Athletech Initiate Pre-Workout 30 Serves
- HASTA Certified pre-workout — every batch screened against 250+ WADA-banned substances.
- 4 g L-citrulline, 3.2 g beta-alanine, 200 mg caffeine — every dose printed, no proprietary blends.
- Naturally sweetened and coloured. 30 serves.
- Grape, Raspberry or Tropical — same formula in all three.
Athletech Initiate is a HASTA Certified pre-workout powder that delivers 4 g of L-citrulline, 3.2 g of beta-alanine and 200 mg of caffeine in a single 12.6 g scoop, across 30 serves. Every batch is screened by an independent NATA-accredited laboratory against more than 250 substances on the WADA prohibited list, and every dose is printed on the label.
Banned-substance tested. Fully dosed where it counts.
Certification usually comes with smaller doses. This one keeps the citrulline at 4 g and the beta-alanine at 3.2 g, and prints every figure on the back of the tub.
Two reasons people buy this
- “I get tested.” — every batch goes to a NATA-accredited laboratory and is screened against more than 250 substances on the WADA prohibited list. The doses didn’t get cut to make that happen.
- “I just want a good session.” — 200 mg of caffeine, about what’s in a strong coffee. Enough to train hard. Not enough to still be staring at the ceiling at eleven.
- Every dose printed — no proprietary blends. “Energy blend” on our label is a heading, not a hiding place; every ingredient underneath it carries its own milligram figure.
Tested usually means smaller doses. Not this time.
Only a minority of the pre-workouts on the shelf in New Zealand carry any banned-substance certification at all. The ones that do tend to play it safe everywhere — lower stimulants, lighter doses across the board. It’s an understandable trade. It’s just not one we wanted to make.
Initiate is certified and runs 4 g of citrulline and 3.2 g of beta-alanine. The caffeine sits at 200 mg — not because we got nervous, but because that’s the point where the research says the benefit stops climbing[1].
Four things happen when you take it
Pump — blood flow
L-citrulline 4000 mg · HydroPrime® glycerol 1000 mg · rock salt 200 mgYour muscles only get what your blood delivers. Citrulline widens the pipes so more of it arrives. Glycerol and salt pull extra water into the muscle, so there’s more to deliver in the first place. That’s the pump — and it isn’t just for the mirror. More blood means more oxygen and more fuel reaching the muscle you’re actually working[2].
Endurance
Beta-alanine 3200 mgEvery hard set builds up acid inside the muscle. That acid is what the burn actually is, and it’s what makes you rack the bar before the muscle is really finished. Beta-alanine builds a buffer that soaks some of it up. The burn still comes. It just comes later[3].
Energy — stim
Caffeine 200 mgCaffeine doesn’t add energy. It blocks the signal that tells your brain it’s tired — that’s the entire mechanism. 200 mg is about a strong coffee, and it’s where the research says the benefit levels off. Past that you get more side effects, not more performance[1].
Focus and feel
Theobromine 150 mg · TyroPure® tyrosine 1000 mg · taurine 1000 mg · SalidroPure® salidroside 20 mgTheobromine is the compound in cocoa — a relative of caffeine that acts more slowly and hangs around longer. It’s a large part of why chocolate feels the way it does.
Tyrosine is the raw material your brain uses to build dopamine and noradrenaline, the chemicals behind drive and focus. Hard training burns through them.
Taurine is one of the most abundant amino acids in muscle tissue, involved in cell hydration and nerve signalling.
Salidroside is the isolated active compound from rhodiola, a plant with a long history of traditional use for resisting fatigue.
What’s inside (per serve)
No proprietary blends. When a label gives you a blend name and one total number, you’re being asked to trust that the expensive ingredients aren’t just a sprinkle. You can read ours instead. The full nutritional panel is in the Supplement Facts tab.
| Ingredient | Per serve | What it’s in there for |
|---|---|---|
| L-Citrulline (90% fermented) | 4000 mg | Pump — widens blood vessels so more blood reaches the working muscle |
| Beta-Alanine (95%) | 3200 mg | Endurance — builds a buffer against the acid that causes the burn |
| Taurine | 1000 mg | Focus and feel — involved in cell hydration and nerve signalling |
| TyroPure® (L-Tyrosine) | 1000 mg | Focus — raw material for dopamine and noradrenaline |
| HydroPrime® (Glycerol 65%) | 1000 mg | Pump — draws extra water into the muscle |
| Himalayan Rock Salt | 200 mg | Pump — electrolytes to support fluid balance |
| Caffeine | 200 mg | Energy — blocks the brain’s tiredness signal |
| Theobromine 99% | 150 mg | Feel — slower-acting cocoa compound, longer tail than caffeine |
| SalidroPure® Salidroside | 20 mg | Feel — isolated active from rhodiola, traditionally used for fatigue resistance |
Other ingredients: natural flavour, malic acid, beetroot powder and blue spirulina (natural colours), thaumatin (natural sweetener) and silica. No artificial sweeteners or colours.
