Legion Stim-Free Pre-Workout Review: Expensive, But Worth It

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I was really excited to find a pre-workout like Legion Pulse Stim-Free, which offers clinical doses of key ingredients like citrulline and beta-alanine but has no caffeine, so it won’t disrupt sleep if taken later in the day. 

Key Takeaways

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• Legion Pulse Stim-Free is one of the more expensive pre-workouts on the market, costing $2.25 per serving. In an analysis of over 50 pre-workouts, the average price is $1.61 per serving. 

• Every ingredient used in Legion Pulse Stim-Free is clinically dosed, which helps to justify the higher cost per serving.  This means it has doses proved to be effective according to current research.

• Legion Pulse Stim-Free is a great option for people who want to avoid stimulants and artificial ingredients and are looking for mental focus and endurance for workouts lasting longer than 45 minutes. 

Legion Pulse Stim-Free Video Review

What Is Legion Pulse Stim-Free?

Legion Pulse Stim-Free is a caffeine and stimulant-free pre-workout that uses 100% natural ingredients. 

While it doesn’t have a lengthy ingredient list, the ingredients used are effective and clinically dosed, making this a very effective pre-workout. 

They use a blend of Citrulline Malate (8g), Beta-Alanine (3.6g), Betaine (2.5g), Alpha-GPC (300mg), and added electrolytes (calcium, sodium, and potassium). 

Legion uses erythritol, natural flavors, and stevia-leaf extract for flavor. They use beta-carotene and paprika for color, which allows them to have a tasty and appealing product without using artificial flavors and colors. 

Legion is known for being a brand that prides itself on using peer-reviewed scientific studies to dose its products and uses a state-of-the-art lab for third-party testing. 

• Related: I also reviewed Legion’s Whey+ Protein Powder

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

Truthfully, the first two times I tried it I felt pretty disappointed. It had a really mild taste, I didn’t notice much of a pump, and despite having a full clinical dose of beta-alanine, I hardly felt the tingles. 

Then I realized that I forgot that Legion Pulse Stim-Free is meant to be taken as a 2 scoop dose (embarrassing user error). 

The first time I double scooped this product, I ended up setting a PR on my 8k run and felt like I could have easily continued on to 10k without stopping. 

I felt like the beta-alanine tingles from this product were much more intense and lasted longer than I experienced with other products. I am pretty sensitive to beta-alanine, and when doing cardio I felt the tingles really intensely, enough that I actually found it distracting. 

I didn’t notice the tingles as much when I was doing a heavy lifting workout, compared to how intensely I felt them while running. 

Based on my experience with the intensity and duration of this pre-workout, I recommend using it for intense workouts lasting between 1 and 2 hours. 

The only issue I found with Legion Pulse Stim-Free is that they recommend using 10-12 ounces of water, which is more water than I would like to drink before a workout.  

This amount of water is a common recommendation for products like this that have a large scoop size (>15g), but I find drinking 10 or more ounces of water close to a workout just makes me have to go to the bathroom halfway through. (This is likely a me problem, not a product problem). 

One quick add to the water aspect is that I normally try to drink my pre-workouts more concentrated (i.e. with less water than recommended) but the taste of Pulse Stim-Free was so strong, even with the full 10oz of water, that I didn’t want to concentrate it any further. 

After trying both Legion Pulse Stim-Free AND Legion Pulse (the stimulant version that has caffeine), I really enjoyed mix-and-matching them based on my training needs. For late nights, I used exclusively stim-free. 

For days that I wanted some caffeine, but not the full 350mg dose that Pulse offers, I mixed half scoops of each Legion formula (Pulse + Pulse Stim Free) so that I got clinical doses of the performance ingredients without all of the stimulants. 

• Interested in mixing and matching Legion pre-workouts? Check out my complete review of Legion Pulse Pre Workout

Legion Pulse Stim-Free Ingredients (Per 2 scoops)

Citrulline Malate

Citrulline is an amino acid naturally found in watermelon that acts as a Nitric Oxide enhancer. This increase in nitric oxide can help the body dilate and constrict blood vessels and improve blood flow to the muscles. 

What you can notice from citrulline malate supplementation is increased endurance and strength, as well as reduced muscle soreness and improved recovery. 

The currently accepted clinical dose of citrulline malate is 6-8g. Legion Pulse Stim-Free contains 8g of citrulline per 2 scoop serving, meaning it provides the full clinical dose. 

Beta Alanine

Beta-Alanine works as a buffer in the body, meaning it buffers the hydrogen ions that buildup in the muscles. It’s this buildup of hydrogen ions that causes fatigue, therefore beta alanine helps to delay fatigue in the muscle cells. 

Supplementing with beta-alanine allows you to exercise at higher intensities for longer periods of time. 

