watchnerd
Level 8 Valued Member
I've had this happen before, but I've never really had a solid understanding as to why it happens.
I just started my 1st day of post weightlifting competition hypertrophy training and, as often happens, the 'pump effect' right after competition is nuts. Like when you put on the same t-shirt as your wore a week ago and you can tell your upper body is bigger.
I know it won't be this extreme in a few weeks, so it's a temporary effect.
I've read about Tommy Kono mentioning a similar effect when he would switching immediately after weightlifting competition to bodybuilding:
Just some "bro science" theories I've run across:
1. The multiple PR attempts, and (unsustainably) high adrenaline, create a 'mega anabolic window' as a response to an extreme stressor.
2. The bodybuilding pump work is novel by almost all criteria: weight, rep ranges, volume, and specific exercises. Ergo, the stimulus to response ratio is very good.
3. It's just periodization -- the recovery cost of heavy competition training has been removed, allowing for text book super compensation and faster adaptation to new, but lesser, stressors.
I'd be curious to hear if others have observed similar effects after training for, and completing, a competitive athletic event.
And any alternative theories.
I just started my 1st day of post weightlifting competition hypertrophy training and, as often happens, the 'pump effect' right after competition is nuts. Like when you put on the same t-shirt as your wore a week ago and you can tell your upper body is bigger.
I know it won't be this extreme in a few weeks, so it's a temporary effect.
I've read about Tommy Kono mentioning a similar effect when he would switching immediately after weightlifting competition to bodybuilding:
Just some "bro science" theories I've run across:
1. The multiple PR attempts, and (unsustainably) high adrenaline, create a 'mega anabolic window' as a response to an extreme stressor.
2. The bodybuilding pump work is novel by almost all criteria: weight, rep ranges, volume, and specific exercises. Ergo, the stimulus to response ratio is very good.
3. It's just periodization -- the recovery cost of heavy competition training has been removed, allowing for text book super compensation and faster adaptation to new, but lesser, stressors.
I'd be curious to hear if others have observed similar effects after training for, and completing, a competitive athletic event.
And any alternative theories.