Muscle Up! Evidence-based Solutions for Maximizing Muscle Growth
PeteMcCall
Source: acefitness.org
Translation by FPA expert S. Strukov
Resistance training is a process that uses external resistance to improve skeletal muscle function, appearance, or a combination of the two. Resistance training can simultaneously increase muscle strength and size, however, there is a clear difference between training the ability to produce maximum force and training for muscle growth. Weight training itself does not cause muscle growth; Fatigue-inducing training load stimulates the physiological mechanisms responsible for increasing muscle mass. According to the principle of overload in designing an exercise program, to stimulate physiological changes such as muscle growth, it is necessary to apply physical impact at a greater intensity than the body is accustomed to receiving. Muscle growth from resistance training occurs as a result of an increase in the thickness of muscle fibers and the volume of fluid in the sarcoplasm of muscle cells. Understanding how the muscular system adapts to the effects of resistance training can help you determine the best training method to maximize muscle growth in your clients. Existing research tells us how the body can respond to stimuli, but each person may experience slightly different results in response to the effects of resistance exercise.
Updated 02/05/2019 11:02
The ability to gain muscle mass and increase lean muscle mass depends on various variables, including gender, age, weight training experience, genetics, sleep, nutrition, and fluid intake. Emotional and physical stressors, each of which can affect the adaptation of physiological systems to resistance training, can also affect the ability to gain mass. For example, overwork at work or insufficient sleep can significantly reduce muscle growth. Knowing how to properly apply this science, however, can have a significant impact, empowering you to help clients achieve maximum results.
Mechanical and metabolic load
It is well known that physical adaptation to exercise, including muscle growth, results from the application of acute program variables. There is no doubt that resistance training leads to muscle growth, however, scientists are still not sure what exactly causes muscle growth. Resistance training produces two specific types of stress, mechanical and metabolic, and both can provide the necessary stimulus for muscle growth (Bubbico and Kravitz, 2011). Brad Schoenfeld is a scientist and the author of two comprehensive reviews on training for muscle growth. “Mechanical tension is by far the primary driver of muscle growth from exercise,” Schoenfeld explains. - There is compelling evidence that metabolic stress also promotes adaptive hypertrophy. The challenge for research is that mechanical and metabolic stress act in tandem, making it difficult to isolate the influence of each” (Schoenfeld, 2013).
Mechanical stress is the stress from physical activity applied to the structures of the motor neuron and the fibers attached to it, together usually called motor units. Resistance training causes microtrauma to muscle tissue, which sends signals to satellite cells responsible for repairing mechanical structures after damage, as well as for the formation of new muscle proteins (Schoenfeld, 2013; 2010). Additionally, in his study on cellular adaptation to resistance training, Spangenburg (2009) confirms that “mechanisms activated by exercise result in changes in muscle signaling pathways that are responsible for hypertrophy.”
Metabolic stress occurs as a result of the muscle producing and consuming the energy needed to support contractions. Moderate-intensity, high-volume training programs that lead to muscle growth use the glycolytic system to produce energy. By-products of anaerobic glycolysis: accumulation of lactate and hydrogen ions - lead to changes in blood acidity and cause acidosis. Research shows a strong connection between blood acidosis and increased levels of growth hormones that support muscle protein synthesis. In a review of research, Bubbico and Kravitz (2011) note, “Metabolic stress resulting from the formation of glycolytic byproducts (e.g., hydrogen ions, lactate, and inorganic phosphate) is now thought to promote hormone release and lead to muscle hypertrophy.”
When developing a training program that aims to increase muscle mass, you need to know how to use the stress of exercise without creating a negative combination with other stressors. A good personal trainer should know how to adjust exercise loads to promote optimal results from the training program. It is necessary to design a resistance training program using the correct variables of exercise intensity, repetition range, and rest intervals to create mechanical and metabolic loads on muscle tissue that stimulate the production of hormones and promote the synthesis of contractile proteins responsible for muscle growth (Schoenfeld, 2013; Bubbico and Kravitz , 2011).
