Combining Whey Protein With Exercise for Muscle Building

Written By: Brandon Davies

Published on: April 27, 2023

Expert Review By: Steven Cleark&

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This guide will teach you:

• The benefits of combining whey protein with body-building exercises
• How whey protein can help in muscle growth
• How to combine whey protein and workout exercises for muscle building
• The best exercises for muscle building
• Common Mistakes to Avoid When Combining Whey Protein With Exercise

Fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and bodybuilders integrate whey protein-based supplements into their resistance, weight, and strength training exercises to provide the necessary nutrients to take the muscle-building game to the next level. Combining whey protein with exercise for muscle building is an undefeated way to boost strength gains, and enhance overall athletic performance. Ripped.com, US’ leading online health supplement store, shares how you can have that dream physique by mixing the right protein supplement with the right muscle-building exercises.

What is Whey Protein?

Whey protein is a type of protein supplement that is derived from dairy milk. This dietary supplement has become increasingly popular among bodybuilders, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts.

Milk as a substance contains two major types of protein. Casein protein and whey protein. The watery part (whey) of milk is the by-product of cheese processing. 

You have probably seen whey products with your naked eyes. For instance, when you open a can of yogurt, there is a thin floating film of watery-like substance, whey protein. This liquid is then passed through different processes, including drying, isolation, and hydrolysis, to produce different types of whey protein powders that you find on your store shelves. 

Rich in protein, whey protein is an essential source of amino acids that play a vital role in your muscle mass and strength. It is this trait that makes this supplement ideal for muscle builders. However, getting the best results is only achievable when you combine whey protein powders and your body-building exercises. To integrate whey protein into your workout routine, you should know how they help to build muscles.

How Does Whey Protein Help Build Muscle?

Improved Source of Proteins and BCAA

Whey protein powder and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) boost your protein intake. Biologically, the building blocks of the human body are proteins. Your body uses proteins for various functions like the growth of tendons, vital organs, skin, production of essential hormones and enzymes, making neurotransmitters, and various essential bodily molecules. 

Proteins are also vital in building blocks of the contractile elements in your muscles. Contractile muscles are crucial for muscle movement. You need your muscles to relax and contract effectively without difficulty to increase the intensity of the workout. 

Whey protein is good source of essential amino acids like leucine from the BCAAA family. This substance is considered the most anabolic in whey proteins. It is considered to be a leading muscle growth promoter in the amino acids family. 

Ways Whey Protein Promotes Your Muscle Growth

Here are some of the specific ways through which whey protein promotes your muscle growth:

• Building blocks: It can help to provide your body with essential proteins and amino acids, which it requires because they serve as building blocks for  muscle growth.
• Hormones: Your body needs the presence of anabolic hormones. Anabolic hormones are popular among bodybuilders because they are responsible for accelerating muscle growth. If you are all about gaining mass, you should use whey protein to provide you with essential hormones such as insulin which are great for that anabolic effect.
• Leucine: Whey protein is a rich source of the amino acid leucine, known for stimulating muscle protein synthesis at the molecular and genetic levels.
• Fast absorption: Generally, protein synthesis takes time for your body to absorb its by-products which are the essential amino acids. Whey protein is easily absorbed and can quickly replenish your protein levels, making it ideal for recovery, a post-workout for muscle builders, and as a pre-workout supplement. 

Studies have supported the effectiveness of whey protein in muscle strength when consumed before, during, and after your workout. However, these are not the only times you can take your whey protein powder, as studies have shown that maintaining a daily dose of whey protein powder is what you need for your muscle strength. 

The golden rule for achieving ultimate results is to ensure whey protein only acts as a supplement and not as your only source of protein. This is because studies have established that unless your diet has a pre-existing source of protein, the use of whey for muscle growth may be ineffective.

Summarily, sufficient evidence supports the crucial role of whey protein powder supplements in increasing your muscle volume and strength. 

The Importance of Resistance Training for Building Muscle

Just like whey protein supplements, resistance training plays a key role in building your muscles. 

What is Resistance Training?

Resistance training is a type of exercise that involves exercises that are meant to increase muscle strength and endurance. You train your muscles against some resistance when doing this kind of workout. This could include resisting gravity, weights, bands, and even your body weight. For example, when you are doing pull-ups, that is a type of endurance training. This is because you are training your muscles to overcome your weight and gravity. 

Resistance training should have objectives. Your objectives could include joint stability, muscular endurance, increased muscle volume, strength, and power. How many times should you undertake endurance training? It is advisable that you perform high-intensity workouts for at least two days or more in a week for the best results.

Resistance training has several benefits that you should take advantage of. These benefits include increased muscle strength and size and improved endurance. 

How Does Resistance Training Build Muscle?

You are probably wondering how resistance training will help you get ripped. 

When you expose your muscles and body to high-intensity endurance exercises, you induce a process known as muscle hypertrophy. This is where your muscle protein synthesis exceeds muscle protein breakdown, resulting in a positive net protein balance.

Good muscle growth ensures optimal muscle protein levels. This means you can replenish and maintain the correct levels as you use your building blocks. In other words, proteins are your muscles' foods; without them, your muscles are at risk of wasting away. 

Generally, muscle hypertrophy increases your muscle size and gives you the strength and ability to withstand greater loads while reducing your chances of suffering from any soreness. 

