protein powder is used to increase muscle mass, curb hunger, improve exercise endurance, delay fatigue onset during a workout, and recover quicker so you can hit the gym again feeling fresh. 

Best Tasting Protein Powder: Side-by-Side Comparison

Best Tasting Protein Powder Overall	Best Tasting Vegan Protein Powder	Best Tasting Vanilla Protein Powder	Best Tasting Chocolate Protein Powder	Best Tasting Plant-Based Protein Powder	Best Tasting Protein Powder for Weight Loss	Best Tasting Protein Powder for Women	Best Tasting Whey Protein Powder	Best Tasting Casein Protein Powder	Best Tasting Low-Carb Protein Powder
Jacked Factory Authentic ISO	Vega Sport Protein	Swolverine Whey Protein Isolate	XWERKS Grow	Transparent Labs Organic Vegan Rice & Pea Protein	Myprotein Impact Whey Protein Powder	Ritual Essential Protein Powder	Legion Whey+	Kaged Casein	Onnit Whey Protein
4.0	4.2	3.6	4.3	4.5	3.8	4.4	4.0	4.0	4.4
Description: Protein type: Whey isolate Number of servings: 30 Cost per serving: $1.20 to $1.33 Calories per serving: 110 to 130 Protein per serving: 25 grams, depending on the flavor Flavors: Cookies & Cream, Unflavored (if you buy from Amazon) Third-party tested: No	Description: Protein type: Alfalfa, pea, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed Number of servings: 12 to 20 Cost: $2.22 to $3.55 per serving Calories per serving: 170 to 180 Protein per serving: 30 grams Flavors: Berry, Chocolate, Mocha, Peanut Butter, Vanilla Third-party tested: NSF Certified for Sport	Description: Protein type: Whey isolate Number of servings: 30 Cost: $2.10 per serving Calories per serving: 110 Protein per serving: 26 grams Flavors: Chocolate, Honey Cinnamon Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry, Vanilla Third-party tested: Lief and Micro Quality Labs	Description: Protein type: Whey protein isolate Number of servings: 30 Cost: $1.97 per serving Calories per serving: 110 Protein per serving: 23 to 25 grams Flavors: Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Strawberry, Vanilla Third-party tested: No	Description: Protein type: Pea protein isolate, rice protein Number of servings: 30 Cost: $1.67 per serving Calories per serving: 130 to 150 Protein per serving: 24 grams Flavors: Chocolate, French Vanilla  Third-party tested: Yes, by independent labs	Description: Protein type: Whey protein concentrate Number of servings: 10 to 200 Cost: $0.95 to $1.30 per serving Calories per serving: 100 Protein per serving: 19 grams Flavors: Birthday Cake, Chocolate, Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Smooth, Chocolate Stevia, Cinnamon Cereal, Fruity Cereal, Marshmallow Cereal, Mocha, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Cream, Unflavored, Vanilla, Vanilla Stevia, White Chocolate Peppermint Third-party tested: No	Description: Protein type: Pea protein Number of servings: 15 Cost per serving: $2.66 Calories per serving: 115  Protein per serving: 20 grams  Flavors: Vanilla Third-party tested: Yes	Description: Protein type: Whey isolate Number of servings: 30 to 78 Cost per serving: $1.54 to $2.00 Calories per serving: 100 to 130 Protein per serving: 21 to 24 grams Flavors: Apple Pie, Banana Bread, Cinnamon Cereal, Dutch Chocolate, Birthday Cake, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cocoa Cereal, Cookies & Cream, French Vanilla, Fruity Cereal, Honey Cereal, Mocha Cappucino, Pumpkin Pie, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Banana, Unflavored Third-party tested: Labdoor	Description: Protein type: Isolated Micellar Casein  Number of servings: 29 Cost per serving: $1.38 Calories per serving: 110 Protein per serving: 25 grams  Flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter  Third-party tested: Informed Sport	Description: Protein type: Whey isolate Number of servings: 30 Cost: $2.00 per serving Calories per serving: 110 Protein per serving: 20 grams Flavors: Mexican Chocolate, Vanilla Third-party tested: Informed Sport
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Best Tasting Protein Powder Overall

Jacked Factory Authentic ISO

4.0

Description:

• Protein type: Whey isolate
• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.20 to $1.33
• Calories per serving: 110 to 130
• Protein per serving: 25 grams, depending on the flavor
• Flavors: Cookies & Cream, Unflavored (if you buy from Amazon)
• Third-party tested: No

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Best Tasting Vegan Protein Powder

Vega Sport Protein

4.2

Description:

• Protein type: Alfalfa, pea, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed
• Number of servings: 12 to 20
• Cost: $2.22 to $3.55 per serving
• Calories per serving: 170 to 180
• Protein per serving: 30 grams
• Flavors: Berry, Chocolate, Mocha, Peanut Butter, Vanilla
• Third-party tested: NSF Certified for Sport

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Best Tasting Vanilla Protein Powder

Swolverine Whey Protein Isolate

3.6

Description:

• Protein type: Whey isolate
• Number of servings: 30
• Cost: $2.10 per serving
• Calories per serving: 110
• Protein per serving: 26 grams
• Flavors: Chocolate, Honey Cinnamon Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry, Vanilla
• Third-party tested: Lief and Micro Quality Labs

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Best Tasting Chocolate Protein Powder

XWERKS Grow

4.3

Description:

• Protein type: Whey protein isolate
• Number of servings: 30
• Cost: $1.97 per serving
• Calories per serving: 110
• Protein per serving: 23 to 25 grams
• Flavors: Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Strawberry, Vanilla
• Third-party tested: No

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Best Tasting Plant-Based Protein Powder

Transparent Labs Organic Vegan Rice & Pea Protein

4.5

Description:

• Protein type: Pea protein isolate, rice protein
• Number of servings: 30
• Cost: $1.67 per serving
• Calories per serving: 130 to 150
• Protein per serving: 24 grams
• Flavors: Chocolate, French Vanilla 
• Third-party tested: Yes, by independent labs

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Best Tasting Protein Powder for Weight Loss

Myprotein Impact Whey Protein Powder

3.8

Description:

• Protein type: Whey protein concentrate
• Number of servings: 10 to 200
• Cost: $0.95 to $1.30 per serving
• Calories per serving: 100
• Protein per serving: 19 grams
• Flavors: Birthday Cake, Chocolate, Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Smooth, Chocolate Stevia, Cinnamon Cereal, Fruity Cereal, Marshmallow Cereal, Mocha, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Cream, Unflavored, Vanilla, Vanilla Stevia, White Chocolate Peppermint
• Third-party tested: No

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Best Tasting Protein Powder for Women

Ritual Essential Protein Powder

4.4

Description:

• Protein type: Pea protein
• Number of servings: 15
• Cost per serving: $2.66
• Calories per serving: 115 
• Protein per serving: 20 grams 
• Flavors: Vanilla
• Third-party tested: Yes

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Best Tasting Whey Protein Powder

Legion Whey+

4.0

Description:

• Protein type: Whey isolate
• Number of servings: 30 to 78
• Cost per serving: $1.54 to $2.00
• Calories per serving: 100 to 130
• Protein per serving: 21 to 24 grams
• Flavors: Apple Pie, Banana Bread, Cinnamon Cereal, Dutch Chocolate, Birthday Cake, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cocoa Cereal, Cookies & Cream, French Vanilla, Fruity Cereal, Honey Cereal, Mocha Cappucino, Pumpkin Pie, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Banana, Unflavored
• Third-party tested: Labdoor

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Best Tasting Casein Protein Powder

Kaged Casein

4.0

Description:

• Protein type: Isolated Micellar Casein 
• Number of servings: 29
• Cost per serving: $1.38
• Calories per serving: 110
• Protein per serving: 25 grams 
• Flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter 
• Third-party tested: Informed Sport

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Best Tasting Low-Carb Protein Powder

Onnit Whey Protein

4.4

Description:

• Protein type: Whey isolate
• Number of servings: 30
• Cost: $2.00 per serving
• Calories per serving: 110
• Protein per serving: 20 grams
• Flavors: Mexican Chocolate, Vanilla
• Third-party tested: Informed Sport

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FAQs

Research

1. Kadam BR, Ambadkar RK, Rathod KS, et al. Health benefits of whey – a brief review. Intern Journ of Livestock Res. 2018;8(5):31-49. doi: 10.5455/ijlr.20170411022323
2. Devries MC, Phillips SM. Supplemental protein in support of muscle mass and health: advantage whey. Journ of Food Sci. 2015;80:8-15. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.12802
3. Foegeding EA, Davis JP, Doucet D, et al. Advances in modifying and understanding whey protein functionality. Trends in Food Sci & Tech. 2002;13(5):151-159. Doi: 10.1016/S0924-2244(02)00111-5
4. Kamei Y, Hatazawa Y, Uchitomi R, et al. Regulation of skeletal muscle function by amino acids. Nutrients. 2020;12(1):261. doi: 10.3390/nu12010261
5. Kurihra K. Umami the fifth basic taste: history of studies on receptor mechanisms and role as a food flavor. BioMed Res Intern. 2015. doi: 10.1155/2015/189402
6. Cao X, Liao W, Wang S. Food protein-derived biocative peptides ofr the management of nutrition related chronic diseases. Adv in Food and Nutr Res. 2022;101:277-307. doi: 10.1016/bs.afnr.2022.04.004 
7. Samal JRK, Samal IR . Protein supplements: pros and cons. Journ of Diet Supp. 2018;15(3):365-371. doi: 10.1080/19390211.2017.1353567
8. Nieman DC, Zwetsloot KA, Simonson AJ, et al. Effects of whey and pea protein supplementation on post-eccentric exercise muscle damage: a randomized trial. Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2382. doi: 10.3390/nu12082382
9. Lambers TT, Van den Bosch WG, Jong S. Fast and slow proteins: modulation of the gastric behavior of whey and casein in vitro. Food Dig. 2013;4:1-6. doi: 10.1007/s13228-012-0028-7
10. Girgis CM, Clifton-Bligh RJ, Hamrick MW, et al. The roles of vitamin D in skeletal muscle: form, function, and metabolism. Endo Rev. 2013;34(1):33-83. doi: 10.1210/er.2012-1012
11. Dangin M, Boirie Y, Guillet C, et al. Influence of the protein digestion rate on protein turnover in young and elderly subjects. J Nutr. 2002;132(10):3228S-33S. doi:10.1093/jn/131.10.3228S

The post Best Tasting Protein Powder (2023): Flavors You’ll Crave and Quality You Can Trust appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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Shortly after switching the location of the 2024 CrossFit Games from Madison, Wisconsin to Fort Worth, Texas, CrossFit HQ has shifted gears yet again by making significant changes for the upcoming season. However, unlike the decision to host the sport’s preeminent event at Dickie’s Arena next year, choosing to overhaul the Adaptive and Age-Group divisions will likely be met with more criticism than excitement. 

