Ara(Xgels) and Training Volume

Vlaw

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Hello i would like to ask how taking ara can affect the training volume for people who train with higher frequency 2 times per week each muscle group. I know ara causes inflammation and i feel more sore now with the same volume i was doing so should i decrease my training volume or i should train even being sore?
 
nakedear

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First, you need to distinguish what's sore, what's ailing, and what's injured. If your muscle is sore, that's good! It means your muscle tissue has torn and is now repairing itself. I say train on and train as hard as possible! If you ease up on the training due to the ARA's, that would defeat the purpose of that particular supplement to begin with! Just make sure you are getting the proper nutrients in, daily, and sleep.
 
nakedear

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Sure :) You said you train each muscle group 2x/week. What is your fitness goal? Are you trying to build quality lean mass, lose weight, bulk up, etc? I, too, train more than the typical gym goer, but I am also a National level NPC bodybuilder (doing Nationals in Pittsburgh next week!!), so my goals may be different than yours. Ara is a great tool to use when trying to get those tissue tears, BUT, you have to make sure you're feeding your muscle with the proper nutrients afterwards, too...in order to ensure the repairing of the tissue.
 

Vlaw

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Sure :) You said you train each muscle group 2x/week. What is your fitness goal? Are you trying to build quality lean mass, lose weight, bulk up, etc? I, too, train more than the typical gym goer, but I am also a National level NPC bodybuilder (doing Nationals in Pittsburgh next week!!), so my goals may be different than yours. Ara is a great tool to use when trying to get those tissue tears, BUT, you have to make sure you're feeding your muscle with the proper nutrients afterwards, too...in order to ensure the repairing of the tissue.
I am at a 250 calorie surplus and doing a pull push legs off pull push legs repeat split.
 
nakedear

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At a 250 surplus, you probably won't see much of a change in your physique. Rule of thumb is this: take your minimum base caloric intake (bodyweight x 15) and then add between 200-400 calories on top of that if you workout. That total would be your bear minimum you need in order to maintain your current weight. To put on quality size, you'll need roughly 3,500 extra calories per week to add 1lb/week...or, that equals 500 surplus calories per day above your maintainance. Anything below your maintainance and you'll lose weight. Does that make sense??
 

Vlaw

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At a 250 surplus, you probably won't see much of a change in your physique. Rule of thumb is this: take your minimum base caloric intake (bodyweight x 15) and then add between 200-400 calories on top of that if you workout. That total would be your bear minimum you need in order to maintain your current weight. To put on quality size, you'll need roughly 3,500 extra calories per week to add 1lb/week...or, that equals 500 surplus calories per day above your maintainance. Anything below your maintainance and you'll lose weight. Does that make sense??
1 pound per week seems way too much. Almost double times of someone's bodyweight, this is way too much for a natural.
 
nakedear

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Not at all. This is a pretty standard protocol for lean mass gains. Will you actually put on a pound per week...no. Initially you might, but then your body will adapt to the extra calories. Here's the key...if those calories are clean (not pizza and doughnuts), primarily healthy fats, your body will utilize them as energy to fuel you as well as energy to repair the muscle after your workouts. Thus, you won't store the extra calories as fat!!
1lb is very realistic, actually.
 
nakedear

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I'm not sure what you mean by natural, either. I am a natural competitor. I have never injected nor taken prohormones, etc. Am I 250 lbs of muscle...no. I'm actually very lean and conditioned year-round. That extra pound per week...some will be water weight (which is good...the nutrients need the fluids to shuttle in to the cells), thus, when you decide to lean out for whatever reason, the water weight will diminish and the lean mass gains will be revealed :)
 
AntM1564

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1 pound per week seems way too much. Almost double times of someone's bodyweight, this is way too much for a natural.
I agree with you and think you're fine. I hate that standard, aim for 1 pound per week when bulking. If I am bulking for 6 months, that would be 26 pounds. That is way too much, even for someone that is enhanced, to gain in that period of time. Eating at a smaller surplus is fine.
 
nakedear

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It won't always be a pound/week...just because you eat an extra pound of nutrient density doesn't mean your physiology will accept all of it. From experience, I tend to stick with between 300-400 calorie-surplus when not competing (now, this is 300-400 above maintainance + workout calories). I will usually put on the majority of weight within a few weeks during my recomp phase after a show...ie- it'll happen after Nationals next week for me. Then, however, the weight will sort of balance out and that's when the fun begins!!!! Back to your original question though, when using ARA do indeed be in a surplus with calories but maintain training hard!!!
 

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