Post by Tim Wescott on May 2, 2004 20:30:29 GMT -5
BLOOD CIRCULATION - ACHIEVING THE PUMP
There are approximately five litres of blood flowing through the vessels of an adult human body. Simply stated, blood transports essential nutrients to vital organs and removes harmful wastes through the kidneys, indeed an amazing process. Another critical function of blood is its role in transporting oxygen from the lungs to the muscles. For this reason bodybuilders must pay particular attention to blood circulation. It is easy to take this process for granted and therefore I would like to share my perspective with you.
ORDER OF EXERCISES
One of the most common mistakes I have witnessed in the gym, is the order in which many guys choose to perform their exercise routine. They go from a bench press exercise to the squats, moving from their upper body to lower body and then back again. As a result, the intensity of the blood flow must continually be redirected.
Even for those fellows who understand the significance of working out their upper body completely before moving on, there are other key elements to consider.
For an example, do not dedicate a workout to bench press and triceps. It may sound like a great combination, but you will not get optimum results! Even though these muscles are not far away from each other, blood circulation plays a vital role. Bodybuilders like to refer to it as the "pump". If you don't succeed to get a good pump, you will never succeed to develop your muscles to their full potential. To achieve maximum blood circulation, I recommend that you dedicate a segment of your workout specifically to your arms and not workout your triceps with another muscle group. To help you understand this better I have outlined the following as a guide depending upon whether you do full body workouts or a split routine.
ORDER FOR FULL BODY WORKOUTS
Chest; Shoulders; Back; Arms; Midsection; and, Legs.
SPLIT ROUTINES
You can apply this rotation to other days of the week in a similar fashion:
? Monday Upper body workout
? Tuesday Legs and arms workout
? Wednesday Day Off
? Thursday Upper body workout
? Friday Legs and arms workout
A COUPLE OF MORE CONSIDERATIONS
Do not rest more than a minute between your workouts! Your job will be to keep as much blood as possible to the muscle you are working. If you wait longer, instead of the pump, the blood resumes to its normal circulation.
Always do full range movement and not half ones. If you cheat and try to take shortcuts to achieve the pump, you will only succeed in losing the results you so rightfully deserve.
Enjoy the benefits of great circulation!
There are approximately five litres of blood flowing through the vessels of an adult human body. Simply stated, blood transports essential nutrients to vital organs and removes harmful wastes through the kidneys, indeed an amazing process. Another critical function of blood is its role in transporting oxygen from the lungs to the muscles. For this reason bodybuilders must pay particular attention to blood circulation. It is easy to take this process for granted and therefore I would like to share my perspective with you.
ORDER OF EXERCISES
One of the most common mistakes I have witnessed in the gym, is the order in which many guys choose to perform their exercise routine. They go from a bench press exercise to the squats, moving from their upper body to lower body and then back again. As a result, the intensity of the blood flow must continually be redirected.
Even for those fellows who understand the significance of working out their upper body completely before moving on, there are other key elements to consider.
For an example, do not dedicate a workout to bench press and triceps. It may sound like a great combination, but you will not get optimum results! Even though these muscles are not far away from each other, blood circulation plays a vital role. Bodybuilders like to refer to it as the "pump". If you don't succeed to get a good pump, you will never succeed to develop your muscles to their full potential. To achieve maximum blood circulation, I recommend that you dedicate a segment of your workout specifically to your arms and not workout your triceps with another muscle group. To help you understand this better I have outlined the following as a guide depending upon whether you do full body workouts or a split routine.
ORDER FOR FULL BODY WORKOUTS
Chest; Shoulders; Back; Arms; Midsection; and, Legs.
SPLIT ROUTINES
You can apply this rotation to other days of the week in a similar fashion:
? Monday Upper body workout
? Tuesday Legs and arms workout
? Wednesday Day Off
? Thursday Upper body workout
? Friday Legs and arms workout
A COUPLE OF MORE CONSIDERATIONS
Do not rest more than a minute between your workouts! Your job will be to keep as much blood as possible to the muscle you are working. If you wait longer, instead of the pump, the blood resumes to its normal circulation.
Always do full range movement and not half ones. If you cheat and try to take shortcuts to achieve the pump, you will only succeed in losing the results you so rightfully deserve.
Enjoy the benefits of great circulation!