On Oct. 10, 2023, CrossFit HQ delivered a press release detailing major changes for the 2024 season. 

“CrossFit is excited to announce three new partnerships that will help grow the CrossFit Games championship competition and create new opportunities to shine a spotlight on athletes across all divisions. WheelWOD Games, Pit Teen Throwdown, and Legends Championship will host the adaptive and age-group championships for the 2024 CrossFit Games season.

The change will dramatically increase the number of masters and teenage athletes competing in the finals, nearly double the number of divisions for adaptive athletes, and provide a chance for CrossFit to evolve its competition model to make the CrossFit Games internationally scalable in the future.” 

Although the partnerships will give more athletes a chance to participate, taking away the opportunity for competitors in the Adaptive and Age-Group divisions to share the same stage as the top Individual and Team performers in the championship round represents an obvious drawback.

Instead, qualifying Masters athletes (ages 35-65+) will move through the online Quarterfinals and Semifinals before advancing to the Legends Championship for an in-person Final. While the 2023 Legends Championship will take place in Tempe, Arizona from Dec. 7-10, it is unclear if the 2024 edition will happen in the same location. 

Athletes in the Teens division (ages 14-17) will follow the traditional CrossFit Games stages (Open, Quarterfinals, and Semifinals) before wrapping up their season at the Pit Teen Throwdown. The 2024 edition will still take place in Three Rivers, Michigan, which has hosted the annual fitness competition for several years. 

Per the CrossFit press release: “The Pit Teen Throwdown offers a highly competitive arena for world-class athletes to test their skill, strength, and stamina against their peers,” CrossFit HQ wrote in the press release. “Big names in the sport have competed in the Throwdown in the past such as 2023 Rookie of the Year Olivia Kerstetter and 2022’s second-Fittest Woman on Earth Mal O’Brien.” 

The 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games, which took place in August, crowned several new champions in the Teen division, including:

• Maria Granizo (14-15 Girls)
• Jeremie Jourdan (14-15 Boys)
• Lucy McGonigle (16-17 Girls)
• Ty Jenkins (16-17 Boys)

Moving forward, though, talented youngsters like Granizo and Jourdan will have to settle for showcasing their strength, agility, and fitness at the Pit Teen Throwdown rather than at what should be a jam-packed Dickie’s Arena.

Meanwhile, the entire Adaptive athlete season will be run exclusively by WheelWOD, an organization that brings more than a decade of experience hosting annual competitions. The new partnership will not only expand the number of competitive divisions from eight to 15, but it will also allow athletes from all 15 to have a chance to advance to the in-person final.

The current Adaptive divisions include:

• Vision
• Intellectual
• Seated With Hip Function
• Seated Without Hip Function
• Short Stature
• Multi Extremity
• Lower Extremity
• Upper Extremity

Considering only three divisions (Multi Extremity, Lower Extremity, and Upper Extremity) moved on to the final at the most recent CrossFit Games, the new format should be viewed positively from a participation perspective — especially with WheelWOD offering additional divisions such as Sensory (which includes both vision and hearing) and more specific Upper and Lower Extremity categories as defined by an athlete’s “points of contact” with their relevant limbs.

With the 2023 WheelWOD Games taking place in Raleigh, North Carolina from Nov. 30-Dec. 3, Adaptive athletes can get a hint of what next year’s competition might look like. However, CrossFit HQ said the dates and location for 2024 will be shared at a later time.

Despite shifting directions in such considerable fashion, CrossFit General Manager of Sport and Education Dave Castro believes the changes “will benefit each division in significant ways, most importantly more than doubling qualifying spots for masters and teens and allowing every adaptive division a place at the in-person championship.” 

Only time will tell whether the athletes affected share the same sentiment. However, there’s little doubt that the 2024 CrossFit Games will look quite different, and after delivering substantial announcements in successive months, don’t be surprised if more changes are unveiled moving forward.

Featured Image: @crossfitgames / Instagram

The post CrossFit HQ Announces Major Changes to Adaptive and Age-Group Divisions for 2024 Season appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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Concept2 created the original rowing ergometer in 1981 as a training tool for competitive athletes. It quickly became one of the best rowing machines for the athletic population, and thanks to CrossFit, it is an even more popular training device than ever.

During my years as a personal trainer, I used the Concept2 rower myself and for dozens of clients. Collectively, the Breaking Muscle staff also has decades of experience using this rower in their home gyms, CrossFit boxes, and other commercial gyms. We’re well-equipped to provide this in-depth Concept2 rower review and speak to its key features, pros, cons, specifications, and how it compares to other popular rowing machines.

Key Takeaways

• The Concept2 rower, now called the RowErg, is the same machine as the Model D (the rower with a 14-inch seat height) and Model E (the rower with a 20-inch seat height). Concept2 changed the machine’s name in May 2021. The Model E rower has been discontinued. However, the RowErg is available with either a 14-inch seat height or a 20-inch seat height.
• With a clean and effective design, the Concept2 Rower is engineered for smooth operation, easy maintenance, and long-lasting performance. This commercial-grade rowing machine features a nickel-plated steel chain, aluminum front legs, and steel rear legs to ensure a durable, long-lasting build. 
• The Concept2 Rower comes with a PM5 performance monitor that tracks stats such as pace, strokes per minute, estimated calories burned, and watts (power output). The monitor also connects via Bluetooth to various apps, including ErgData.

Concept2 RowErg

4.5

• Frame is made of heavy-duty aluminum
• Ergonomic handlebar and seat
• PM5 monitor comes with Bluetooth capabilities
• Accomodates users up to 6’6 and 500 pounds
• Comes with a limited five-year warranty

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Concept2 Rower Pros

• The Concept2 Rower uses air resistance, which adjusts to your stroke rate and power. Air resistance also provides smoother action compared to magnetic and water-based rowers. I can attest to this, as I have used both air and magnetic rowers. 
• The Concept2 can hold users up to 500 pounds. Other brands like NordicTrack, Peloton, and Hydrow can only accommodate users up to 250 to 375 pounds. 
• You can quickly break down the rower using the quick-release feature or even mount it to the wall. Concept2 doesn’t sell a mounting tool for the rower, but the Rogue Fitness wall hanger is available for around $32.50.

Concept2 Rower Cons

• Because it is an air rower, it can be loud. The harder you row, the louder the machine becomes. It might deter those who use it in their home gym and do not want to disrupt their family members or roommates.
• The Concept2 RowErg costs around $990 before taxes and shipping. While cheaper than other rowers on the market with lots of high-end tech features (like touchscreen monitors and on-screen workout classes, which Concept2 doesn’t offer), it still might not be ideal for those looking for an ultra-budget-friendly machine.
• The Concept2 rower is very long, reaching a total length of 96 inches (eight feet) when assembled. Those with limited workout space at home may need to look at more compact rowing machines.

Concept2 Rower Overview

The Concept2 rower is arguably the most popular rowing machine currently available that’s suitable for both home and commercial use. In 1981, Concept2 became the first brand to create an indoor rowing machine. Since then, it has become an iconic brand in the fitness industry. As a personal trainer who has worked in different commercial gyms such as Life Time Fitness and Anytime Fitness, I can attest to the ubiquitousness of the Concept2 Rower.

In CrossFit, the Concept2 rower is one of the preferred cardio machines for both casual and competitive athletes. CrossFit values the Concept2 rower because it offers a complete full-body workout, making it an effective tool for assessing overall fitness levels. It accommodates users up to 500 pounds, so it can be suitable for individuals of varying sizes and fitness levels. Plus, its sturdy construction and minimal maintenance requirements mean it can withstand heavy use in CrossFit boxes.

The Concept2 rowing machine features a nickel-plated steel chain, aluminum front legs, and steel rear legs. While its price of just under $1,000 places it in the mid-range of rowing machine options, it offers exceptional value for its performance and durability. It operates on air resistance, so it replicates the feel of open-water rowing and matches your intensity as you row.

Who Should Buy a Concept2 Rower

• This indoor rower could be good for those who want a full-body workout to test both muscular and cardiovascular endurance.
• The functionality of the Concept2 rower is great for those who are especially into CrossFit-style training. Concept2 is the preferred brand for rowing machines in the CrossFit community.
• The Concept2 RowErg could be an excellent low-impact cardio machine for those who suffer from joint pain. Unlike running, rowing doesn’t place a huge amount of stress on the knees, hips, and ankles.

Who Should Not Buy a Concept2 Rower

• The Concept2 rower might not be ideal for those who are worried about noise. This is an air resistance rower. The harder you row, the more air moves around the flywheel, which makes the machine louder.
• Even though the Concept2 RowErg offers a 20-inch-high seat, individuals with severe mobility restrictions may still find it too low.
• Using this rower could be tough for those with limited space. When fully assembled, the Concept2 rower machine is 96 inches long. Depending on your setup, you might not have enough room to fit the erg comfortably and work out safely.

RELATED: Best Home Gym Equipment

Concept2 Rower In-Depth Review

The review below is based on insights I’ve gathered through my own use of the Concept2 RowErg and feedback I’ve received from the Breaking Muscle staff, which comprises CrossFitters, certified personal trainers, and strength and conditioning coaches. We then used a proprietary scoring system to rank the machine on a scale of one to five in various categories, such as cost, the quality of the materials, tracking capabilities, and assembly.

