{"id":1433,"date":"2020-03-06T15:38:21","date_gmt":"2020-03-06T22:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog-new.buckedup.com\/?p=1433"},"modified":"2023-10-24T14:52:38","modified_gmt":"2023-10-24T20:52:38","slug":"the-right-to-bear-pumped-arms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/06\/the-right-to-bear-pumped-arms\/","title":{"rendered":"The Right To Bare Arms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You may not know this, but a recent study performed by a totally unbiased fictional Journal of Non-Medicine showed that Americans who lift weights — on average — have bigger upper arms than anyone else in the world. I know, shocking. Get these results from an arms workout. Correlation doesn\u2019t equal causation, but my theory is that this strange anomaly is due to one thing: No gun regulations.<\/p>\n

Sure, gun regulations might change the fact that we lead the world in gun-related deaths and mass shootings, but that\u2019s a small price to pay for attaining glory. (Would Honest Abe have abolished slavery had Americans not had the right to bear arms?)<\/p>\n

Really, what\u2019s more important; the safety of civilians or the ability to attain a set of arms so massive they stretch t-shirt sleeves? Granted, most of those t-shirts are worn by guys who wear a size medium when they should wear a large, but that\u2019s not important. What\u2019s important is the effect on ego. There\u2019s no feeling as gratifying as carrying around two PUMP-action shotguns — and by shotguns I mean my 18\u201d arms.<\/p>\n

All political statements aside, the real secret someone with massive arms has that others don\u2019t is basic understanding of what we gun-toting, John Wayne worshipping meatheads call the \u201cPUMP.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

You might think you know what the pump is and how it\u2019s achieved, but…if you\u2019re anything like most noobs, you\u2019d be wrong. Don\u2019t worry though. Despite what everyone in my life might tell you, I\u2019m never wrong. That\u2019s not true. I\u2019m wrong about a lot of things — particularly anything related to political correctness — but if there\u2019s any knowledge I\u2019m armed to the teeth with, it\u2019s the pump and an arms workout. (As I write this, I\u2019m wearing a flannel shirt and listening to country, so you know I\u2019m an expert on pumping guns.)<\/p>\n

What\u2019s The PUMP?<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019m assuming that if you\u2019re reading this, you know what the pump is (and if you don\u2019t, then you should), but I\u2019ll explain it just in case.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In simple terms, the pump is that sensation you get repping out some barbell curls or cable triceps pressdowns. When your muscles expand to the point it feels like your skin might tear, and your veins look like tributary systems on a map.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The more sciency term is cell swelling. And, for all you nerds out there, here\u2019s a rundown on how it works during a moderate to high rep set (8-30):<\/p>\n

Veins taking blood out of working muscles are compressed by muscular contractions (i.e. forced into one space). Arteries continue delivering blood into working muscles, creating a buildup of intramuscular blood plasma. (Blood plasma is the pale yellow fluid of whole blood that consists of water<\/i> and its dissolved constituents including especially proteins.<\/i>) Blood plasma seeps out of capillaries and into the spaces between the blood vessels and the muscle cells. This creates an extracellular pressure gradient, which causes plasma to flood back into the muscle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The result: the flooded blood pools in the working muscles with an arms workout, then said muscles swell.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve never experienced that flood <\/i>during your workouts, it’s because you aren\u2019t priming your body for a pump. In fact, it\u2019s very possible your current pre-pump regimen is hindering your results. Continue to read to learn how to get your pump on for an arms workout.<\/p>\n

Common Mistakes Made\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

It might not be rocket science, but it\u2019s not broscience either. A lot of advice out there is about as worth listening to as a scrawny vegan claiming legumes build muscle as effectively as steak.\u00a0 Two examples of this vegan-level bad advice — carbohydrate intake and caffeine.<\/p>\n

Over-Reliance on Carbohydrates: <\/b><\/h4>\n

We\u2019ve all heard people claim that the reason you can\u2019t get a pump is due to a lack of muscle glycogen. This claim is often followed up with a remarkably profound<\/i> solution: \u201cBro, you just gotta carb up!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

THIS IS FALSE.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If it were true, then I wouldn\u2019t regularly have crazy pumps during my fasted workouts. Muscle glycogen does play a role, but the advice just isn\u2019t sound. For one thing, muscle glycogen doesn\u2019t necessarily require carbohydrates to be replenished (thank you, gluconeogenesis). More importantly, glycogen is only part of the equation when it comes to ultimate pumps. There are two other components equally if not more important:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Vasodilation (blood flow)<\/li>\n
  2. Hydration (on a cellular level)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    This One Might Shock You<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Sadly, a good portion of the misinformation in the fitness industry comes from so-called experts who say only what their supplement sponsors suggest — profit over honesty, the American way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    I personally know a professional bodybuilder who pushes his sponsor\u2019s pre-workout even though he doesn\u2019t take the product due to its ingredient profile. According to him, it\u2019s because their pre-workout is counter-productive for the pump. And it\u2019s all because of one overdosed ingredient.<\/p>\n

    Caffeine’s Negative Effects On The Pump: <\/b><\/h4>\n

    Don\u2019t get me wrong, caffeine has its place in training. It can help with focus and deliver the energy needed to get those last few reps.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    As effective as it is in those areas, it\u2019s equally (if not more so) detrimental in other areas, specifically achieving maximal pumps. Remember those two other components I mentioned above? Well, bad news.\u00a0<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it\u2019s dehydrating.<\/strong><\/li>\n
    2. It\u2019s also a vasoconstrictor, which means it restricts blood flow.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      In other words, if there was a superhero named Vascular-Man, who drew his strength from getting a pump, then caffeine would be his version of a particular green rock…<\/p>\n

      Primed For The PUMP<\/b><\/h3>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

      All right. You know what you don\u2019t<\/i> need if you\u2019re seeking a pump for an arms workout. Now let\u2019s get into what you do <\/i>need.<\/p>\n

      Vasodilation (Blood Flow) For The PUMP\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

      What is vasodilation? Vasodilation is the relaxation of blood vessels. Relaxed blood vessels expand, allowing for more blood to flow through.\u00a0This is of critical importance when it comes to getting a pump since the process of the pump requires oxygenated blood to flow as efficiently as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

      Think about this way: We\u2019ve all driven in rush hour traffic. Stop-and-go, jam-packed, wishing the city would just expand the four-lane freeway to six or better yet, invent flying cars already.\u00a0<\/p>\n

      An arms workout is essentially rush hour. If your blood vessels are constricted it\u2019s like a traffic jam. The nutrients are all trying to get to their destination — your muscles — but there aren\u2019t enough lanes. Adding in a vasodilating supplement is the equivalent of adding in five more lanes to the freeway.\u00a0<\/p>\n

      Cellular Hydration For Extra PUMP<\/b><\/h4>\n

      As previously stated, one of the pillars to build upon for a successful pump is hydration. This is one major reason why low sodium diets are absurd since sodium — in conjunction with potassium — plays a powerful role in hydration.\u00a0<\/p>\n

      But why is hydration so important? Well, aside from the obvious performance aspects and general health, it\u2019s unlikely cell swelling can occur if the environment (muscle cells) isn\u2019t enriched.\u00a0<\/p>\n

      Think about grapes and their dehydrated cousins, raisins. Raisins are for the most part just dried grapes. The dehydration process of raisins reduces the amount of moisture in the fruit from about 80% to 15% — about 4-5 times. Don\u2019t get me wrong, I love raisin bran cereals, but as far as appearance goes\u2026<\/p>\n