[Cork]

I searched up the forums and couldn't find any definitive thread on this topic so I figured I'd give it it's own. I've also searched the internet and couldn't find any specific training technique, so I have some questions.

I realize that vascularity comes from a combination of low body fat and increased blood volume. I read in a book, (Hardcore Bodybuilding: A Scientific Approach by Frederick C. Hatfield) that for the best vascularity training, you should compose workouts of exercises containing sets of 30-50 reps. This will maximize the size of the capillaries and increase blood flow. After a few weeks of doing these sorts of workouts, it is supposed to exponentially increase blood flow in the corresponding muscles. This type of training is to be started when about 12 weeks out from competing and is tied into helping to burn fat.

Now unfortunately there are 2 problems here:
1) I am at work and cannot quote directly from the book, but I will type up a more acurate paraphrase this evening.
2) The book was published in 1994 and by today's standards, that is quite outdated.

So to sum up, is it possible to "train vascularity", or is it something that you just acquire when lowering body fat?

[Kaboom]

I could be wrong but sounds crazy to me.Yeah your vascularity would improve during the workout because youre getting pumped up but dont see how its benefecial later for vascularity.
All about lowering your body fat and each individual differs.

[mitbar]

i agrea with kaboom that its mainly about lowering your bf to show more veins.

[Iron_Mercenary]

Well vascularity would be increased by the extended workload placed on the muscles by the high rep range. The 30-50 reps can be accomplished thru drop sets. Do some more research & get back to us.

[Cork]

Ok, exactly from the book:
"If any one of your muscles is not adequatly capillarized, you can't get enough nutrient laden blood there. nor can you remove wastes generated by muscle work. Slow, continuous tension movements performed at high reps (forty or more) are essential during this phase of training in order to ensure that capillarization occurs. This will support your mass training efforts, and it will also lay a foundation for the following training cycle which emphasizes recover ability. It is critical to note that the vascularization process takes about 2 months to complete. You will notice little or no progress during that time in your ability to perform high reps. All of a sudden it happens! You will suddenly be able to do 80 reps with the same weight that, days before, you could only do 40-50 reps with. These new capillaries don't open until they are fully developed. Now you can grow because you have an ample supply line to your muscle to support that growth. Be patient, and trust science."

I love that last line, haha. So there you have it, his words exactly. For those who like to know where material comes from (Like me!), here is a little about the author, Frederick C. Hatfield:
Written more than 50 books, over 100 articles, 3 time winner of the world championship of powerlifting, coach of US powerlifting team, coach and consultant to "scores" of world-ranked athletes.

[ZiR RED]

I like Dr. Squat, but I do not agree with him.

Additional capillaries is an adaptation to aerobic training, which is what you will be performing doing 50+ reps. These are microscopic veins that run parallel to the muscle fibers. The increase in density plays a greater role in delivering oxygen to the working muscles than nutrients. When working aerobically at a high intensity your muscles need oxygen, and the more oxygen you can deliver the higher your level of competition.

Weight training (40+ reps aside) is anaerobic. Furthermore, your growth, when your muscles are taking up nutrients, is done over a elongated period of time (the recovery period), not while you are actually training.

So while 40+ reps will benefit an endurance rower or runner, they will do little to benefit a bodybuilder or powerlifter besides generate lactate and perhaps improve the lactate threshold.

The vascularity you talk about improving are not capillaries but veins. The veins rise to the surface and dialate in the heat, they constrict in the cold. Heat and exercise has the greatest effect on a vasculature appearance.

Br

[justlift32]

nice post zir

[Cork]

Thanks Zir for your post, and I'm laughing out loud cause I never placed the name as Dr. Squat, I've never bothered to look up/notice the Pen name.

The excerpt does mention the effect of this training on increase of recovering abilities. Which goes hand in hand with what you're saying about recovering when NOT training.

I think he is saying that this type of training will permanently (or for atleast as long as you keep up with it) increase capillarization (lets just refer to it as capillary efficiency), thereby improving recovery times while not training due to the ability of more nutrient delivery.

Another thing to point out is that he mentions how one day you'll be able to do 80 reps, I think this is due to what you mention, "When working aerobically at a high intensity your muscles need oxygen, and the more oxygen you can deliver the higher your level of competition." I feel that this has every bit to do with increased capillary efficiency.

I like Dr. Squat, but I do not agree with him.

It seems you do, you just didn't realize it.

Also I can only speculate that with the increase in capillaries, there will be an obvious increase in vein size because you will be pumping a lot more blood to fill all the new vessels.

And Zir, I really like your information and I am not trying to contradict you in any way, but it does really sound like you guys are talking about the same thing. It's just that the author doesn't express himself as scientifically as you do, atleast in this instance.

[ZiR RED]

I think you misinterpreted much of what I said. I do NOT agree with Fred in this instance.

I think he is saying that this type of training will permanently (or for atleast as long as you keep up with it) increase capillarization (lets just refer to it as capillary efficiency), thereby improving recovery times while not training due to the ability of more nutrient delivery.

First, the 10-50% of the aerobic training adaptations are lost in the first week (of non-training) and all by the end of 6 weeks.

Second, and more important. Nutrient delivery during rest (when you are recovering) is not an issue. Its nutrient uptake by the skeletal muscles. When glyocogen levels are maxed they will not take up additional glucose, when muscle fiber amino acid max values are reached, they will not take up additional amino acids.

Transportation of these nutrients is not at an issue, other wise cappillarization would be an adaptation to resistance training.

Another thing to point out is that he mentions how one day you'll be able to do 80 reps, I think this is due to what you mention, "When working aerobically at a high intensity your muscles need oxygen, and the more oxygen you can deliver the higher your level of competition." I feel that this has every bit to do with increased capillary efficiency.

You are partially correct. When doing 40+ repetitions can you expect a set to last well into the 2 minute mark. After about 60 seconds of intense work the muscles begin rebuilding fuel aerobically, and thus require oxygen.

So yes, the ability to perform a higher amount of reps can be attributed to the body's greater ability to deliver oxygen to the muscles, but also due to a greater lactate threshold in the muscle cell.

Also I can only speculate that with the increase in capillaries, there will be an obvious increase in vein size because you will be pumping a lot more blood to fill all the new vessels.

While aerobic training does result in greater blood volume and cardiac output, the majority of long distance runners are no more vascular than a bodybuilder or sprint athlete of the same body fat percentage.

I am not arguing with the fact that super-high rep training will result in adaptations, I am simple stating that these adaptations and the loss of conducive hypertrophy or strength training time devoted to them have little benefit to the bodybuilder or power athlete.

Br