Do muscle retain a pump or just stay larger for up to 2 days after lifting?

[taoofjord]

After lifting I can feel the difference in my muscles when they are pumped up. However, the pump may fade but up to 2-3 days after the work out my muscle still feel bigger. Then, after those few days, they feel a lot smaller all of a sudden. What's the deal?



Excuse the thread's title :P Don't know how to edit it though...

[best regards]

its in your head. DOMS makes everything feel weird. I personally feel bigger with DOMS as well.

[VikingMan]

Na, it's probably not really in your head. Muscles go through various states of nutrient and fluid loading post workout. Your going to go flat a couple days after you lift. Welcome to how big you really are.

For long term positive size gains, make sure you maintain a focus on adding weight to the bar.

[best regards]

Na, it's probably not really in your head. Muscles go through various states of nutrient and fluid loading post workout. Your going to go flat a couple days after you lift. Welcome to how big you really are.

For long term positive size gains, make sure you maintain a focus on adding weight to the bar.

exactly thats the only way you'll grow to your maximum potential.

[taoofjord]

Na, it's probably not really in your head. Muscles go through various states of nutrient and fluid loading post workout. Your going to go flat a couple days after you lift. Welcome to how big you really are.

For long term positive size gains, make sure you maintain a focus on adding weight to the bar.

I am currently doing a push/pull on MWF (alternating each day). I do every exercise to 8 reps:


Push
Leg Press 4x8
BB Bench Press 4x8
St Military Press 3x8
Weighted Dips 3x8
Weighted Crunches 3x10


Pull
Leg Ext 2x8
Leg Curl 3x8
Weighted Pullups/Chins 3x8
Bentover BB Row 2x8
Seated Cable Row 2x8
Shrugs 3x8
Weighted Hyperextensions 3x10


(I can't do Squats and Deads until my back heals)


Anyway, with a few of the exercises I can't hit 8 reps anymore. Should I drop the weight for those by 20 lbs or so and build back up again or should I keep adding to the weight until I can't get even 5 reps before resetting?

[VikingMan]

Hmmm. Couple thoughts. I don't know that I would simply keep banging away while adding the weight till I couldn't even get 5 reps. That implies failure is a regular event, which is quite hard on your CNS. That said, I think working down into lower rep ranges with heavier weight is always a good idea.

An environment like a push pull is conducive to do your A workout with one rep range then your second A workout with another. So you could do your push routine with 8s the first time you run it, then with 5s the second time you run it. Same with the B workout. Make sense? Simultanously working in the two different rep ranges gives you a nice mix of more pure strength work, and hypertrophy work, which helps with long term gains.

Though I wouldn't actually work down into the lower rep ranges for things like crunches, dips or hypers. I like to stay in higher rep ranges for those.

Routine looks good overall. Try to get back to the deads and squats, when you can. Starting light, obviously.

[best regards]

I am currently doing a push/pull on MWF (alternating each day). I do every exercise to 8 reps:


Push
Leg Press 4x8
BB Bench Press 4x8
St Military Press 3x8
Weighted Dips 3x8
Weighted Crunches 3x10


Pull
Leg Ext 2x8
Leg Curl 3x8
Weighted Pullups/Chins 3x8
Bentover BB Row 2x8
Seated Cable Row 2x8
Shrugs 3x8
Weighted Hyperextensions 3x10


(I can't do Squats and Deads until my back heals)


Anyway, with a few of the exercises I can't hit 8 reps anymore. Should I drop the weight for those by 20 lbs or so and build back up again or should I keep adding to the weight until I can't get even 5 reps before resetting?

yes that would work ntil you're able to squat and dead. once you are, I would definitely follow the 5x5 or some other program written by one of those guys.