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Pre-Workouts are well-known for delivering great dosages of stimulants to provide that ‘kick’ to improve your workouts. But another key benefit of taking these supplements are enhancing your muscle pumps in the gym.
Nothing’s more satisfying than experiencing skin-splitting pumps while you bicep curl or squat – and there are specific ingredients that can help you achieve this.
In this article, you’ll find out:
- Benefits of Muscle Pumps
- Best Ingredients For Muscle Pumps
- Science Behind The Pump
- Conclusion
Benefits of Muscle Pumps
‘The Pump’ was especially loved by the golden era bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In fact, the Austrian Oak is infamous for asserting his love of this phenomenon saying: “The greatest feeling you can get in the gym…is the pump.”
How does it work?
Basically, your nitric oxide levels determine how intense your muscle pumps are.
Here’s why: an increase in nitric oxide levels results in increased blood flow. As well as increasing endurance and reducing fatigue, this leads to more blood rushing to your muscles while you lift weights.
Here’s the benefits of muscle pumps:
- Train harder for longer – muscle pumps enhance endurance so you stay at peak levels throughout your workout.
- Reduced fatigue – Increased blood flow helps remove lactic acid and carbon dioxide from your muscles, which reduces fatigue.
- Look and feel great – Your muscles will expand and your confidence will grow as a result.
Best Pre-Workout Ingredients For Muscle Pumps
As ‘The Pump’ gained more attention, more supplement companies began producing products to enhance this effect – which is part of the reason why pre workout supplements exist.
For this reason, the best pre workouts on the market contain ingredients that specifically work to enhance muscle pumps. However, studies have shown some nutrients to be ineffective in raising your nitric oxide levels (what’s needed to deliver this sensation).
We’ll quickly take you through the best ingredients available, that are proven to enhance your muscle pumps:
Citrulline Malate
This is one of three dietary amino acids (L-Citrulline, which is extracted from watermelons) bound to malic acid. It’s the best option for improving your muscle pumping experience in the gym.
We’ve mentioned that nitric oxide is important to kick-start the process; an increase in nitric oxide levels results in more blood rushing to your muscles while you lift weights.
Well, Citrulline Malate converts into L-Arginine in your kidneys, which results in raised nitric oxide levels. It’s proven to work, and has a great absorption rate when orally supplemented – meaning it’s reliable in supplements such as 4 Gauge.
At this point, you might be thinking…
Why not take L-Arginine directly?
Good question. Although L-Arginine plays an important role in your body, it has a poor absorption rate – meaning it’s not very effective when consumed in supplements.
This is why Citrulline Malate is the best option; it removes the issue with L-Arginine (poor absorption rate), and the malic acid in this ingredient improves your strength in the gym too.
For this reason, 4 Gauge contains an optimal 6,000 mg dosage of Citrulline Malate – to ensure you experience skin-splitting muscle pumps while you lift weights in the gym.
Red Beetroot Extract
There’s a reason why olympic athletes are known to consume up to a litre of beetroot juice a day – it’s shown to improve sporting performance in numerous studies.
It’s also a great addition to any pre workout supplement, as it’s also shown to improve muscle pumps.
How it works
Simply put, beetroot contains a high amount of nitrates – which is the precursor to nitric oxide.
As a result, after consuming beetroot, you experience elevated nitric oxide levels; this leads to you experiencing intense muscle pumps, along with the benefits that come with it.
Learn more about beetroot in our other post here.
The Science Behind The Pump
Now you know the best ingredients to experience enhanced muscle pumps, we’ll show you the studies that prove they work.
Take a look:
Citrulline Malate
In a study by Sureda A [1], 17 subjects were given 6 g dosages of Citrulline 2 hours before exercise. After 15 minutes as well as 3 hours after the race, blood samples were taken – to measure the nitric oxide levels of the participants.
The results:
- Citrulline Malate raised nitric oxide levels – the participants’ nitric oxide levels had increased after supplementing 6g of citrulline malate.
Beetroot Extract
A clinical study led by Ditte and his team [2] analyzed 23 healthy men, after they were given 100g dosage of beetroot or a placebo (in a randomized order).
The particiapants’ nitric oxide levels were then measured at regular intervals.
The results:
- Beetroot increased nitric oxide levels – The study confirmed that beetroot was able to positively affect nitric oxide levels in healthy men.
Conclusion
Muscle pumps are very beneficial and can improve your workout in numerous ways. Let’s recap the benefits of this phenomenon:
- Enhanced Endurance
- Reduced Fatigue
- Elevated Confidence and Mood
However, not all ingredients that are believed to promote nitric oxide levels actually work. As a result, it’s important to remember the most effective nutrients in promoting intense muscle pumps – Citrulline Malate and Beetroot.
For this reason, 4 Gauge contains an optimal dosage of both these ingredients; ensuring that you perform to your potential in the gym.
4 Gauge
4 Gauge has been extensively researched to provide you with key benefits such as: 
- Explosive Power – Form stronger mind-muscle-connection to make the most of every rep.
- Laser Focus – Concentrate of your session without any distractions from the outside world.
- Extended Stamina – Be more productive in your workouts by performing at your peak for longer.
- Incredible Muscle Pumps – Experience skin-splitting pumps by looking thicker and tighter.
References
- Sureda, A et al. L-citrulline-malate influence over branched chain amino acid utilization during exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010; 110(2): 341-51
- Ditte, A. Hobbs. Acute Ingestion of Beetroot Bread Increases Endothelium-Independent Vasodilation and Lowers Diastolic Blood Pressure in Healthy Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J. Nutr. 2013; 143(9): 1399-1405