There’s nothing more motivating for bodybuilders than tackling high intensity training and getting super pumps. Face it, pumps just feel good, and according to Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Having a pump is like having sex.” True that! Therefore, when you fail to achieve a good pump, it can be quite the let down.

What Causes a Pump?

Before we get into how to achieve consistent pumps, let’s first take a look at what causes a pump to occur in the first place.

In order for a localized pump to occur, there must be a good flow of blood to the area muscles. Blood carries and delivers oxygen and nutrients to working muscles and transports carbon dioxide and other waste away for elimination. Those who exercise on a regular basis increase vasodilation (vein enlargement) due to greater blood flow and the natural production of nitric oxide (NO) which also works to increase blood flow.

Glycogen is another key element in obtaining powerful pumps. This important energy molecule is stored in the liver and muscle cells so that you have ample fuel to burn when needed. Glycogen is gleaned mainly from carbohydrates and is hydrolyzed into glucose for energy consumption.

Muscles also get their pump partially from what is called a potassium shift. Potassium is a positively charged ion which is attracted to electrolytes. When there is a draw on electrolytes from the body, potassium moves with it into the muscle tissues carrying water with it. The presence of more water in the muscle cells helps to inflate them, creating a pump. Competitive bodybuilders often use potassium to increase muscle size prior to their competitions.

Creatine is another vasodilator which is naturally produced in the human body. It works along the same lines as potassium as an anabolic agent. When creatine is concentrated within muscle tissue, it supplies energy and helps to increase muscle size. Since sufficient levels of creatine are not normally produced by the body for high intensity workouts, creatine supplements are often used to provide greater amounts of this muscle energizer.

Lastly, in order to make those bulging muscles more visible, reducing body fat and water weight is necessary. After a vigorous workout, you may feel pumped, but when you reduce the “flab effect” you can better showoff those bulging muscles. Just keep in mind that proper hydration is critical also, so don’t dehydrate yourself thinking that you can reduce water weight. There are other ways to achieve this without sacrificing hydration.

As you can see, there are some prime opportunities available to increase massive pumps by intervening and manipulating what you place in or remove from your body. There are other controllable elements, but these sit at the top of the list.

Tips for Increasing Blood Flow

As mentioned, the more blood flow you get to your working muscles, the more oxygen and nutrients they will receive, causing them to work harder and swell larger. Here are some tips for increasing blood flow to your muscles:

• Increase insulin to stimulate Nitric Oxide production and add both potassium and glucose for energy by eating a potato or a banana 20-30 minutes prior to leaving for the gym.

• Taking 60-120 milligrams of ginkgo biloba about 1 hour before your workout has been shown to increase peripheral blood flow as much as 57%.

• Don’t allow yourself to cool down too much during workouts. Air conditioning is a bad thing for bodybuilders. Wear sweat clothes if your gym has air conditioning or when you are working out in the winter to keep your body temp up and the blood flowing freely.

Tips for Increasing Glycogen in Muscle Tissue

Here are some ways to increase stores of glycogen for muscular energy at the gym:

• A hot environment is good for increasing circulation, but too much heat for too long can hinder the metabolism of carbohydrates and the depletion of glycogen in the body. Use a temperature-controlled gym when possible that maintains an atmosphere that’s not too hot or too cold.

• If you’ve been working out for awhile, take a week off to allow muscle microtrauma to heal and prevent further damage. Such trauma has been shown to deplete the body’s fuel reserves by reducing insulin activity and glycogen storage.

During your week break, follow an energy loading regime such as:

• Carb loading can double the amount of glycogen stored by your muscles. Eat large amounts of carbs for a period of three consecutive days. Especially load up in the morning and after any light activity through the day. The additional energy created by the extra carbs will be stored for future use.

• The following three days, add extra protein and fat to your nutritious diet during all three major meals. This will assist with insulin spikes and greater energy storage. When you return to your workout program, the amino and lipid acids will assist with swelling muscle fibers.

Increase Potassium and Magnesium Intake

To further increase muscle pumps, increase the amounts of foods in your workout diet which are rich in potassium and magnesium. Potassium is best gleaned from natural food sources while magnesium can be derived from either natural sources or supplements.

• Receive good levels of potassium from such foods as oranges, bananas and potatoes. Seafood, peanuts and legumes are good sources of magnesium. The average American is about 25% deficient in magnesium and strenuous exercise reduces magnesium amounts further so you may need to add a 350 mg magnesium supplement to your daily diet regiment.

Tips for Increasing Creatine Levels

• It takes roughly 100 grams of carbohydrates to boost insulin levels to a point where they stimulate creatine transport to muscle tissue.

• Creatine loading works better than taking small, regular doses over an extended period of time. To load creatine, consume between 20 and 30 grams mixed in water, juice or smoothie each day. Take an additional 5 grams post-workout. Do this for 3-5 days.

Get Rid of the Bloat

Stored fat and subcutaneous water reserves can bloat the skin and cover up hard-earned muscle formation. Therefore, you should attempt to reduce the bloat which, in turn, will allow for a more noticeable pump.

• Significantly reduce sodium from your diet. Excess sodium is stored in skin cells and absorbs water, causing subcutaneous bloat.

• A couple of weeks prior to your “off” week, increase weight training volume and aerobic exercises. This will cause your muscles to become hyper-sensitive so carb loading and your off time will have greater affect on muscle pumps once you return after your break.