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genezapharmateuticals
domestic-supply
puritysourcelabs
Research Chemical SciencesUGFREAKeudomestic
napsgeargenezapharmateuticals domestic-supplypuritysourcelabsResearch Chemical SciencesUGFREAKeudomestic

More pumps in the gym?

For mass and size pumps matter the most. Its about growing. What u lift doesn't mean shit. Need to do high reps correct form and squeeze the muscle your working. Cant lift with an ego if you care about building muscle. Doing 400 for 2 reps doesn't do shit. Need to pump the blood and oxygen into the muscle or your wasting time. Go skateboard if not gonna try to get the most massive pump every time

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But you don't need no supplements to help with a pump. I just explained how to get it

Wrong, wrong and... yep... wrong.

Start, as I asked above, with the science. You're more or less right that what you do for 2 reps don't mean shit. There's a bunch of science to do with strength. From learned response (just getting better at a lift), neural pathway reinforcement (the neurons 'fire' better - which just comes down to a stronger signal) to Being good at responding to ATP (boosted by creatine).

Rep range is a part of it. Typically low reps (like the 2) are strength, high reps (12+) are endurance and in the middle (8-12) is where muscle will grow (all other aspects being equal). I'd argue that the 2nd line I put in bold is 90% of growth and the pump... not even 1%

In VERY simple terms ya gotta stress the muscle and force an adaptation. This happens by either thickening of a muscle fibre (or the odd million or so) or fibre numbers increasing (aka hyperplasia)

Let's say you do 4 sets x 12 reps for EZ barbell curls with 60lbs. I don't care if you get a pump, carbed up or used a pump product when you usually don't. If you do the same weight, reps and sets EVERY DAMN TIME... guess what ZERO growth. Take 2g of Tren and do the same sets, reps and weights and you'll gain on.... do the same sets, reps, etc when off... and the arm will go back to how it was.

Now what if you add a set... that's stimulus. Or do a few more reps... same. Or add weight to the bar... yep (all things being equal - like rest, a small increase in good nutrition etc)... you GROW!! It barely mattered if you got as pump or not.

Now here's a clincher. If the pump was THE most important thing then is Mike still lifting what he did when he first started? Let's pretend it was a 30lb dumbbell curl Is he still doing 30lbs? Nope. He's lifting more than when he first lifted. He may well be doing a LOT more volume and he'll certainly have learned to get more from his training. Heck he probably hits 3 or so movements for biceps when back in the day it was just 1 kind of curl.

So he's STRONGER than when he started. Does more overall work / volume and knows very well how to squeeze the fuck (learned response) on curls. If we did a biopsy way back when vs now I'd bet $5 he has either thickened the fibres or has more.

I explained what the pump does. Here's it again and a bit more.
1) MAYBE (not that often) you'll stretch the fascia. See Milos etc al and stiff like plasma expanders / glucose loading. However stretching when you have a pump might help too. It's 'making room to grow'. But not actually making you grow
2) If feels nice. Endorphins do that too (aka Exercise high). Even us strength guys get that (plus we only do low reps now and again lol)
3) Dilates the small capillaries (it's why you feel pumped and can have a slight pinkish / reddish tinge to the muscle esp if the skin is thin enough.
4) MIGHT help remove toxins.

The whole 'forces blood and increases oxygen' thing is over sold. If that was super important we'd need it all the time or else the muscle would die. It doesn't cos you get enough oxygen and blood to ALL the muscle cells all the time (again the muscle would die otherwise). Even when you're asleep.

There's a bunch of science and studies behind what percentage of muscle fibres 'fire' (it's NEVER 100% at a time - NEVER) and how you can NEVER make them all fire over a workout. Something is always held back for emergencies (do curls... need to lay still for hours... roof of gym caves in = you'd die).

And ego... Doesn't matter if you go for some crazy ass 2 reps max or 'just wanna look good'. It's the same. It's what made Mike take a pic of himself in the mirror and use it as his avatar. It's him showing you that he has muscle on this forum. Jason, BM, Stevesmi and yep... me too. Otherwise we'd have a picture of a dog or something

Getting stronger - works
More reps or sets than before - works
Squeezing da fuck - works

Adding a few grams of protein to allow for growth and or to maintain the new fibres - works.

Pump... nope.

If you DO wanna good pump here's what to do (if only cos it feels so damn great).
HYDRATE. Not a shit load more but a little extra
Add a little more CARBS (50g is loads) to a daily diet.
Do a few more reps than usual. If you don't get a pump on 10 reps try 15.
Change the routine too. Switch to cables if all you do are dumbbells
And squeeze like a mofo if you don't usually.
 
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