Other than steroids and supplements, how can anabolism and recovery be increased? Learn how to improve your running to dramatically increase protein synthesis for mass gain. Anything that can affect the anabolic reactions in the body can be called anabolic agents. These can be various chemical or herbal preparations, as well as physiological stimulants. Running belongs to the last group. Today we will talk about how you can get the anabolic effect of running in bodybuilding.
The role of running in bodybuilding
Most athletes representing strength sports do not deny the need to include cardio in their training program. At the same time, running is the most controversial of them all. Some people think that running is harmful to the muscles, while others are convinced that sprint races are beneficial. There are also athletes who claim the benefits of long runs.
The average bodybuilder who does not use steroids and who is engaged in a properly designed training program and with appropriate nutrition for 12 months is able to gain more than 4 kilograms of quality mass. At the same time, there is practical evidence that it is possible to gain about 20 kilograms without the use of pharmacology.
If these people were previously engaged in bodybuilding, then this figure would not be so impressive. This is due to the phenomenon of muscle memory. If a person previously had a large mass of muscles, then he could quickly restore it. But most of the people mentioned above were previously engaged in swimming, athletics, etc. In other words, they needed first of all high endurance, not strength.
Even more interesting is the fact that the higher their results were in their "native" sports, the greater the increase in muscle mass after starting bodybuilding. To understand what anabolic effects of running in bodybuilding can be obtained, it is necessary to understand the biological and physiological reactions caused by it.
Bioenergy and running
One of the main factors that have a huge impact on the rate of gaining muscle mass is energy. In the human body, there are peculiar "energy stations" called mitochondria. In order for the growth of muscle tissues to begin, hypertrophy of the mitochondria located in them must first occur.
It is the increase in the number and size of these cells that determines the success at the initial stage of strength training. After the mitochondria can generate more energy, muscle hypertrophy is also possible. The best exercises for mitochondrial development are the aerobic ones. In turn, the best of them was running. This is one of the reasons that the anabolic effects of running in bodybuilding can be quite noticeable.
It is enough to look at the distancers and their thin physique to be convinced of this. The body of these athletes knows how to effectively use each fat cell to provide itself with energy. In the course of studies of long-distance muscle tissue cells, well-developed mitochondria were found, for which it is not difficult to provide the entire body with the necessary energy.
After the cessation of sports, mitochondria do not change their size, and their number does not decrease. So it turns out that if a former stayer begins to engage in bodybuilding, then his mitochondria are already ready to provide him with all the necessary energy. All processes in this case proceed as quickly as possible, and it is not surprising that the muscles respond perfectly to strength exercises.
In addition to all of the above, it should be noted that trained runners not only have a large number of mitochondria, but also these cells work as efficiently as possible and are able to use even various metabolites for energy.
Running and the hormonal system
Everyone knows that under the influence of high physical activity in the body, the synthesis of cortisol is accelerated. This leads to an acceleration of catabolic reactions. Also, the body begins to intensively synthesize growth hormone along with sex hormones. This is necessary to slow down the breakdown of protein compounds and glycogen.
At the same time, more fat cells begin to be utilized, which are broken down into fatty acids, as well as glycerol. These substances are also beginning to be used by the body as additional sources of energy. After completing the training, the level of growth hormone and sex hormones remains the same, but catabolic substances are produced at a lower rate, which leads to a drop in their level. At the same time, a large amount of insulin is released into the blood, which increases the anabolic background and reduces the catabolic one. This leads to the accumulation in the tissues of protein compounds, glycogen and partly fats. If during this period there is a large amount of growth hormone in the body, then insulin first of all activates the synthesis of protein compounds. Otherwise, there is an active accumulation of fat.
It has been proven in scientific research that the maximum anabolic effect of running in bodybuilding is achieved. It is this type of cardio exercise that leads to the least energy expenditure. For this reason, the body does not need to create a real "hormonal hurricane", but it is quite enough just to increase the sensitivity of tissues to already synthesized hormones. Under the influence of any regular physical activity, adrenal hypertrophy occurs, which secrete the main catabolic hormones.
In runners, these organs are less susceptible to hypertrophy. When a runner's body is at rest, the level of glucocorticoids in his blood is very low. Consequently, tissues are destroyed much more slowly.
Running and the central nervous system
Nerve signals in the body spread very rapidly. But this applies only to the nerve processes. Between tissue cells, these signals are transmitted noticeably slower. This is due to the fact that for this the body needs to use special substances - neurotransmitters. The number of neurotransmitters also limits the rate of communication between cells. We can say that the strength of nerve cells lies in their ability to quickly synthesize neurotransmitters. The faster this happens, the higher the speed of information exchange.
These neurotransmitters, which are used by the central nervous system to transmit information, are called catecholamines, the amount of which directly affects the speed and strength of excitation of the nervous system. With any physical activity, catecholamines are synthesized, but during running, this process is as active as possible.
Also, with the training of the athlete, some of the cells of the peripheral nervous system hypertrophy. This leads to an acceleration of the synthesis of catecholamines, which leads to an increase in mood, wearing a euphoric shade. Jogging can strengthen the central nervous system very well, and is even used as a remedy for certain types of nervous depression.
Thus, we can say that the anabolic effect of running in bodybuilding is achieved due to three components:
- The energy potential of the body increases;
- The endocrine system is being rebuilt;
- There are changes in the functioning of the central nervous system.
It is important to understand that jogging alone cannot increase or destroy muscle mass. It's all about creating certain physiological and biochemical factors that can make strength training more effective.
It should be noted that more and more representatives of strength sports are beginning to understand this and running takes its place in their training programs. Also, very often athletes distinguish between strength and cardio training. This is due not only to the high efficiency of running, but to the fact that running trainings have become longer and it is no longer possible to combine them with strength training.
It is difficult enough to give specific advice that will help increase the anabolic effect of running in bodybuilding. Each organism is individual and athletes should be based on personal experience. To do this, they will have to try several running techniques and choose the most suitable one for themselves.
Learn more about the anabolic effects of running and cardio in bodybuilding in this video:
