Is It important to get a pump?

[BobbyHasBeenBad]

Is it important to get one after all workouts of if you don't get one does that mean the workout was not as good as it should have been?

[El_Pajero]

no pump no life

[Swedish Viking]

I'd actually love to get an answer to this; it's such a relative subject that it's hard to guage.  I pretty much always have a pump during a workout, but I wonder if you can draw any conclusions based on that.

[Rimbaud]

I would say it's nice but not essential.

[pumpster]

I'd actually love to get an answer to this; it's such a relative subject that it's hard to guage.  I pretty much always have a pump during a workout, but I wonder if you can draw any conclusions based on that.

There's no definitive answer. In all likelihood YES as PART of a MIX of factors that have to be combined.

Those would include pump, the use of fairly heavy weights + moderate 6-12 reps + rests between sets of 30 seconds-1.5 minutes + going to failure at least part of the time. On the other hand a pump by itself without some of the other factors, for example extremely light weight and too many reps isn't of value.

In that context i think it's important both physically and psychologically. Psychologically it's huge in having a good workout IMO, and i believe that physically it's an essential part of workouts if all the other criteria are also satisfied.

Getbig:
one thing I realized is back takes forever and make sure and get a pump before ur done w the bodypart ur training.  I squat the same amount when my wheels looked nothing like they do now, and same goes for back-  my back was strong, but not impressive until I started getting good pumps 

http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=249166.0

[wes]

IMO,it`s best to get a good pump in all bodyparts.

Maybe not essential,but probably better than not getting one.

[Montague]

Clinically, there is no direct correlation between pump and hypertrophy, although lots of guys swear by its benefits.

A pump simply means there’s blood in the muscle.
But blood transports oxygen and nutrients to those muscles.

As Pumpster mentions, a pump is probably good when it’s a byproduct of other various factors, but just doing 3 sets of 10 lb. curls to failure will not likely do much for growth.

Training with a (somewhat) lighter weight that does yield a pump is occasionally good for training the slow twitch fibers that many people neglect when simply going heavy for low reps all the time.

There are some (natural) folks on this board who train Milos-style with the giant sets and all, and report fantastic results.
A lot of it has to do with intensity levels as well.

[Swedish Viking]

Alright well let me ask you this, what is the difference between training to failure with heavy weights and low reps and training to failure with light weights and high reps-say, 20-30?

[big L dawg]

If I don't get a pump then I'm doing something wrong.If the bodypart I trained is not sore the next day or two then I didn't hit it hard enough.thats what I go by And for me has worked well.

[pumpster]

If I don't get a pump then I'm doing something wrong.If the bodypart I trained is not sore the next day or two then I didn't hit it hard enough.thats what I go by And for me has worked well.

Agree with both, that should be the goal. Adjust things if it's not happening. Learn, adapt.

[Permabulker]

Its like cuming!

[MisterMagoo]

for a lot of people, they use the pump as an indicator that they've "done enough", so while itself a pump doesn't indicate a "good workout", it COULD be seen as a "finish line".

that said, the muscles i feel the biggest pumps in never seemed to grow the best for me (calves, biceps), meanwhile i've never felt a trap pump, a hamstring pump, or a lower back pump and those are my best areas. additionally, i've grown the most in the chest and triceps training chiefly in a lower rep area and... no pump to be had there.

so my gut says "no", but that's hardly definitive.

[Montague]

Alright well let me ask you this, what is the difference between training to failure with heavy weights and low reps and training to failure with light weights and high reps-say, 20-30?

The difference between working Type I and Type II muscle fibers.

Failure in the high rep range works the Type I slow twitch / endurance fibers.
Failure in the low rep range hits your Type II fast twitch fibers.

[Get Rowdy]

Nothing beats a delts/bicep/tricep pump at the same time.  I rarely, if ever have a workout where I don't get a pump.  I'm sticking with that even if there's no proven benefits.

[Bluto]

Agree with both, that should be the goal. Adjust things if it's not happening. Learn, adapt.

I disagree on both.

I've bodyparts that got no pump and no soreness and yet they've grown.

[pumpster]

I disagree on both.

I've bodyparts that got no pump and no soreness and yet they've grown.

Right, and you also don't go to failure and do 20 sets a muscle with no intensity.

In that case let's see some pics.

[Bluto]

In that case let's see some pics.

After you

[pumpster]

After you

Go ahead. You're the one using zero intensity, never going to failure, never getting a pump, never getting sore while doing dozens of sets per muscle. I highly doubt you lift.

Bluto started posting on the training board today after i got after his ass for the lack of contribution here. It works every time-for a few days.

[Bluto]

Go ahead. You're the one using zero intensity, never going to failure, never getting a pump, never getting sore while doing dozens of sets per muscle. I highly doubt you lift.

Bluto started posting on the training board today after i got after his ass for the lack of contribution here. It works every time-for a few days.

It's only fair that if you requests pictures of others that you post one of yourself, don't you think? I've seen you mock others physiques hundreds of times and ask for people to post their pictures, yet you never post one of yourself, why is that?

[MisterMagoo]

watching you two argue about who should post their pictures is pretty damn amusing, i must admit.

[Swedish Viking]

The difference between working Type I and Type II muscle fibers.

Failure in the high rep range works the Type I slow twitch / endurance fibers.
Failure in the low rep range hits your Type II fast twitch fibers.

 The different fiber types are never used in isolation...if you're training to failure, I'm wondering if it doesn't matter at all what rep range you are using or your time under tension-that they are all used anyway...but that would mean that 1 rep maxes would be all you ever needed, which doesn't make sense either.  I'm sure the answer is somewhere inbetween.

[Bluto]

watching you two argue about who should post their pictures is pretty damn amusing, i must admit.

But don't you agree that a person that has made a habit of questioning others and demanding them to post their picture should post one of himself?

[MisterMagoo]

But don't you agree that a person that has made a habit of questioning others and demanding them to post their picture should post one of himself?

110%, o super. especially one that claims to have won bodybuilding competitions and regularly claims to put younger posters to "shame" with his physique. otherwise we're left wondering what he's doing acting like such an expert.

[Permabulker]

But don't you agree that a person that has made a habit of questioning others and demanding them to post their picture should post one of himself?

(cough)Quakeroats(cough)

[tbombz]

hell yeah the pump is important.