This one won’t do much on day one. Beta-alanine works by building up in the muscle over four to eight weeks of daily use. Take it once and you’ll feel the caffeine and you’ll feel the pump — but not the endurance part, because it isn’t there yet.
That’s not a flaw in the product, it’s how the ingredient works. Most brands just don’t mention it. Take it daily, rest days included, and it does the job it’s in there for.
About the tingle. Some people get a pins-and-needles feeling across the face, neck or hands about fifteen minutes in. It’s called paraesthesia, it’s caused by beta-alanine, and it’s harmless. It fades.
It’s printed on our label, because you shouldn’t have to search the internet to find out whether something’s normal.
How to use
- Start with half a scoop — if you’re new to pre-workout or caffeine-sensitive, see how you respond before moving up to a full scoop.
- Mix 12.6 g (approx 1 level scoop) into 200–350 ml of cold water, 30 minutes before training.
- Do not exceed 2 scoops per day. A tingling sensation (paraesthesia), caused by the beta-alanine ingredient, is normal and harmless.
- Take it daily, rest days included — that’s the only way the beta-alanine reaches the level it needs to work.
Is it for you?
Built for
- Athletes competing under a drug-testing programme
- Anyone who wants a full-strength pre-workout without a 400 mg stimulant load
- People who read labels and want every dose printed
- Training in the morning or early afternoon
Not for
- Children
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- Anyone sensitive to caffeine
- Late-evening training, unless you know caffeine doesn’t affect your sleep
- Anyone on medication or with a medical condition, without checking with a healthcare professional first
What “tested” actually means here. Initiate is a HASTA Certified Product. Every batch is sent to a NATA-accredited laboratory and screened against more than 250 substances on the WADA prohibited list.
What that covers: banned substances, batch by batch — not a one-off sample from the first production run.
What it doesn’t: HASTA screens for prohibited substances. It isn’t a check on potency, efficacy or label accuracy, and no testing programme anywhere can guarantee a product is completely free of every banned substance. Anyone who tells you otherwise is overselling it.
Three flavours. One formula.
Grape, Raspberry and Tropical run the same actives at the same doses — every figure in the energy blend is identical across the three. What changes is the flavour, the colour source, and a decimal place or two on the nutrition panel. Grape is coloured with beetroot powder and blue spirulina, Tropical with beta carotene. All three are sweetened with thaumatin, a natural sweetener, and flavoured naturally. Each flavour’s full panel is in the Supplement Facts tab.
FAQ
Will it keep me awake?
Caffeine has a half-life of around five hours, so half the 200 mg is still in you five hours after you drink it. Train in the morning or early afternoon and you’ll be fine. Train at eight at night and you’ll probably notice it.
Can I stack this with other caffeine sources?
Count everything, not just the scoop. One serve is 200 mg — about a strong coffee on its own — and the label caps this product at two scoops a day. Anything else you drink sits on top of that, and the label can’t account for it. If you want more of a hit, take the other sources away rather than stacking them on.
Can I take two scoops?
The label caps it at two in a day, and two scoops is 400 mg of caffeine. Most people don’t need it, and we didn’t build the product around double-scooping. One scoop is the dose the formula was designed for.
Is it suitable for women?
Yes, and the dose doesn’t change. Caffeine’s effect runs on bodyweight, so if you’re lighter, 200 mg goes further rather than falling short. If you’re caffeine-sensitive, start with half a scoop and see how you go.
I get drug tested. Can I use it?
Every batch is HASTA certified and screened against more than 250 WADA-prohibited substances by an independent NATA-accredited lab. That’s the strongest assurance available on a supplement in this market. It still isn’t a guarantee, and no certification programme offers one. If you compete under a testing programme, check with your sport’s anti-doping body before using any supplement — including this one.
Are there artificial sweeteners or colours?
No. It’s sweetened with thaumatin and coloured from natural sources — beetroot and blue spirulina in Grape, beta carotene in Tropical.
Why only 200 mg of caffeine?
Because that’s where it stops helping. The research puts the performance benefit at 3–6 mg per kilo of bodyweight, with the curve flattening around 3 mg/kg — for most people, roughly 200 mg[1]. Beyond that you’re buying jitters, a faster heart rate and a worse night’s sleep, not a better session.
How does 4 g of citrulline compare to citrulline malate?
