Maximize Muscle Pump and Strength

Train Heavy to Maximize Strength and Pump

Do you need to train with heavy weights to gain strength and get a great muscle pump? Or can you just get the pump with light weights?

A bigger muscle is a stronger muscle. Training with heavier weights in the rep range eight to 12. Trying different variations of heavier and lighter training, both usually needed. Heavy weights build thickness and density. But not the round, full look. Similarly, getting incredible muscle pumps all the time imparts some roundness. But, not the extreme muscle size without training heavy, straight sets.

Focus equally on maximizing both your strength gains and pump in the same workout. An example to incorporate both:

• Alternate Dumbbell Curls 3-4 X 8-12
• Machine Preacher Curl 3 X 8-12
• EZ-Bar Curls 7 X 8-12 (rest 30-45 seconds between sets while sipping water)

Often, with higher reps, general fatigue is experienced. Getting short of breather before building maximum pump in the muscle. Try not to go to heavy and limit the reps any lower than eight. When you see form breaking down and ancillary muscles kicking in, robbing the target muscle of stimulation. Think of set “seven” as blowing up a balloon. Keep the rest periods short, because as you pump up the muscle, a little blood escapes in that time. You can think of it like blowing up a balloon with a slight leak.  Even thought the balloon is being inflated, some air is escaping. The key is to build on the pump. Set by set, so that it reaches maximum state by the final set. If the rest periods too short, you wouldn’t have enough energy to do all sets.