This one’s for y’all dry scoop lovers out there! We know dry scooping a pre-workout has become a huge trend that’s all over Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms, but from a scientific standpoint, it’s something we just couldn’t get on board with. All supplements and drugs must be dissolved before they can be digested. However, Ballistic Labs has helped address our concerns with its new pre-workout appropriately named Dry Scoop.
Now, hear us out about dry scooping your pre-workout. Most who do this do it on the gym floor, immediately before they start their workouts. The problem with this is that pre-workouts can take up to 45 minutes to take effect in your system because they have to reach your stomach to begin digestion. If the powder is stuck on your tongue or teeth, you can see the issue here! You’re likely halfway through your workout by the time the ingredients have flooded your bloodstream.
Digestion Begins in the Mouth
Your saliva contains water, which dissolves any powder that you dry scoop, but it also contains the digestive enzymes amylase, lysozyme and lingual lipase, which assist with this even further. However, Ballistic Labs Dry Scoop has also added what it’s calling ORALGEST, which is a blend of digestive enzymes that help accelerate the digestive process in your mouth! The key ingredient is pepsin, a digestive enzyme found in your stomach that starts the digestive process through various biochemical reactions. The inclusion of this enzyme allows the body to start processing the ingredients in your mouth, rather than needing to wait until they reach your stomach. According to Ballistic, ORALGEST cuts the absorption time to 15 minutes, a significant decrease from the usual 45 minutes.
This means all dry scoopers out there can skip the process of making a full pre-workout drink and still reap the benefits. With Dry Scoop, the ingredients will truly help you while you train—not after you leave the gym.
Performance Boosters
Ballistic Labs is no stranger to making efficacious products, and Dry Scoop is no different. As a pre-workout, it includes a number of performance-enhancing ingredients that athletes look for, including those listed below:
Betaine Anhydrous Trimethylglycine (aka TMG): Each scoop contains 5 grams of this ingredient, which is now being included in every pre-workout worth talking about, so watch for it to be in more pre-workouts this year. But we must say, 5 grams is definitely the highest dose we’ve seen in Canada. Ballistic labels this ingredient as BetaBuild. Betaine is best known for its ability to hydrate the body’s cells to support strength, endurance, and power—all key to having a great workout, obviously.
Taurine: Dry Scoop contains 2 grams of taurine, which improves performance individually, as well as synergistically with betaine. Taurine is an amino acid that increases the muscle’s ability to contract, and also helps to remove waste products in the body, which can have a negative impact on performance. Taurine’s actions require the body to be adequately hydrated, as a dehydrated muscle doesn’t function optimally, and fluid is necessary to help flush the body of unwanted products. It goes without saying that the promotion of strength, power and muscle contraction, along with the reduction of waste products in the muscle cells, allows athletes to perform at their peak. Solid training sessions and optimal recovery are necessary for those looking to add muscle mass to their frame.
Change Your Mood Ring with Dry Scoop
Ingredients that promote focus and elevated mood support the mental component of performance, which is critical to athletes looking to get the most out of each workout. Dry Scoop contains a pile of ingredients to fuel your brain, including 1.5 grams of L-tyrosine, 400 milligrams of alpha-GPC, 1 full gram of DMAE (Deanol) and 400 micrograms of huperzine A. These ingredients work to regulate mood, support cognitive function and increase focus. Additionally, a solid 400 milligrams of caffeine works to increase feelings of physical energy by reducing fatigue and sharpen your mental focus.
Heading into a workout with a positive mood and mind-lock mental focus results in better athletic performance. Not only does it help athletes keep their minds on the task at hand, but it can encourage them to push out a few extra reps—which we all know are key to making physical improvements.
Dry Scoop & Lift
We know, this seems simple enough, but we’re still going to cover it. Throw half or a full scoop of powder into your mouth and hold it for 10 to 30 seconds to allow the digestive enzymes to start working. Then, swish it around, take a sip of water and swallow it, and you’re done! In about 15 minutes, the ingredients will be flowing through your system. We suggest starting with half a scoop, especially for those who are new to the act of dry scooping. Get used to the process with less powder volume before moving to the full scoop.
As a new product, Dry Scoop is currently available in two fruity flavours: Just Peachy Diddly Dip and Razzleberry Pixie Dust. Both are popular pre-workout flavours, so you can’t go wrong with either.
With just over 10 grams of active ingredients per scoop, Dry Scoop packs a (quick) punch for your workout. Dry Scoop is a powerful, effective pre-workout with an innovative twist, which we love. The pre-workout market is jammed with amazing options, but Ballistic Labs has found yet another way to stand out in the crowd, delivering a fast-acting pre-workout that should make the dry scooping crowd thrilled. We expect to see this tub in many Instagram posts and YouTube videos in the near future. This is a very innovative delivery system for a pre-workout that someone had to do, and we’re glad Ballistic did. Ballistic Labs could have just done another pre-workout, but it chose to go a different direction that we think athletes and weekend warriors will love.