Price

The Concept2 RowErg with the 14-inch seat height costs around $990 before taxes and shipping. If you opt for the 20-inch seat height, it will cost around $1,155. While the price could be a drawback for anyone on a super strict budget, we still gave it 4.8 stars. The overall value is high due to the machine’s commercial-quality construction and durability. Also, this rower machine is much cheaper than other options, like the Peloton or Hydrow rowers, which are double the price (or more).

Materials, Build, and Construction Quality

The Concept2 rower consists of aluminum front legs, steel rear legs, a nickel-plated steel chain, an aluminum monorail, and a stainless steel seat track.

Due to this heavy-duty construction, we rated the build a 4.9 out of 5. Based on my experience with the Concept2 rower, it can take on heavy abuse. Even in commercial gym settings, it is so strong it may never have to be replaced.

Amanda Dvorak, Breaking Muscle’s Reviews Editor who started CrossFit in 2015 and now uses a Concept2 rower in her garage gym, can attest to its durability. She mentioned that even after banging it on her squat rack accidentally (on multiple occasions) while moving it around her garage, she’s never noticed a difference in how it looks or performs. The CrossFit gyms she’s trained at previously also never had any major issues with these rowers, despite them being used six to seven times a day for years.

Delivery and Assembly

After the erg arrived at our testing facility, our team ranked the delivery and assembly process a 5 out of 5. There was no damage upon delivery.

I have built many pieces of home gym equipment, including the Stamina Elite rower I use at home. I can honestly say that one of the biggest issues with all of my purchases is that it takes forever to build them. The Concept2 rower, however, only required a few minutes of light effort from our testing staff before they were able to hop on and start rowing.

Amanda Dvorak, an editor on the Breaking Muscle team, agrees with the product testing staff’s assessment. There was also no damage to her machine when she received it at home, and she and her husband were able to put the erg together in around 10 minutes.

Performance

The Concept2 rower’s performance is exactly what you’d expect from a commercial-grade piece of equipment. The seat slides over the monorail effortlessly, and the chain doesn’t snag if you maintain it properly by oiling it after every 50 hours of use.

Subscription Options

It’s hard to give the Concept2 rower a rating on subscription options because it does not provide any. This is one of the drawbacks to this device, as other products like the Peloton or Hydrow rower provide subscriptions for access to live and on-demand classes. All the Concept2 offers is a PM5 monitor. As I’ll discuss below, it tracks a lot of information, but it’s not as fancy as a high-tech monitor that lets you stream classes.

One good thing about the lack of subscription options is that it can save you money. The subscriptions you’ll find on Hydrow, Peloton, or NordicTrack rowers, for example, can cost $30 or more per month. It’s an added cost you have to consider when buying a rowing machine.

To make up for the lack of subscription options, the Concept2 row erg includes a device holder that can hold your smart device. You can then stream workouts from an app of your choice — but keep in mind that this may be an extra monthly cost.

Ergonomics

Our team rated the ergonomics a 4.5 out of 5. The handle features a 10-degree bend to allow for a natural grip, and it’s covered with molded rubber to help absorb sweat. However, it can cause skin discomfort, especially for new rowers.

Amanda Dvorak, Breaking Muscle Reviews Editor, hadn’t used a rower in over a year before she bought a Concept2 erg for her home gym. Despite already having calluses on her palms from lifting weights, her hands blistered frequently once she started rowing again.

However, now that Amanda has been using the rower at least once a week, her tailbone discomfort has lessened, and her hands no longer blister. If you have similar experiences when you first start rowing, we think it’s safe to say that you’ll adjust to the rower after a couple of months of consistent use. If not, you can wear workout gloves or buy a padded seat cushion online to make your rowing experience more pleasant.

Foot Pedals

The pedals accommodate a wide range of foot sizes. We’ve seen users with size 13 feet be able to use the rower comfortably. The pedals don’t pivot like they do on other rowers, such as the NordicTrack RW600. However, they are designed to help you achieve a vertical shin angle for the catch phase of the row (when your knees are bent, your arms are straight, and the seat is closer to the front of the machine). This is especially beneficial for rowers with poor ankle mobility.

Heart Rate Monitoring

I would rate the heart rate monitoring capabilities of this rowing machine a 4 out of 5, as it doesn’t offer a direct way of monitoring heart rate. The only way to do so is to have a compatible device to sync with using ANT+ and Bluetooth, such as an Apple watch or a digital chest strap.

PM5 Monitor, Display, and Stats Tracking

While the monitor may appear simple, it provides a ton of data tracking capabilities. Compared to the older monitor (the PM4), the PM5 provides Bluetooth connection capabilities to track your workouts. Overall, we rated the monitor itself 4.7 out of 5 stars and the display 4 out of 5.

The PM5 monitor tracks a range of metrics including time, pace, distance, strokes per minute (SPM), watts, calories burned, and heart rate (with a compatible device).

We love its ability to save all of our workout history, so we can see how we’re progressing and improving over time. And, as mentioned, it can connect to potentially 30 different compatible apps. ErgData is a favorite amongst the Breaking Muscle staff because it allows us to create custom workouts, program the Concept2 Workout of the Day into the machine, and more. However, you can also use other apps like Regatta, RowHero, and Fiit.

Despite the impressive amount of information the monitor can show, the actual display is pretty basic. The monitor is also quite small, measuring just seven inches diagonally. The size pales in comparison to the NordicTrack RW900, for example, which has a 22-inch monitor.

One of the redeeming qualities, though, is the backlit display, which didn’t exist on previous iterations of the monitor. Breaking Muscle Editor Amanda Dvorak says it’s one of her favorite things about the PM5 monitor. She trains early in the morning and hates turning on bright lights during her workouts. The backlit display makes it easier for her to read the screen when she’s working out before sunrise.

Included Workouts

For the included workouts, we rank this feature a 4.8 out of 5. The Concept2 rower comes with multiple preset workouts, such as distance training for 2,000 meters or interval training modes with 500 meters of work and one minute of rest. The preset options are great for beginner rowers who may not know how to get started or advanced athletes who want to follow structured programs.

Bluetooth Connectivity

The Concept2 rower’s PM5 monitor supports Bluetooth connectivity to compatible heart rate monitors. You can also sync workout data to Concept2’s ErgData app or dozens of other apps to track your workout history.

RELATED: Best Treadmills for Home

Concept2 Rower Specs

When considering the Concept2 rower, it’s important to understand the specifications and features that make it stand out. From the basic dimensions to the electrical requirements, we’ll break down the key details that define it and set it apart in the world of rowing machines.

Rower Type

The Concept2 rower is an air rower. The air resistance works through the use of the handles and the machine’s fanwheel. When you pull the handle, the flywheel traps air inside to provide resistance. The resistance then adjusts to your stroke rate and power output.

Based on our experience, air rowers emulate the feeling of rowing on open water more authentically than magnetic rowers. This is one of the many reasons why professional rowers often complete their indoor training on a Concept2 erg.

Overall Dimensions

The Concept2 rower is 96 inches long, 24 inches wide, and either 14 or 20 inches high. The height depends on whether you buy the standard model or the one with taller legs.

Track Length

The track length, also known as the monorail length, is 54 inches. This length helps to accommodate athletes up to 6’6.

Seat Height

The RowErg comes with a 14-inch seat height. If you think this will be too low for you, you have the option of purchasing an erg with taller legs that elevate the seat to 20 inches. However, the taller rower changes the cost from about $990 to about $1,155.

Weight Capacity

The weight capacity of the Concept2 rower is 500 pounds, which is well above other rowing machines like the ones from NordicTrack and Peloton. All three rower models from NordicTrack have a weight capacity of 250 pounds, while the Peloton rower has a weight limit of 300 pounds.

Resistance Levels

The Concept2 rower offers variable resistance. The resistance is dependent on the forcefulness of each row. This is different from magnetic rowers, which provide fixed resistance levels, and water rowers, whose resistance levels change based on how much water is in a water tank attached to the machine.

Concept2 rowers also utilize a damper setting. The damper is an adjustment that allows you to provide “more” or “less” resistance based on the availability of airflow. The damper ranges from one to 10 — one means the flywheel is completely closed, and 10 means it is fully open. When you increase the damper setting, you open the damper and allow more air into the flywheel. A higher damper setting results in a faster deceleration of the flywheel, making the rowing motion harder to perform.

Electrical Requirements

This rower machine takes two D-cell batteries, which are included with your purchase. There’s no need to situate the rower near an outlet, so you can move it around any room in your house or take it outdoors (something the Breaking Muscle staff members love to do when the weather permits).

Noise Level

The Concept2 rower can be loud because it is an air resistance rower. The rower recruits air from the fan flywheel, and the more air it recruits, the louder the sound becomes. An online review indicates that the Concept2 rower has a decibel level between 67 and 74, slightly quieter than a vacuum cleaner.

Amanda Dvorak, one of Breaking Muscle’s editors, often brings her rower indoors when her garage gets too cold in the winter. Her husband, who’s a light sleeper and usually still in bed when Amanda works out in the morning, has claimed that the noise doesn’t bother him at all. However, Amanda keeps the rower on the first level of her home, while her husband sleeps in their bedroom on the second level. If you live in a one-story home or a small apartment, the noise may be more bothersome to other people.

Portability

The Concept2 RowErg features two roller wheels at the front for portability. There is no handle on the back, but since the machine weighs just 57 to 68 pounds (depending on whether you get the standard height or the tall legs), it’s easy to place your hand under the monorail to lift it up.

The rower also breaks down into two pieces if you don’t have enough room to leave it fully assembled all the time. The home gym owners on the Breaking Muscle staff do this frequently and note that it takes just a few seconds to disassemble the rail from the flywheel piece and reconnect them again when needed.

Warranty

Every Concept 2 rower includes a five-year warranty for the frame and a two-year warranty for all other components, which we consider pretty standard for the industry. Some rowers we’ve tested, like the Echelon Row-S, only have a 12-month warranty. However, other rowing machines, like the CITYROW GoMax, offer a five-year frame warranty like Concept2 does.