The clinical dose of beta alanine is between 3 and 6g daily over a period of several weeks. Since Legion Pulse Stim-Free contains 3.6g, it meets clinical dosing standards. 

Betaine Anhydrous

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

When taken consistently (over several weeks), betaine is proven most effective in improving body composition (i.e. reducing fat mass and increasing muscle mass). There is inconsistent research showing that betaine may improve strength and power output. 

Most studies with betaine have been done using a 2.5g dose, making it the clinically accepted dose. Legion Pulse Stim-Free meets the clinical dose with 2.5g per 2 scoop serving. 

Alpha GPC

Alpha-GPC affects neurotransmitter function in the brain, specifically increasing the levels of a chemical called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is important for memory and learning. 

When added to a pre-workout, Alpha-GPC can improve focus and may help improve power output during exercise. 

Optimal dosing for Alpha-GPC is taking 300-600mg 30 to 60 minutes before exercise. With 300mg per 2 scoop serving, Legion Pulse Stim-Free meets clinical dosing standards. 

Electrolyte Blend

Electrolytes, like calcium, sodium, and potassium play key roles in body hydration and muscle contraction. 

Preloading with electrolytes (taking in electrolytes before your workout) may lead to improved performance and improved recovery from exercise. 

There is insufficient evidence to be able to establish one single effective dose, since this will vary greatly based on size, sweat rate, temperature, workout intensity and workout duration. 

The electrolytes found in Legion Pulse Stim-Free are still likely to contributed to improved hydration, enhanced recovery, and a reduction in muscle cramping. 

Highlights: What I Like About Legion Pulse Stim-Free

Meets Clinical Dosing For All Ingredients

Legion Pulse Stim-Free meets clinical dosing standards for all of the ingredients used in its formula. 

Excellent Flavors Without Bitter Aftertaste

Legion Pulse Stim-Free has a strong flavor that tastes juice-like. It does not have a significant bitter aftertaste. 

I specifically tried the sour candy flavor, and it’s definitely sour. I found the flavor so strong that even when mixed with 10-12 ounces of water, it came through really well. 

I am keen to try other flavors, and online reviews are quick to praise the great taste. 

Third Party Tested To Ensure Purity 

All Legion products are third party tested at a state-of-the-art lab accredited by Labdoor™, the gold standard of third-party lab testing. 

This third-party testing helps ensure the quality, purity, and potency of the product so that you get the best possible workout. 

Effective Ingredients Despite Not Having Stimulants

Because Legion uses clinical doses of ingredients like citrulline, beta-alanine, and betaine which have been proven clinically effective, Legion Pulse stim-free offers a great performance boost, even without caffeine. 

Legion Pulse Stim-Free is not designed for energy, but it does provide good strength and stamina. The addition of Alpha-GPC helps to increase mental focus without adding stimulants. 

Drawbacks What I Did Not Like About Legion Pulse Stim-Free

Cost

The only major drawback of Legion Pulse Stim-Free is that it costs $2.25 per serving, higher than the majority of other pre-workout supplements. 

Even other products that use clinical doses, like Transparent Labs Stim-Free, come in at or below $2.00 per serving. 

• Check Out: Transparent Labs Stim-Free Review: I Am Obsessed, Coach Says

This increased cost may be how Legion is able to provide completely free shipping within the US, and a no questions asked return policy. 

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

Price

Our rating: 2/5

Legion Pulse Stim-Free is on the high end of cost per serving, at $2.25 per serving. After analyzing over 50 different pre-workouts, the average cost was around $1.60. 

It can be a bit tougher to compare products straight across the board, because the products that lower the cost per serving are generally very underdosed. On the other hand, products that increase the cost per serving tend to contain clinical doses of anywhere from 5 to 10 ingredients. 

Overall, among clinically-dosed pre-workouts which average closer to $2.00 per serving, Legion Pulse’s price isn’t unreasonably high. 

If you are shopping for a pre-workout and are on a tighter budget, Legion Pulse Stim-Free is not the one to go with. 

Taste 

Our rating: 4/5

Legion Pulse Stim-Free is available in 6 different flavors, including Tropical Punch, Sour Candy, Green Apple, Grape, Fruit Punch, and Blue Raspberry. 

I personally have the sour candy flavor, and even in the recommended 10oz of water it has a strong taste. 

Mixability 

Our rating: 5/5

Legion Pulse Stim-Free mixed up completely with no left over residue or gritty texture.

Energy

Our rating: 1/5

Legion Pulse Stim-Free provides some mental focus and a good physical endurance, but it doesn’t provide energy in a traditional sense. 

That being said, Legion Pulse Stim-Free isn’t necessarily formulated to provide energy, since it is caffeine and stimulant-free. 

