Many hobbies have words associated with them that most outsiders don't understand. In the world of bodybuilding, many people are working hard to chase a great pump. Whether you're new to weight lifting or an avid lifter, it's understandable to not know what a pump is.
Let's learn more about getting a pump and whether or not it's beneficial for gaining muscle.
What is a pump?
Lifting weights require lots of energy. As you lift weights, blood and oxygen divert away from other parts of the body and into your muscles. After your muscle tissues fill with oxygen and blood, this creates the effect that's otherwise known as a pump. After getting a pump, your muscles will feel and appear much larger than normal. However, you'll soon notice that every pump you get while lifting weights is only temporary. Eventually, this pump goes away. While feeling the larger muscles that come with a good pump, it's understandable to wonder if this is beneficial for building muscle.
Does getting a pump actually help build muscle?
While looking pumped-up is great, does getting a pump help you build muscle? Yes, you'll build more muscle after ensuring you're achieving a pump in the gym. Once you achieve a pump, blood, oxygen, and nutrients make their way into your muscles. These nutrients provide your muscles with the fuel they need to continue growing. That being said, it's possible to build muscle without ever getting a pump.
Training tips to increase your pump
Now that you know more about what a pump is, it's important to learn what exercises cause this phenomenon to take place. To tell you the truth, there's no magical exercise that will increase your pump. With that said, many people find that training with lower weights and higher repetitions often causes a pump to occur. This is because high-rep training builds more muscle size instead of strength. Try using weights you can do 10-15 repetitions with for best results.
As an example, you could perform bicep barbell curls with a weight you can safely curl 10-15 times. If you're struggling to reach 10 repetitions, lower your weight. Consider increasing your weight if you're able to perform 15 repetitions with no difficulty. You should be slightly struggling to reach your last rep.
You'll also need to keep a close eye on how many sets you're performing. Most experts recommend that daily workouts go no longer than 30-60 minutes. Working out longer than this, especially if you're new to lifting weights, won't help you build muscle any faster and it might cause injuries. While this isn't for everyone, you can get more of a pump by taking shorter rest breaks. Doing this slows the rate at which metabolic byproducts enter your muscles including lactic acid.
Supplements that help you build muscle
Many weight lifters looking to achieve better and faster results choose to take supplements. Fortunately, there is a certain kind of supplement that might help you with this goal. To increase your pump, consider using a nitric oxide or NO booster. This type of supplement works to rush natural nitric oxide into your muscles.
With that in mind, there are many types of NO supplements on the market. To ensure you choose the right supplement, you'll want to do a bit of research. If you're looking to find a high-quality NO supplement, there is this honest analysis of a product called Ghost Pump that you might be interested in. Ghost Pump is a gluten-free, vegan-friendly nitric oxide supplement. This supplement is meant to increase nitric oxide production and is available in both sour watermelon and lemon-lime flavors.
Pump-building foods
You might be unaware that the foods you eat play an important role in getting a pump. If you eat lots of junk food, you're unlikely to notice a pump while you're at the gym. Fortunately, you can change this by introducing several new foods in your diet. Experts recommend consuming carbohydrates before your workout to increase pumps.
There are several types of carbohydrates. Considering that, eating more carbohydrates for a pump doesn't mean filling up on candy bars and sweets. Instead, you'll want to find and consume complex carbohydrates. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates include brown rice, potatoes, yams, and whole-grain bread. Try to consume these foods 30-60 minutes before your workout begins. This gives these carbohydrates time to become fuel for your next weightlifting session.
It's important to learn how much getting a pump helps you build muscle tissue. It's true that getting a good pump can help you build more muscle. However, it's also important to note that your rep range affects your pump. Eating a decent amount of complex carbohydrates 30-60 minutes before your workout is also great for providing pump fuel. There are even supplements that can help increase your pump while you're working out.