Mechanical stimuli
To design an exercise program to maximize muscle growth, you need to understand the physiology of muscle fibers. A motor neuron receives a signal from the central nervous system (CNS), causing the muscle fibers connected to it to contract. There are two main types of muscle fibers: type I (slow twitch) and type II (fast twitch). Type I fibers are also classified as aerobic fibers due to their high oxidative abilities, which enable them to contract over a long period of time. Type II fibers are most often divided into two types IIa and IIb in the physiology literature. Type IIb fibers use energy-rich phosphates to contract to generate high force for short periods of time, without the use of oxygen, making them completely anaerobic. Type IIa fibers can acquire properties of type I and type IIb fibers, depending on the training stimulus applied (Baechle and Earle, 2008; Zatsiorsky and Kraemer, 2006).
The initial gains in strength from a resistance training program are primarily due to improvements in nerve function: external resistance creates a stimulus that increases the number of motor units activated and their rate of contraction. One of the long-term adaptations to resistance training is an increase in muscle fiber diameter. As the diameter increases in size, the larger surface area of the fibers allows more force to be generated. Muscles in which the diameter of individual fibers is larger are capable of exerting greater strength. Despite the common misconception that lifting weights can lead to rapid increases in muscle size, it takes eight weeks or more, even with a well-designed program, for significant growth to occur.
According to the all-or-none principle, motor units can be active or inactive: however, when the stimulus to contract is sufficient, all fibers contract. Slow-twitch motor units have a low firing threshold and conduction velocity and are best suited for sustained activity requiring minimal effort because they contain type I fibers.
Fast-twitch motor units contain type II muscle fibers and have a high firing threshold as well as a high conduction velocity and are better suited for rapid force production because they can produce ATP quickly without oxygen. Fast twitch fibers are also larger in diameter than type I fibers and play a more significant role in hypertrophy. Recruitment and innervation of type II muscle fibers requires high mechanical and metabolic loads to the point of failure of the involved muscles (Zatsiorsky and Kraemer, 2006).
Metabolic Stimuli
Motor units in muscles are recruited according to the principle of size, from small, type I initially, to large type II, capable of generating force to move large loads. When type II muscle fibers are recruited, glycogen stores are used to produce the ATP needed for contraction, leading to adaptations that can affect muscle size. When muscle cells are depleted of glycogen stores for energy, they adapt by storing more glycogen during the recovery phase. One gram of glycogen, when stored in muscle cells, holds up to 3 g of water. Performing high repetitions to the point of failure can not only cause acidosis, which stimulates hormone production, but also deplete glycogen stores, leading to increased muscle size after recovery (Schoenfeld, 2013).
According to David Sandler, Director of Education and Science at iSatori Nutrition and former strength coach at the University of Miami, mechanical loading likely plays a major role in stimulating muscle growth. “Weight lifting causes structural damage and breakdown of muscle proteins. After damage has occurred, the body releases proline-containing peptides as signals to the endocrine system to begin the repair process."
Endocrine Stimuli of Hypertrophy
The endocrine system produces hormones that control cell function. Mechanical and metabolic stress affecting muscle fibers affects the endocrine system, which increases the production of hormones responsible for the restoration of damaged muscle tissue and the formation of new cellular proteins. The hormones testosterone (T), growth hormone (GH), and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) are released as a result of resistance training and promote the synthesis of proteins responsible for muscle repair and growth (Schoenfeld, 2010; Vingren et al., 2010; Crewther et al., 2006). The level of protein utilization and subsequent muscle growth is associated with damage to muscle fibers that contract during training. Moderate to heavy weights lifted for high repetitions can generate high levels of mechanical force that increase damage to muscle proteins and signal the production of T, GH, and IGF-1 to remodel proteins and build new muscle tissue (Crewther et al., 2006 ).
Resistance training produces immediate and long-term adaptations in the endocrine system that are important for muscle growth. In the acute phase, immediately after exercise, the endocrine system will produce T, GH, and IGF-1 to promote repair of damaged tissue. Long-term adaptation consists of an increase in the number of receptors and binding proteins that allow more efficient use of T, GH and IGF-1 for tissue repair and muscle growth (Schoenfeld, 2010; Baechle and Earle, 2008; Crewther et al., 2006). Schoenfeld (2010) noted that muscle damage resulting from mechanical stress and metabolic stress from high-intensity exercise is an effective stimulus for the release of hormones responsible for cell repair, and IGF-1 is probably the most important hormone in increasing muscle growth. It has not been determined which type of stress, mechanical or metabolic, has a greater effect on the endocrine system, however, research suggests that organizing the intensity and volume of training towards lifting heavy weights with short rest periods can lead to increased production of anabolic hormones that promote growth. muscles (Schoenfield, 2013; 2010; Wernbom, Augustsson and Thomee, 2007; Crewther et al., 2006).
Weight training for bigger muscles
It's not enough to just lift weights at high reps unless it causes muscle failure. The body is very efficient at storing and using energy, so repeating exercises at a constant load can limit the amount of mechanical and metabolic stress on the muscles and minimize training gains. To stimulate muscle growth, it is necessary to select training variables to produce a mechanical load on muscle tissue, as well as create a significant metabolic demand. Zatsiorsky and Kremer (2006) identified three specific types of resistance training: the maximal effort method, the dynamic effort method, and the repeated effort method (Table 1).
Table 1. Classification of strength training
|
Type of effort |
Description |
Intensity |
Number of repetitions |
|
Maximum effort (MU) |
Using maximum weights to create mechanical overload |
||
|
Dynamic forces (DE) |
Non-maximum weights lifted at the maximum available speed |
40–60% RM – repeated efforts |
4-8 for repeated efforts |
|
Repeated efforts (RE) |
Creating metabolic overload by performing repeated lifts of submaximal weights until failure |
8–12 (executed until failure occurs) |
Attention: RM – repeated maximum. Source: Zatsiorsky and Kraemer, 2006.
Maximum Effort Method
Maximum effort (MET) strength training uses significant weights to increase the activity of high-threshold motor units containing type II fibers. MR training can improve both intramuscular coordination—an increase in simultaneously active motor units in a single muscle—and intermuscular coordination—the ability of different muscles to be activated simultaneously. The main stimulus from MU is mechanical, myofibrillar hypertrophy with a significant increase in strength and a moderate increase in muscle mass. The MA method is effective for developing strength, but it is not the most effective means of increasing muscle mass.
Dynamic force method
When training with the dynamic force (DE) method, non-maximal weights are used, moved at the highest available speed to stimulate motor units. The remote control method activates the contractile elements of the muscles to create isometric force and tension in the connective tissues (fascia and elastic tissue) throughout the body. When the contractile elements of the muscles shorten, they deform the connective tissues, and then the energy of the elastic deformation is transferred during the reverse, explosive movement. The remote control method is most effective for increasing the rate of force development and contraction power required in many sports or dynamic activities. However, the DL method does not provide sufficient mechanical or metabolic stress to the contractile elements of the muscles that are needed to stimulate muscle growth.
Repeated Effort Method
The repeated effort (RE) method in strength training involves the use of non-maximal loads performed until the onset of muscle failure (inability to complete the next repetition). While performing the last few reps of a set in a fatigued state stimulates all motor units, the PU method can recruit all fibers in the target muscle into contraction and cause significant overload. The high reps performed at moderately heavy loads of the PU method stimulate hypertrophy by creating mechanical and metabolic overload and are often used by bodybuilders to increase lean muscle mass. When using the PU method, slow motor units are activated at the beginning of the approach, and as they fatigue, high-threshold type II motor units will be recruited to maintain the required force. Once activated, high-threshold motor units quickly fatigue, which leads to the end of the approach. Contractions of type II anaerobic fibers produce energy through anaerobic glycolysis, producing metabolic byproducts such as hydrogen ions and lactate, which alter the acidity of the blood. Research shows that acidosis, an increase in blood acidity caused by the accumulation of hydrogen ions and the production of lactate, is associated with an increase in GH and IGF-1 to promote tissue repair during the repair process (Schoenfeld, 2013; 2010).
