Rest times between sets

[oldtimer1]

Go by feel. If you are doing low sets and relatively low reps rest enough so you can give it your all on the next set. I don't know any power lifters or Olympic lifters that time their rests between sets.

If you are training for endurance or even for bodybuilding you can use short rests like 30 to 45 seconds to push the endurance envelope. This of course will limit the weight you can use but it will build endurance and pump using a different energy system. Again you don't have to time it.

[adams345]

As many people here, I go by feel, but I'm becoming not so sure now.
I suppose my body is not always right telling me 'stop, give up, lay on a coach, relax, what's all this for'?

I tried calculating rest time and experimenting with shorter periods, it felt strange, but not overall harder. For me, the biggest problem was time calculation itself. So distracting.

[Charlys69]

i Train holistic in most of my workouts...so i use different rest times between sets....

after warm-up some heavy sets between 4-8 reps and longer rest (CNS), after moderate weights for moderate rest in between. The end of a muscle Group itīs just to finish with a Maximum pump, higher reps, supersets,....only little rest-times  (sometimes less than 30 seconds).

[The Ugly]

Slow ten count. Anything more, you're just in the way.

[Bigmacdaddy18]

Interesting. My method:

2 minutes for sets of 12 reps and under
60 seconds for sets of 15 or higher

[Primemuscle]

Interesting. My method:

2 minutes for sets of 12 reps and under
60 seconds for sets of 15 or higher

Seems like a lot of rest time. Can you explain why this works for you?

[Bigmacdaddy18]

Seems like a lot of rest time. Can you explain why this works for you?

I was a 60 second between sets person for years. 1. Never really got bigger. 2. Never really got stronger and 3. Never really got a great pump. I did some reading and found that by waiting longer between sets your intra-set recuperation is greater. It was hard going from 1 minute to 2 minutes, felt like forever but it has been 6 months now and I am stronger, bigger and leaner. The last set, 20 reps, I wait 60 seconds or less just to stimulate those slow twitch muscle fibers.

Hope that helps.

[Primemuscle]

I was a 60 second between sets person for years. 1. Never really got bigger. 2. Never really got stronger and 3. Never really got a great pump. I did some reading and found that by waiting longer between sets your intra-set recuperation is greater. It was hard going from 1 minute to 2 minutes, felt like forever but it has been 6 months now and I am stronger, bigger and leaner. The last set, 20 reps, I wait 60 seconds or less just to stimulate those slow twitch muscle fibers.

Hope that helps.

Thank you. I'll give this a try.

[jpm101]

There is the TUT (Time Under Tension) theory in BB'ing  that states that you want to move a greater amount of a work load (weight used in a exercise) in the shortest period of  time. Getting a quicker pace to a BB'ing workout and keeping that Time Under Tension. . That means doing the given reps faster  and the time between sets shorter. You don't want any period of increased recuperation between sets or exercises (TUT again). That would be self defeating for the purpose of putting max focus (and time) on the muscle(s) being worked. I call this the brief and to the point way of training. Quite a few BB'ers, past and present, follow this protocol for steady gains. I'm not a BB'er but have experience this style training for short periods (6-8 weeks) taking a break for heavier, max weight training methods.

90 seconds between sets is the usually pattern followed by the BB'ers I come in contact with. And 90 to 120 seconds between exercises working the same muscle area. Like benches to dips...90 to 120 seconds rest period.

Bigmacdaddy give a good example of how even making slight adjustments to a training program can give unexpected results , in a good way. Changing a rep scheme, the way a movement is done, rest periods (shorter...longer),weight used (light..moderate...heavy) can recharge training attitudes and training gains.  I usually suggest 6 to 8 weeks on most programs. 12 weeks on some occasions. The body will adapt, fairly quickly, if keep on doing the same old exercise, the same old way. Change can do a body good.

When breaking into a completely new training program/style it will usually require 2 to 3 weeks to get adjusted to the bodies response....good or bad. If feeling that that program, after 3-4 weeks or so, is not fitting your needs, that drop it  (no matter what others, or the "experts" say about it) and make a change to another style training program. BB'ing will depend on finding out what works for you and not what MR Big Balls of 2010 had done in workouts. That's usually BS, just trying to sell video's or training books. BB'ing is a great personal experimental effort. Selecting what gives you the gains that you seek.