I did, however, notice great stamina and endurance with this one. After I realized I was taking a half dose, I ended up setting a personal best on my 8k run time the first time I took the full 2 scoop dose.

Pump 

Our rating: 5/5

Legion Pulse Stim-Free contains a full clinical dose of L-Citrulline to help with nitric oxide production. Since both betaine and citrulline malate can also enhance NO production, the overall pump effect is fantastic. 

I was blown away by the noticeable muscle pump I experienced while taking this product. 

When I used Pulse Stim-Free for a back and bicep day, it felt like my skin was literally stretching over my biceps from the muscle pump I got. 

Strength

Our rating: 4/5

With citrulline and betaine both showing potential for increased strength, and beta-alanine which helps delay fatigue, Legion Pulse provides a noticeable strength increase. I found this effect less pronounced for HIIT training workouts. 

I really noticed this effect for my longer, strength-based workouts. Once I had finished my prescribed sets and reps with my usual weight, I was left feeling like I still had reps left in the tank. 

Since beta-alanine in particular requires a loading phase of several weeks of daily use to feel its full effects, it’s likely that this pre-workout would elicit even greater results with prolonged use. 

Who Should Take Legion Pulse Stim-Free? 

Legion Pulse Stim Free is for someone who: 

• Works out later in the day or wants to avoid caffeine and stimulants 
• Prioritizes high quality ingredients with no artificial ingredients
• Values third party testing
• Works out for longer durations (greater than 45 minutes) at high intensities

Who Should Not Take Legion Pulse Stim-Free? 

You probably don’t want Legion Pulse Stim-Free if

• You are looking for a high energy, high stimulant pre-workout
• You are on a tight supplement budget

What Are Other Customers Saying About Legion Pulse Stim-Free? 

Legion Pulse Stim-Free has a 4.3 out of 5 rating on Amazon.com, based on over 1000 ratings. This is very similar to the product rating on the Legion website, where it has 4.6 out of 5 stars. 

Typically, the reviews on a brand’s website are a bit more positively skewed since customers on a brand’s website are often already customers, so this slight discrepancy makes sense. 

The one downside to finding reviews on the Legion website is that the reviews for their regular and stim-free formulas are combined in one, so it’s difficult to distinguish which specific formula customers are referring to. 

Customers online praise the high quality ingredients and great taste, the former being something that Legion is known for across all of their products. 

The colorful reviews are always my favorite, like this user who states that:

This non stim preworkout will have you feeling like Ronnie Coleman in his golden days.

Delicious, easy mixing, and no caffeine. I get everything I want with the pre and all of the pump for glorious insta pics!

Since my experience was a highly positive one, I wanted to make sure to spend some time browsing negative reviews as well, to see what people didn’t enjoy about Legion Pulse. 

Many of the comments were upset that there was caffeine in the non-stim product. This is definitely a mix-up in ordering or shipping, since the stim-free product most assuredly does not contain caffeine. 

Other common reviews are that the product does not give any time of energy. Again, this product isn’t designed for that, so that’s not surprising. 

Other one star reviews pertained to damaged containers and broken seals. 

A very large portion of the negative reviews spoke to the irritating tingly sensation, which is a known side-effect of consuming beta-alanine and is not the harsh allergic reaction that many users thought it was. 

The only true negative feedback that I could find while sifting through the reviews is the high cost per serving. 

Legion Pulse Stim-Free Alternatives

Transparent Labs Stim-Free

If you value features like high quality ingredients, clinical doses, and no artificial flavors or colors, but you are looking for something that is a bit more budget-friendly, then I recommend Transparent Labs Stim-Free Pre Workout. 

It contains a lot of similar ingredients to Legion Pulse Stim-Free, like citrulline (6g), beta-alanine (4g), and betaine (2.5g). 

It also goes a step further in adding taurine and tyrosine, two amino acids which support strength and endurance by delaying time to fatigue, as well as ElevATP®, a patented ingredient shown to increase levels of ATP (energy) in the body. 

Available for around $1.66 per serving, this is a much more budget friendly price point than Legion’s $2.25.

Transparent Labs Stim-Free Pre is also third party tested, uses no artificial flavors or colors, and comes in 8 different flavor varieties.

Legion Pulse

If you like the sounds of Legion Pulse Stim-Free, but know that you want the energizing effects of caffeine, then consider Legion’s other formula, Legion Pulse, which has 350mg of caffeine per serving. 

Aside from the differing caffeine content, there are few differences between the two formulas. 

The caffeinated version also includes an ingredient called L-Theanine, which helps to promote relaxation when paired with caffeine, which can reduce the jitteriness or anxiety typically associated with taking highly caffeinated products. 

