[n88tr]

In a few minutes I'm gonna take 3 scoops noexplode and go over to do heavy reps of traps and calves, mixing it up a bit today and then some HIIT.

I saw the video posted just recently about the pump, how it happens, why, and if it increases muscle growth. They basically just said concentrate on the muscle and getting a good movement out of it with proper form. Makes sense. I do this on ALL my workouts but I only get the pump in my forearms but I'm convinced it comes from having too tight a grip on stuff like my barbell chest raises and preacher curls.

Anyway, I don't think I've truly had the pump, I think maybe I need to really add a lot of sets [I usually do just 4-5], maybe around 6 or 8. But that's gonna be difficult to do today with my planned workout of high weight. I don't think I can do sitting calf raises with 200 lb [my max] for 6 sets, maybe 2 or 3 sets. I'm not being negative here, but seriously I can't do that much weight at that set count.

I've been doing this shit for 2-3 months and I always ask fellows in the gym how long they've been doing it, the good looking ones, and I get usually "since highschool" or "a couple of years" which basically means 3-6 years, a lot longer than I have. I've asked guys in the gym about pump and they have no idea what I'm talking about, like when I ask them how their's feel...

My question: by just concentrating a lot, good contractions, and doing good form, is that how the pump happens, is a lot of it mental? I really want to get one this time. I do a lot of weight for my calves [I think it's a lot] but I've never really gone till failure. I get heavy fatigue but never muscular failure and I consider this really pretty weird.

[ZackKnight]

Go til ur muscles feel like they're gonna explode.

If you can't do that many sets at that weight, just lower the reps.

You've felt it. You had to have. Either that or you're just not pushing yourself hard enough.

[XTRMMUSCLEMASS]

just like zack mentioned u gotta push ur self to the failure, if u want good pump the more reps the better the pump is. for calves i do like 30-40 reps in each set and it triples the size of my calves ( not exactly )

or u could do some low weight at first for lots of reps and then move on to the heavy weight, im sure u would feel it. just drink lots of water through out the day, and eat carbs. i know that by eating carbs b4 ur workout ur muscles get a fuller and thicker shape.

hope this helped

[n88tr]

Well my pre has been just the 3 scoops noexplode, previous to this it was 1-2 hours beforehand that I had one of my minimeals and some carbs were absolutely in that meal.

Either I ditch the noexplode so my last meal is closer to my workout, or I do more carbs on the meal before the noexplode, I like the second option better imo.

[n88tr]

I think since I've only been BBing for such a short time I'll cut out the noexplode for a 1/2 year or so, or atleast until I get some bigger gains. I'm not feeling anything super great from it, so I'll just wait some time and resume it later. I'm pushing myself too hard, expecting too much. I think noexplode is meant for more advanced BBers, which I am not.

[Cork]

Originally Posted by n88tr

I've asked guys in the gym about pump and they have no idea what I'm talking about, like when I ask them how their's feel...

I think you're asking the wrong question here...

[n88tr]

What do you mean, like I should rephrase my question towards them, or something?

[n88tr]

ok well, the only sensation i get is burning when i do high reps [with either low or high weight, it doesn't seem to matter too much] on my calves. is the pump a burning sensation or is it something different?

[Blitzkrieg]

That burning sensation is probably lactic acid buildup, I think you need to UP the weight, it's probably too easy for you right now.

I take it you've seen this, it's pretty much what he's talking about anyway.

[n88tr]

yeah, i saw that a while back. as he explains it, i've never felt it like that.

if its lactic buildup, how do i dissipate it, just wait a few seconds? if i do more weight, i've worked through the burn a lot, it just gets more intense... it's not painful, but it's a very hot burning feeling.

[ZackKnight]

lactic acid buildup takes about 1 hour to dissapate.

[n88tr]

well that stinks. why do i get it if i lift? i used to only get it from running track, now i get it doing weights? am i doing something wrong?

[Blitzkrieg]

Chech out this thread by islander, it's a good read.

A overview of the body's energy systems and Lactic acid