Carb Depletion Workouts

tim_fitbuilt4life
tim_fitbuilt4life Posts: 301 Member
edited September 22 in Fitness and Exercise
Depletion workouts are weightlifting sessions that are geared toward exhausting the body's muscle glycogen supply. Muscle glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates in the body, and this is what powers you throughout your workouts. When it becomes depleted, you will not physically be able to continue, as the body will be exhausted.

Depletion of muscle glycogen is a good thing for those looking to gain lean muscle mass; however, it's important to note that if you take correct measures as far as your diet is concerned, the muscles will overcompensate with their ability to uptake the nutrients, leaving you with fuller muscles that are able to store more glycogen.

Along with this, a very large intake of food immediately after the workout will send your body into an anabolic state, which is required in order to gain lean muscle tissue. As long as your food intake is planned properly, you should not see much in the way of fat gains, and most of the calories you take in will be directed toward repairing and growing your muscles.
How to do depletion workouts
To do a depletion workout, you want to adopt a circuit-style training protocol. Basically, you will be moving from one exercise to the next with little or no rest in between. You are also going to aim to perform 15-20 reps per set, so take note that the weight you are lifting should be on the lighter side.

Generally, the less carbohydrates you have in your diet, the less work you will need to do in order to deplete the muscles of their glycogen (since less will be replaced on a continual basis from dietary carbohydrates). Therefore, if you are already eating a low-carb diet, you may only perform one to two rounds of the circuit, whereas if you regularly consume a larger portion of carbohydrates, you will need more reps to burn through the carbs.

Most individuals will want to perform the complete workout circuit 4-5 times. If you find you get to the third one and are feeling extremely fatigued, however, then you should stop there, as pushing yourself too far will inhibit certain enzymes in the muscle that aid in glycogen supercompensation, thereby defeating the whole purpose for doing the depletion work in the first place.

A few examples of exercises you could include in your circuit are:

legs

* Leg Press
* Leg Curl
* Calf Raise
* Leg Extension
* Seated Leg Curl
* Seated Calf Raise
* Squat
* Standing Leg Curl
* Donkey Calf Raise

Replies

  • mandypooh2103
    mandypooh2103 Posts: 289 Member
    Thanks for the information since I am definately geared towards trying to build more muscle!
  • carl1738
    carl1738 Posts: 444 Member
    bump
  • Kourtney88
    Kourtney88 Posts: 15 Member
    I don't mean to be a bubble buster but I just want to make sure that anyone who does this tries this safely. By avoiding carbs all together you could be making your body more susceptible to liver failure (from excess protein) and ketosis. Here is an excerpt from webmd:

    Low-carb diets can cause your body to go into a dangerous metabolic state called ketosis since your body burns fat instead of glucose for energy. During ketosis, the body forms substances known as ketones, which can cause organs to fail and result in gout, kidney stones, or kidney failure. Ketones can also dull a person's appetite, cause nausea and bad breath. Ketosis can be prevented by eating at least 100 grams of carbohydrates a day.

    Here is the link:
    http://women.webmd.com/guide/high-protein-low-carbohydrate-diets

    Try Google for more information or send me a message if you'd like to know more.
  • tim_fitbuilt4life
    tim_fitbuilt4life Posts: 301 Member
    Not saying avoid carbs or reduce carbs long term. You can carb load over your workout. :smile:
  • Kourtney88
    Kourtney88 Posts: 15 Member
    I just wanted to make sure everyone else understood. Just doing my job and educating the public. :bigsmile:
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