Im taking a supplement that "pumps up" the muscles, giving it a very signifacantly extreme amount of blood increase to the targeted muscle your working, whether that be your biceps, or the muscles in your face (i know that sounds weird but i can feel it working in me everywhere).

Basically it just pumps the hell out of you up.

Now for further research i raised the question... scientifically, does anyone know if the pumping of the blood to the muscles causing them to pump up causes some sort of increase to the ammount of calories your muscles consume?

I was just wondering, because im kind of on a mission here to not only build the muscle, but also burn the fat (mostly in the abdomin area) that is on top of it. Just curious if pumping the muscles up makes them "calorie crazy" and enacts them to consume more of the calories around them?


If someone could answer this question, i would apreciate it very much, because it would make me feel like im accomplishing more than just bulking. Time will tell anyway, but it would be nice to know in advanced, so if so, i can switch up my strategy.

Thanks a ton guys.
-Jon Mooney

The more blood going to the muscle the more important nutrients are gonna get to the muscle causing major growth. Also the more blood the more oxygen you will have to supply you with more energy which will supply those extra sets an reps your gonna need not only to grow muscle but to lose fat. By the way what are you using?

sound like your taking some kind of N02 product, your muscles will absorb the most after training, if you really want to pound the nutrition into your muscles sip on a protein drink during long hard training sessions I use to use half Gatorade and half protein drink (the juice not the shake)

Heres a good read on Post-Workout Nutrition from bbing.com

by BIGRED @ bbing.com

Post-Workout Nutrition.

How would you like it if I told you that you can increase protein synthesis by 110%, store glycogen 2 times as effectively, increase insulin sensitivity and Growth Hormone levels, and improve on recovery time naturally? Well, you'd probably call me full of shit and claim I work for Muscle-Tech. Well, I'm not bullshitting, and it can be done.

So imagine for a second that you just had the chest workout of your life. You're pec's are pumped to the fullest, you can barely lift your arms, and now you're going to go relax for a while? Nope, not on your life. Too many bodybuilders make the mistake of overlooking the post workout meal. Sure, you know you need to eat, but do you know what, how much, and when?

After a hard workout your muscles are torn down, glycogen is depleted, and you may have even entered catabolism. The only way to stop this is by feeding them the nutrients that they need. Studies show that carbs are stored as glycogen 125% more efficiently directly after working out than any other time during the day. Also, protein synthesis (the building of new muscle) is highly elevated. It only makes sense to take advantage of this time and feed your muscles what they need to repair and grow.

Studies have also shown, that athletes who take in carbs and protein after working out have increased levels of growth hormone and insulin versus those who just drank water. As many probably already know, these are two out of the three main hormones needed for muscle growth (testosterone being the third). By taking in carbohydrates after working out you elevate these hormones and prevent protein breakdown and excretion thus maintaining a more positive nitrogen balance. Post workout is also when your body can best absorb and utilize amino acids and supplements like creatine.

So what do you need to do to use this time to your body's greatest ability?

First is water. Your body is made up of about 80% water. When you workout you loose a lot of this water, not only in the form of sweat, but also internally by working tissues. Water is used in the formation of and burning of ATP and also used to help keep your internal temperature down. Many do not realize the importance of re-hydrating after working out. You can actually loose around 20% of your strength due to dehydration.

You need 4ml of water to store every gram of carbohydrates as glycogen. You also need water to replenish what you lost when you trained. So drink 'till you float. Make sure to spread this water out evenly, as taking in excessive amounts at once can actually work against you by raising blood pressure and causing your body to release Anti-Diuretic Hormone in which causes you to excrete more water then you took in.

Nxt is the carbohydrate. I explained above why it is so important to consume carbohydrates after working out, but do you know what kind to take in? After training, you want the fastest acting carbohydrate possible. You want it to quickly elevate your blood sugar levels shuttling nutrients to your muscles. A carbohydrate on the glycemic index scale of 100+ would be optimal. You also want it to be in liquid form for quicker absorption. Maltodextrin and dextrose, the carbohydrates used in most creatine + sugar mixes and weight gainers are best. Depending on metabolism and the intensity of your workout (we'll assume you train like madmen) you should take in about 1-1.5grams of carbs per kilogram of bodyweight. For a 200lb trainee, that's 100-150 grams of carbs in the post workout.

Many people choose to eat fruit post workout. This is great, but make sure you are eating fruits that are higher in glucose then fructose. Fructose raises blood sugar levels very slowly, and doesn't replenish glycogen stores well. In fact, fructose will only replenish liver glycogen. Try to eat fruits on the higher end of the glycemic index such as banana's and grapes to ensure a high glucose to fructose ratio.

More protein, more protein! Protein is the building block of muscles; there is no denying that. After working out you can absorb and utilize almost 50% more protein than you can at a regular meal. Protein synthesis is highest at this time, so it only makes sense to feed your muscles what they need; protein. A good whey would be optimal in this case, since it is broken down into amino's and absorbed quicker than any other source. I suggest about 30-70grams of protein at this time depending on size and metabolism.

Lastly are vitamins and minerals. A good multi vitamin rich in vitamin C and E is optimal at this time. Your cell's are oxidized due to free radicals and need these nutrients to help repair muscles and bond to the radicals. Also, chromium and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) should be taken to make your muscles more insulin sensitive. This allows muscle cells to absorb nutrients much more efficiently.

Now, let me put all this knowledge to your use. Below are a couple post workout ideas, each are tailored to a hard gainer of my size (200 lbs.), so adjust calories to your needs.

Meal 1:

5-10 minutes after working out:

80 grams Maltodextrin (From Prolab's Carb pro)
2 scoops whey protein
7 grams Creatine monohydrate powder
16 oz Cranberry Juice
High Potency Multivitamin
200 mcg Chromium Picolinate
200 mcg ALA
2 liters water

1.5 hours later:

1/2lb of beef
3 servings (6oz uncooked) Pasta
2 liters water

Meal 2:

5-10 minutes after working out:

4 servings Gatorade powder (orange) (70 grams carbs)
12 oz orange juice
1 can of pineapple in juice
2 scoops of vanilla whey protein
High Potency Multivitamin
200 mcg Chromium Picolinate
200 mcg ALA
2 liters water

1.5 hours later:

2 chicken breasts
3 servings (uncooked) brown rice
Handful of wall nuts
2 liters of water

If you're going to lift like a man, you better start eating like one.

Thanks nartic for what i think i understand was verification that with more blood in the muscles the more nutrients they absorb, or maybe you were trying to simply say that they will need to absorb greater quantities of nutrients, either way if they need to absorb more, that means they are using what is there, and that is what i want. I did cardio/aerobic stuff for about a month to start out, on trying to lose about (im guessing) 3-7 pounds of stored fat around my waist and on top of my abdomens. I actually gained about 6 pounds, but i think it was muscle tissue, because i saw (very slight) improvement. I decided to look around online to see what could give my fitness a big kick start boost, and i looked into carb blockers, and read up on what metabolism is, and that 1 pound of stored body fat is equivalent to 3500 calories, and that i would have to burn so many a day for so long. I even looked into sex and how many calories you burn during the process, and how many calories you expel through the ejaculation. (the semenical plasma contains only 13 calories =( (so much for increasing sex). The whole time i was trying to take wieght off, i was extremly anxious to put it on by bulking up my muscle. But i thought that the two ideas contradicted, and i first take off the fat in my core, chest, and back. But upon research i further learned that muscle tissue, as a side subject to metabolism-eats up calories, and that i could infact burn those calories just as well if i did building routines and let the muscle tissue make a calorie deficit itself.

I guess im still a little bit confused though, i really want to make sure that with my supplement i can burn the calories just as well by building muscle, if not i should switch back to aerobic, cardio. The questions is, scientifically... does the blood pumped in and built up in the muscles cause it to eat more calories than usual. Your response was somewhat helpful, but didnt quite answer the question exactly...

i guess im confused... does the more blood in the muscle affect the amount of nutrients needed to consume, or does it infact boost along the ammount of nutrients it is consuming?

Once again, sorry for the misunderstanding, i really do apreciate all of your guyses help and rex ill be sure to check out that article a in a bit. I just need to be sure how to strategize my weight loss correctly, and if i could infact bulk up at the same time.

thnx rex for the article, i learned alot from it. I knew that bananas helped with muscle cramps and recoveries, but with what i learned about fast acting carb absorption and its role in getting your muscles to their optimum in post work out, i now know bananas are a great choice for a after workout meal. I did not know why, and what is needed afterwork outs but i kind of assumed i needed to feed my muscles protien after a work out already. But i had no clue about the necessity of providing carbs to your muscles. It was a big help, and thnx again guys.