It is important to note that if the load is insufficient or the set is not performed to failure, type II motor units are not stimulated or the necessary metabolic conditions are not created to promote muscle growth. The PU method provides three main advantages:
1) Greater effect on muscle metabolism, accompanied by greater hypertrophy.
2) A significant number of motor units are activated, resulting in increased strength.
3) There may be less risk of injury compared to the MU method.
Rest and recovery
Often the most overlooked variable in any exercise program is the recovery period after exercise. Regardless of the type of stress (mechanical or metabolic) that drives muscle growth, it is not as important as the time it takes for T, GH, and IGF-1 to promote muscle protein synthesis after exercise. Exercise is a physical stimulus applied to muscles and is only part of the muscle growth equation. Adequate recovery is necessary to provide muscles with sufficient time to replenish glycogen and undergo physiological processes of reconstruction and creation of new tissue. The most effective period for protein synthesis is the period 12 – 24 hours after training. The frequency of training for a muscle group depends on the individual training goal, experience and level of training. The recovery required for muscle growth is 48 – 72 hours between training a particular muscle group.
The stimulation of mechanical and metabolic stress in the gym will promote muscle growth as long as T and GH are released during REM sleep, meaning that post-workout muscle gains require a full night's sleep. Inadequate sleep and recovery will not allow for optimal muscle protein synthesis and can lead to increased levels of energy-producing hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which can reduce the ability to form new muscle tissue. Lack of sleep, poor appetite, long-term illness, and loss of growth as a result of exercise are all symptoms of overexertion that can significantly impact a person's ability to achieve their fitness goals (Beachle and Earle, 2008). “Underrecovery” is another reason to think about overexertion. “To promote muscle growth, you need time for rest (active rest) to allow for full recovery,” says Schoenfeld (2013). When working with clients looking to increase muscle mass, encourage them to get adequate sleep to ensure maximum results.
Development of a training program to gain muscle mass
The standard protocol for muscle hypertrophy involves performing 8 to 12 repetitions with enough intensity to induce failure by the last repetition. A short or medium-long rest between sets (30–120 s) allows you to create a significant metabolic demand. Performing 3–4 approaches per exercise provides effective mechanical tension to the muscles involved in contraction. The tempo of movement should include a relatively short concentric contraction phase (1 – 2 sec) and a longer (2 – 6 sec) eccentric phase to ensure sufficient mechanical tension. “From a hypertrophy perspective, eccentric contraction has a greater impact on muscle development. In particular, eccentric exercise has been associated with greater increases in protein synthesis” (Schoenfeld, 2010).
Complex, multi-joint movements with free weights, such as barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells, involve a large number of different muscles and can have a significant metabolic impact when exercised, especially in the 12 to 20 rep range. Adjustable machines that involve isolated or single-joint movements can direct the impact precisely on an individual muscle. Schoenfeld argues that each type of resistance plays a role in optimal muscle growth: “Free weights, which involve a large number of muscles, help increase muscle density, while the stabilization provided by machines allows for greater loading of individual muscles.” The exercise program presented below is based on the latest scientific research related to increasing muscle mass. The metabolic and mechanical demands of high volume training can cause severe muscle damage and are only recommended for clients with at least one year of experience lifting free weights. Clients should begin with a good dynamic warm-up that includes a variety of non-weight-bearing and core movements to prepare the muscle tissue for the stress of high-volume training. Even if an activity targets one or two body parts, it is important to do a full-body warm-up, which can help increase caloric expenditure and help restore muscles worked in previous activities. It is preferable to start training with complex movements with free weights to engage the maximum number of muscles, and during the course of the lesson gradually move on to the use of simulators that affect individual muscles.
The last exercise in each workout should be performed on the machine using a weight reduction approach: after completing all repetitions of the set to failure, the weight is reduced and a possible number of repetitions are also performed with it until failure. Weight loss approaches can cause significant mechanical and metabolic stress, as well as significant discomfort, and should be performed at the end of the session.