Concept2 Rower vs. NordicTrack Rower

When comparing the Concept2 rower and the NordicTrack rowers, several key differences stand out. While the Concept2 RowErg has a simple display with no video classes, NordicTrack rowers come with interactive monitors. These monitors range from 10 to 22 inches and offer instructor-led live and on-demand classes. These programs can be engaging and motivating for users who enjoy structured workouts and following along with an instructor.

To access this library of workouts, you will need an iFit subscription for about $39 a month. You don’t necessarily need the subscription to use NordicTrack rowers, but you will be very limited in using all the features of your interactive screen.

Both brands’ rowers also use air resistance, which provides a smooth and dynamic rowing experience. However, NordicTrack rowers add an extra layer of versatility with 26 digital resistance levels. Concept2 doesn’t have traditional resistance levels; the resistance depends on how much air you allow into the flywheel based on your damper setting and how hard you row.

In terms of size, the Concept2 rower is 94 inches long, while NordicTrack rowers range from 82 to 87 inches long. The Concept2 rower excels in strength, as it supports users of up to 500 pounds. This is twice the weight capacity of the NordicTrack rowers.

The Concept2 rower also comes at a more affordable price than the NordicTrack RW700 and RW900, which cost around $1,499 and $1,999, respectively. However, as of this writing, the NordicTrack RW600 is on sale for around $900, about $90 cheaper than the Concept2 rower.

NordicTrack RW600

Dimensions: 87.02″ L x 22.0″ W x 47.24″ H

Storage: Folds in half for vertical storage

Resistance: Air and magnetic

Weight capacity: 250 pounds

Display: 10-inch smart HD touchscreen

Available programming: Live and on-demand workouts, scenic rows

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Concept2 Rower vs. Peloton

One of the first noticeable differences between the Concept2 rower and the Peloton is the interactive monitor screen. Peloton’s rowers feature a sizable 23.8-inch swivel interactive monitor, which allows you to engage in video-led sessions. However, accessing these classes requires a monthly subscription fee of around $44.

This is very different from the PM5 monitor provided by Concept2, which doesn’t have video-led sessions or subscription requirements. If interactive workouts and access to a vast library of training content are your priorities, the Peloton rowers might be more appealing.

Both rowers share similar dimensions, ensuring a consistent rowing experience in terms of space requirements and overall setup. However, the Concept2 rower has a remarkable weight capacity of up to 500 pounds. The Peloton rower, in contrast, has a lower weight capacity of 300 pounds, which could limit its suitability for individuals with greater body weight.

In terms of price, Concept2 is the more budget-friendly option. The Peloton rower costs around $2,995, nearly three times the cost of the Concept2 erg.

Peloton Rower

Dimensions: 7’10” L x 24” W

Storage: Stores upright with the Upright Wall Anchor (included with purchase)

Resistance: Electronically controlled

Weight capacity: 300 pounds

Display: 23.8-inch 1080p HD touchscreen

Available programming: Live and on-demand workouts, scenic rows

Check Price

Concept2 Rower vs. Hydrow

Another great brand of rowing machines is Hydrow. Hydrow’s original rower and the more compact Wave rower offer an enjoyable ride due to their use of magnetic resistance. Like Peloton, Hydrow rowers have built-in monitors for streaming engaging, motivating workout classes.

Hydrow’s advanced technology and immersive experience come with a higher price tag. Their rowers start at just under $1,900. The Concept2 rower offers a more budget-friendly option starting at about $990. In order to access Hydrow’s library of workouts, you also need to pay a monthly subscription of around $42.

Like Concept2, Hydrow’s rowers offer Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to connect to heart rate monitors and sync with fitness apps. In terms of dimensions, the Hydrow rower measures 86 inches in length, 25 inches in width, and 47 inches in height, making it slightly more compact than the Concept2 rower. It also has a lighter weight capacity of 375 pounds. This doesn’t come near the strength of the Concept2 rower, which has a weight capacity of 500 pounds.

Hydrow Wave Rower

Dimensions: 80″ L x 19″ W x 43″ H

Storage: Stores upright

Resistance: Magnetic

Weight capacity: 375 pounds

Display: 16-inch HD touchscreen

Available programming: Live and on-demand workouts, scenic rows

Check Price

Concept2 Rower Customer Reviews

On four sites, including Amazon, the average rating for the Concept2 rower is 4.8 out of 5 stars. Many people praised it for its durability, quick setup, and storage capabilities. 

Despite all of the praise, some customers did note a few drawbacks. A few customers found the noise level concerning for at-home workouts. Others also noted the limitation of the PM5 screen and would prefer to have a larger monitor that provided instructional videos instead.

Final Verdict: Is the Concept2 Rower Worth It?

When you consider all the features of a top-tier rower, the Concept2 rower is one of the best. Concept2 has built a solid reputation of quality and dependability with competitive rowers, the CrossFit community, and home gym users who want equipment that won’t stop working after a few months.

Through an extensive analysis by our expert team, it’s clear that the Concept2 rower can be well worth the investment. It provides a smooth, realistic rowing experience. It is easy to build and should last for years, especially in a home gym. Knowing that this product exists in many homes and multiple commercial gyms, it’s hard to find another rower that can push the Concept2 rower off the top of the podium.

FAQs

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What is 12-3-30? It’s not an important date in gym history from almost 100 years ago. It’s a social media-based fitness phenomenon. Simply, it requires using a treadmill set at a specific incline, moving at a specific speed, for a specific length of time.

It’s an incredibly straightforward approach that has “fitfluencers” and followers sweating buckets as they supposedly lose weight using the workout protocol. However, fitness trends can be hit or miss. And, given the general state of social media and its low barrier of entry, there are usually more misses than hits.

It’s time to review the pros and cons of the 12-3-30 workout to find out if it’s a temporary trend or if it could become a time-tested routine.

The 12-3-30 Workout

• 12-3-30: Why?
• The Fat Loss Workout
• Drawbacks of the Plan
• How to Improve the Routine

Why 12, 3, and 30?

When it comes to fitness, numbers can be relatively arbitrary. The 12-3-30 routine can work, but if you set the incline to 11% and the speed to 3.2 mph, and you only do the workout for 27 minutes, it would not make much difference and you could expect nearly identical results.

So while specific numbers can be useful for getting trends to catch on, and they can be a convenient way to keep things standard for everyone in the gym, there is no particular magic about “12-3-30.”

Then what’s the merit of the 12-3-30 program? Well, the steep incline and relatively quick pace make it challenging enough, and it’s long enough in duration, that you’ll almost certainly break a sweat and burn a fair amount of calories.

The significant incline adds a level of intensity that translates well to improving your hiking and endurance abilities. The speed is fast enough to push most people, but generally not “too fast” to trigger major fatigue which might cause you to end the workout early. The 30-minute time limit encourages you to see the workout through, while also getting an appreciable number of steps.

As beneficial as it could be, it’s important to remember that you can and should tailor it to your individual needs, which will be explained in-depth later in the article. The exact programming numbers are less important than simply getting through a tough cardio workout for an effective length of time.

12-3-30 for Fat Loss

Workouts like 12-3-30 can be great in aiding fat loss. You will see lots of progress photos online crediting the workout plan. The fundamental mechanism for fat loss is always the same for every individual — achieving a consistent caloric deficit. If you perform a daily cardio workout that burns a lot of extra calories, it can naturally be great for fat loss.

However, not everybody is guaranteed to lose fat with this plan. For example, if you are inconsistent with training, you might not actually be burning that many calories each week. The same applies if you “water down” the workout too much. While the particular “12-3-30” numbers don’t matter that much, if you devolve the workout to something closer to 6-2-15, it’s not even close to the same workout anymore. Remember, the workout needs to be challenging and it needs to be done for a decent amount of time.

Furthermore, fat loss isn’t always certain because, while you might burn plenty of calories during a 12-3-30 workout, it still might not be enough to make up for the calories you’re eating. Regardless of your training program, your nutrition needs to be designed for fat loss if you want to see results.

There is a massive overeating problem when it comes to the classic Western diet and trendy social media workouts are not going to solve that. (1) As cliché as it may sound, you can’t outrun or, in this case, out-incline-walk your diet if you’re taking in too many calories.

The Drawbacks of 12-3-30

The main drawback of 12-3-30 is, frankly, that it is simply a cardio workout. Some fitness influencers actually go so far as to claim the treadmill routine is “all you have to do” to lose weight. But it’s not.

This brings up a massive issue. Not only do many people face an overconsumption issue when it comes to calories, but there is also a lack of strength training in many populations. Gone are the days where lifting weights is only for bodybuilders and powerlifters.

Countless anecdotal evidence (from long before 12-3-30 existed) along with abundant scientific research all demonstrate the same thing: optimal fat loss and significant body composition change requires strength training. (2)

Strength training is the only way to provide the stimulus your body needs to retain lean muscle mass. This is important because, when you’re in a caloric deficit, you are deliberately burning more energy than your body is taking in. This makes your body want to “eat away” your tissues — muscle and stored body fat alike — to fuel its basic function.

If your body doesn’t have the ability to hang on to muscle tissue, which is stimulated through strength training, you will lose a combination of body fat and muscle tissue. This is why some people don’t end up looking “lean” or defined when they lose weight. They simply look “skinnier,” saggy, or even frail. Furthermore, losing muscle reduces your metabolism and makes your bones weaker. (3)(4)

While seeing the number on the scale go down is often a good thing, you want that reduced body weight to be primarily from body fat, not lean muscle. Muscle retention requires a foundation of strength training. This is especially true for leaner and more trained individuals who are more prone to muscle loss, due to beginning with relatively lower body fat levels.

If you’re currently at a relatively heavier body weight or if you’re new to fitness, you might be able to get away with solely doing 12-3-30 without muscle loss… for a little while. Eventually, though, everybody benefits from strength training.

This is not so much a knock on the 12-3-30 workout plan, as much as it’s a comment on how it’s being “marketed” or widely promoted. For the best overall and long-term results, using 12-3-30 as your only form of exercise is not an effective plan.

