Didn't get muscle pump in gym today

[tropo]

I trained shoulders today. I did some heavy 5 rep sets and lots of 10 - 15 rep sets and trained pretty fast too. I was feeling good and strong, but hardly got any muscle pump at all.

I ate a carb meal about an hour before I hit the gym and was sipping on water and gatorade throughout the workout.

Should I be concered? I'm interested in hearing opinions on this. Is it time for me to start hitting the creatine?

 

[PushAndPull]

A pump doesn't mean anything, so I wouldn't be concerned. I would start taking creatine for the extra boost in your routine, not for anything to do with getting a pump.

 

[tropo]

Thanks for your feedback. I haven't used creatine for a long time. What is the best time to take it? In the morning upon waking or before or after a workout? I normally have some caffeine (coffee) before I hit weights and I believe that can interfere with creatine absorption.

 

[Built]

The caffeine pre workout is fine. Creatine, take it in your post workout shake, with carbs if you're eating them.

You might have had a lower-carb day the day before you trained and hence had not fully reglycogenated. Try a workout the day after a high carb day when you've been taking creatine. Lots of water that day, you'll see the pumps.

 

[tropo]

The caffeine pre workout is fine. Creatine, take it in your post workout shake, with carbs if you're eating them.

You might have had a lower-carb day the day before you trained and hence had not fully reglycogenated. Try a workout the day after a high carb day when you've been taking creatine. Lots of water that day, you'll see the pumps.

Thanks for that.

I don't think I can trace the lack of workout pump to low carbs as I'd had a day off and even eaten quite a bit of chocolate amongst other high carb foods such as bread. Although you wouldn't think so after hearing I was eating chocolate but I have to take it a bit easy on carbs as I am pre-diabetic. My first meal is normally high protein and low carb and the meal before the gym will be high carb.

My post workout shake includes plenty of carbs as I take the protein with milk. Will it be ok to put the creatine powder into the blender and mix it together? That would be a very convenient way to take it.

 

[PushAndPull]

Thanks for your feedback. I haven't used creatine for a long time. What is the best time to take it? In the morning upon waking or before or after a workout? I normally have some caffeine (coffee) before I hit weights and I believe that can interfere with creatine absorption.

I would take the creatine at the same time each day. What time you decide to take it doesn't matter as long as you're consistent in taking it. Caffeine is a mild diuretic and I doubt it will have any noticeable effect on the absorbtion.

 

[LAM]

a pump means nothing..any training routine or program should be evaluated/judged by increases in strength, endurance, increased performance in sport, etc. , over a period of time.

 

[Phineas]

The only time you should worry about lack of a pump is when it's in your pants, and I'm not talking about your quads.

 

[tropo]

The only time you should worry about lack of a pump is when it's in your pants, and I'm not talking about your quads.

LOL. I'm 51 and have that concern more often that I used to.