Feeder Workouts – Are They Working?
Hello fellow gym bro, maybe you heard about feeder workouts, or maybe not, I’m here to share my thoughts on this intriguing subject. Feeder workouts are in my opinion the last hope someone will have in case they hit a plateau in their muscle growth.
If you’re looking to build muscle and improve your physique, you’re probably familiar with and also sick of the traditional approach of lifting heavy weights and increasing the intensity of your workouts over time. I know, me too bro, me too.
While this approach can be effective, it’s not the only way to stimulate muscle growth. One alternative method that’s gaining popularity among bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts is the use of feeder workouts.
A Small Overview of Feeder Workouts
Feeder workouts, also known as “pump” workouts, are brief training sessions that are designed to increase blood flow to the muscles and enhance nutrient delivery.
They’re typically performed with light weights (Light Weight Baby!!)
and high repetitions, often immediately following a heavy weightlifting session or right before bedtime.
The goal of a feeder workout is to increase muscle pump and encourage recovery, which can ultimately lead to improved muscle growth.
While feeder workouts may sound counterintuitive at first, there’s actually some science to back up their effectiveness. By increasing blood flow to the muscles, feeder workouts can help to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to muscle cells, which can improve recovery and promote growth.
Additionally, the increased metabolic demand from a feeder workout can help to enhance insulin sensitivity and boost the metabolic rate, which can lead to improved fat loss.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at feeder workouts and explore their potential benefits for muscle growth. We’ll discuss how feeder workouts work, the science behind them, and the best ways to incorporate them into your workout routine.
We’ll also explore common mistakes to avoid when using feeder workouts and provide practical tips for getting the most out of this training approach.
So, no matter whether you’re a seasoned bodybuilder or a fitness enthusiast looking to change up your routine, feeder workouts may be just the thing to take your physique to the next level.
What Are Feeder Workouts
Feeder workouts are essentially short, high-repetition training sessions that are designed to increase blood flow to the muscles and improve nutrient delivery.
They’re typically performed using light weights and high rep ranges and are often used in combination with heavy weightlifting sessions. The goal of a feeder workout is to stimulate muscle growth and recovery by promoting blood flow to the muscle tissues.
The concept behind feeder workouts is based on the idea that increasing blood flow to the muscles can help to improve the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the cells, which can aid in recovery and growth.
By performing a feeder workout immediately after a heavy weightlifting session, the muscles are already in a state of heightened metabolic demand. This means that they require more nutrients and oxygen than they normally would, making them more receptive to the increased blood flow and nutrient delivery provided by the feeder workout.
This “muscle torture” is kinda short, lasting only 10-20 minutes, and are performed using light weights and high reps. The idea is to use a weight that is challenging but not so heavy that it fatigues the muscles to the point of failure. This allows for a high volume of work to be performed, which can help to stimulate muscle growth and increase blood flow to the muscles.
While feeder workouts are often performed immediately following a heavy weightlifting session, they can also be performed on their own as a way to increase blood flow to the muscles and promote recovery.
In either case, the goal of a feeder workout is to provide the muscles with an additional stimulus for growth and recovery, without causing excessive fatigue or stress to the body.
Feeder Workouts – More details
Feeder workouts are typically performed using isolation exercises that target a specific muscle group.
For example, if you want to perform a feeder workout for your biceps, you might perform 3-4 sets of 50 reps with the aim to reach 100 reps without pausing.
That’s why you need to use a weight that is challenging but not so heavy that it causes muscular failure.
The weight used in a feeder workout should be around 30% of your one-rep max, meaning you can perform the exercise for a high number of reps without fatiguing the muscle to the point of failure.
Feeder workouts are often performed after a heavy weightlifting session or at the night right before bedtime. This is because the muscle tissue is already in a state of heightened metabolic demand, meaning it requires more nutrients and oxygen than it would at rest.
Please note that feeder workouts should not replace your traditional weightlifting routine.
Feeder workouts are designed to supplement your regular training program, not replace it. They should be used sparingly, only when you feel like you need an extra boost for muscle growth and recovery.
How to Incorporate Feeder Workouts into Your Routine
If you’re interested in incorporating feeder workouts into your training program, here are a few tips to get you started:
Determine which muscle groups you want to target: Before incorporating feeder workouts into your routine, it’s important to determine which muscle groups you want to target. Feeder workouts are typically performed using isolation exercises, so it’s important to select exercises that target specific muscle groups.
