Rest-Pause Training

[Always Sore]

haha. Its good when you teach the person and they really get into it but not when they skip out on leg day or a last set because they are tired.

leg day...its sad but leg day is my least stressed drive to the gym because i know no matter what time of day or how packed the gym will be the squat racks and leg presses and hack squats are is always ready...sad really.

[Jr. Yates]

yup same here man.

[natural al]

rest pause is probably my favorite technique...it always made sense to me especially when done the metzer way.  It's brutal but I dont' see how it could not work.  Max weight for a rep, rest 10 secs and do another until you can't then reduce the weight and start over until you're DONE.  It'll f-up you're CNS but it's very effective.  Right now I'm using DC training which focuses on rest pause and it's set up a little different but both are effective.

[figgs]

I tried rest-pause for the first time on my chest workout the other day and it sucked. Each mini-set my reps went from 8 to 3 to 2 and it ended up really pissing me off because I had just felt like I wasted my time but I took the time to experience it and I can say that plain old busting my fuckin ass in the gym the old fashioned way is the way to go! Thanks for all the help guys. I appreciate it.

[pumpster]

I tried rest-pause for the first time on my chest workout the other day and it sucked. Each mini-set my reps went from 8 to 3 to 2 and it ended up really pissing me off because I had just felt like I wasted my time but I took the time to experience it

Not clear what you don't like about it-the rep numbers are supposed to decrease later..

Obviously you're not serious. If you did it the way it's supposed to be done, which would've allowed you to go farther into a set than normal, there's little chance that it wouldn't have been intense. This is just BS.

[natural al]

Not clear what you don't like about it-the rep numbers are supposed to decrease later..

Obviously you're not serious. If you did it the way it's supposed to be done, which would've allowed you to go farther into a set than normal, there's little chance that it wouldn't have been intense. This is just BS.

holy cow...I actually agree with you.  I've said it before and I'll say it again you have to learn how to train hard.  You can't just say, I'm going to do some rest pause movements one day and make an informed evaluation of the technique.  I used to think I trained my ass off when I was younger but there is no way I could have done the work outs I do today.  Intensity is learned not a given.

[Always Sore]

holy cow...I actually agree with you.  I've said it before and I'll say it again you have to learn how to train hard.  You can't just say, I'm going to do some rest pause movements one day and make an informed evaluation of the technique.  I used to think I trained my ass off when I was younger but there is no way I could have done the work outs I do today.  Intensity is learned not a given.

that is a real good statement. intensity is all about moving the bar and pushing yourself past what's comfortable. I like to use the phrase "repeating yesterday" since if you do the same thing each time you are on a big circle and there is no change only the same view everyday.

[natural al]

that is a real good statement. intensity is all about moving the bar and pushing yourself past what's comfortable. I like to use the phrase "repeating yesterday" since if you do the same thing each time you are on a big circle and there is no change only the same view everyday.

I think it comes down to understanding the term "progressive resistance"  it seems pretty easy but when you really wrap your mind around it it takes on a whole new meaning.

[Always Sore]

I think it comes down to understanding the term "progressive resistance"  it seems pretty easy but when you really wrap your mind around it it takes on a whole new meaning.

exactly..

[figgs]

Believe me, I trained to failure and even did forced reps. My intensity was high and the technique itself was very intense it's just that it didn't feel as effective as my usual training routines are.

[figgs]

Actually on second thought, and I'm being 100% honest, I think I was more frustrated with the fact that my bench press has lowered 20 pounds since I got off my cutting diet almost 2 months ago. I was really pissed to learn that my bench press still hasn't improved. THAT ruined my training. It definetely did. I can't do this technique with an exercise that depresses me this much. I hope the RPS helped to increase my bench back to where it's supposed to be.

[pumpster]

The bench going down doesn't have to do with rest-pause, in fact this is a good way to increase it.

Or, find something else that appeals more-even if it's good if you don't like it it's unlikely to work.

[figgs]

I'll give it another shot at another time. I think the decreased bench just crushed my spirits.

I'm going to try them again for military presses since that's another weak lift of mine.

[pumpster]

I just included some rest-pause reps and i have to say it's gruelling, it's not easy on some exercises. Exercises where you can rest the muscles between reps, like bench, squat or curls aren't bad, but on something like chins or rows where the muscle's basically always under tension, it's not easy to grind out those extra reps!

[Flex 215]

The bench going down doesn't have to do with rest-pause, in fact this is a good way to increase it.

Or, find something else that appeals more-even if it's good if you don't like it it's unlikely to work.

 

      Hey Figgs,
                      Pumpster is right that rest-pause training can help your bench. I think you did too many reps though.

Here's how I read that it should be used.

                      Pick a weight that you can get for 3 or 4 good reps, but no more.  Say you can do 315lbs for 3, but always need help from a spotter to get the 4th. Well next time doing chest, put on 315lbs, do your 3 reps, and wait 12 to 15 secs. Do another rep, just one. Then wait another 15 secs or so, and do one more. Then that set is done.
                     While it's not the same as 5 continous reps of 315lbs, you still moved it for 5 reps, instead of 3 and a half, or however much the spotter would help on the fourth. Do this for a couple of workouts, and then go back to normal, and you should be getting 315lbs for 4 to 5 on a normal set.
                                                                                 Good Luck!

[natural al]

 

      Hey Figgs,
                      Pumpster is right that rest-pause training can help your bench. I think you did too many reps though.

Here's how I read that it should be used.

                      Pick a weight that you can get for 3 or 4 good reps, but no more.  Say you can do 315lbs for 3, but always need help from a spotter to get the 4th. Well next time doing chest, put on 315lbs, do your 3 reps, and wait 12 to 15 secs. Do another rep, just one. Then wait another 15 secs or so, and do one more. Then that set is done.
                     While it's not the same as 5 continous reps of 315lbs, you still moved it for 5 reps, instead of 3 and a half, or however much the spotter would help on the fourth. Do this for a couple of workouts, and then go back to normal, and you should be getting 315lbs for 4 to 5 on a normal set.
                                                                                 Good Luck!

good decription but metzer reccomends stripping the weight and continuing the set...I don't remember if you drop until you hit total failure or only once...I have not done these in this manner in along time so I can't say which one is better.  i would think your cns would be destroyed by doing drops.

[pumpster]

good decription but metzer reccomends stripping the weight and continuing the set

Part of true HIT to combine rest-pause and drops until reaching total failure, but not necessary or even recommended to include drops or change the weight while using rest-pause in conventional training.