Pumped to perfection
Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another.
John Muir
It would be reasonable to say that everything that happens in our bodies is rhythmic until proven otherwise.Josephine Arendt, neurobiologist
There are multitudes of rock climbing areas scattered across North America, each with its own history, guidebook, route names and descriptions. Curiously, it seems that many of them feature a route called In Search of the Perfect Pump. It’s a fun name for a climbing route and it’s fascinating to hear climbers–connoisseurs of physical experience–talk about their quest:
"Yeah dude, that pitch was way rad and it felt really killer, but if that layback was just a little bit longer, I could have gotten even more pumped."
"I know, man, like it was really pumpy at the crux, but then it got way casual with those big jugs over the roof."
"I hear you. It was kinda sketchy through that thin section and then it got rattly and there was nothing for the feet, but it just wasn’t long enough to make it a mega-classic. The crux was too short and the holds were too big."
And on it goes for hours on end, around the campfire and in countless conversations on drives to and from the climbing area. These athletes are on a mission, always on the lookout for the ideal physical experience.
But what of it? Are these climbers simply physical zealots on a strange and fanatical mission? Why would people go half way around the world looking for the ideal route that will pump their bodies to the ultimate level? What is it about the perfect pump that drives otherwise rational people to give up their jobs, their mates and sometimes their futures, all to go in search of the perfect physical experience? Is this just a quirky behavior of a minor sub-culture? Or are these people really on to something?
As it turns out, these climbers may not know it, but they are on a quest of profound importance, not just in their own lives and health, but to the entire predicament of the modern human body. If more people went out looking for the ideal pumpy experience, our bodies would be a lot better off. Not only would we have radically reduced rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and depression, we’d see a big payoff in exuberance and happiness. We need this.
what’s it all about?
To find out what’s so great about the perfect pump, let’s have a closer look at the details and character of the experience. The boring description would be to say that the perfect pump is characterized by high levels of metabolic efficiency and physiological integration. All systems of the body are operating at peak output and are tightly inter-regulated with one another. Muscle, respiration, digestion, sensory and neuroendocrine performance is optimal.
Of course, this description fails to capture the true nature of the perfect pump. For this, we need to listen to the connoisseurs, the romantics who thrive on the experience. When athletes describe the perfect pump, they won’t tell us about metabolic efficiency, lab results or numbers. Rather, they’ll tell us how incredibly wonderful it feels. It’s a complete, integrated and holistic experience of mind, body, spirit and the creative imagination. It’s massively physical to be sure, but also meta-physical.
The perfect pump is profoundly multi-dimensional. Far more than a case of endorphin intoxication, it is magical, even transcendent. The body is pulsing with fatigue and exhilaration, heat and power. Vessels are dilated, fluids are flowing, membranes are vibrating, synapses are firing at high intensity. The body is pushed beyond its normal capability and delights in the new discovery of intense physicality. The spirit is swept up in the passion of the moment. The experience is raw, primal and in its own way, erotic. It’s an ecstatic merger with life. It’s unforgettable and highly addictive.
our pumpy world
This description draws us in and inspires us to try it for ourselves, but the appeal goes even deeper. The significance of the perfect pump multiplies as soon as we look at the wider range of biology and physiology. Here we begin to see pumps everywhere. All living things are pulsing and pumping, vibrating and oscillating, continuously moving substances back and forth.
When we get right down to it, we begin to see that all organisms are pumps. In effect, pumping is what we do. We pump solids, liquids and gasses, continuously throughout every minute, every second of our lives. We begin pumping at conception and don’t stop pumping until the moment that we die. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that life itself is a system of interconnected pumps.
Pumps are active at every level of biology. Proteins embedded in cellular membranes pump substances back and forth, bringing nutrients in and pushing wastes out. Digestive pumps operate beneath consciousness, squeezing organs and tubes as they move solids and liquids. Vascular tissue pumps blood throughout the body while muscular diaphragms pump gasses in and out. At the same time, the oceans, atmosphere and major biomes are all pumping on a massive scale. Forests, grasslands and marshes pump heat, moisture and gasses. Even the geologic foundation of the earth, the tectonic plates, are slowly surging and drifting, pulsing to the beat of magma that surges between them. The entire biosphere, even the universe itself perhaps, is pulsing at every level.
beyond homeostasis
As it turns out, pumping is right at the core of metabolism, both within and beyond the body. If you think back to your early classroom studies of the body, you’ll probably remember being told that "homeostasis" was the prime directive of physiology and in turn, health itself. The "wisdom of the body" is that it strives to keep a constant internal milleu, a stable environment inside the cell and inside the body. A constant balancing act of countervailing forces, the body manages to keep itself poised between hyper and hypo.