Perform feeder workouts after heavy weightlifting sessions: As mentioned earlier, feeder workouts are best performed after heavy weightlifting sessions when your muscles are in a state of heightened metabolic demand.
Use lighter weights and higher reps: To perform a feeder workout, you should use lighter weights and higher reps in the range of 50 to 100. This will shock the muscle since it’s a considerably higher amount than you would during a traditional weightlifting session.
Limit the duration of feeder workouts: Feeder workouts should be kept relatively short, typically lasting between 10-20 minutes.
If you perform just feeder workouts, without a preceding heavy weightlifting session, you may be able to perform multiple feeder workouts in a day.
Supplement, don’t replace, your traditional weightlifting routine: Feeder workouts should be used to supplement your traditional weightlifting routine, not replace it. Feeder workouts are designed to provide an extra boost for muscle growth and recovery, but they should not replace the heavy, compound exercises that form the foundation of your training program.
Incorporate feeder workouts gradually: If you’re new to feeder workouts, it’s important to incorporate them gradually into your routine. Start by performing 2 or 3 feeder workouts per week and gradually increase the frequency as your body adapts. Keep in mind that you have to reach the potential to do them every single day!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
For those who want to try this, here are some common mistakes to avoid when incorporating feeder workouts into your training program:
Using too much weight: One of the biggest mistakes people make when performing feeder workouts is using too much weight. Feeder workouts are designed to promote blood flow and recovery, not to push your muscles to failure.
Using too much weight can cause excessive fatigue and stress to the body, which can actually hinder recovery and muscle growth.
Neglecting compound exercises: These workouts are designed to supplement your traditional weightlifting routine, not replace it.
Neglecting compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses in favor of feeder workouts can lead to imbalances in your training program and hinder overall progress.
Not using the proper form: Just like with any other exercise, it’s important to use proper form when performing feeder workouts. Using improper form can increase the risk of injury and decrease the effectiveness of the exercise.
Performing feeder workouts too frequently: While feeder workouts can be a great way to enhance recovery and promote muscle growth, performing them too frequently can lead to overtraining and hinder progress.
It’s important to incorporate feeder workouts gradually into your routine and to listen to your body to ensure that you’re not overtraining.
Or, you can disregard the above point, because a winner mentality doesn’t admit the term: “overtrained”! You’re not an Olympic athlete training for 8 hours a day after all.
But Wait, There is More!
Neglecting rest and recovery: Feeder workouts are designed to enhance recovery, but they should not replace rest and recovery. Neglecting rest and recovery can lead to overtraining, and injuries, and hinder overall progress. Make sure to incorporate rest days into your training program and prioritize sleep, nutrition, and other recovery strategies.
Again, just my personal opinion: No Rest Days for Feeder Workouts!
I had to write this because some people are beginners..you know..we’ve all been there, if you really want to grow a specific muscle, then you shouldn’t have rest days for a 20 min workout a day!
Not monitoring progress: It’s important to monitor your progress when incorporating feeder workouts into your routine. This can help you determine whether or not they are effective for your specific goals and make adjustments as necessary.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that you’re incorporating feeder workouts effectively and safely into your training program.
Feeder Workouts – Conclusion
In conclusion, feeder workouts can be a valuable tool for enhancing muscle growth and recovery. By stimulating blood flow to the muscles, these exercises can help to deliver nutrients and oxygen to the muscles, aiding in recovery and growth.
However, it’s important to incorporate feeder workouts into your training program carefully and effectively, to avoid common mistakes like using too much weight, neglecting compound exercises, or performing them too frequently.
When adding these workouts into your routine, it’s important to prioritize rest and recovery, monitor your progress, and use proper form.
References
Here are three references for this article:
Schoenfeld, B. J. (2013). Potential mechanisms for a role of metabolic stress in hypertrophic adaptations to resistance training. Sports medicine, 43(3), 179-194.
Schoenfeld, B. J., Contreras, B., Krieger, J., Grgic, J., Delcastillo, K., Belliard, R., & Alto, A. (2021). Feeder Workouts for Hypertrophy: A Novel Training Strategy to Combat the Boredom and Stagnation Associated With Bodybuilding. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 43(1), 76-83.
Deldicque, L., Atherton, P., Patel, R., Theisen, D., Nielens, H., Rennie, M. J., & Francaux, M. (2008). Effects of resistance exercise with and without creatine supplementation on gene expression and cell signaling in human skeletal muscle. Journal of Applied Physiology, 104(2), 371-378.