The look that you are likely after will require you to lose fat while retaining precious muscle tissue, so let’s talk about how to get there without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Tailoring 12-3-30 to Your Goals

The textbook approach to 12-3-30 can be a productive cardio workout. It can help you burn some calories while improving general cardiovascular health and endurance. Another plus is that it’s not so intense that you can’t watch YouTube videos or pay attention to a podcast during the workout. Those kinds of strategic distractions can make a half-hour go by quickly.

However, it’s important to remember that you don’t need to stick exactly to the 12-3-30 prescription. That incline, speed, and duration could be pretty hard for beginners, so start slightly lower, slower, and/or shorter before gradually working your way up.

And please, for the love of all things good, do not make the 12-3-30 workout the foundation of your exercise plan. Many fitness trends are cardio-based, which will have some merit, but no matter how trendy they might seem, they don’t trump the foundations of strength training and proper nutrition.

So, while 12-3-30 can be simple enough for almost anyone to start, it’s ultimately a supplemental training method. The base of a fat loss plan should revolve around weight training and a good diet.

This means you should be lifting weights three to five days per week before worrying about tacking on any trendy cardio workouts. But, once you do add a plan like 12-3-30 (or something like 8-2-25, to get started), you might boost fat loss because it can burn quite a bit of calories for some people.

If you’re not finding measurable success on your plan after a few weeks, it’s OK. It simply means you need to reassess your nutrition. It is a reminder that strength training triggers muscle retention, but nutrition triggers your fat loss, and any clever cardio programming will always be, at best, an accessory to all that.

And if you simply don’t have time for 12-3-30, that’s OK, too. Despite the viral popularity, it’s not the only option for cardio training. You can do a “condensed” version for just 15 minutes with a higher incline or faster speed to make up for abbreviated time. Or you can try a different approach like a high intensity interval workout.

The Final Verdict

12-3-30 isn’t necessarily a fad. Using a treadmill-based workout that’s a challenging intensity for a significant duration can be effective. But, like all trends, it needs context. It may seem intriguing and tempting to hear about losing fat with a simple, straightforward workout, especially as you see already fit influencers following the plan.

It’s appealing to think that fat loss is as simple as getting on a machine for X incline at Y speed for Z time and results will just roll in. But the physiological foundations remain the same.

No matter your chosen workout, you need to be in a caloric deficit by managing your nutrition and, to ensure that deficit strips away primarily body fat while retaining lean muscle, you will need to strength train consistently.

If 12-3-30 has caught your eye, consider it as one part of an overall fat loss program. Don’t hang your fat loss hopes on one workout just because it has a high follower count on socials.

References

1. Kopp W. (2019). How Western Diet And Lifestyle Drive The Pandemic Of Obesity And Civilization Diseases. Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity : targets and therapy, 12, 2221–2236. https://doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S216791
2. Bellicha, A., van Baak, M. A., Battista, F., Beaulieu, K., Blundell, J. E., Busetto, L., Carraça, E. V., Dicker, D., Encantado, J., Ermolao, A., Farpour-Lambert, N., Pramono, A., Woodward, E., & Oppert, J. M. (2021). Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 22 Suppl 4(Suppl 4), e13256. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13256
3. Kim, G., & Kim, J. H. (2020). Impact of Skeletal Muscle Mass on Metabolic Health. Endocrinology and metabolism (Seoul, Korea), 35(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2020.35.1.1
4. Bettis, T., Kim, B. J., & Hamrick, M. W. (2018). Impact of muscle atrophy on bone metabolism and bone strength: implications for muscle-bone crosstalk with aging and disuse. Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 29(8), 1713–1720. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-018-4570-1

Featured Image: Khakimullin Aleksandr / Shutterstock

The post The 12-3-30 Workout: Trend or Truth? appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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Animal moves are great way to “trick” your child into exercising, building strength, improving mobility, and getting a great workout. The key is that rather than force exercise kids can have fun walking like a duck or instead of doing box jumps they can do frog jumps.

However, we are not quadrupeds or amphibians or water fowl—we are humans with completely different anatomies than the animals we mimic. Therefore our animal moves aren’t exactly the same as the animals who actually perform them. They might look even different if you’re an adult practicing animal movements for mobility and strength. For kids though, here are my ten favorite animal moves.

Duck Walk

To perform the duck walk, sit in a full squat with heels down and feet angling out 8 to 15%. While staying in the squat position, walk. One cue to maintain proper technique is to ensure your head doesn’t bob up and down. Aim to keep your head level as you duck walk. This is an excellent exercise for quad strength and hip mobility.

Bear Crawl

A bear crawl is straightforward. Start on all fours and move on your hands and feet, keeping your back straight and parallel with the ground. Then, crawl contralaterally, which means moving your right arm with your left foot and your left arm with your right foot—opposite arm and leg moving together. As you become comfortable, try crawling forward, backward, to the right, and to the left. Challenge yourself further by crawling upstairs and downstairs or uphill both backward and forward. This movement is an ideal general warm-up for an exercise day as it gets your shoulders firing and engages your core. One thing to consider is doing five minutes of bear crawls a day around your house. Just accumulate five minutes daily, and you will feel more limber than you ever thought possible.

Bunny Hops

Squat down on your heels and lightly place your hands on the floor in front of you for balance. Hop forward a foot or two without fully standing up, always maintaining that squatting position. Allow your hands to touch the floor, more as a reference point than as a base of support. Use this exercise to build strength in the squat’s bottom position.

Gorilla Walk

Begin in a position similar to the bunny hop, but with feet slightly wider and more weight on the hands. To move in the gorilla walk, place most of the weight on your arms and catapult your lower body forward. Imagine being a silverback gorilla vaulting through the jungle on your massive knuckles.

Kangaroo Hop

This is similar to the bunny hop, but there’s no arm involvement. It’s all about the quads and legs. Keep your torso more upright and hop along. You can also achieve a bit more hip extension on the jump, making it feel like more of a leap.

Backwards Snake Crawl

Lay down on your back and cross your arms. Move your hips and push off with your feet to crawl backward, pulling with your shoulder blades. This movement closely mimics a snake crawl. The key is to minimize limb use and rely mainly on your torso’s gyration.

Alligator Crawl

For the alligator crawl, start in a low plank position, as if you’re at the bottom of a push-up, with weight on your hands and toes. Keep your belly and chest just above the ground and crawl. Start slowly, then try speeding up as you get the hang of it. This crawl might be one of the most challenging ones and is excellent for building isometric arm, tricep strength, and core tension.

Frog Jump

The frog jump starts in a full squat. From there, jump as high and far as you can, landing back in a squat, then repeat. Ensure you maintain technical integrity; it’s not a race. Each jump should represent maximal output with perfect technique. If you begin to feel tired and notice sloppy technique, stop the exercise. This jump is excellent for peak power output. If you continue frog jumps into your 40s, 50s, or even older, you’ll be in a good position for long-term fitness.

Monkey Bars (Two Ways)

There are a couple ways to do the monkey bars.

• Bent arms: You can muscle your way across, keeping your arms flexed/bent as you pull yourself across from bar to bar. This is the fastest way to traverse the bars, but it’s also very hard on your arms. A great bicep workout.
• Straight arms: You can also swing with straight arms, using the momentum of your swinging legs and torso to carry you from bar to bar. This isn’t about arm strength, rather it’s predicated on being in rhythm and having a strong enough grip and stable shoulder girdle to support you going the distance.

Crab Walk

Sit on the ground with your legs stretched out in front of you. From that position, place your hands and feet flat on the ground and lift yourself up so your body is no longer touching. Keeping your hips elevated, walk around forward, backward, and sideways. Always move contra laterally. Right hand, left foot. Left hand, right foot.

How to Use Animal Moves

Kids can use animal moves at any point in the day, but if you’re wondering when best to incorporate them take a look at the below suggestions:

• A morning routine: Every morning, do 30 seconds to a minute of each of the animal moves. It’s a great way to start the day and get some movement going and blood flowing.
• Microworkouts: Every couple hours or so, do a minute or two of animal moves. Use them to break up sitting on the couch for extended amounts of time or better encourage them while kids are watching TV.
• Warmups: Animal moves are great for warming up before a more intense activity. If your kid plays soccer duck walks, alligator walks, and frog jumps. If they play a racket sport try bear crawls or straight arm monkey bars. The point of a warmup is to increase body temperature, elevate the heart rate, and mobilize the targeted muscles and joints. Animal moves are great for all that.

Animal moves are a great way to have fun, build strength and mobility, and increase athleticism. Plus, they’re not just for kids, they’re great exercises for kids too. Thanks for reading, everyone. Take care.

The post 10 Animal Moves for Kids appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Six months after suffering a scary setback that could have easily sidelined him for the rest of the competitive season, Charles Griffen showed the power of perseverance by completing his comeback story in championship fashion.

On Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, Griffen officially clinched a qualifying spot in the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest by outperforming the rest of the Men’s Open division at the 2023 Legion Sports Fest Pro in Reno, Nevada.

With the Mr. Olympia contest — the biggest bodybuilding show of the year — scheduled for Nov. 2-5, the Legion Sports Fest Pro provided a pathway for hopeful contenders to secure some of the final few spots in the lineup.

Not only did Griffen ensure he’ll have a chance to wash away the memories of a 14th-place finish at the 2022 Olympia, but he did so despite dealing with the effects of a serious injury he sustained during a chest training session earlier this year.

The Minnesota native made social media waves back in April 2023 with a video that highlighted how everything can change in a split-second when heavy weights are involved. Griffen’s Instagram post showed him injuring his left pectoral muscle as he prepared to perform an incline dumbbell press with a pair of 170-pound (77-kilogram) dumbbells.

Even after sustaining a potentially career-threatening injury, he did not undergo surgery to repair the grade II tear. Facing a four- to six-week recovery period from the partial tendon tear, Griffen didn’t let the mishap break his physical or mental fortitude. Instead, the injury set the stage for a furious comeback that culminated in a clutch victory with Olympia-bound ramifications. 

What made his first-place finish at the Legion Sports Fest Pro even more impressive was the fact he earned a unanimous stamp of approval from the judges despite having a visibly torn pec. In a sport that values both muscle density and symmetry, Griffen’s win spoke volumes about his complete physique and elite conditioning.

