Does getting a good pump in the gym while lifting have anything to do with testosterone levels?
I know you need good blood flow to get a pump but I was wondering if having higher testosterone would lead to greater pumps in the gym.
The muscle pump is related to various factors such as- rep range (higher rep ranges)
- rest period between sets (shorter rest intervals)
- carbohydrate stores (glycogen storage in muscle cells)/insulin sensitivity
- nitric oxide levels (vasodilation) (NO)
- RBC levels (red blood cells)
Yes, testosterone plays a role as it can increase NO production and red blood cells and also increases one's insulin sensitivity and the amount of carbohydrate stored in the muscle as glycogen.
Regarding one having healthy physiological levels of testosterone, the anabolic hormone will allow one to build muscle tissue/increase strength/lose adipose/increase recovery/increase pumps due to increased NO/glycogen storage as long as one's diet/training is in order.
As far as greater pumps in the gym as I stated many factors are related to achieving the pump but if one were truly looking for increases in muscle/ size and strength and insane skin splitting pumps than supra-physiological levels of testosterone would be needed.
As in no way can natural physiological levels of testosterone compare to supra-physiological levels of testosterone and the levels of muscle/strength and truly mind boggling pumps one would achieve using/abusing testosterone/aas compounds.
Having supra-physiological levels of testosterone would allow one to store a lot more glycogen in the muscle let alone the increase in red blood cells.
High doses of testosterone and using oral c-17 alpha alkylated steroids such as Anadrol (oxymetholone), Dianabol (methandrostenolone) are known for increasing glycogen and intra-cellular water stores let alone red blood cells which will lead to insane pumps.