Each client needs a program that meets his/her needs, but a similar method for the greatest increase in muscle mass. You will note that this program has limited cardio activity. According to Schoenfeld, "too much energy expenditure can reduce muscle growth."
conclusions
The science behind muscle growth is compelling, but for many it simply provides a technical explanation for recommendations that have been passed down from one generation of bodybuilders to the next. One thing is for sure: muscle growth occurs as a result of progressively increasing training load; however, it is still unclear whether the increase is caused by mechanical or metabolic overload. Thus, determining which stimulus (mechanical or metabolic) is more suitable for a client who is interested in increasing muscle mass is a matter of trial and error. Some clients may be able to tolerate the discomfort of training to failure, which creates metabolic overload, while others may prefer to use significant weights for multiple repetitions to induce mechanical stress. Mechanical and metabolic stimulation promote muscle growth, but can also cause significant muscle damage. If a client wants to increase muscle mass, he must understand that colossal efforts are required to achieve the desire. This may be the only time when the phrase “no pain, no gain” is appropriate.
Day 1: Lower Body
* Until failure
Day 2: Upper body, deadlifts
* Until failure
Day 3. Upper body, presses
* Until failure
Attention: RM – repeated maximum
Day 4. Rest or low-intensity cardio exercise
Sources:
- Baechle, T. and Earle, R. (2008). Essentials of Strength and Conditioning, 3rd edition. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics.
- Bubbico, A. and Kravitz, L. (2011). Muscle hypertrophy: New insights and training recommendations. IDEA Fitness Journal, 2326.
- Crewther, C. et al. (2006). Possible stimuli for strength and power adaptation: Acute hormonal responses. Sports Medicine, 36, 3, 215238.
- Fisher, J., Steele, J. and Smith, D. (2013). Evidence-based resistance training recommendations for muscular hypertrophy. Medicina Sportiva, 17, 4, 217235.
- Mohamad, N.I., Cronin, J.B. and Nosaka, K.K. (2012). Difference in kinematics and kinetics between high- and low-velocity resistance loading equated by volume: Implications for hypertrophy training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26, 1, 269275.
- Schoenfeld, B. (2013). Potential mechanisms for a role of metabolic stress in hypertrophic adaptations to resistance training. Sports Medicine, 43, 179194.
- Schoenfeld, B. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24, 10, 28572872,
- Spangenburg, E. (2009). Changes in muscle mass with mechanical load: Possible cellular mechanisms. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, 34, 328335.
- Verkhoshansky, Y. and Siff, M. (2009). Supertraining, 6th edition. Rome, Italy: Verkhoshansky.
- Vingren, J. et al. (2010). Testosterone physiology in resistance exercise and training. Sports Medicine, 40, 12, 10371053.
- Wernbom, M., Augustsson, J. and Thomee, R. (2007). The influence of frequency, intensity, volume and mode of strength training on whole muscle cross-sectional area in humans. Sports Medicine, 37, 3, 225264.
- Zatsiorsky, V. and Kraemer, W. (2006). Science and Practice of Strength Training, 2nd edition. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics.
Hypertrophy, Scientific Research, Strength Training, Weight Training
So that there is enough for daily expenses, for training and for the possibility of carrying out internal processes aimed at building muscle mass and increasing strength. Therefore, you need to eat a lot. The best approach is to eat enough food every day so that for every kg of body you have 2-3 grams of protein and 5-6 grams of carbohydrates. Over time, it will be possible to increase these values to the required level. Saturated fats should be eliminated from the diet as much as possible.
2. Training must be intense, otherwise increase strength and mass impossible. It is best to train with a weight of 70% - 80% of the working maximum, so that you have enough strength to do 6 repetitions in each series until you feel short-term muscle exhaustion. You should not train with very heavy weights when you run out of strength after two repetitions. The goal of each series should be to help the muscles use the glycogen that is in them. Training should be such that a large portion of glycogen can get into the muscles without subjecting them to severe exhaustion or destruction of their own tissues. After each series, the muscles should have time to recover.
3. Good training to increase strength and muscle mass must contain the right exercises. Muscle strength and mass is best increased with basic exercises. Basic exercises: for the chest - bench press, for the legs - squats, for the back - deadlift, for the shoulders - overhead press, for the biceps - biceps curl, for the triceps - close grip bench press, for the back of the thighs - deadlift on straight legs. Some exercises are difficult and therefore not very popular. It is the basic exercises that promote the growth of a large muscle group. These exercises will give you quick effective results, which you are waiting for.