The only other differences are that the stim-free version has 5g of carbohydrates (regular version has <1), and there are some subtle differences in the dosages of the electrolytes found in each formula.  

Another possibility with these products is to combine them together so that you can manipulate the amount of caffeine depending on your needs. Each formula uses a 2 scoop serving size. 

If you want a lower dose of caffeine but still want the clinical doses of other ingredients, then you can use a single scoop of each product, which will net around 175mg of caffeine. 

Are There Any Promos or Discounts For Legion Pulse Stim-Free? 

Legion offers a subscribe and save deal on their pre-workouts where you can save 10% off your products, dropping the cost per serving to around $2.00 from $2.25. 

With Subscribe & Save, you can have your product delivered every 30, 60, or 90 days and can cancel your subscription at any time. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Legion Pulse Stim-Free The Best Pre Workout?

Legion Pulse Stim-Free is a great quality, clinically dosed pre-workout that is a good option for anyone training late in the evenings or trying to avoid stimulants. It is third party tested and tastes great, but comes in at a pretty high cost per serving which may be a deterrent for some customers. 

Is Legion Pulse Stim-Free Third Party Tested? 

Legion Pulse Stim-Free is third party tested by a state-of-the art lab called Lab Door, known for being a gold standard organization for third party testing. 

Is Legion Pulse Stim-Free Good For Weight Loss? 

Legion Pulse Stim-Free can support exercise performance which can help you burn more calories and have more effective workouts. The addition of betaine in its formula can help support fat loss, but on its own this pre-workout is unlikely to contribute to significant weight loss. 

Is Legion Pulse Stim-Free Safe For Women? 

Legion Pulse Stim-Free is safe for women, but should not be used if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. 

How Much Caffeine Does Legion Pulse Stim-Free Have? 

Legion Pulse Stim-Free contains zero caffeine. It looks very similar to the regular formula which does contain caffeine, so it’s important to double check the label of the product you are using. The caffeine-free version states “stim-free pre-workout drink” on the front. 

Does Legion Pulse Stim-Free Have Creatine?  

Legion Pulse Stim-Free does not contain any creatine. 

How Long Does Legion Pulse Stim-Free Last For? 

The effects of Legion Pulse Stim-Free last anywhere from 1 to 2 hours and it is recommended to be used for intense workouts lasting longer than 45 minutes. 

Does Legion Pulse Stim-Free Need To Be Cycled? 

Because it does not contain stimulant-based ingredients, Legion Pulse Stim-Free does not need to be cycled. 

Will Legion Pulse Stim-Free Make Me Jittery?

Being completely stimulant free, Legion Pulse Stim-Free will not cause any jitteriness or anxiety. 

What Flavors Are Available For Legion Pulse Stim-Free? 

Legion Pulse Stim-Free is available in Blue Raspberry, Fruit Punch, Grape, Green Apple, Sour Candy, and Tropical Punch. 

Where Is Legion Pulse Stim-Free Made? 

Legion Pulse Stim-Free is made in the United States in NSF-Certified and FDA-inspected facilities, in compliance with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations. 

What Is Legion’s Shipping Policy? 

Within the contiguous United States, Legion offers free shipping on every order. For customers outside the US, Legion offers free shipping on orders of $199.  Orders within the US typically arrive within 3-5 days, international orders can take up to 14. 

What Is Legion’s Return Policy? 

Legion offers a complete money-back guarantee. If you are dissatisfied with your product, you don’t have to ship the product back, you can keep it and the company will offer you a full refund. This is only applicable on first time purchases of a product, within the first three months of purchase. 

How To Contact Legion Athletics? 

You can reach Legion Athletics by phone Monday to Friday from 9am to 9pm EST at (855) 645-5305. 

You can contact them by e-mail at [email protected], or by mail at the following address: 

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

You can find Legion on social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

References

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Van Every, Derrick W. BS1; Plotkin, Daniel L. BS1; Delcastillo, Kenneth BS1; Cholewa, Jason PhD2; Schoenfeld, Brad J. PhD1. Betaine Supplementation: A Critical Review of Its Efficacy for Improving Muscle Strength, Power, and Body Composition. Strength and Conditioning Journal 43(4):p 53-61, August 2021. | DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000622

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Tumilty, L., Davison, G., Beckmann, M. et al. Oral tyrosine supplementation improves exercise capacity in the heat. Eur J Appl Physiol 111, 2941–2950 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-1921-4

Kahathuduwa CN, Dassanayake TL, Amarakoon AMT, Weerasinghe VS. Acute effects of theanine, caffeine and theanine-caffeine combination on attention. Nutr Neurosci. 2017 Jul;20(6):369-377. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2016.1144845. Epub 2016 Feb 12. PMID: 26869148.