Built for show!

While fitness and general health is a big part of the reason people are drawn to bodybuilding, the biggest reason is probably for show. Most of the builders want to look like their favorite superhero and most of the fans want to see it. Either way an aesthetic showing of size and strength is at the heart of the game of bodybuilding. One of the key symbols for a that level of fitness is the prominence of vascularity and veins.

Vascularity in bodybuilding, is the condition of having many highly visible, prominent and often extensively ramified superficial veins. But now that we know the definition, how do we get them. While a large part of your vascularity is genetics, there’s definitely a few tried and true rules of the game.

Bodyfat

Vascularity basically comes down to body fat, while there’s no hard and fast rule, getting your body fat percentage below double digits, seems to be the general consensus for visible veins. Some people can even see veins from as high as 12% fat percentage, but those people suck, so we won’t worry about them. For the rest of us, watch your diet and keep body fat percentage low.

Dieting

While there are many diets that claim to help you lose at, it basically comes down to processed carbs. Carbs from processed sugars, bread, etc. are known to be stored as fat and won’t help you with your vascularity goals. Diets that have been shown to work at shedding fat are Ketogenic diets, as well as Paleo. Both preach the dangers of processed carbs.

Bloodflow

Increase of blood flow will feed your muscles, giving them the pump and vascularity you need. High rep training can help with that. As a top off to your regular workout, do 50 to 100 reps of very low weight using an exercise for the targeted area.

Honorable mentions

Honorable mention for things like thin skin, sleep and temperature as all three play a less significant role in vascularity. Thin skin make the veins easier to see, and temperature determine whether the veins come to the surface when the body gets too hot, or sink into the body when it gets cold. When you don’t give your body adequate rest, your body actually stores stubborn fat which could be counterproductive to your goals. So ditch the late night workout and get your zzz’s instead.

Check out these principles in action above with our good friends over at Athlenex.com

Remember, no matter how much you pump, without a low body fat percentage, your vascularity will remain hidden.