This boilerplate explanation is a start, but it neglects to tell us the whole story. That is, this apparent stability of physiology is actually the product of motion. The corrective powers that exist within the organism can only be brought to bear when solids, liquids and gasses are flowing. Thus, pumping becomes essential to homeostasis and stability. Regular oscillations of limbs, tissues, membranes and fluids are what make homeostasis possible. Without pumping action, physiology breaks down and health goes with it.
pump for health
At this point, we can make some solid assumptions about the nature of this thing that we call "health." That is, the stronger the pump and its component sub-pumps, the healthier the organism. The weaker the pumps, the more health is at risk. In fact, if were to narrow down our health advice to a single formula for better living it would be this: promote the pump.
The good news is that, in contrast to mechanical pumps, physiological pumps become increasingly effective when challenged with vigorous use. This is the SAID principle: Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. We impose a demand on the organism by asking it to increase its pumping activity; we run uphill or climb big rocks and drive the pump to exhaustion. Repeat this process over the course of a few weeks and the pumping becomes more efficient. In a sense, the organism learns how to move stuff around more efficiently, especially fluids. Pump capability increases and so does health. It’s a tried and true formula for success.
In fact, knowing the value of pumping in health, we might even begin to revisit some of our long-held assumptions about exercise. That is, we’re starting to understand that the whole concept of "exercise" is too vague. What we’re really after is a powerfully pumpy, fluid moving experience. Rather than simply moving our bodies with no particular goal in mind, we’d all be better off if we went in search of a powerf, fluid-moving experience.
nested pumps: harmonizing and synchronizing
Most exercise advocates understand the importance of pumpy movement and its role in health, but the story is actually more intricate and fascinating than it might first appear.
Despite superficial appearances, the human body is not a stand-alone pump. Rather, it exists within an ecosystem that is itself an immensely powerful collection of interconnected pumps. We are a nested pump in a vast set of interconnected pumping systems. There’s the circadian pump, the seasonal pump, the annual pump. Each of these pumpy oscillations has powerful effects on the functioning of the human organism.
So, it’s not enough to train your body to be a strong and effective stand-alone pump. Our individual pumping needs to be harmonized and synchronized with the other pumps in our world. Timing, beat and rhythm are crucial.
For example, our individual physiological pump tends to work best when it operates within the natural cycle of day and night. Hormones wax and wane throughout the day and night, triggered by changes in ambient light. Vigorous movement works best in harmony with this circadian pump.
sedentary living:
Unfortunately, the modern world compromises our pumps in several ways. First and most obviously, it weakens our individual pumping capabilities through sedentary behavior. Pumps, like muscle, atrophy with neglect. Sedentary bodies forget how to move fluid. Metabolism slows. Turnover of nutrients and waste products becomes weaker and tissues begin to suffer. Health declines and people go looking for drugs to cure symptoms.
Even worse, modern living drives us into unsynchronized patterns of activity, completely at odds with natural oscillations. We pump our bodies arbitrarily or at the service of artificial schedules that have nothing to do with environmental conditions. We pump our bodies at the wrong times of day, in the wrong seasons and at the wrong intensities. Consequently, our pumping capability, even if individually strong, falls out of rhythm with larger pumps.
elements of the perfect pump
Given what we know about the vital importance of the pump, it’s time to talk about the elements of the perfect pumping experience. Obviously, there will be huge individual variation here; one person’s perfect pump will be another person’s day at the beach and another person’s worst nightmare. Some will lean towards endurance, others towards strength, still others towards skill. Since we all come with our own unique genetics and physical history, it makes sense that we would seek out personalized and individualized experiences.
That said, there is a consensus as to what characterizes a perfect pump. Most connoisseurs agree that the experience includes these core elements:
exertion
First, there has to be a serious physical effort involved; the entire organism must seriously challenged. This may be through exposure to natural forces–as in climbing–or in a sincere, personal commitment to an experience. In any case, it’s about pushing the outer limits of one’s physical comfort zone. Insecurity is part of the process. If you know you can do it, it can’t be a perfect pump. Doubt is essential.
heavy breathing
Second, the perfect pump has to involve the cardiovascular system in a big way. There has to be heavy breathing and sweat involved. This means big body movements and major participation by big muscle groups. Uphill running is a perfect example. In any case, an oxygen debt is essential; if your diaphragm and intercostals muscles aren’t heaving, it’s not a perfect pump.