I bet after reading my entries, you were curious about my build, and where im at in my fitness journy. Well i just started working out again about a month and a half ago, i have worked out for idk, months at a time in the past but i was never too serious. Never was in foot ball or nothing, so i thought body building would be a good replacement for atheltics. I am 5'11 3/4ths, and exactly 200 pounds.

Well that settles any curiousity you may have had. Id imagine you guys are like proffesional builders being that your moderators and what not. Well thanks again for the tips, and keep in touch, i dont have anyone supporting me right now, so its good to talk about fitness with other people who interested.

Thanks again,
-Jon Mooney

if your question wasn't answered, give yama a pm, I'm sure he'll see this thread

thnx rex. will do.

Which is better, the pump or the feeling of totally exhausting your muscles to the point of failure when it is nearly impossible to pick up a pencil?

Good question because I can promise that one is asked a lot. People love the feeling of being pumped and the blood flowing thru their muscles. In fact, Arnold has quite a few 'interesting' quotes on this subject.

But really, what is better? The pump or the taxed feeling?

Let's get down to brass tacks...

A pump does not build muscle. But overloading and giving your body a reason to grow does.

By the way...

There is some evidence to suggest that pumping the muscle full of blood will help get more nutrients to the area and therefore, help to build muscle. That is a weak argument that a pump builds muscle but nonetheless, I have run across that bit of debate.

While you might leave the gym feeling weak but not pumped, that certainly doesn't mean you are not making some serious progress. And in fact, some programs I've tried, I leave the gym feeling completely weak but I'm not pumped at all and I even have the feeling I could do more work but that's not part of the program.

My strong hunch is...

That you love the pumps! I mean honestly who doesn't? I know I do and that's why I found a little way to get the best of both worlds. Sort of like having my cake and eating it to.

It's called super setting. It’s not a new concept at all. In fact it’s an old bodybuilding method but is foundational and can give you a great pump but at the same time, leaves you feeling weak and not wanting more.

Really think about...

A pump is just the blood flowing to the area. You can get a good pump without working all that hard. Giving your body no reason to grow. But you can get a great pump.

Overloading your muscles doesn't have to give you a pump either. If you engage in training that has you lift heavy weights but only in the 4-6 rep range, you may not feel a pump at all. But you will be weaker and you will get stronger. Yet you'll lose the feeling of pumps entirely because lifting heavy and resting simply doesn't give your body a chance to get all that blood to the area like a typical pump will do.

Needless to say...

Many just get frustrated and go between trying to get the best pumps and actually working hard.

What they don't know is that super setting is the ultimate way to work your muscle to a state of exhausting (increasing the intensity) and yet get that massive pump you've been looking to get.

Sample Pump Routine:

Incline Smith Bench Press (12 reps; slow, controlled reps, 70-75% of max)

IMMEDIATELY followed by

Incline Dumbbell Flyes (12 reps; 70-75% of max)

Keep in mind, this is just a sample but you are using weights that are challenging, in a higher rep range and following it up with another exercise that works the same area.

All this means is that you are going to bump up the intensity (forcing your body to grow) AND push blood to the area to get a great pump.

You can even experiment with rest intervals so that it's even more intense and the area you are focusing on is totally pumped.

Please understand that a pump itself does not build muscle. Overloading it, challenging it and giving it a reason to grow does.

You can use various techniques to bump up the intensity of any exercise, making it challenging without stacking on super heavy weights and having long rest periods. You'll not only get stronger and build muscle but you will get that pump feeling back.

Don't think that one or the other is better or worse, it's just different. But you can use techniques as I've shown above to build muscle and get them pumped up as well.

Certainly there are other ways in which to raise the intensity of an exercise and make it more difficult and still get the pumped feeling. Supersets were but one example. Drop sets are another variation that not only can overload the muscle and force it to grow thru intensity and progressive overload but you'll get a fantastic pump from that method as well. There's several other techniques you can use that I will detail in another article.

thanks yama. That answer was a bit more helpful.