Strange pump in gym

[Advaik]

I was doing preacher curls yesterday and everyone was saying how my arms were looking twice as big as normal, so I went and measured them out and saw that they were actually smaller than normal - wtf? How can I look bigger but be smaller at the same time - better yet how can I get smaller from a pump?

Probably a dumb question - but this has never happened to me. Usually during a pump I'm bigger, not smaller.

 

[Cackerot69]

Perhaps you measured wrong.

 

[frorider6]

lighting, different clothing, elevated mood, etc. Life is full of variables.

 

[Glootz]

Protein synthesis

 

[Enock]

Did you have a good sweat on? Mabe fluid retention was down after sweating so you looked just that much more cut.

Cut muscles look bigger than non-cut muscles larger in size imho (to a degree)

 

[calvesodeath]

Did you have a good sweat on? Mabe fluid retention was down after sweating so you looked just that much more cut.

Cut muscles look bigger than non-cut muscles larger in size imho (to a degree)

Very true! This may be the answer combined with Glootz's protein synthesis theory.

 

[Jeremy Carriere]

Biceps Peak

Maybe it has something to do with your Biceps peak like there was more blood in it as usual but not as much in the rest of the bicep heads which made your arm a bit smaller and made the peak bigger from increased blood flow to make your arm appear larger. Who knows! I'm guessing the cut thing is the best answer though. Who knows, at least you were getting some good compliments.