4. Each exercise aimed at increasing strength and mass should be performed in 6-10 repetitions. For each exercise, the weight should be chosen so that it is possible to perform 6-10 repetitions, bringing the muscles to trembling. Each workout should begin with a warm-up and warm-up, performing 1 - 2 approaches according to the system pyramid training. You can start the following exercises with working weight and work with it until the end of the workout. When lifting the barbell, it is not recommended to stop in the process of lifting it and squeezing the barbell should always be done to the end.
5. To get good results from training and increase strength, rest between approaches should be 1-1.5 minutes. To quickly increase muscle mass, the interval between approaches should be 2-3 minutes.
6. Also, to quickly increase strength and mass, sleep is very important, which should be at least 8 hours a day. This is due to the fact that muscles do not grow in the gym, but at home after training, especially during sleep. During sleep, the body produces hormones (testosterone, etc.) in the greatest volume. It will be useful to rest for a couple more hours during the day - an hour after training and another hour after eating.
7. During the work period increase in strength and mass it is necessary to minimize other types of physical activity. Since otherwise, excess calories necessary for the growth of muscle tissue will be burned, which will interfere with their growth. If your job forces you to work hard, then you need to increase the number of calories you consume, and your meals should also be very fractional - you need to eat every 1-1.5 hours.
8. The tactic of training one muscle group once every 5-7 days is very effective. Strictly avoid overtraining. It usually takes 2 days for muscle recovery, and bodybuilders need much more time for this.
9. As already written above, outside the gym you should not give any additional stress to your muscles. Train with heavy exercises, doing sets of medium duration, to be able to use glycogen reserves and fat reserves. A healthy heart is one that responds to the demands of a sudden change in its rhythm. It is not good to do too long workouts, as the processes of catabolism of muscle (protein) breakdown into amino acids are activated. The body is at the limit, it does not have enough fuel (glycogen) for energy. The maximum workout should be 45 minutes - 1.5 hours. Even before a competition, doing too much aerobic exercise will burn muscle in addition to glycogen and fat.
10. And finally. Always go towards your goal, don't give up if you want to gain weight. Watch films about bodybuilding, photographs of popular bodybuilders, so that you are motivated to reach your goal. Don't skip training, you need to fight laziness and make every effort. Good luck in gaining muscle mass!
In the training process, it is always very important to understand how and most importantly why you perform certain exercises. Thoughtlessly and chaotically doing random exercises in no particular order does not work, unfortunately. When performing exercises, neuromuscular connection is important, i.e. completely controlled execution of movements. It is equally important to understand at least the very basics of how training works and biomechanics.
Initially, the number of muscle fibers is determined genetically. Some have more of them, some have the opposite. But any genetic input can be adjusted in accordance with one’s own preferences and ideas about body aesthetics. What we call muscle growth is actually hypertrophy of connective tissue and an increase in sarcoplasm, which fills the space between muscle fibers and connective tissue. It consists of carbohydrates (glycogen), fats, amino acids and enzymes.
The first and most important thing to understand is. Muscles don’t grow because you “eat a lot of protein”! This is a stupid myth. In order for a muscle to work actively, it needs a quick supply of energy. And it, in turn, is lost during training in any case and is replenished with carbohydrates! Protein foods, from which the body obtains the necessary amino acids, act as building materials for muscles. Simply put: carbohydrates are needed to maintain muscles, proteins to increase them. It is for this reason that it is recommended to eat a meal rich in carbohydrates 1-2 hours before training.
