How important do you believe the pump is?

[BigNattyDaddy420]

I agree with everything said about maximizing progress.

However, the pump is half the fun of training. Most of us got into bodybuilding because we absolutely love the training aspect of the lifestyle, not the diet and the drugs as much (I mean we still love that)

So in that regard, I think the pump is pretty important

 

[Tomgrass]

For about a year I trained fasted. I actually got a better pump than with a normal high carb pre workout meal. Can anyone explain how this makes sense?

Cause a lot of your blood goes to stomach to digest it so you have so much less in the muscles.

 

[danieltx]

For about a year I trained fasted. I actually got a better pump than with a normal high carb pre workout meal. Can anyone explain how this makes sense?

Cause a lot of your blood goes to stomach to digest it so you have so much less in the muscles.

In @qbkilla's case it's most likely that he didn't wait long enough between finishing the meal and starting his workout. If you have a large meal you shouldn't be training 60-90 minutes later because you're likely still digesting, blood glucose is still elevated, etc. This does tie in with your point about digestion - if the meal's still digesting you're limiting how much blood can go to the pump. With the size of meals I eat it's typically 2.5 hours between finishing a meal and going to the gym.

 

[qbkilla]

Delts are a priority for me. Hit em heavy once a week then throw in a few giant sets (3x5 consecutive exercises) at the end of chest and legs day to get a good pump

 

[trainlikeaboss]

crazy pumps but not from 4x20 unless specific reasoning requires that

i only get to gym like 2x per week now, so i go heavy af, slow n and i am more sore than ever, and seem to be growing some how some way

most likely via the variables and technique and methods implemented in interim

Just an idea here but with infrequent training one could hypothesize that you are adapting less to the stimulus, since soreness is not always a good indicator of a successful workout, and seems to decrease over time as the body adapts. Also that you are probably always so fully recovered and ready to hit the weights much harder by the next training session than you would with more frequent sessions, so the intensity and load may be increased more than it would be with a different routine.

I am curious though since you said you “seem” to be growing. How long has your training been limited to two days per week, and has the scale been continuously increasing?

 

[Muay Thai]

Just an idea here but with infrequent training one could hypothesize that you are adapting less to the stimulus, since soreness is not always a good indicator of a successful workout, and seems to decrease over time as the body adapts. Also that you are probably always so fully recovered and ready to hit the weights much harder by the next training session than you would with more frequent sessions, so the intensity and load may be increased more than it would be with a different routine.

I am curious though since you said you “seem” to be growing. How long has your training been limited to two days per week, and has the scale been continuously increasing?

just a few weeks, normally i do at least 3 days , and I am completely with you and in the know about soreness not equating as an indicator for hypertrophy, i think what i said was confusing, i meant moreso as in training a few days per week heavy af until failure specifically was producing more results, like 3-4 days per week as opposed to 5-6 of weightlifting, in no way am I growing size at this frequency not even with insulin lol

 

[TheRoid]

Just an idea here but with infrequent training one could hypothesize that you are adapting less to the stimulus, since soreness is not always a good indicator of a successful workout, and seems to decrease over time as the body adapts. Also that you are probably always so fully recovered and ready to hit the weights much harder by the next training session than you would with more frequent sessions, so the intensity and load may be increased more than it would be with a different routine.

Many years ago I started hitting legs once a week only (as an experiment), squat and 45° Leg Press only, and just ONE set to real failure per exercise.
Strenght progression over 4 months was UNREAL.
Growth, pretty much zero.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Strenght progression over 4 months was UNREAL.
Growth, pretty much zero.

Damn. You pretty much described my entire adult life.
When I diet down now, I'm almost the same weight I was when I left high school. Although much less pudgy. Even my own coach asked ne how much more strength I thought I could squeeze out of my 200lb frame. After all I didn't have Dusty's or rAJJIN's genetics. My only hope was more size. But the long-ass workouts and packing down food... I guess I didn't have those genetics either. Shit.

 

[TheRoid]

Damn. You pretty much described my entire adult life.
When I diet down now, I'm almost the same weight I was when I left high school. Although much less pudgy. Even my own coach asked ne how much more strength I thought I could squeeze out of my 200lb frame. After all I didn't have Dusty's or rAJJIN's genetics. My only hope was more size. But the long-ass workouts and packing down food... I guess I didn't have those genetics either. Shit.

