2965: Does a Muscle Pump Mean Muscle Growth? by Christian Finn of Muscle Evo on Hypertrophy

[00:00:00] This is Optimal Health Daily. Does a Muscle Pump Mean Muscle Growth by Christian Finn of MuscleEvo.net and I'm Dr. Neal, your host and narrator. Hey there, happy Saturday. I hope your weekend is off to a great start and welcome back to Optimal Health Daily or OHD, where I act as your narrator, popular health and fitness blogs, and provide my commentary at the end.

[00:00:23] And don't forget, we have a bunch of shows covering different topics. Just search for Optimal Living Daily in your podcast app to find all of them. But for now, let's get right to it and start optimizing your life. Does a Muscle Pump Mean Muscle Growth by Christian Finn of MuscleEvo.net Some say that getting a pump is essential for building muscle.

[00:00:50] If you want to make your muscles grow as fast as humanly possible, getting one should be the aim of your workouts. A good muscle pump is a sign that you've had a good workout and that growth is sure to follow. Others will tell you that getting a muscle pump is purely cosmetic and means absolutely nothing. Your muscles might expand temporarily, but that doesn't mean they're going to grow any faster. Forget about the pump and just focus on lifting heavy and getting stronger.

[00:01:17] So who's right? Is getting a pump a sure sign that growth has been stimulated? Or will you build muscle just as fast without one? What is a muscle pump? The pump refers to the temporary increase in muscle size that occurs when you lift weights, especially when you use higher repetitions and shorter rest periods. Blood is coming into a muscle faster than it can leap. As a result, your muscles become temporarily engorged with blood, which is what gives you that pumped sensation.

[00:01:47] However, the pump is relatively short-lived. Your muscles will typically return to their normal size by the time you've had a shower and left the gym. Everyone likes getting a pump. Your muscles blow up and feel full. Your skin feels tight. You appear more muscular than you really are, especially if you're looking at yourself in your favorite mirror where the lighting is just right. It's a good feeling. What does a pump feel like? In their book, Pumping Iron, The Art and Sport of Bodybuilding,

[00:02:17] George Butler and Charles Gaines had this to say about the pump. A pump is the fix and rush of bodybuilding. It is the workout gone inside, the exercise swallowed and digested, metabolizing visibly into growth. It produces a feeling that is wonderfully clear-headed, self-sufficient, and refreshed, as though all the blood were new. It is one of the finest and most complicated physical sensations you can have.

[00:02:43] The part of the body being pumped feels like one of those fast-frame films of flowers blooming or seeds ripening. The muscles seem actually to go from pod to blossom in seconds under the skin. End quote. How do I get a muscle pump? Bodybuilders typically pump up by performing a series of high-repetition sets immediately before a contest, so their muscles look bigger when they step on stage. Training programs geared towards building strength,

[00:03:11] which involve the use of heavy weights, low repetitions, and long rest periods, don't usually lead to much of a pump. In fact, a lot of guys making the switch from a bodybuilding-style training program to something like strong lifts 5x5 say that it doesn't feel like it's doing anything because they get no pump at all. They're not sure if it's common to remain pumpless while training for strength or if they're doing something wrong. Does getting a pump build muscle?

[00:03:40] Getting a pump in and of itself is not essential for muscle growth. It is possible to build muscle without a pump. What's more, if you don't get a pump, it doesn't necessarily mean you're doing anything wrong. There's plenty of research out there to show that training with lighter weights and higher reps, the type of training that gives your muscles that nice, tight, pumped feeling, is an effective way to build muscle. However, your muscles can also be made to grow with very heavy weights,

[00:04:07] low repetitions, and long rest periods between sets, which doesn't usually lead to much of a pump. In one study, researchers from the University of Central Florida compared two different training programs over an 8-week period. Lifters in the first group did 4 sets of 10-12 repetitions with one minute of rest between sets. Subjects in group 2 did the same exercises and number of sets, but they used a much heavier weight that limited them to 3-5 repetitions

[00:04:37] and resting for around 3 minutes between sets. This latter type of training doesn't lead to as much of a pump as the lighter weights and higher repetitions used by group 1. Other than that, everything else, the exercises and number of weekly training days, was kept the same. It was only the amount of weight that was being lifted, the number of repetitions per set, and the amount of rest between each set that differed between groups. What was the result?