Ultimately, his monstrous quads, well-developed back, and bulging biceps put him above the rest of a crowded field that included John Jewett, who will join Griffen at the ’23 Olympia in Orlando, FL to compete in the 212 division. Jewett’s performance in Reno certainly turned heads, as he earned a unanimous second-place finish in his Men’s Open debut.

Although it looked like Griffen’s victory brought some finality to the Olympia lineup, that didn’t exactly prove to be the case. Less than 24 hours after Griffen secured the last qualifying spot, Brett “The Butcher” Wilkin officially withdrew from the 2023 Mr. Olympia due to recent digestive issues which caused significant and unexpected weight loss.

With Wilkin, Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, and 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow winner Iain Valliere all backing out for various reasons, the Men’s Open division lineup now features: 

• Hadi Choopan (Iran) 
• Derek Lunsford (USA) 
• Nick Walker (USA) 
• Brandon Curry (USA) 
• Samson Dauda (United Kingdom) 
• Behrooz Tabani (Iran) 
• Tonio Burton (USA) 
• Ross Flanigan (USA) 
• Michal “Krizo” Krizanek (Slovakia) 
• Phil Clahar (USA) 
• Andrea Presti (Italy) 
• Hassan Mostafa (Egypt)
• Justin Shier (USA)
• Roman Fritz (Germany)
• Hunter Labrada (USA)
• Chinedu “Andrew Jacked” Obiekea (UAE)
• Kamal Elgargni (Libya)
• Nathan De Asha (United Kingdom)
• Regan Grimes (Canada)
• Theo Leguerrier (France)
• Charles Griffen (USA)

Griffen faces an arduous road to finish ahead of some big-name competitors with big-time physiques. With top contenders like 2022 Men’s Open runner-up Derek Lunsford, 2023 Arnold Classic winner Samson Dauda, and 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry all vying to take down reigning champion Hadi Choopan, it will be fascinating to see where Griffen places following a 14th-place showing a year ago and an Olympia debut of 13th in 2018. 

Then again, with all the adversity he’s had to overcome in 2023, the three-time IFBB Pro League champion has already shown he’s capable of winning an uphill battle. 

Featured Image: ProStudio1 / Instagram

The post Charles Griffen Overcomes Torn Pec to Secure Spot in 2023 Mr. Olympia Lineup appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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Greens powders have received a lot of attention over the past few years. As the push for healthy eating continues, searching for the best greens powder supplement can quickly become a daunting task. Most greens powders have over 25 ingredients total, and they all offer different benefits.

As a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), I am often asked about the benefits of supplementing with greens powders. I always recommend that my clients still consume whole fruits and vegetables. However, if they want to add a greens powder, I encourage them to do their due diligence and research the supplement to ensure it aligns with their nutrition goals. Lucky for you, I have compiled my research on our top nine picks for the best greens powders around. 

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.

How We Chose the Best Greens Powder

Greens powders flood the supplement market now, and they all claim to support various health goals. It is important to be mindful of the brand you roll with and ensure the product you choose contains high-quality ingredients.

To prevent you from wasting your time and money, our Breaking Muscle product review team carefully vets the products we review. We have tested nearly 40 greens powders and ranked them based on flavor, texture, added nutrients, cost, formulation, and any unwanted side effects. After scoring the products on a scale of one to five for each category, we assigned them an overall score and used it to create the list below.

Our Top Picks for the Best Greens Powder

• Best Greens Powder Overall: Athletic Greens AG1
• Best Tasting Greens Powder: Kaged Outlive 100
• Best Greens Powder for Weight Loss: Legion Genesis Greens Supplement
• Best Greens Powder for Gut Health: Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens
• Best Greens Powder for Bloating: Bulletproof Greens
• Best Organic Greens Powder: Onnit Shroom Tech Greens
• Best Greens and Reds Green Powder: Swolverine Greens + Reds
• Best Affordable Greens Powder: Jacked Factory Green Surge
• Best Greens Powder for Smoothies: Orgain Organic Superfoods

Best Greens Powder Overall: Athletic Greens AG1

AG1

4.3

• Number of servings: 30 to 60
• Cost per serving: Starts at $2.48
• Key highlights: 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced ingredients
• Potential benefits: Can support immune, digestive, and brain health; promote stronger hair and nails; and help you feel more energized

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Athletic Greens AG1 is arguably the most popular greens powder on the market. After completing our own research and product testing, we have to agree. This greens powder is vegan and vegetarian-friendly and major allergen-free, making it agreeable for most individuals’ diets. It is non-GMO and not artificially sweetened, colored, flavored, or preserved. 

As a dietitian, I appreciate when manufacturers go through the extra effort of creating an accurate, detail-oriented nutrition facts label. Despite a few proprietary blends, Athletic Greens AG1 is pretty transparent about the ingredients that go into its formulation: probiotics, digestive enzymes, antioxidants, prebiotics, adaptogens, green superfood complexes, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. You will meet your daily recommended amount for vitamin C and vitamin E, two powerful antioxidants, in one serving of AG1.

Consisting of 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food sourced ingredients in total, Athletic Greens AG1 lives up to its online hype with our product review teams. Despite there being no flavor options, we still rate it at a 4.5 out of 5 stars for flavor. The overall taste is subtle, but there are hints of pineapple and vanilla flavoring.

According to Amanda Dvorak, Breaking Muscle’s Reviews Editor, the powder settles shortly after blending it in a shaker bottle. Also, if you struggle at all with texture, it is a tad gritty and has a foam layer that stays with the drink as you consume it. Amanda rated the solubility 2 out of 5 stars for these reasons.

RELATED: Athletic Greens AG1 Review

Best Tasting Greens Powder: Kaged Outlive 100

Kaged Outlive 100

4.5

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.67
• Key ingredients: Spirulina Powder, Alfalfa Grass Leaf Powder, Barley Grass Young Leaf Powder, Chlorella Powder, Acacia Fiber, Ashwagandha Root Extract
• Certifications: Informed Sport

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As a food expert who is routinely researching dietary supplements currently on the market, I can confidently say that it is difficult to find greens powder brands that offer a variety of flavors. However, Kaged Outlive 100 offers Lemon, Berry, and Apple Cinnamon. Not only are the flavors great but they taste great too — making it our top pick for the best-tasting greens powder. 

This greens powder is rated highly by verified customers for taste, ingredient quality, and mixability. Based on 646 reviews on the Kaged website as of this writing, Kaged Outlive 100 holds 4.8 out of 5 stars. The blendability makes it easy to add as a nutrient-packed ingredient to different recipes. Reviewers love the Apple Cinnamon flavor mixed with oatmeal. Try throwing some berries in there, too, so that you capture an extra food group with your breakfast.  

Reviewers have mentioned that it does not have an artificial taste. They also appreciate the affordability compared to other popular greens powders. At around $1.67 per serving, it’s more affordable than AG1 Athletic Greens (which starts at $2.63 per serving) or Swolverine Greens + Reds (which costs around $2.00 per serving).

To keep costs down even further, you can subscribe and save 10 percent on your orders through Kaged’s website. They also offer a fully refunded, 30-day return policy if you are not totally satisfied. According to their customers, the Kaged customer service department is great. 

Best Greens Powder for Weight Loss: Legion Genesis Greens Supplement

Legion Genesis

4.4

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.60
• Key ingredients: Organic Spirulina Whole Plant Powder, Astragalus Root Extract 5:1, Reishi Mushroom Fruit Powder, Maca Root Extract, Dong Quai Root Plant Extract 
• Certifications: Labdoor Tested for Sport

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The top ingredient in Legion Genesis Greens Supplement is five grams of organic spirulina whole plant powder. Spirulina is a blue-green algae that may help improve lipid panels (specifically cholesterol levels) and reduce body fat, waist circumference, and appetite. (1) Packed with 100 percent naturally occurring ingredients, Legion Genesis Greens Supplement is our top pick for the best greens powder for weight loss. 

Our Breaking Muscle product review team gives this Legion greens powder 4 out of 5 stars for its formulation. The amount of protein per serving (four grams) is impressive for a greens powder supplement, and protein has been linked to sustaining satiety to help curb cravings and manage your weight. (2)

Legion Genesis also contains clinically effective doses of organic spirulina (five grams), dong quai root (1.25 grams), astragalus membranaceus (three grams), and reishi mushroom (three grams). These ingredients are linked to promoting immunity, potentially improving blood flow, and/or possibly decreasing your risk for chronic diseases.

Legion Genesis does not disappoint when it comes to flavor or solubility. We give flavor 4 stars and solubility 4.5 stars. Our review team tried the Acai Berry version and found it to taste like berry-flavored greens, so it meets expectations.

The only reason that solubility did not get a perfect 5-star rating is because of how long we had to physically stir it to get all of the powder to dissolve. Honestly, though, we believe that if we threw it in a blender, it would likely blend just fine. 

RELATED: Best Supplements for Weight Loss

Best Greens Powder for Gut Health: Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens

Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens

3.5

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.53
• Key ingredients: Organic Spirulina, Organic Chlorella, Organic Acacia Fiber, Green Banana Flour, Chicory Root
• Certifications: Informed Choice Certified

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Dietitians and other allied health professionals have found through national surveying that roughly five percent of the population meets the recommended amount of 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily. This is concerning for many reasons, namely the development of chronic illnesses (like heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes), gastrointestinal disorders, and cancers. (3)

So, how can you up your fiber intake? With Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens! Most prebiotics are a type of non-digestible fiber. Per every 15.5-gram scoop, you will get six grams of dietary fiber. The fiber sources in this greens powder are organic acacia fiber, green banana flour, Jerusalem artichoke fiber, and chicory root. 

A few members of our review team commented that this supplement is particularly good when mixed into fruit juices. They found that the best combo was orange juice and the Peach Mango flavored greens powder. They gave this product 4 out of 5 stars for taste and 4.5 stars for solubility. We found that it mixes with ease, and online customer reviews sing the same tune. 