Good Luck.

 

[Bigmacdaddy18]

There is the TUT (Time Under Tension) theory in BB'ing  that states that you want to move a greater amount of a work load (weight used in a exercise) in the shortest period of  time. Getting a quicker pace to a BB'ing workout and keeping that Time Under Tension. . That means doing the given reps faster  and the time between sets shorter. You don't want any period of increased recuperation between sets or exercises (TUT again). That would be self defeating for the purpose of putting max focus (and time) on the muscle(s) being worked. I call this the brief and to the point way of training. Quite a few BB'ers, past and present, follow this protocol for steady gains. I'm not a BB'er but have experience this style training for short periods (6-8 weeks) taking a break for heavier, max weight training methods.

90 seconds between sets is the usually pattern followed by the BB'ers I come in contact with. And 90 to 120 seconds between exercises working the same muscle area. Like benches to dips...90 to 120 seconds rest period.

Bigmacdaddy give a good example of how even making slight adjustments to a training program can give unexpected results , in a good way. Changing a rep scheme, the way a movement is done, rest periods (shorter...longer),weight used (light..moderate...heavy) can recharge training attitudes and training gains.  I usually suggest 6 to 8 weeks on most programs. 12 weeks on some occasions. The body will adapt, fairly quickly, if keep on doing the same old exercise, the same old way. Change can do a body good.

When breaking into a completely new training program/style it will usually require 2 to 3 weeks to get adjusted to the bodies response....good or bad. If feeling that that program, after 3-4 weeks or so, is not fitting your needs, that drop it  (no matter what others, or the "experts" say about it) and make a change to another style training program. BB'ing will depend on finding out what works for you and not what MR Big Balls of 2010 had done in workouts. That's usually BS, just trying to sell video's or training books. BB'ing is a great personal experimental effort. Selecting what gives you the gains that you seek.

Good Luck.

 
Exactly. I play with rep schemes a lot but my core is 8, 12, 20. That works for me and may not for 5,000,000 other people. Have to try new things. It depends how I feel walking into the gym that particulate day. Today I did legs. 10 sets of 10 on the leg press. That was it. Pumped and feel like I trained like never before. Have fun.

[ratherbebig]

guess it would depend on my level of fitness and how hard the training would be.

if im not used to do high reps i would need some good rests or ill just be out of breath.

if i would do some dorian yates to failure kinda training i would need all the rest i could get, if only to prepare for the lift...

right now as im doing 3x10 not going to failure, im good with less resting time.

[Bigmacdaddy18]

When I worked at the WWE and had a chance to train with Fred Hatfield and those guys the rep scheme was 6, 12 and 40, 3-4 sets of each.

Not saying it works for everyone and for me 40 is just a bunch too many but you have to mix it up.

I do 100 rep sets once in a while, a great while!

[jpm101]

Might also suggest to avoid going to complete failure on every set of every exercise.. Not encouraging the CNS (Central Nervous System) to accomplish what it's meant to do...recover from the last training system and go on for progress in muscle size and strength for future workouts. . .

 Experienced BB'ers, PL'ers and Olympic lifters understand this all too well. Try halting at 1 or 2 reps before reaching that point of not being able to do a complete good rep. Doesn't mean your not getting a great workout, just not allowing the overextending of the body's ability to recover for the next workout....and future progress.  Even if juiced up, you may still find not  going to failure may be to your advantage.  

Great opportunity working with Dr. Squat, Fred Hatfield.



Good Luck..

[Bigmacdaddy18]

Not a big go to failure guy, more like set the number of reps and make the resistance tough enough so you have to work to get the number. I wish I could train to failure more often, just something I don't do.

Fred, aka Dr. Squat, 1019lbs I think, was ahead of his time for sure. I was one door down from him in the WWE's Titan Tower in Stamford. Got to train hamstrings with Tom Platz on Saturday afternoon....20 years later and I am still sore!

[Jona]

extremely interesting. I would have thought the shorter rest times would produce greater hypertrophy given the age-old bodybuilding "rest times".