[00:05:05] None of the differences in body composition between the groups were statistically different. In other words, both the high pump and low pump training programs had a similar effect on muscle growth. In fact, the researchers did find a clear trend towards greater gains in the group lifting heavier weights. That is, those who trained in the 3-5 repetition range were the ones that built the most muscle. To be clear, this study wasn't set up to test the idea that getting a pump leads to a faster rate of muscle growth

[00:05:34] than remaining pump-less. It's not like the researchers made any objective or subjective assessments of how pumped each subject got during a workout. But by comparing different styles of training that lead to more or less of a pump, the study does put a big question mark next to the idea that getting a pump is essential for building muscle. However, while getting a muscle pump may not be necessary for growth, the type of training that leads to a pump does provide a potent hypertrophic stimulus,

[00:06:03] possibly via a different pathway to heavy lifting. Here's what Dr. Brad Schoenfeld, author of The Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy, has to say on the subject in a review published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal. Quote, It is likely that exercise centered on achieving a pump through higher repetition sets combined with shorter rest periods also provides a potent hypertrophic stimulus that is synergistic to heavy compound lifting. Therefore, individuals seeking maximal hypertrophy

[00:06:33] should consider dedicating a component of their training sessions toward pump training, ideally after heavier strength work, to take advantage of the multiple pathways involved in muscle hypertrophy. End quote. Final thoughts. Getting a pump feels good. Arnold Schwarzenegger called it, the greatest feeling you can get in the gym. End quote. And the type of training that gives you a pump is also a highly effective way to gain muscle, particularly if you're not a fan of lifting heavy weights.

[00:07:02] However, I don't think that the pump tells you anything about whether or not a particular workout has been effective, and getting one shouldn't drive your decisions about how to set up your training program. You just listened to the post titled, Does a Muscle Pump Mean Muscle Growth? by Christian Finn of MuscleEvo.net and I'll be right back with my commentary. Oikos presents 15 seconds of strength. Here we go. Steve's got a trunk full of groceries and no one to help him.

[00:07:32] Oh, that's tough, Jim. Looks like a five-trip load at least. He grabs the first bag, the second. Bob, it looks like he's trying to do it all one trip. He shimmies the door open, steps over the dog. Oh, and he stumbles. Oh, right into the kitchen without missing a beat. Jim, now that's a man who eats his protein-packed Oikos. With 15 grams of complete protein in each cup, Oikos Triple Zero can help build strength for every day. Oikos, stronger makes everything better. The origins of this podcast were once just a dream.

[00:07:59] That dream turned into the podcast and business you're listening to today. Starting your own business is a dream lots of us share, but too many of us let it remain just a dream. Don't hold yourself back thinking, what if I don't have the skills? What if I can't do it alone? Turn those what-ifs into why-nots with Shopify by your side. Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide and handles 10% of all e-commerce in the US,

[00:08:28] from household names like Mattel to brands just getting started. Build campaigns that reach customers wherever they're scrolling. Plus, Shopify's expertise covers everything, inventory, shipping, returns, and beyond. If you're ready to sell, you're ready for Shopify. Turn those dreams into and give them the best shot at success with Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial

[00:08:54] and start selling today at shopify.com slash OHD. Go to shopify.com slash OHD. Shopify.com slash OHD. Dr. Neil here for my commentary. As today's author Christian said, when our muscles feel pumped, they feel that way because of the blood that's being sent to those muscles. Does more of a pump and basically more blood flow

[00:09:23] to the muscles mean that the muscles are more likely to grow bigger faster? No. While a muscular pump can make us feel like a superhero, it's not the only thing that determines whether or not we'll grow bigger muscles or more defined muscles. Instead, bigger and more defined muscles will happen with, guess what? Consistent training that incorporates variety. For example, some days that include heavy weights where we may not experience a muscle pump.

[00:09:51] And on other days, we'll train with lighter weights and we do feel a pump. Because after all, those are the tried and true ways to build muscle. All right, that'll do it for today. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for sharing this show with someone. Sharing the show is one of the best ways to keep this show going. So I thank you in advance for doing that. Now, I hope you have a great weekend. And of course, I'll see you back here tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.