RELATED: Best Probiotic

Best Greens Powder for Bloating: Bulletproof Greens

Bulletproof Greens

3.8

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.67
• Key ingredients: Bacillus coagulans probiotic, Vitamin B12, Organic Spinach, Ginseng Root Extract, Green Tea Extract 
• Certifications: No certifications listed, but the website does state that ingredients are submitted to standardized quality assurance testing

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Let your bloating issues be a thing of the past with Bulletproof Greens. This greens powder contains a unique combination of digestive aides to help your digestive system perform well. It also gets bonus points for being one of the most affordable options currently on the market. It costs about $1.67 per serving and is cheaper than Athletic Greens AG1 (which starts at $2.63 per serving) and Onnit Shroom Tech Greens (which costs around $2.00 per serving).

Our product reviewers and online customers agree that you will either love or hate the flavor since it has a strong pineapple taste. We gave it 3 out of 5 stars for taste because we didn’t particularly enjoy it but recognize that people who love pineapple will probably like it.

However, you can always get creative with how you use your greens powder — it does not have to be mixed with only water. Try adding Bulletproof Greens to a fruit smoothie, orange juice, or pineapple popsicle mix. Based on our testing, it blends effortlessly in a shaker bottle or in a glass with a spoon and is easy to incorporate into various liquids. For solubility, we rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

Many customers report zero negative side effects. In fact, most report that it is easily digestible and doesn’t cause gastrointestinal discomfort. Our product tester didn’t experience any significant side effects when she tested Bulletproof Greens. This may be due to the low sodium content of 100 milligrams per serving. This is low compared to other greens powders, which is good because excess sodium intake can lead to water retention. 

In every scoop, you will get two billion colony-forming units (CFU) of the probiotic Bacillus coagulans and a combination of digestive enzymes like amylase and lipase. These ingredients may aid macronutrient digestion and improve clinical symptoms of bloating, especially for those with intestinal diseases like irritable bowel syndrome. (4) Amylase helps break down carbohydrates, and lipase helps to break down fats. (5)

Best Organic Greens Powder: Onnit Shroom Tech Greens

Onnit Shroom Tech Greens

3.6

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $2.00
• Key ingredients: Organic Rishi, Organic Lion’s Mane, Organic Kale, Organic Spinach, Organic Oat Grass 
• Certifications: Certified USDA Organic

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It is not easy to obtain the 100 percent organic certification. Most organic products meet the second-tier standard of having 95 percent of their product derived from organic sources. To obtain the 100 percent organic certification, every single ingredient has to be organically sourced. (6) It is impressive that Onnit has gone to such great lengths to deliver us a non-GMO, major allergen-free, fully organic greens powder.

Delivering half a cup of certified organic vegetables per serving, Onnit Shroom Tech Greens is nutrient-dense to help keep you healthy. The formulation is simple: organic cordyceps, organic reishi, organic lion’s mane, organic kale, organic broccoli, and organic spirulina. These ingredients are packed with vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin B6 — all known for potentially being able to support the immune system. (7)

Onnit Shroom Tech Greens blends beautifully but has a strong mushroom flavor. We gave the taste 3 out of 5 stars. Our product tester didn’t enjoy it on its own but said that mixing it with V8 helped improve the taste. That said, if you love mushrooms, we think you’ll like this greens powder.

The powder dissolved completely when we tested it, though, so we gave it 5 out of 5 stars for solubility. This can be a huge plus for anyone who prefers a non-gritty greens power. 

Unlike any of the other greens powders in this review, Onnit Shroom Tech Greens comes in pre-portioned to-go packets. This is convenient for many reasons, but Onnit really has the adventurer in mind. If you are looking for a nutritious companion buddy for your next hike, Shroom Tech Greens has your back. 

RELATED: Best Organic Protein Powder

Best Greens and Reds Green Powder: Swolverine Greens + Reds

Swolverine’s Greens + Reds Supplement Powder

3.9

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $2.00
• Key ingredients: Organic Beet Powder, Chia Seed, Organic Turmeric, Organic Wheat Grass, Organic Spirulina 
• Certifications: Lief and Micro Quality labs, an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory

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When you are looking at different greens powders’ nutrition labels, you may notice some ingredients listed as “super greens” and others as “rich reds.” Try to pay attention to the amount of each ingredient grouped under these subheadings. The higher the milligram, the more benefits you will potentially be able to reap. Due to the awesome amounts of super greens and rich reds found in Swolverine Greens + Reds, it earns our top spot for the best greens and reds powder. 

This powder will provide you with 7,000 milligrams of organic super greens and 4,700 milligrams of antioxidant-rich reds per 15.2-gram scoop. Ingredients like organic wheat grass, organic chlorella, organic goji, and chia seed expose you to good amounts of protein (four grams), vitamin B12 (2.7mcg or 114 percent of your daily value), riboflavin (vitamin B2 [0.6mg or 50% of your daily value]), and vitamin B6 (0.6mg or 33 percent of your daily value). B vitamins have been strongly linked to promoting brain health. (8)

Our review team was pleasantly surprised that this green powder already tastes like it is mixed with citrus fruits. We noticed less of the typical grassy taste that greens powders are known for. It dissolves easily in just water, but we do recommend mixing it in a blender to fully blend it. A spoon mixes it well enough, but a few minor clumps will remain. 

Best Affordable Greens Powder: Jacked Factory Green Surge

Jacked Factory Green Surge Greens Powder

4.0

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.00
• Key ingredients: Inulin, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Organic Collards Leaf Powder, Tapioca Maltodextrin Digestive Enzyme, Grape Seed Extract 
• Certifications: Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) Certified

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If you have ever looked at Jacked Factory’s product offerings and noticed their reasonable prices, you would not be surprised that the Breaking Muscle team chose it as the best affordable greens powder. For a literal dollar per serving as of this writing, the price of the Green Surge Superfood Powder is unbeatable. It is rare that we give out a perfect 5 out of 5 stars for the price per serving, but Jacked Factory Green Surge made it possible. 

Furthermore, if you order from the Jacked Factory website, you can opt to subscribe and save. This option gets you an additional 15 percent off and free shipping on all recurring orders. There is also a 100 percent hassle-free money-back guarantee if you are not totally happy with your purchase. 

Jacked Factory Green Surge is manufactured in a cGMP-certified factory in the United States. The cGMP certification establishes trust between consumers and manufacturers. By getting this certification, Jacked Factory shows that affordability does not always mean lower quality.

Green Surge is available in Mixed Berry, Unflavored, Mint Chocolate, Sour Apple, and Lemon Lime flavors. Our team gave taste and solubility 4.5 out of 5 stars. We tried the Mixed Berry and still noticed a grassy taste, but the berry flavor made it more palatable. We also had no issues with dissolvability.

Best Greens Powder for Smoothies: Orgain Organic Superfoods

Orgain Organic Superfoods

4.0

• Number of servings: 20
• Cost per serving: $1.24
• Key ingredients: Amaranth, Chia Sprout, Flax Sprout, Bacillus coagulans probiotic, Ginger Root
• Certifications: Certified USDA Organic

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At one point or another, most of us have added a dietary supplement to a smoothie to help enhance the flavor or provide extra nutrients. We are probably most familiar with the addition of whey or plant-based protein powder. However, you can fortify your smoothie even more with super greens like the ones found in Orgain Organic Superfoods. 

Out of 197 reviews on the Orgain website, this greens powder has 4.6 out of 5 stars. Many customers report that it blends effortlessly in their smoothies without changing the flavor of the other ingredients. In other words, neither of the flavors (Original or Berry) is overpowering. A few of the best smoothie combinations listed in their reviews are: 

• Plant protein powder, leafy greens, matcha, coconut almond milk, and a scoop of Orgain Organic Superfoods
• Blueberries, banana, avocado, vanilla yogurt, dairy milk, and a scoop of Orgain Organic Superfoods

Its namesake comes from it being made with two proprietary blends: Orgain Organic 50 Superfoods Blend and Orgain Organic Super Veggies, Super Berries, Super Grasses & Super Foods Blend. The majority of the foods found within the lengthy list of ingredients are certified organic.

Based on our research, this greens powder also gets 5 out of 5 stars for affordability due to its cost of about $1.24 per serving. It’s the second most affordable option on our list. Only Jacked Factory Green Surge, which costs around $1.00 per serving, beats it.

Benefits of Greens Powders

There are many potential benefits to adding a greens powder to your routine. Greens powders may help support overall health by: 

• Improving your digestive tract health 
• Boosting your immune system
• Providing relief from GI discomfort
• Enhancing your energy levels
• Decreasing your risk of micronutrient deficiency 
• Increasing your intake of daily greens

Drawbacks of Greens Powders

As with anything you ingest, there could be potential side effects from greens powders. Based on the feedback from our Breaking Muscle product review team and actual buyer responses, the following are drawbacks you may notice:

• Some have the artificial sweetener sucralose in their formulation, and sucralose may lead to an upset stomach (i.e., stomach cramps and loose bowel movements). This does not dismiss the fact that some users also struggle with plant-based sweeteners such as stevia. 
• Many have directions to slowly implement their use to avoid digestive discomforts like gas and diarrhea. So, it may take a few weeks to build up a tolerance to them to reap their associated health benefits. 
• They are not usually offered in enticing flavors like vanilla or chocolate. Typically, it tastes like a mix of vegetables. Some users find the taste (and even smell) of some greens powder difficult to work past. 

What To Look For in a Greens Powder

There is no one-size-fits-all option for dietary supplements. This is especially true for greens powders due to their wide array of ingredients. Take some time to evaluate what option works best for you to be sure your purchase aligns well with the nutrition targets you hope to meet. Let’s take a look at a few things we recommend you consider before taking the greens powder leap. 

Price

Nobody wants to waste money on a greens powder that does not meet their expectations or help them achieve their health and wellness goals. That’s why affordability is taken into consideration by our product review team. This ensures that we are able to meet you where you are financially and show you that you can get a quality product that costs less.

The greens powders above range from $1.00 to $2.63 per serving, depending on the number and quality of the ingredients, third-party testing, and other factors. Keep in mind that many product websites and even Amazon offer subscription discounts.

