Running to gain muscle mass is an activity around which there is a lot of controversy. Many famous athletes believe that running in the mass gain phase not only does not help, but also harms muscle gain.
The only argument opponents of running for muscle gain is that with mass gain, excessive physical activity slows down the process. Running burns calories, as a result of which an athlete who runs is gaining more slowly than an athlete who does not pay attention to running.
We will break this statement and talk about how to run in order to gain muscle mass.
Running and testosterone
A set of muscle mass is a high level of testosterone. The main male sex hormone plays a paramount role in mass gain. Testosterone cypionate in USA is high – muscles grow without significant stress. Low test – muscles do not increase even from the best programs.
Recent studies have shown that running can increase testosterone levels by about 30%. Not directly, but through increased testosterone levels, running can build muscle mass.
A high testosterone level is also:
The increase in masculinity. The pain threshold rises, due to which the athlete can perform more repetitions in strength training.
Increased energy. The ability to do more work in the strength of the training.
Fatigue reduction. Due to the high level of testosterone, a man reaches the limits that he could not have dreamed about before.
Improving the appearance. The face and figure take on a masculine look.
A man becomes more successful in all areas of life. Starting from work and hobbies, ending with communication with friends and boss.
Increased libido. A 30-year-old man due to training can do much more than an 18-year-old man. What is not the motivation to start training?
Running trainings that increase testosterone levels should include large pieces of “meat” in the work. Running for gaining muscle mass is sprinting, running at a fast pace, with the help of which legs, buttocks, and lower back muscles are 100% worked out. The muscles of the press and all the muscles of the upper body are included in the work.
In the matter of increasing testosterone, sprinting will be an opening for most fans to “sip iron.”
Running for the heart
All organs of the human body are interconnected. If the heart “does not pull” a set of muscle mass, the body in every way slows down the process of muscle gain. Conditionally: now the volume of your heart is 600 ml. This is enough to pump blood through a 70-kilogram carcass without harming health. But now you already weigh 80 kilograms. But the heart remained the same. The new peak is 90 kilograms. The capabilities of the cardiovascular system should have grown in proportion to muscle mass. Now 600 ml is already not enough, you need 1000. The heart muscle gradually wears out. This is the cause of the deaths of most bodybuilders. Not steroids that accelerate the lethal outcome, but high body weight and excessive stress on the background of an undeveloped cardiovascular system.
Attention: the best bodybuilders of our time do not refuse to run or alternative aerobic loads (such as jumping rope). They understand that without running with high muscle mass, their life will end at the age of 35-50.
- For safe muscle growth, we must take care of the state of the cardiovascular system.
- Training the cardiovascular system is based on prolonged aerobic exercise. Your workouts may look like this:
- Running in the pulse range of 110-130 for 45-90 minutes. We run 3 times a week. The best option for improving the condition of the heart muscle.
- Jumping rope at a slow pace for 45-60 minutes. The load may be interrupted, but not for a long period of time.
- Cycling at medium speed. 45-90 minutes. It develops the heart worse than running and jumping rope, but you will notice the effect.
- For the development of the cardiovascular system, without training which it is impossible to build a lot of muscles, running is required!
In this case, running to gain muscle mass plays a role that is difficult to notice at first glance. The role of running training is noticeable in the medium and long term. The longer an athlete plans to practice, the more necessary for him is running.
It is necessary to use running training to develop the heart, prevent diseases that develop in bodybuilders due to excessive growth of muscle mass.
Running for gaining muscle mass. What does he look like?
Running for gaining muscle mass is a combination of sprinting workouts with prolonged aerobic exercise.
Sprint running “boosts” testosterone, running at a slow pace over long distances increases the power of the heart muscle.
To gain muscle mass, you can also use:
- Running with weights. Leads muscle tone, increases muscle mass with proper training. The best option for people of age who can not stand heavy strength training. Running with weights helps busy men and women who do not have time or money to visit a fitness club. About running with weights in more detail – later.
- Interval training. The combination of sprinting and jogging in the pulse range of 110-130 beats per minute. A style that allows you to get 2 effects at the same time. Moreover, the intervals should be long enough. “Heart” run should prevail over jerks. Otherwise, instead of developing the heart, we get the opposite effect.
- Running uphill. Especially – running uphill with a partner or for a while. An incredible competition with their weaknesses, after overcoming which testosterone rolls over the top, there is a feeling of happiness, insignificance of life problems. Running uphill develops the muscles of the lower body. It is important to start gradually, not from high slopes. Otherwise, pain in the legs will make itself felt 7-10 days.
- Shuttle Run. Running for short sections develops the muscles of the lower body, enhances the secretion of testosterone.
- Mask running. A training mask develops the cardiovascular system, and also forces the body to overcome an obstacle in the form of discomfort from new sensations. A training mask builds muscle indirectly. It affects running speed more than muscle growth.
- Running for a set of muscle mass as a separate species is only sustainable if there is strength training. Running helps to build muscle, it creates conditions for muscle growth, but does not grow them directly. The exception is the muscles of the legs and buttocks.