Consequently, a one-repetition squat or bench press cannot qualify, no matter how much weight you put on the bar. Similarly, golf can never be a perfect pump. If there’s no load on the cardiovascular system, there’s no pumping going on.
power-endurance
Of the common athletic events, middle distance is most likely to produce a perfect pump. A 100 meter sprint is too short, a marathon is too long. An 880 on the other hand, is awesomely pumpy. When you cross the finish line, your chest will be heaving and your entire body will know itself in a new way. Similarly, short reps with big weights or long reps with light weights fail to produce a perfect pump. The mid-range combination of reps and weight, when pushed to the end range of an individual’s capability, moves a lot of fluid and qualifies as the ideal pump. Medicine balls are ideal for this purpose.
hips
Another key element in the perfect pump is involvement of the hips. The hip joints are the largest joints in the body and have enormous pumping capacity. When quads and butt participate in vigorous, high-amplitude oscillations, fluid flow between legs and trunk increases dramatically. Big, deep movements have the most potential. The trick is to bend your knees and get down in your stance. Squats and squat-like variations are ideal.
multi-sensory
Ideally, the perfect pump will involve the entire sensorium. It will be heavily visual, auditory and even olfactory, but most importantly, it will be highly tactile. That is, the skin must get into the act. Hands, feet, arms and legs are all touching the world in some way, receiving information and generating physical knowledge.
To experience this sensory element, it is essential to remove anything that would stand in its way. This means abandoning the iPod and other acoustic distractions. This is not a time for entertainment; if you are so bored that you need a diversion, you won’t be getting close to a perfect pump.
Similarly, if you can possibly go barefoot, do it. Expose your body to the experience in every way possible. This is the time for a true physical encounter and embrace, not for insulation.
outdoors
Finally, the perfect pump should take place outdoors in natural conditions. Only in nature can we synchronize our individual pumping bodies with the larger biological pumps of which we are a part. Natural light, terrain and textures are essential to the complete experience. Indoor cycling, no matter how sweaty, can never be a perfect pump. Indoor yoga, martial art, or weight lifting are all worth doing, but they can never be truly complete experiences. If you want your pump to work in harmony with the rest of the living world, you need to get outside, in the presence of powerful environmental forces.
get the "why" right
The basic elements of the perfect pump are simple. Just choose an activity that’s got a big cardio demand, a big muscular demand and do it outdoors in a natural setting. If you customize it to your body and push it hard, you’ll approach a perfect pump.
What’s more subtle however, is getting the motivation right. This is critical. Consensus, at least in the worlds of rockclimbing and surfing, is that the quest should be pursued for its own sake, not as a means to some achievement. The perfect pump should be an experience unto itself. We are seeking a powerful and transcendent physical moment-in-time, completely independent of future goals. It’s the quality that matters most and that quality can only happen in the present.
Yes, there will be health benefits. And yes, your athletic performance will almost certainly improve, especially if your pumpy training aligns with your chosen sport. But these future benefits can be distractions that derail us from our original objective. Seek out the perfect pump, not because of what it will do for you in some abstract future, but because of what it will do for you today. Keep the focus on the aesthetics of the experience, not the payoff. A perfect pump can be a beautiful thing in itself.
experience, journey, process
The above "requirements" are, of course, open to interpretation and should serve as a departure point for discussion. Contrarians will dispute these elements, as well they should. After all, the perfect pump is something of a mythical creation; it is defined by stories and consensus, not data. We are right to argue about its basic elements, just as climbers will rant for days about the pumping qualities of an obscure crack climb on the other side of the planet.
In any case, we would do well to remember that the perfect pump will change with time. As Heraclitus himself would have put it, "you can’t step into the same physiology twice." And if your body is always changing and the ecosystem around your body is always changing, the perfect pump will have to change as well. The enterprise calls for continuous fine-tuning, innovation and re-working. The search for the perfect pump is a quest after all. There can be no final answer.
the potential
So, it turns out that the search for the perfect pump is not just a trivial quirk of a minor sporting sub-culture. Rather, it is a fundamental part of physical discovery and deserves to be taken seriously by all people, no matter what their physical capabilities. The beauty is that there’s something for everyone here, an ideally pumpy activity for everyone, regardless of their physical state or capability. Even the most couch-ridden, injury-prone slackers can discover something that’s truly pumpy.
Finding it will, of course, be the first challenge. A coach or a trainer might give you some ideas, but ultimately it’s up to the individual imagination and experience. To find your perfect pump, start with the essential elements, then tweak them to suit. Work around nagging injuries as necessary. If you knee hurts, look for the perfect core and upper body pump. If you shoulder is lame, you can still run uphill. If in doubt, take a medicine ball outdoors and look for a hill; you should be able to come up with something.
In any case, the details are trivial. What’s important is process. Seek out middle-distance, middle-load activities and push them hard. Get your whole body engaged and go after the activity with focused commitment. Drive it as hard as you can for a little bit longer than you think you can, then celebrate the sensation you’ve created. Celebrate the sweat, the surging breathing, the flood of neurotransmitters. Relish the pulsing in your muscles and your heart. Feel the surge.