What causes muscle growth? What doesn't kill us makes us stronger - this phrase best describes the process of gaining muscle mass. During training, the connective tissue that surrounds and protects muscle fibers is subject to microdamage. The harder the workout, the worse this damage will be, but don't worry, that's how it should be. After training, a recovery process occurs and the tissue, in order to avoid subsequent injuries, becomes denser and rougher. Due to this, fiber volume increases. As the tissue becomes rougher, it is necessary to increase the load over time to compensate for this adaptive element. Muscle growth, oddly enough, is largely tied to this process. It is also important to note that different types of training are aimed at developing different types of fibers, and therefore tissue changes may be different. This process proves once again one of the golden rules of bodybuilding: recovery processes after training play no less a role than the training itself.
Let's look at this process in more detail. Recovery processes begin approximately 3–4 hours after training and end after 1.5–2 days. It is for this reason that a day or so of rest between workouts is recommended. And that’s why split training is very effective, when different muscle groups are worked out on different days, giving more time for rest. The main assistants in the recovery process are proper balanced nutrition and healthy sleep, which is a natural and best catabolism blocker.
Important: regular exercise gets the body used to spending more energy on recovery, so the need for nutrients may increase.
And one more little trick. It is believed that cardio training and mass gain are incompatible, but this is not true. To prevent cardio from burning your muscles, you need to watch your diet. If the body receives enough essential nutrients, it does not need to take energy from the body's own reserves. At the same time, cardio training accelerates blood circulation, which allows you to quickly remove toxins and regeneration byproducts from connective tissue, which increases the speed of recovery.
With love, BodyLab team.
Arnold Glasow
Want to look better and burn more calories even while you're resting?
Whether you want to become the next Ronnie Coleman or just be more toned/fitter like Brad Pitt or Jennifer Aniston, you need to build muscle.
1.Gradually increase the load.
7.Make sure you drink enough water.
Drinking enough water is essential to achieving peak levels of strength and endurance. Set a goal to drink about 12 glasses of water per day. Remember, you can add your protein shake to your daily amount of water.
8. Avoid doing too much cardio.
Cardiovascular training interferes with muscle gain. If your goal is to lose fat, you need cardio, but make sure that:
- cardio training is performed immediately after strength training
- a set of high-intensity exercises should not last longer than 20 minutes
If your goal is to increase muscle mass, then too much cardio is not advisable. The fact is that they provoke the secretion of catabolic hormones that destroy muscle tissue, that is, this will have the opposite effect.
9.Sleep.
Sleep is very important for muscle growth. We know that muscle tissue repairs and grows during rest, but sleep is more important than rest while awake.
And that's why:
- The production of somatotropin reaches its maximum in the deep sleep phase.
- Metabolism slows down, creating ideal conditions for muscle tissue repair and growth.
- Blood flow to the muscles increases.
10. Relax.
Stress creates a catabolic (muscle-breaking) environment in the body. One of these hormones is cortisol. Remember that under the same conditions, a calm, relaxed person will gain more muscle mass than a hot-tempered one.
Stay positive and stay motivated!
What should athletes do to achieve local muscle growth rather than an increase in body volume? Read the article and find out what medications you need to use. In this article we will describe the pros and cons of each drug in order to enhance the effect of training.
Each of us, and especially athletes, have muscle groups that are not yet fully developed, or not developed at all. Professional athletes call these muscles “lagging muscles.” Trainers recommend immediately starting to push up such muscles, otherwise, in the process of pumping up other muscle groups, your body will look out of proportion.
Of course, there are still lucky people whose body allows them to pump absolutely all muscle groups at the same time, but there are few of them. If too large a muscle group remains undeveloped, then simply changing the training system will no longer be enough.
In order to modify and perfect this muscle group as quickly as possible, trainers recommend resorting to injections. Power Shots can radically change your approach to training and nutrition, but you will get a beautiful, athletic body that will satisfy you and those around you.
Synthol
This drug is actively used for general “tightening”, for example, an undeveloped, unpumped quadriceps. Professional bodybuilders do not recommend the use of this drug in general.
If we touch on a little history of the drug itself, it turns out that this is its second name. Previously, the drug was called “Pump-n-Pose”, but for some unknown reason the name Synthol took root among athletes. That's why we decided to call it the same.
Initially, the drug was developed to visually enlarge certain muscle groups; its main component was esiclene. But in the process of repeated use, it turned out that esiklen gives only a temporary effect, or more precisely, momentary. Of course, this was not enough for professional athletes, and they decided to use synthol. The developers expected that synthol would have a prolonged effect.
