Pumps? So What!?

[MikeyG]

I've heard one to many bro's complaining about not acheving the 'pumps' in the gym-- I just tell them, pumps is nothing but edema- a swell up of blood in the muscle being worked- it does NOT stimulate growth. Sure go ahead and bang out another 4-5 sets of 20 reps to get that silly pump....

I am a big enuthanist of Dorian Yates, and Mike Menzter style of training, and of course- Doggcrapp. I just recently bought Peter Sisco & John Little "Power Factor Training" book. I will write an exerpt of it below--- I highly reccomend everyone to be open minded and read this book.

Groundless theory 6: Train for the pump, then you know you've stimulated growth.

Many bodybuilders head for the gym with the idea that getting a good pump is the key to muscular growth stimulation. Unfortunately, there exists NO evidence whatsoever that a pump is an index of muscle growth stimulation. All bodybuilders achieve a pump to some degree everytime they workout, obviously not all of them GROW. For that matter, people who cycle, jog, and even stairmaster enthuasists experience a pump... [why they are so fuckin' skinny eh?]

To wrap this up... I do admit that a pump is a nice feeling, but is NOT an accurate indicator of musclar growth, and DON'T be discouraged after an workout in the gym and you had experienced NO pumps whatsoever.

 

[satchboogie]

very good point that many bodybuilders dont understand.

karma!

 

[joltman]

But dont forget what Arnold said about pumps, it feels like cumming

 

[MikeyG]

Of course joltman-- but like i said, it's a great feeling but I feel as if alot of people aim for the 'pumps' when they hit the gym.... it's just not an good indicator of a good workout, or stimulating a muscular growth.

 

[cccp]

yeah, it does feel good to get nice pumps. after my upper body workouts i always look so huge, i wish i could stay that huge all the time

 

[Tiervexx]

Many bodybuilders head for the gym with the idea that getting a good pump is the key to muscular growth stimulation. Unfortunately, there exists NO evidence whatsoever that a pump is an index of muscle growth stimulation. All bodybuilders achieve a pump to some degree everytime they workout, obviously not all of them GROW. For that matter, people who cycle, jog, and even stairmaster enthuasists experience a pump... [why they are so fuckin' skinny eh?]

There is a big diffrence between the pump and the burn.

I do agree that it is overrated and not needed for everybody but it does work for a lot of people.

 

[guldukat]

Of course joltman-- but like i said, it's a great feeling but I feel as if alot of people aim for the 'pumps' when they hit the gym.... it's just not an good indicator of a good workout, or stimulating a muscular growth.

No kiddin'

You can get a great pump without even lifting weights. If I hit a few hard crab poses, my front delts and pecs will fill with blood; a few fast push-ups or door knob "rows" can get my whole upper body going.

It's dismayed me somewhat to see some people touting the benefits of very high volume, pumping-style workouts, now known as "blood volume training." Read a Craig Titus article in one of the muscle rags and he'll go on about the value of "maximizing blood volume" and somesuch nonsense--you know, between his long rants against King Kamali

Then, I remind myself, I'm fighting each and every day to have control over ONE MAN'S life: mine. To worry about what others are doing can be noble, but it's oftentimes simply unproductive, and just as likely not appreciated.

So, nasty as this sounds, if some guy wants to spin his wheels "pumping up" when he could be Doggcrapping, WSBing, doing something worthwhile...well, fuck 'em. Perhaps spinning his wheels like that's what it'll take to wake his ass up *shrugs*

 

[gymtime]

I agree with Mikey. However, the psychological effects of "the pump" should not be underestimated. While it really does little, if anything, for you physically, it can be a great motivator. And that in itself makes the sensation something not to be so easily dismissed.

 

[louden_swain]

Getting a good pump is great!!!

A pump tells me that I am hitting the exercise correctly and that I am receiving an adequate blood flow to the muscles.

When people say they cannot get a pump. . I question whether or not they are training properly. Of course, training with more reps makes a difference.

Bottom line. . .a pump is an indicator (blood flow/muscle trained)

 

[MikeyG]

LS- yes it's a good indicator.. but i'm just wanting to get the point across with some fellow EF bros that they are NOT a good indicator for muscular growth.... it just never been proven.

(do 100 reps with 10 lb dumbell will give me a pump like hell... but does it make it grow? I think not.)

 

[Dave949]

If a pump had anything to do with growth then we would all have 20 inch woodies cuz everytime we get a hardon our peckers would grow cuz the "pump" stimulated growth !!!!

Yeah right........dream on bros

 

[c3ntrifug3]

I agree with Louden completely. A pump can be a good indicator that the exercise is working. Also bear in mind that all of that blood can really decrease the possibility of injury.

