One of the advantages to working out is the wonderful pump you get in your muscles when you are done. This provides an instant form of feedback that can keep you motivated. Although the visual effect of a good workout is a benefit, the pump that you get from a workout is a sign that your muscles are being inundated with blood full of nutrients. This great pumping of the muscles is actually a way to make your gains happen even faster.
There are times, however, when you are not able to get a pump. This is a sign that something is not quite right. Maybe looking at things such as what you eat or how much you drink can give you some answers. Perhaps your sleep is not enough or you might not be taking the proper supplements. There are some things you can do to get a better pump if you are struggling with that.
Drink Enough
Making sure you drink enough is very important for your health. It is also a very necessary element when it comes to getting a pump. The more water you drink, then the more blood volume and blood flow you get. You need both of these in order to get the pump after a workout. It is recommended that you drink 3 to 4 liters of water each day. Before you go to the gym, it is also advised that you drink another glass so you are able to stay hydrated.
Get The Proper Nutrients
L-Carnitine is an amino acid that increases your pump as well. This amino acid is used to protect the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is known to help relax blood vessels and therefore causes the blood flow to increase those muscles that are working. L-Carnitine also affects testosterone receptors. It increases their number in the cells of the muscles. This increase of testosterone increases the blood flow, which as mentioned earlier, is important for getting a greater pump. For proper health, you might need to add supplements to your plan. Other nutrients are also going to be important and when you read this review, you will also see that vitamins and nutrients in general will get your blood flowing properly. They are also very important for you to have proper health and nutrition.
Take In Appropriate Salt Amount
Making sure that you get enough salt is also very important. One of the things that sodium or salt, does is to make cells expand by drawing in water molecules. Sodium also does some other things with cells. It brings water in the muscle cells as well, especially when they are under stress. This is so important when you are working out and doing any type of muscle contractions. This can all work to your advantage if you time the salt intake correctly. Using a high quality salt like Himalayan salt is recommended. Take 1/4 teaspoon for about 2 or 3 hours before your workout.
Make Sure To Eat Enough Carbohydrates
Eating carbohydrates is important for that pump. Your muscles need glycogen when you workout. Glycogen provides energy but is also instrumental in making your muscles look bigger. When people are on low carbohydrate diets, they usually have a smoother physical appearance. They are not as bulked up. It is recommended to have a quick carb serving before a workout. This might include healthy carbs such as fruit, rice or oats since they act very fast.
Lift Weights Slowly To Add Tension
When you work out, it is also advised to make your motions very slow when you lift weights and put your muscles under tension. It is not important to have heavy weights when you do this. Just make sure that the time that you put your muscles under some form of tension is between 45-90 seconds per set. Each set should include between 12 to 20 reps. This is going to be the best way to lift weights in order to get a good pump.
You can use this method with any type of exercise, including squats, dumbbell curls or anything else. When working out to gain performance or strength, you can still use the same method, but make those high tension exercises occur near the end of your training. This keeps you from making your muscles too tired before you have a chance to lift heavier weights.
Rest For Only Small Amounts During Exercise
If you take a short rest time, rather than a long one, then your blood will continue to pump in your muscle tissues and veins. It also keeps your heart rate high, which also keeps the blood flowing. Make sure that you do not rest any more than 30 to 60 seconds between each set of your workout.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleeping is always important. For so many parts of life, it is very beneficial to get appropriate sleep. Muscle recovery requires good sleep. If you have too much cortisol being produced, then this will negatively affect your pump. If you do not get enough sleep, then more cortisol is produced. Try to get anywhere from 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night.
It is not difficult to get a good pump after a workout. Not only is it quite easy, but there are many things you can do in order to help this along. Take the time and effort to do the things that can increase the pump since it is a way to make the intended results of your workout happen even quicker.