A distinctive feature of this drug is that by penetrating the muscles, it causes and stretches the fascia. The composition of the drug includes:
- Fatty acid.
- Lidocaine.
- Benzyl alcohol.
The main positive effect is that after systole is removed from the body, the muscles do not deflate, but, on the contrary, retain their volumes, and the voids are filled with muscle fibers as they are removed.
Pros:
- You can make this mixture yourself at home, just buy the drugs in a specialized store and mix them in the correct proportions.
- After taking the drug, the effect will be noticeable not only to you, but also to those around you.
- The result lasts for a long time.
- The muscles do not lose volume.
- There is a possibility of damaging the nerve and immobilizing the arm. But this will not affect those people who are well versed in anatomy, so let people who know and understand medicine inject the drug.
- There is a high risk of infection and abscess development.
- Unfortunately, synthol cannot help everyone. It all depends on the characteristics of the body.
Esiklen
There are rumors about this drug. Many people talk about its active use, but here’s the paradox: it has never been seen on Russian markets. But that’s not about that now. Let's study the drug in detail. So, the first feature of this drug is that it was produced not only in the form of injections, but also in tablet form.
Although the name of the drug is unfamiliar to us, the name of its main component is known to many - methandrostenolone. The drug, which was produced in the form of injections, was essentially useless. But its oral use brought a visual increase in muscle mass, and in a short period of time, almost immediately after use.
Unlike synthol, the effect of esiclene did not last as long as we would like - only 4 days. But, despite this, esiklen was much more popular than synthol. Professional bodybuilders used this remedy 3 weeks before the start of the competition.
No advantages, as such, were noticed with the drug, except perhaps a short-lived increase in muscle mass.
Minuses:
- High price.
- It is quite difficult to purchase the drug.
- Short-term effect.
Oil preparations
Oil preparations are the most common injections, the choice of which, even in pharmacies and specialized stores, is very wide, and purchasing them is not difficult.
In fact, the oil base of all these drugs itself is used to dilute esters such as testosterone, nandrolone, etc. Mixed with them, it becomes an excellent substitute for the drug known to us - synthol.
When mixing, do not forget that the oil is not “empty” either. It contains a huge amount of anabolic compounds, which also affect the growth of our muscles. One of the fans of this mixing is bodybuilder Valentino. Looking closely at his hands, you can be horrified, but he is an excellent example of how these drugs work when mixed.
Pros:
- Everything is the same as synthol. The only difference from synthol is that the effect appears a little later than usual.
- All the same as synthol. Infection. Treatment is surgical only.
Suspensions for local muscle growth
There is not a large selection of drugs here. These drugs include testosterone and stanozol. The latter interacts with androgen receptors, and is also a good way to locally increase muscle growth.
Pros:
- Safety.
- Ease of use.
- Long lasting results.
- Infections and abscesses.
- There was no significant muscle growth observed.
IGF-1
Inserted into the fold of the abdomen. There is rapid muscle growth that is noticeable not only to you, but the effect lasts for a long time. The number of muscle fibers also increases.
Pros:
- IGF enriches cells with missing amino acids and accelerates the breakdown of glucose.
Prostaglandin
This drug has relatively recently begun to be used by professional bodybuilders, and then only before preparing for competitions. Statistics have shown that prostaglandin is an even more popular drug than synthol.
The use of the drug itself does not change the shape of the muscles; it only promotes their accelerated growth. Although the effect is difficult to achieve, it will last for a long time.
Pros:
- Rapid muscle gain.
- Active RNA synthesis.
- High price
- Swelling of the arms and legs.
It is administered intramuscularly. Blood circulation increases. The drug is aimed at increasing the muscles of the upper body. It is recommended to administer it 20 minutes before the start of an intense workout.
Pros:
- Low cost
- The effect comes quickly and is noticeable not only to you.
- Difficulty in consolidating the resulting effect
- Fall in blood pressure (in some cases, sudden).
Video review of drugs for muscle growth:
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