Ours is free-form L-citrulline. Citrulline malate is citrulline bonded to malic acid, so only part of the stated weight is actually citrulline — in the common 2:1 form, about two thirds. That makes 4 g of free-form citrulline roughly equivalent to 6 g of citrulline malate. If you’re comparing labels, check which form you’re looking at, because the raw numbers aren’t like-for-like.
References
- Guest, N.S., et al. (2021). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1), 1. doi:10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4
- Gonzalez, A.M., & Trexler, E.T. (2020). Effects of citrulline supplementation on exercise performance in humans: a review of the current literature. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 34(5), 1480–1495. PMID:31977835
- Trexler, E.T., et al. (2015). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: beta-alanine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12, 30. doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0090-y
WARNING: Contains caffeine. Do not exceed 2 scoops per day. This product is not intended (or recommended) for children and those sensitive to caffeine. Pregnant or nursing women, those with a medical condition, and those taking medication should consult a healthcare professional before use.
Dietary supplement. Not a medicine. Use as directed. Supplementary to a balanced diet and appropriate training. If symptoms persist, see your healthcare professional. Athletech, New Zealand.
Supplement Facts:
Serving Size: 12.6g (1 Scoop)
Servings Per Container: 30
| Per Serving | Per 100g | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 28 kJ | 223 kJ |
| Protein | 0.0 g | 0.3 g |
| Fat, total | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| - saturated | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Carbohydrate | 1.5 g | 12.1 g |
| - sugars | 0.2 g | 1.3 g |
| Dietary Fibre | 0.2 g | 1.2 g |
| Sodium | 80 mg | 636 mg |
| ENERGY BLEND | ||
| L-Citrulline (90% Fermented) | 4000 mg | |
| Beta-Alanine (95%) | 3200 mg | |
| Taurine | 1000 mg | |
| TyroPure® (L-Tyrosine) | 1000 mg | |
| HydroPrime® (Glycerol 65%) | 1000 mg | |
| Theobromine 99% | 150 mg | |
| Himalayan Rock Salt | 200 mg | |
| SalidroPure® Salidroside | 20 mg | |
| Caffeine | 200 mg | |
OTHER INGREDIENTS: Natural Flavour, Malic Acid, Beetroot Powder and Blue Spirulina (Natural Colours), Thaumatin (Natural Sweetener) and Silica.
Supplement Facts:
Serving Size: 12.6g (1 Scoop)
Servings Per Container: 30
| Per Serving | Per 100g | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 27 kJ | 213 kJ |
| Protein | 0.0 g | 0.2 g |
| Fat, total | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| - saturated | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Carbohydrate | 1.5 g | 12.1 g |
| - sugars | 0.2 g | 1.3 g |
| Dietary Fibre | 0.0 g | 0.3 g |
| Sodium | 80 mg | 634 mg |
| ENERGY BLEND | ||
| L-Citrulline (90% Fermented) | 4000 mg | |
| Beta-Alanine (95%) | 3200 mg | |
| Taurine | 1000 mg | |
| TyroPure® (L-Tyrosine) | 1000 mg | |
| HydroPrime® (Glycerol 65%) | 1000 mg | |
| Theobromine 99% | 150 mg | |
| Himalayan Rock Salt | 200 mg | |
| SalidroPure® Salidroside | 20 mg | |
| Caffeine | 200 mg | |
OTHER INGREDIENTS: Natural Flavour, Malic Acid, Beetroot Powder (Natural Colour), Thaumatin (Natural Sweetener) and Silica.
Supplement Facts:
Serving Size: 12.6g (1 Scoop)
Servings Per Container: 30
| Per Serving | Per 100g | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 25 kJ | 197 kJ |
| Protein | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Fat, total | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| - saturated | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Carbohydrate | 1.4 g | 10.9 g |
| - sugars | 0.0 g | 0.3 g |
| Dietary Fibre | 0.1 g | 1.1 g |
| Sodium | 79 mg | 627 mg |
| ENERGY BLEND | ||
| L-Citrulline (90% Fermented) | 4000 mg | |
| Beta-Alanine (95%) | 3200 mg | |
| Taurine | 1000 mg | |
| TyroPure® (L-Tyrosine) | 1000 mg | |
| HydroPrime® (Glycerol 65%) | 1000 mg | |
| Theobromine 99% | 150 mg | |
| Himalayan Rock Salt | 200 mg | |
| SalidroPure® Salidroside | 20 mg | |
| Caffeine | 200 mg | |
OTHER INGREDIENTS: Natural Flavour, Malic Acid, Beta Carotene (Natural Colour), Thaumatin (Natural Sweetener) and Silica.
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