Running interferes with muscle gain
There are a lot of situations when running is not the best option for gaining muscle mass. Running is an aid in muscle building only if the athlete regularly gets enough calories from food. For muscle growth, we need to get 200-500 calories more than is spent per day.
Let us consider the relationship between the set of muscles, running and caloric intake by examples.
- Example No. 1
Vasya eats 2800 calories per day on average. Excluding running training, his expenditure was 2600 calories. Bob weighs 76 kilograms and wants to gain muscle mass. He opens the section “Running for gaining muscle mass” on , learns that sprinting exercises build muscles, decides to improve the condition of the heart muscle, and … suddenly loses weight. Power fall, cortisol increases, testosterone falls.
Vasya thinks that he was deceived, quit running, and tells beginners that running for muscle gain is bullshit.
Vasya faced the following problem: energy expenditures increased. Due to running training, Vasya spends 3100 instead of 2600 units of energy. Now he is not in the plus for 200 units, but in the negative for 300. Instead of anabolism, catabolism started. Vasya began to lose weight, and since the catabolic state replaced the anabolic state, the level of cortisol increased, which subjectively led to a decrease in testosterone and offset the positive effect of running.
- Example No. 2
Igor got acquainted with the same section on the website and decided to go jogging. Igor also decided to combine sprinting with long, low-intensity training. Igor also weighs 76 kilograms, he also consumes 2800 calories and spends 2600. Due to regular training, his spending also increased to 3100 units. But Igor did not feel the same effect as Vasya. He did not begin to lose weight, strength did not fall, testosterone grew subjectively and objectively (according to analysis). Igor’s life acquired brighter colors. The body was cleansed, the skin condition improved, the cardiovascular system increased, Igor became more attractive to girls.
At the same time, Vasya began to experience depression.
All else being equal, Vasya and Igor got completely different results from the run. That’s because Igor added 500 energy units to his 2800 calories in the form of a package of kefir (milk). He reached the same surplus – 200 units, and got all the benefits of running for himself.
Vasya went out of anabolism into catabolism. It was not running that hurt him, but the lack of calories in the diet.
Conclusion: running to gain muscle mass is relevant only if you are in an anabolic state. To make up for the calorie waste when running, add a liter of milk (kefir, fermented baked milk) to the diet
Running for women
Girls can use jogging to gain muscle without additional strength training. An attractive female figure is a developed lower body, a minimum of fat and toned muscles of the upper body. The best option to achieve such a figure is a combination of running with training in the gym.
In the absence of free time (money, other resources for a full-fledged training), you can bet on running and bring your figure in optimal shape thanks to the following trainings:
Acceleration uphill. The best kind of run for training the gluteus muscles and legs. One of the few types of running that increases the muscle mass of the lower body is no worse than weight training. The duration of the jerk is from 10 to 25 seconds – in such a time interval, muscle growth is maximum. For training, you don’t need to look for a high slope – a small “tubercle” is enough, which you will run for longer than 10 seconds.
Running uphill. Long (from 2 minutes) load, which not only builds muscle, but also develops stamina, improves health, develops the cardiovascular system. Regular training not only allows you to tone muscles, improve your shape and lose weight, but also significantly improve skin condition, smooth out wrinkles, and get rid of acne. Running uphill is a powerful release of anabolic hormones, cleansing all body systems.
Sprint run. Less effective for women, since it does not lead to such an increase in testosterone levels as in men. Efficiency of sprinting on the plain for women is high, but lower than that of running uphill.
Jogging. Leads muscle tone, slightly increases the muscle mass of the legs. The best option for running for health and improving appearance, but not for gaining muscle mass.
Shuttle Run. An alternative to sprinting. The main advantage of shuttle racing for girls is that they don’t need to look for suitable terrain and, if you have spacious rooms, you can even leave your house. A great option for girls who do not know where to start.
Interval run. Builds muscle mass, improves the appearance, general condition of the body. Beginners can alternate between accelerations and brisk walking.
After the separation of training, we continue to progress in the same way. We increase the number of approaches, the duration of the run. You can reduce your rest after approaches and exercises.
For 21 workouts from a “vegetable” a person turns into an athlete. This is the fastest progress that the human body is capable of. Do not look for more effective programs, do not overdo it. Faster than these schemes, you can not progress.
Before moving on to the next scheme, be sure to complete the previous program. If you were not able to complete the current scheme, do not proceed to the next. Repeat today’s program the other day.
The speed of progress is determined by many factors. Your friend can progress in every training session and turn into another person in just 2 months. You will need 6 months to achieve a similar effect. Or vice versa. There are many reasons. From the presence of stress in life to the amount of sleep, calories consumed and the correctness of the running technique. It is not necessary to progress in every workout. On one scheme, from 1 to 5 workouts can be delayed.
Do not exercise too often. Do 2 to 4 workouts per week. The greater the load, the longer the body recovers, and the less often training should take place. Example: at the beginning, when we bring the muscles in tone, you can train 3-4 times a week. When performing complex workouts, 2-3 lessons in 7 days are enough.