You’ve probably seen the "Thavage" tubs everywhere. Whether it's a grainy gym selfie or a high-production ad, Chris Bumstead’s face is synonymous with the modern bodybuilding aesthetic. But honestly, most celebrity-backed supplements are just expensive flavored water. You're usually paying for the name, not the science.
So, is the cbum pre workout drink just another marketing play, or is there a reason serious lifters keep restocking it?
Most people get it wrong. They think a pre-workout is just about the caffeine kick. It isn't. If you just wanted to feel "awake," you’d drink a double espresso and call it a day. A real performance formula—the kind CBUM actually uses to prep for the Olympia stage—has to balance skin-splitting pumps, cognitive focus, and muscular endurance.
What’s Actually Inside the Tub?
Let’s look at the "Full Thavage" dose. That’s two scoops. If you’re a beginner, please don’t start there. You’ll probably feel like your skin is vibrating.
The core of the formula relies on a massive 6,000mg of L-Citrulline. For context, most budget brands give you maybe 3,000mg. Citrulline is a vasodilator. Basically, it helps your body produce nitric oxide, which widens your blood vessels. More blood flow equals better nutrient delivery and that "full" muscle feeling we all chase.
Then there’s the 3,200mg of Beta-Alanine.
This is the stuff that causes the "tingles" or paresthesia. Some people hate it. Chris Bumstead apparently loves it. Scientifically, it helps buffer lactic acid. It’s why you can squeeze out that 12th rep when your brain is screaming at you to drop the bar.
The Nootropic Factor: Focus vs. Jitters
One thing Raw Nutrition did differently with the cbum pre workout drink is the emphasis on "brain gains."
- L-Tyrosine (2,000mg): This is a huge dose. Tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine and norepinephrine. It’s about keeping you dialed in when the workout gets boring or brutal.
- Alpha-GPC (400mg): This is a choline source. It helps with the mind-muscle connection. You aren't just moving weight; you're feeling the specific fiber contractions.
- Huperzine A: It prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine. Basically, it keeps the Alpha-GPC working longer.
The Caffeine Split: Why the Crash is Minimal
Caffeine is the elephant in the room. Most pre-workouts hit you with 350mg or 400mg of pure caffeine anhydrous. It’s like a lightning bolt that leaves you shaking and then leaves you exhausted 90 minutes later.
Thavage uses a tiered approach. You get 260mg of Caffeine Anhydrous for the immediate "let's go" energy. But then they added 64mg of Di-Caffeine Malate. This is a buffered version of caffeine that digests more slowly.
It acts like a safety net.
Instead of a vertical drop-off in energy, you get a smoother glide back to baseline. You've probably noticed that "post-gym depression" where you just want to nap for three hours? This formula tries to solve that.
Flavoring: Does "Christopher's Secret Stuff" Taste Good?
Flavor is subjective, but let's be real—some pre-workouts taste like battery acid masked by stevia.
Raw Nutrition is known for "South Beach Slush" and "Rocket Candy." They’re sweet. Very sweet. If you prefer a tart, natural flavor, you might find these a bit chemically. However, they mix remarkably well. No one wants to drink a "sand-textured" beverage before hitting a heavy squat set.
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The "South Beach Slush" is arguably the flagship. It’s a nostalgic, blue-icee-style flavor that somehow masks the bitterness of the raw amino acids.
What Most People Get Wrong About Using It
I see people drinking this during their workout.
Stop.
It takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes for the L-Citrulline and Beta-Alanine to hit your bloodstream effectively. If you're sipping it while doing your warm-up sets, you’re only getting the benefits by the time you're packing up to go home.
Also, the "Full Thavage" dose (two scoops) contains roughly 305mg of total caffeine. If you’re a late-night lifter, this will wreck your sleep. Caffeine has a half-life of about five hours. If you take this at 6:00 PM, you still have 150mg of caffeine in your system at 11:00 PM.
The Downside: Is It Worth $50?
It’s pricey. There’s no way around it.
You can find cheaper alternatives that give you the basics. If you just want caffeine and a little bit of tingle, you're overpaying. But if you're looking for the Arginine Nitrate (NO3-T) and the high-dose Betaine Anhydrous for power output, the math starts to make sense.
Betaine, specifically, is often under-dosed in other brands. Thavage gives you 2,500mg, which is the exact clinical dose shown in studies to improve body composition over time.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Session
If you’re thinking about trying the cbum pre workout drink, here is the most effective way to handle it:
- Start with "Half-Thavage": One scoop is about 150mg of caffeine. That’s enough for most people. See how your stomach handles the nitrates before you double up.
- Time the Window: Drink it exactly 25 minutes before your first heavy working set.
- Hydrate Extra: Nitrates and Betaine pull water into the muscle cells. If you aren't drinking enough water alongside the pre-workout, you’ll just end up with a headache instead of a pump.
- Watch the Synephrine: The formula contains Bitter Orange (Synephrine). If you are an NCAA athlete or in a drug-tested federation, check your specific banned substance list, as synephrine is sometimes flagged.
Ultimately, this isn't a magic potion. It won't give you 20-inch arms overnight. But as far as well-engineered tools go, it’s one of the few celebrity products that actually respects the chemistry of human performance.