Ever notice that certain gym members have their veins popping up? Despite all your best efforts, their veins seem to be popping while yours remain flat. Do you think there is a reason for this?
Genetics does play a part, but there is much you can do to make your veins pop.
Keep reading for some helpful tips on increasing your vascularity.
What does Vascularity refer to?
What does this mean exactly? It basically refers to getting to the point when your veins begin showing through your skin.
You may be thinking about those who have never lifted any weight, but have extremely thin skin (or very large veins).
While there is certainly a genetic component to this, anyone can achieve vascularity provided they put in the effort.
This article will provide some helpful tips for increasing your cardiovascular health.
Tip #1 – Reduce Your Body Fat Percentage
Reduce your body fat to make your veins pop.
This means that for men, you’ll need to lower your body fat to less than 10%. For women, it should be around 15%.
Your veins will look less prominent if your body is laden with more fat.
If you want to reduce fat and maintain hard-earned muscles, your diet should be lean.
It’s important to reduce fat and avoid junk food.
Tip 2: Muscle Building
You can increase the demand for blood by increasing your muscle mass.
Building muscle takes a lot of work and involves a bulking phase, during which excess fat can be gained. The result is loss of vascularity.
But, if you alternate between bulking- and cutting phases, you should be able maintain vascularity even as you gain muscle mass.
Tip #3 Training for high reps
You can increase blood flow to your muscle cells by increasing your vascularity.
You can do this by lifting your reps to a high level. This will draw more blood to your muscles, increasing the size of your veins.
Drop sets, training to fail and other methods are also options.
Tip #4 Get ready for hypertrophy
This tip is compatible with high repetition training and a desire to increase muscle size and reduce muscle damage.
The more muscle you have, both at rest and training, the more blood they need.
Tip #5-Look for the “Pump”.
You may have noticed that your muscles will expand when you lift. This happens because your blood supply to your muscles increases when you lift.
This pump increases cell swelling as well as metabolite and will promote muscle growth.
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR), can be used to target vascularity in a certain body part.
BFR means partial restriction in your veins. This causes a pooling and massive pump.
Blood flow restriction can only be achieved by using specially designed cuffs.
Tip #6 is to Increase Cardiovascular Activity
Intense HIIT cardio exercises are not only a great way to burn calories but also increase blood flow, which is something we already mentioned.
Aerobic exercise is another benefit. You’ll see an increase both in capillary densities and overall increases in the number capillaries (tiny blood vessel).
The larger the capillaries, the greater blood flow to your muscles.
Tip #7: Use a Nitric Oide Supplement
Your body will produce more Nitric oxide (NO) when you exercise.
NO is a powerful vasodilator. This helps to relax blood vessels. This results in a greater blood-flow efficiency.
Many supplements were created to increase NO further. The following supplements/ingredients have been shown to increase NO production:
Citrulline
Citrulline has been shown by studies to raise L Arginine levels above L-Arginine.
L-Arginine can be used as a precursor to Nitric Oxide.
Supplementing L-Arginine with citrulline doesn’t cause any digestive stress.
Nitrates
Both Pomegranate (beetroot) and Pomegranate (pomegranate) are vasodilators. They have been shown that they have positive effects on blood flow.
Creatine
Creatine acts as an obsmolyte. It is found in muscle cells and will draw fluid in.
This causes a larger cell size which results in increased blood flow and pump.
Tip #8 Drink lots of water
You may think it’s crazy, but keeping your body hydrated will not only keep you hydrated but also reduce water retention.
Bodybuilders are more likely to dehydrate themselves while competing, which can cause their veins become more prominent. This process is effective, but it’s not something I recommend.
Another option is diuretics. There are supplements that can help but there are also natural options, such as coffee. It is important to remember that excessive use can prove dangerous so you should exercise caution.
Tip #9: Cut Out Sodium (Salt)
Your sodium intake can lead to water retention.
Avoid junk food and foods high-in preservatives. This is one of the easiest ways to avoid excess sodium.
Making your own meals is a good idea. So you can control how many sodium you eat.
Try to reduce your sodium intake by 1 teaspoon each day. There are many spices and herbs that can be used to flavor your food.
Tip #10 is to Cut Back on Carbs
A high-carb diet is more likely to make you lose water. You can’t just blame the salt content. There are many other reasons.
Low carb diet is recommended for water retention. You’ll also be more likely to lose fat by eating low carb.
Tip #11 is to Increase Your Body Temperature
As your body temperatures rise, blood will move towards the skin’s surface. This will make your veins more visible.
Bodybuilders often use a hairdryer to make their veins pop prior to a show.
Foods you eat can also affect your body temperature.
Certain supplements can also help, for example, supplements that contain the following:
* Caffeine
* Green Tea
* Capsaicin (made out of peppers)
* Ginger
In Conclusion
There are many options to help your veins pop.
These tips will help you look leaner and more vibrant. Being able to maintain a low percentage of body fat is very important.
If you have naturally dark skin, it’s not possible to reduce your body fat.
This means that your chances of staying vascular throughout the year are unlikely.
It is important to remember that professional bodybuilders may not be in peak shape throughout the year. They reach their peak during competitions. This is how you should lead your life.
For any holiday or competition, you should aim to be the most fit and healthy possible.
After the event, it is possible to start to reverse your diet. You will slowly build muscle and lose blood vascularity until you reach a normal weight.
This is where strength and hypertrophy can be increased. Once you’ve reached your goal, you can start to drop down again. The idea being that you’ll be stronger and more vascular at the next event.
If you’re thinking of going on a walk with your friends,
Low body fat isn’t healthy. You will experience a decrease in testosterone production, which can affect your immune system and impact your sleep quality. You will be less energetic and more likely to sustain injury.
Although it’s enjoyable to look this good for a shoot, living that way every day is quite dangerous.
Keep your recovery and rest time up during training. Your body will be more able to handle the weight loss. Good luck!
