#4 Myth In Bodybuilding.. Pump = Muscle Growth
One of the most common myths in the bodybuilding world is that because you obtain a pump while weight lifting means that you’ve stimulated muscle growth. This is not the case. The pump sensation you get from lifting weights is just a temporary edema or swelling of the muscle in response to weight training. If getting a pump meant that you stimulate muscle growth then you would be coming into the gym bigger, better and stronger literaly every single workout. Just think of all the regular lifters you see at the gym that obtain a pump every single day but haven’t gotten any bigger or stronger for months or even years. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the pump, in fact I love the feeling of fresh oxygenated, nutrient rich blood flowing throughout my muscles when I lift, however, the positives that come along with obtaining a pump aren’t enough to stimulate muscle growth. Progressive resistance where intensity is increased via using heavier weights or doing more repetitions with a particular weight that the muscle isn’t used to is what it takes in order for the body to create an adaptive response by stimulating more muscle growth. Combined of course with adaquit rest and recovery time and the proper nutrition. Just to give you an example, every single time I train my arms, I move up and become stronger every single arm workout. Every one! The thing is here that I train my arms ounce every 3 weeks. This is not B.S! With the weights I use thats how long it takes to recover enough in order to produce muscle growth. I see other guys in the gym that train arms 3 times per week but yet haven’t been able to increase the strength or muscle mass in their arms for months to years even though they pump them up hard 3 times per week. So you see I’m seeing much better results pumping my arms ounce every 3 weeks vs others who pump their arms 3 times per week. Those extra days of pumping may not only not give you better results, but it could be counter productive. The only way to gauge whether or not your stimulating muscle growth is by whether or not your stronger any time you repeat any given set of exercises. If your not stronger every workout, then chances are your over training even though you may be obtaining the pump much more often. And yes folks, in order to get bigger you must get stronger. I had a guy tell me that training my way may make you stronger but it wouldn’t make you bigger. My response to him was "Ok, if you dont get bigger by getting stronger, than how do you get bigger? By getting weaker?" He didn’t have much to say after that. You see a little logic can go a long way when it comes to bodybuilding. Best of luck training to all!
June 2, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Thats the furthest I have seen someone push out a workout for a muscle. Obviously you are have great results……Have your workout routine posted somewhere? Very curious what your workout looks like. Thanks!
November 24, 2008 at 9:47 am
So if you only work your arm every three weeks, what are you doing the rest of the time? Do you have a set schedule of work outs posted?