Ingredients

Generally speaking, we have found that the more expensive a dietary supplement is per serving, the more quality ingredients it contains. This is not to say that more affordable products are made with cheap ingredients. It just means that you will typically get even more beneficial ingredients in larger quantities with more expensive greens powders.

Verify what the specific benefits are for the ingredients in the greens powder you choose. For those hoping to improve their gut health, try supplementing with a greens powder that has added probiotics and digestive enzymes. If you want to boost your immune system, pick a greens powder that is bountiful in immune-supporting antioxidants like vitamins, A, E, D, and C. (9)

Nutrient Quantity 

The amount of each nutrient varies greatly between different greens powder brands. Try not to get tripped up on marketing tactics without checking out the ingredient label. Make sure there are research-supported doses of each nutrient.

Also, dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA, making marketing regulation difficult to do. If something “aids in digestion,” check the label for a clinical dose of digestive enzymes. If it “may improve gut health,” check the label for a hearty dose of probiotics and fiber.

When in doubt, verify the product has undergone third-party testing to give you peace of mind that the ingredients are free of contaminants. 

Flavors

Greens powders are not routinely available in different flavors. Usually, they have earthy tastes. However, some may have subtle flavors of berries, pineapple, and/or vanilla. Occasionally, you will find that “unflavored” options are available.

If the taste of greens powders is not becoming, you can mix them into other products. Try adding them to a high-protein zucchini bread, chip dips such as hummus, or fruit smoothies to manipulate the flavor profile and give a nutrient boost to your favorite recipes. 

Who Should Not Consume Greens Powders?

Contrary to what most assume, greens powders are not usually an adequate source of fiber. So these are not meant for people who want a high-fiber supplement.

Avoid these products if you are on a prescription medication that may have a negative interaction. Those on blood thinning medication, like warfarin, need a consistent amount of vitamin K daily to avoid bleeding disorders. Since most greens powders have proprietary blends of ingredients, it is difficult to know the true amount of vitamin K per serving.

Lastly, if you have a gastrointestinal disease that can be easily irritated or lead to mucosal lining inflammation (like Crohn’s disease), you may not tolerate greens powders well. 

Final Thoughts

Keep in mind that this is a guide to greens powders for nutrient supplementation. These products are not meant to replace a healthy diet full of whole fruits and vegetables. Everybody’s body is different. Therefore, we try our best to be inclusive and tackle the different scenarios that people face nutrition-wise: digestive issues, high blood pressure, nutrient deficiencies, weight loss, food allergies, and more. Then, we shed light on how greens powders may help with managing these conditions. 

Greens powders are an awesome way to possibly improve the health of your digestive tract, boost your immune system, relieve GI discomfort (like bloating and gas), enhance energy, and decrease your risk for vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Since the ingredients found in greens powders vary so much from brand to brand, you can depend on our research-supported review above to navigate our favorite options and find what best supports your needs. 

Best Greens Powder: Side-by-Side Comparison

Best Greens Powder Overall	Best Tasting Greens Powder	Best Greens Powder for Weight Loss	Best Greens Powder for Gut Health	Best Greens Powder for Bloating	Best Organic Greens Powder	Best Greens and Reds Green Powder	Best Affordable Greens Powder	Best Greens Powder for Smoothies
AG1	Kaged Outlive 100	Legion Genesis	Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens	Bulletproof Greens	Onnit Shroom Tech Greens	Swolverine’s Greens + Reds Supplement Powder	Jacked Factory Green Surge Greens Powder	Orgain Organic Superfoods
4.3	4.5	4.4	3.5	3.8	3.6	3.9	4.0	4.0
Description: Number of servings: 30 to 60 Cost per serving: Starts at $2.48 Key ingredients: Vitamin E, biotin, folate, manganese, potassium Certifications: NSF Certified for Sport	Description: Number of servings: 30 Cost per serving: $1.67 Key ingredients: Spirulina Powder, Alfalfa Grass Leaf Powder, Barley Grass Young Leaf Powder, Chlorella Powder, Acacia Fiber, Ashwagandha Root Extract Certifications: Informed Sport	Description: Number of servings: 30 Cost per serving: $1.60 Key ingredients: Organic Spirulina Whole Plant Powder, Astragalus Root Extract 5:1, Reishi Mushroom Fruit Powder, Maca Root Extract, Dong Quai Root Plant Extract  Certifications: Labdoor Tested for Sport	Description: Number of servings: 30 Cost per serving: $1.53 Key ingredients: Organic Spirulina, Organic Chlorella, Organic Acacia Fiber, Green Banana Flour, Chicory Root Certifications: Informed Choice Certified	Description: Number of servings: 30 Cost per serving: $1.67 Key ingredients: Bacillus coagulans probiotic, Vitamin B12, Organic Spinach, Ginseng Root Extract, Green Tea Extract  Certifications: No certifications listed, but the website does state that ingredients are submitted to standardized quality assurance testing	Description: Number of servings: 30 Cost per serving: $2.00 Key ingredients: Organic Rishi, Organic Lion’s Mane, Organic Kale, Organic Spinach, Organic Oat Grass  Certifications: Certified USDA Organic	Description: Number of servings: 30 Cost per serving: $2.00 Key ingredients: Organic Beet Powder, Chia Seed, Organic Turmeric, Organic Wheat Grass, Organic Spirulina  Certifications: Lief and Micro Quality labs, an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory	Description: Number of servings: 30 Cost per serving: $1.00 Key ingredients: Inulin, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Organic Collards Leaf Powder, Tapioca Maltodextrin Digestive Enzyme, Grape Seed Extract  Certifications: Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) Certified	Description: Number of servings: 20 Cost per serving: $1.24 Key ingredients: Amaranth, Chia Sprout, Flax Sprout, Bacillus coagulans probiotic, Ginger Root Certifications: Certified USDA Organic
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Best Greens Powder Overall

AG1

4.3

Description:

• Number of servings: 30 to 60
• Cost per serving: Starts at $2.48
• Key ingredients: Vitamin E, biotin, folate, manganese, potassium
• Certifications: NSF Certified for Sport

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Best Tasting Greens Powder

Kaged Outlive 100

4.5

Description:

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.67
• Key ingredients: Spirulina Powder, Alfalfa Grass Leaf Powder, Barley Grass Young Leaf Powder, Chlorella Powder, Acacia Fiber, Ashwagandha Root Extract
• Certifications: Informed Sport

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Best Greens Powder for Weight Loss

Legion Genesis

4.4

Description:

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.60
• Key ingredients: Organic Spirulina Whole Plant Powder, Astragalus Root Extract 5:1, Reishi Mushroom Fruit Powder, Maca Root Extract, Dong Quai Root Plant Extract 
• Certifications: Labdoor Tested for Sport

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Best Greens Powder for Gut Health

Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens

3.5

Description:

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.53
• Key ingredients: Organic Spirulina, Organic Chlorella, Organic Acacia Fiber, Green Banana Flour, Chicory Root
• Certifications: Informed Choice Certified

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Best Greens Powder for Bloating

Bulletproof Greens

3.8

Description:

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.67
• Key ingredients: Bacillus coagulans probiotic, Vitamin B12, Organic Spinach, Ginseng Root Extract, Green Tea Extract 
• Certifications: No certifications listed, but the website does state that ingredients are submitted to standardized quality assurance testing

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Best Organic Greens Powder

Onnit Shroom Tech Greens

3.6

Description:

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $2.00
• Key ingredients: Organic Rishi, Organic Lion’s Mane, Organic Kale, Organic Spinach, Organic Oat Grass 
• Certifications: Certified USDA Organic

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Best Greens and Reds Green Powder

Swolverine’s Greens + Reds Supplement Powder

3.9

Description:

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $2.00
• Key ingredients: Organic Beet Powder, Chia Seed, Organic Turmeric, Organic Wheat Grass, Organic Spirulina 
• Certifications: Lief and Micro Quality labs, an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory

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Best Affordable Greens Powder

Jacked Factory Green Surge Greens Powder

4.0

Description:

• Number of servings: 30
• Cost per serving: $1.00
• Key ingredients: Inulin, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Organic Collards Leaf Powder, Tapioca Maltodextrin Digestive Enzyme, Grape Seed Extract 
• Certifications: Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) Certified

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Best Greens Powder for Smoothies

Orgain Organic Superfoods

4.0

Description:

• Number of servings: 20
• Cost per serving: $1.24
• Key ingredients: Amaranth, Chia Sprout, Flax Sprout, Bacillus coagulans probiotic, Ginger Root
• Certifications: Certified USDA Organic

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FAQs

Research

1. DiNicolantonio JJ, Bhat AG, OKeefe J. Effects of spirulina on weight loss and blood lipids: a review. Open Heart.  2020;7:e001003. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2018-001003
2. Morell P, Fiszman S. Revisiting the role of protein-induced sanitation and satiety. Food Hydro. 2017;68:199-210. doi: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2016.08.003
3. Quagliani D, Felt-Gunderson P. Closing america’s fiber intake gap: communication strategies from a food and fiber summit. Ameri Journ of Life Med. 2017;11(1):80-85. doi:10.1177/1559827615588079
4. Mu Y, Cong Y. Bacillus coagulans and its applications in medicine. Bene Microb. 2019;10(6):679-688. doi: 10.3920/BM2019.0016
5. Garvey S, Guice J. Digestion & enzymes. BIO-CAT. 2021:1-2. doi: 2133007
6. About Organic Labeling. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/labeling#what%20requirements. Accessed September 21, 2023. 
7. Gombart AF, Pierre A, Maggini S. A Review of micronutrients and the immune system–working in harmony to reduce the risk of infection. Nutrients. 2020;12(1):236. doi: 10.3390/nu12010236
8. Kennedy DO. B vitamins and the brain: mechanisms, dose and efficacy – A review. Nutrients. 2016;8(2):68. doi: 10.3390/nu8020068
9. Dietary Supplements for Immune Function and Infectious Disease. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ImmuneFunction-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=Consuming%20adequate%20amounts%20of%20several,5%2C8%2D10%5D. Accessed September 28, 2023.

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