What are Some Examples of Resistance Training Exercises?

There are various exercises that are considered to be endurance training, and they include:

• Free weights: This entails training using objects such as dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells.
• Weight machines: These are activities that include the lifting of weights while sitting on adjustable seats and pulling on handles that are attached to weights or hydraulics. 
• Resistance bands: Imagine giant rubber bands; this is how resistance bands look. These bands are meant to be stretched. They provide continuous resistance during and throughout movements. 
• Suspension equipment: This tool trains your body to resist the gravitational pull and overcome its weight. 
• Your own body weight: As you have read, resistance training is overcoming forces and weights, including your body weight. Therefore, an exercise that helps you overcome your body weight, like squats, push-ups, and chin-ups, is considered part of endurance training. 

How to Create an Effective Workout Plan for Building Muscle

We have been discussing combining workouts and whey protein powder as an ultimate muscle-building recipe. Let us shift gears to how you can have an effective workout plan for building muscle. 

How Often Should You Workout for Muscle Building?

Gaining muscles requires commitment. Just like Rome was not built in one day, you cannot get a well-toned or ripped body overnight. You must dedicate time in your day to perform workout exercises that enhance muscle growth. To get the best results from your workout, you should set aside at least one hour per day for body-building workout routines. 

Always keep in mind that this timing does not imply that you should work out relentlessly and continuously for the full hour. It is best that you break up your workout! You could do 3 bouts of 20 minutes each with rests. Studies have shown that breaking up your workouts is more effective than pulling a marathon at the gym, home, or park.

What are the Best Exercises for Muscle Building?

Now that you have established when and how often you should work out for the best muscle-building results. Let us focus on the best muscle-building exercises you must have as part of your workout. 

You need to ease into workouts. Therefore, your muscle-building workout plan must contain specific essential exercises that must form part of your plan. These exercises are:

• Squats: There are various ways to perform squats, but the recommended one to combine with your whey protein powder intake plan for better muscle growth is back squats. 
• Deadlifts: Deadlifts know how to work out your muscles. Coupling your whey protein powder with this kind of exercise guarantees incredible muscle girth around areas like your chest, back, shoulders, triceps, and biceps. 
• Pull Ups: Performing the best pull-ups is about knowing how to position your hands. To perform the best pull-ups, your hand should be about shoulder-width apart with your palms facing away from you. Whey protein boosts energy and improves your endurance for better pull-ups.
• Bench press: This is the perfect exercise for increasing the muscles around your shoulder and improving the size of your triceps and biceps.
• Shoulder press: You should use the barbell to get the best result from this type of exercise. 

How Many Sets and Reps Should You Do for Muscle Building?

Getting a rock-hard physique is about knowing how many sets and reps you should do. Since your goal is gaining muscles by combining your whey protein supplement with muscle-building exercises, you should do three or more sets of 6 to 8 reps to fatigue. However, you should ease into these exercises if you are a beginner. 

The Ideal Timing for Consuming Whey Protein

Just like a machine, your body needs fuel for high-intensity activities. The perfect fuel for your workout is food. However, it should not be just any food but foods vital for muscles building nutrition. Therefore, you need to have the best pre-workout nutrition meal plan. Besides, since your body will be fatigued after a workout, you need the best post-workout nutrition plan. 

You should consider using whey protein powder as a pre-workout and post-workout dietary supplement because it gives you a readily available source of protein and energy you need before, during, and after your workout. In essence, your nutrition plan should contain foods rich in protein. It is also important to always hydrate since your muscle need to remain hydrated for better relaxation and contraction during muscle movement. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Combining Whey Protein With Exercise

We have exhausted the dos for combining whey protein with your muscle-building exercise routine. How about we discuss the common mistakes you must avoid for optimal results?

First, you should always ensure your body is 'proteined up. 'This is because your body needs proteins to grow and repair tissues. Protein deficiency may cause your muscles to ache. 

Second, you should avoid not getting enough rest. Imagine an engine blowing up after an extended run without maintenance; your body is no exception. Therefore, ensure you get enough rest for better recovery.

Lastly, you should avoid varying your workout routine. Building muscles require consistency, commitment, and discipline. You should avoid experimenting with many things like supplements and workouts. In essence, you should trust the process since the results come progressively. 

How Whey Protein and Exercise Can Help You Reach Your Fitness Goals Quickly

Your body digests whey protein powder faster than protein from whole food protein sources. The benefit of rapid digestion is that it can be easily absorbed into your muscles to provide you with essential amino acids that are good for muscle growth and increased strength. Therefore, you will get the energy burst to elevate your performance and nutrients to accelerate your muscle recovery faster. 

How to Choose the Right Whey Protein Supplement for Your Needs

Choosing the right whey protein supplement entails three main things:

• Nutritional Value: Always check the nutritional value of your whey protein product to find out if it has what you need. 
• Solid brands: You should only use whey protein types and supplements from solid brands with a good reputation. 
• Price: You should settle on a whey protein powder that is within your budget. 
• Look out for illegal supplements: The supplements you use must be legal and of approved quality and standard. 

Takeaway

Combining your workout exercise with whey protein powders has incredible benefits you want to take advantage of. However, you should have the right whey protein nutrition plan to give you the best experience and results before, during, and after your workout.

Generally, whey protein is a top-notch supplement for all your muscle-growing nutrients.