All bodybuilders know about lactic acid, because it stimulates the development of fibers. Learn how to build big biceps and chest. All athletes are constantly faced with a burning sensation in their muscles. At the same time, professionals are confident that this only accelerates tissue growth. Negative repetitions are known to be one of the most powerful ways to stimulate muscle growth. However, this technique should not be abused and should not be used more than twice a month. But there is another great way to stimulate anabolism for mass growth in bodybuilding, which is to pump lactic acid. We will talk about this today.
Burning sensation in muscles and their growth
Like all tissues, muscles need oxygen to do their work. With its help, ATP reserves are restored, and oxygen is also involved in other processes. When muscles contract, the need for oxygen increases sharply, but strength training limits its supply to the tissues. This is primarily due to the slowing down of blood flow, which delivers all the substances they need, including oxygen, to the tissues.
However, the body needs to continue to provide the muscles with energy, and it goes on to anaerobic processes of ATP synthesis. This reaction is accompanied by the release of lactic acid. We have already found out that during strength training, the supply of muscles with blood is difficult and for this reason lactic acid does not have time to be removed from the tissues, which leads to a burning sensation.
Lactic acid is synthesized from hydrogen and lactate anion. Lactic acid poses a serious threat to muscle tissue, as it lowers the pH level. Although scientists classify this substance as a mild acid, athletes probably do not share this point of view with them. The higher the concentration of lactic acid in the muscles, the stronger the burning sensation will be.
At the same time, the mechanism described above is valid only in relation to strength training. If the blood flow is not slowed down, then the lactic acid is quickly excreted from the tissues and does not cause problems. However, in bodybuilding this is only possible when using the rest-pause technique. Since lactic acid can be removed quickly enough, a pause between sets is quite enough for this.
Thus, after the completion of the approach, the concentration of lactic acid in the muscle tissues is extremely low. Most athletes believe that a burning sensation that lasts a day or more is a consequence of exposure to lactic acid tissue. However, this does not correspond to the truth, because during this period of time not a trace remains of it. At the same time, lactic acid can damage tissues, after which catabolic reactions start, causing pain. Thus, we can safely say that the burning sensation can be caused not only by lactic acid.
Effects of lactic acid on muscle growth
Lactic acid negatively affects muscle tissue, which leads to an appropriate response from the body. The best defense is to increase muscle strength and size. After lactic acid is removed from the tissues, it enters the bloodstream and begins to affect the entire body.
After this, the substance is destroyed into hydrogen and lactate. Before they are removed from the body, these metabolites produce an effect on all organs similar to the hormonal one. These substances send signals that the body is under stress. Different organs react to this in different ways, and depending on which reaction (positive or negative) turned out to be stronger, the body's response will be received. With a powerful negative impact, catabolic reactions will be triggered, and the destruction of muscle tissue will begin.
Lactic acid does not so much reduce the performance of athletes, but also slows down the recovery reactions and reduces the energy potential of the muscles. Professionals continue to work even after the appearance of a burning sensation in the muscles. However, it is quite difficult to maintain a high concentration of lactic acid for a long time, since it interferes with the synthesis of ATP, which, as a result, leads to a decrease in strength indicators.
Even if you take long pauses between approaches, you will not be able to accelerate the production of ATP. To continue training in these conditions, you can simply massage the target muscles to relieve tension. But there is also a more effective way. You will need to work on the antagonist muscles.
For example, you caused a burning sensation in your biceps after performing a movement. After that, you will need to rest and start training your triceps. Pause and biceps training follows again. This training method has several advantages. First of all, the muscles have more time to recover. In addition, while working on the triceps, the biceps has time to relax and its energy reserves are replenished. In addition, during the work of the two muscles, more lactic acid will enter the bloodstream and, as a result, the body's anabolic response will be stronger.
Many athletes believe that burning leads to weight gain, and this is basically true, but only in the long term. Immediately after synthesis, lactic acid negatively affects the performance of muscles and only after entering the bloodstream, the anabolic response of the body is enhanced.
You can also speed up recovery with creatine. The supplement should be taken prior to training. This will allow not only to increase the energy reserves of the muscles, but also, as scientists suggest, to reduce the negative effects of cortisol on tissues. Also take creatine after training. The blood flow will recover quickly enough, and the substance will be in the tissues of the muscles, accelerating their recovery.
For more on muscle burning after exercise and how it affects weight gain, see this story:
