Muscle for Life

If you’ve read anything about bodybuilding, you’ve probably heard about something called “the pump.” In a nutshell, this refers to the temporary increase in muscle size that occurs when you lift weights. Bodybuilders have been strangely obsessed with this phenomenon since people started lifting weights, and according to many, it’s the cheat code for unlocking rapid muscle growth. George Butler and Charles Gaines, authors of Pumping Iron: The Art and Sport of Bodybuilding, claimed getting a muscle pump, “feels like one of those fast-frame films of flowers blooming or seeds ripening; the muscles seem actually to go from pod to blossom in seconds under the skin.” This explanation reveals one of the main reasons weightlifters like getting a pump: it’s a visible sign your efforts in the gym are paying off. Your muscles are getting bigger before your eyes! This preoccupation with the pump hasn’t waned, either. You’ll still find articles touting the benefits of “chasing the pump”—bodybuilder lingo for doing lots of