“VASCULARITY” – a condition when your body veins are popping out and are pretty easily visible.
Firstly, is being vascular good?
Well, It is definitely one of the sexiest elements you can add up to your physique. In bodybuilding, who doesn’t love those veins coming out of their body giving them that hard macho look eh?:)
They are surely like a cherry on the cake and motivates you by giving that raw, ripped and hardcore look.
At times you must have definitely wondered,
How to get those vascular arms? How to make the veins pop out like those models and bodybuilders?
But before even comparing yourselves to them, you should be aware that there are a lot of factors which are included to get that desired look.
Here I will be shedding some light on those factors to get that vascular look, make veins visible, and increase vascularity.
#1 – Genetics:
Genetics is one of the most important factors which determine how vascular you can get.
In fact not only vascularity, but it also determines how thick/thin your skin will be (layers of the epidermis), your hormone levels, body fat, height, etc.
Hormones play a very vital role in delivering you the positive results at the earliest.
Similarly, the older you get, the more vascular you become. The reason behind this is that the skin becomes thinner as you age coz it loses its collagen (the actual factor which decides the thickness of your skin).
Every individual is different and some people are more genetically blessed than others. The number of veins has pretty much to do with the ‘Genes’.
Unfortunately, Genetics is not under your control but absolutely, your DIET and your LIFESTYLE are.
#2 – Low Body Fat / Low Body Fat Percentage:
Now the basic thumb rule to make your VEINS visible and get more VASCULAR = LOW BODY FAT.
VASCULARITY is directly linked to ‘LOW BODY FAT’.
I have seen people advising supplements for that, but no supplementation, no product would work if you aren’t at low body fat percentage yet.
Supplementation is always the later part, but first, you gotta lower your body fat.
Body fat is just a layer of fat between our muscles and skin. So it’s obvious and logical enough that when you decrease the layers of fat and thin out your skin -(which is achieved by dropping the BFP), veins are gonna pop out and be prominently visible.
Now the point is, how much you gotta drop it down?
Get your body fat as low as possible (around 10-12%). It would be great if you can bring it down to a single digit.
The more you drop down your body fat, the more the vascularity and muscle definitions. Muscles will look more pronounced as they ain’t getting covered and obstructed with a thick wall of fat.
This can be definitely be achieved by following a good calorie-deficit diet in combination with a good workout.
#3 – Good Muscle Mass (Muscle Maturity):
As low body fat is the basic key for vascularity, so getting skinny will work right?
Naah! You need a GOOD MUSCLE MASS as well.
Larger muscles demand more oxygen/nutrients which will eventually increase the blood flow.
Bigger the muscles, more the blood flow and the uptake of the nutrients. This way you are driving more fluid i.e blood and water into it.
Top of that, more muscle fibers you have, more fat your body burns and more it pushes the surface of your skin outwards.
#4 – Decrease Water Retention for Vascularity:
Basically, the water which your body holds up is retention.
Keeping your water intake high all the time is the key. The more you drink it, the lesser your body retains.
This way you will be flushing out more water along with the water which your body has accumulated. This is the natural defense mechanism that your body follows.
Obviously, If you are holding a lot of water beneath your skin, definitely it will make you look softer and puffier hiding your muscle definition and veins.
Also, our body is comprised of around 70% water. So make sure you stay hydrated throughout the day. This will assist in combating the water retention, and also give your muscles a fuller, denser and harder look.
Surprisingly this even makes your skin look fresh, shiny and glowing. So now you have the secret for the clean glowing skin as well:)
#5 – Keep Your Body Temperature High:
Increasing BODY TEMPERATURE?
Yes, you heard it right. This pushes more blood up to the skin resulting in more wide and visible veins.
That’s why you must have noticed that during summers your veins look more pronounced than in winters.
Stay physically active most of the time to keep your body temperature elevated.
Steams, saunas, heating up your particular body part with a hair drier – are some of the quick/temporary fixes which can help you to raise your body temperature.
#6 – Supplementation:
Exercise increases the production of Nitrous Oxide a.k.a Nitric Oxide (NO) – which is just a gas naturally produced by your body.
NO results in increased vasodilation which is responsible for wide-enlarged veins and increased blood flow giving you that more evident vascular appearance.
Similarly, many supplements have also been formulated which results in the acceleration of the NO levels further (Nitric oxide boosters).
More the NO levels, the more the pump and greater the supply of oxygen & nutrients in the muscle cells.
In fact, all the pre-workouts available in the market are precursors of nitric oxide. It does the same job and hence that pumped-up vascular look!
L-Arginine, Citrulline, Beta-Alanine, Betaine, Niacin, Agmatine are some of the important ingredients used in such supplements. These are also available as standalone supplements.
Bonus Tips:
- Try out a combination of Vitamin C + Garlic prior to working out. You can use garlic pearls if you cannot consume raw garlic. Its combination has been proven to increase your NO levels up to 200-300% [1]. Tried and tested 🙂
- Consume foods that are high in ‘nitrates’ such as beetroot, carrots, watermelon, pomegranate, leafy green vegetables, etc.
- Keep a good balance in your CARBS and salt intake i.e electrolytes.
- High reps- High volume workouts will assist way better for bringing out that vascularity.
Conclusion
There is no rocket science when you want to be vascular and achieve that chiseled veiny roadmap look, you just need to follow some basic points explained above.
Low Body Fat % + Decent Muscle Mass = Killer Vascularity Recipe!
Combine a decent muscle mass along with a lower body fat percentage and you would see that vascular look on you which you desire for.
What’s your take on vascularity guys? I would love to hear some of your tips that you follow to look more vascular. Let me know in the comments below!