 

[Dave949]

A pump can be a good indicator that the exercise is working. Also bear in mind that all of that blood can really decrease the possibility of injury.

Absolutely and I agree bro but in the end and final analysis, the pump does not in itself "stimulate" growth.

 

[d3track]

i use the pump as a mental tool
a game to fight through more reps when i feel like the muscle is going to explode
the pump itself doesn't mean much as far as gauging growth, but it can be used a as a tool to help achieve good workouts

 

[joltman]

No kiddin'

You can get a great pump without even lifting weights. If I hit a few hard crab poses, my front delts and pecs will fill with blood; a few fast push-ups or door knob "rows" can get my whole upper body going..........

wtf? door knob "rows"
lol what is that?
does it build great physique

 

[Exodus]

But dont forget what Arnold said about pumps, it feels like cumming

arnold has recently even said that, that and pretty much everything else he said in pumping iron was a big fat lie to get camera time.

pumping iron wasnt to be centered around arnold, but he kept telling them more and more outragous bullshit, so they kept filming him.

like the part about him missing his father's funeral before a contest, was also a lie.

X

 

[bigstve12]

. Also bear in mind that all of that blood can really decrease the possibility of injury.

This is what the pump is really for....without the lactic acid build up, we would keep lifting till the muscle fibers would tear in half. Its an evolutionary protective mechanism...nothing to do with growth.

 

[Arnold'sApprentice]

Getting a good pump is great!!!

A pump tells me that I am hitting the exercise correctly and that I am receiving an adequate blood flow to the muscles.

When people say they cannot get a pump. . I question whether or not they are training properly. Of course, training with more reps makes a difference.

Bottom line. . .a pump is an indicator (blood flow/muscle trained)

well said...i agree 200% and think this should made a must read sticky

 

[wlhosch]

Hey louden-swain,

I think that lots of beginners confuse a pump with a burn. I used to get a great pump in my arms and chest, and some in my back; never in my legs no matter how much weight or how many sets. Since January, I have gone over to WSB for PL and while my strength keeps going up my size is stagnant (220-225) and I never get any pump.

 

[casualbb]

Be careful listening to Pete Sisco on anything. He'll debunk bodybuilding myths only to the point that it supports what he's selling... that doesn't mean he's interested in real exercise science.

 

[guldukat]

wtf? door knob "rows"
lol what is that?
does it build great physique

Heh heh...naw It's something I learned from an old Arnold book.

Basically, you put your hands on either side of a door, on the doorknob(s), bend your knees and sorta use your bodyweight for "rows" or "pulls" of some sort.

It's hard to describe, especially now that I feel about as articulate as a fuckin' 2x4 (Long, looooooooong day, brother. Forgive me.) Still, the bottom position's an okay lat stretch, and though it's very easy, a bunch of reps will definitely pump the lats and biceps.

 

[Arnold'sApprentice]

dogcrapp does em for his stretching

 

[needsize]

I get just as good a pump from a heavy set of 5-6 reps as I do from a set of 12...doing the reps slow and in control does it for me

 

[Arnold'sApprentice]

Be careful listening to Pete Sisco on anything. He'll debunk bodybuilding myths only to the point that it supports what he's selling... that doesn't mean he's interested in real exercise science.

bump..he the power factor training guy? i detest every article he's ever written

 

[casualbb]

bump..he the power factor training guy?

Bingo. He's selling information that's vastly inferior to most of what available here for free.

 

[MikeyG]

I agree with you casualbb-- about peter sisco, But he does not entirely debunk all of the bodybuilding/mass building theories- he simply puts them in much logical way that we dumbasses can understand.

But all in all... all guys share the same prinicpal- SAID. Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands for muscular growth. That's just my IMO.

 

[joltman]

Heh heh...naw It's something I learned from an old Arnold book.

Basically, you put your hands on either side of a door, on the doorknob(s), bend your knees and sorta use your bodyweight for "rows" or "pulls" of some sort.

It's hard to describe, especially now that I feel about as articulate as a fuckin' 2x4 (Long, looooooooong day, brother. Forgive me.) Still, the bottom position's an okay lat stretch, and though it's very easy, a bunch of reps will definitely pump the lats and biceps.

Im sure it was the door knob row that built Arnolds physique

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

growth stimulated or not - leaving the gym without a pump sucks.

 

[casualbb]

mikeyg... he did state it well about the pump. Not trying to dump on the thread

I find the pump personally satisfying, but I usually only get it trainig with 10+ reps/set. I see my best growth at 5 reps.