The Leitmotif of my life has always been this motto:
Why do I have to choose the lesser evil when I can have both?

 

[OuchThatHurts]

The Leitmotif of my life has always been this motto:
Why do I have to choose the lesser evil when I can have both?

I'm liking that motto right now. LOL!

 

[Johnnyhartly]

Came across the interview with Mike Van Wyck on Fouad’s channel.

Mike was saying how he’d rather someone go in and chase a skin splitting pump rather than them go in and try and beat the log book.

He believes the pump is everything for training. What are your guys opinions?

I try to make sure I get both a great pump while beating the log book, but the reality is some days the pump just isn’t as good whether it was just an off day, hydration etc. so I find it hard to believe the progress isn’t going to be just as effective just because the pump happened to be lackluster.

I guess it’s hard to say without having all the information he said. I will say this tho. The most growth and I’ve had is from lifting heavy and frequently. I will also say I get a pump every time I hit max effort squat, bench, or dead. So I mean

 

[qbkilla]

I guess it’s hard to say without having all the information he said. I will say this tho. The most growth and I’ve had is from lifting heavy and frequently. I will also say I get a pump every time I hit max effort squat, bench, or dead. So I mean

I can't watch van wyck anymore. He can't just spit it out, he has to go on tangents, try and incorporate humor and sarcasm every 2 minutes, rant, turns a video with 3 minutes of information into 15. One time I literally tried to scroll 5 times to find the exercise demonstration there was like 20 seconds worth them the other 14 minutes he was just talking about random stuff. Very Mike Israetel like. Israel tries to start every video like he's a stand up comedian, I guess some people watch fitness videos for humor or at least he thinks so.

 

[Johnnyhartly]

I can't watch van wyck anymore. He can't just spit it out, he has to go on tangents, try and incorporate humor and sarcasm every 2 minutes, rant, turns a video with 3 minutes of information into 15. One time I literally tried to scroll 5 times to find the exercise demonstration there was like 20 seconds worth them the other 14 minutes he was just talking about random stuff. Very Mike Israetel like. Israel tries to start every video like he's a stand up comedian, I guess some people watch fitness videos for humor or at least he thinks so.

To be entirely honest I don’t even know who this van wyck character is. When I first started getting serious into training i was on YouTube and podcast pretty heavy but after awhile you notice its ppl just trying to make “content” or sell something. Now everyone’s an expert and it’s soo insanely over saturated it’s just annoying.

 

[qbkilla]

To be entirely honest I don’t even know who this van wyck character is. When I first started getting serious into training i was on YouTube and podcast pretty heavy but after awhile you notice its ppl just trying to make “content” or sell something. Now everyone’s an expert and it’s soo insanely over saturated it’s just annoying.

Their trying to sell everything now days. Apps to track calories, news letters, fake degrees in I guess knowing how to gain muscle or lose fat. Now you see more content on "coaches" teaching others how to be a good "coach". Back in the day we called them trainers now it's "coach.". They are even advising people on behavior modification and other ", coaches" how to modify behavior with no actual education in behavior analysis, counseling, mental health or psychology. So much for stick to what you know. Now days we have junkies like this guy Leo offering people life advice along with training and diet tips.

 

[Johnnyhartly]

Their trying to sell everything now days. Apps to track calories, news letters, fake degrees in I guess knowing how to gain muscle or lose fat. Now you see more content on "coaches" teaching others how to be a good "coach". Back in the day we called them trainers now it's "coach.". They are even advising people on behavior modification and other ", coaches" how to modify behavior with no actual education in behavior analysis, counseling, mental health or psychology. So much for stick to what you know. Now days we have junkies like this guy Leo offering people life advice along with training and diet tips.

Hahaha very well said. “Coaches teaching coaches” yea it’s such a mess isn’t it?

It’s a sad day when a social media “influencer” has more respect than ur local plumber.

Or when your well know local gym rat whose jacked outta his mind and stronger then 95% of the ppl in the community is considered a dumb shit cause he doesn’t have YouTube, Tik tok, instagram, etc.

Madness