Rest periods between sets.... (Individualized bodybuilding part.1 with H4TW)

[H4TW]

As I was reading in a recent MD, rest period timing has no effect on anabolic hormones. Just like everything else in our industry one report says you need to do "X" to maximize gains and the very next day, week, month oryear later another study is put out totaly contradicting it. All the more reason why I believe and always have that success in bodybuilding is a very individualised practice.

Most of us started out doing whatever split, reps, 1RM% ect that we picked up in a mag, book, or a coach. But those of us that have been at it for a years and "tried it all" so to speak have very different aproaches to training and this goes for all things like diet, rep count, cardio and so on. Which I'll touch on in different threads to come but for now I'd like to talk about YOUR rest periods between sets and even bodyparts during the same training session.

So, how long generally do you guys rest inbetween sets or between bodyparts in a typical WO and why???








P.S: I will be doing a series of these types of threads with studies on the various topics for conversation sake and to give some of the newer guys just getting into BBing a leg up that most of us never got.

[Buadain]

Depends on the body part
In example I rest longer on squats than I do on biceps/triceps sets.
I don't time it as to how long between sets.

[H4TW]

Personally I wait untill I'm ready to go again and I hit my next set. I have tried the stop clock thing and picked the weight back up at exactly 30, 60, 90 seconds or whatever it may have been.

I do believe you need to concider the amount of time you are resting inbetween sets to a degree, but jumping back under the bar before you at least catch your breath is only going to lead to you failing before you hit you targeted rep count.

The flip side of that is: rest too long and you're going to lose your pump and potetially if you really slack (get caught up talking to someone who wants a diet and exercise program in between sets) you are at an increased risk of injury.

[H4TW]

Depends on the body part
In example I rest longer on squats than I do on biceps/triceps sets.
I don't time it as to how long between sets.

Absolutely! I rest longer on squats and deads than anything else. Squats even more so! That is probably THE most dangerous movement in regards to quickly and massively raising your blood pressure if you're not careful.

The only time I pay really any attention to how long I'm resting though is when I'm doing circut training and then I use the stop watch. Which is for a week here and there throughout the year or just a session of it once in a while to break away from doing traditional cardio.

[PSYCHOPATH]

In terms of PL/Pure Strength, lengthy rest periods are required. But here's my question.

If you're training with hypertrophy in mind, either you can rest a bit longer and lift heavier weight, or rest little and lift weight that may significantly go down with each progressive set.

either way, i recon that you're stimulating growth regardless, as the muscle is being rapidly overtaxed and hence, recruiting maximal muscle fibers.


^^^ Is this some what true, or am i full of shit?

[Wallbag]

I've found it hard to sit around and bounce my legs around for two minutes not sure what to look at before I hit the next set. I used to go through a workout with 30 second rests and finish a workout in 40 minutes. Now I've slowed it down a bit and make sure I get a minute to two, depending on what I'm doing.

When you have a good song going on the ipod it's pretty hard to rest though.

[Hardly Krishna]

Bout a minute for everything, arms are done in superset fashion and are damn near circuit style

[maxamill29]

When you have a good song going on the ipod it's pretty hard to rest though.

that's what the pause button is for

[H4TW]

In terms of PL/Pure Strength, lengthy rest periods are required. But here's my question.

If you're training with hypertrophy in mind, either you can rest a bit longer and lift heavier weight, or rest little and lift weight that may significantly go down with each progressive set.

either way, i recon that you're stimulating growth regardless, as the muscle is being rapidly overtaxed and hence, recruiting maximal muscle fibers.


^^^ Is this some what true, or am i full of shit?

No you're not full of shit, you're actually on point with this question and it's a good one!

However it's kind of up for interpretation: Load vs Volume.
Either way you are going to stimulate the muscle as long as it's being overtaxed.
Here's the thing and you may already know but the muscles are composed of several different fiber types, Slow twitch (typeI) and fast twitch (type IIa and Type IIb. And as the fast twitch fibers in the muscle faituge the slower twitch or type I fibers are recruted to assist. This is due to the utilization of the different muscle fiber types use of various fuel sources. The fast twitch (type IIa) and the intermidiate fast twitch fiber (type IIb) have the most potenitial for hypertrophy.
A good example would be to look at a sprinter's legs vs a marathon runners.

The thing of that is and what makes building muscle so individualised is that Genetics is going to play the most key role in the % of muscle fiber types you have in your body.
This is how some guys respond better to higher reps (because they have more slow and intermediate fast twitch fibers) while others are going to respond better to heavier loads with lower reps (because they have more type Ia and type IIb fast twitch fibers).

Does that makes sence or are we all lost yet? lol..

I'll touch on the controversy of training to increase different fiber type concentrations in another thread but it is thought (by some) that training either aerobically or more anaerobically can alter the body's fiber type concentrations in different muscle groups.

So to answer your question in English: Yes, both methods of overload will work, just one will work better for one guy than the next depending on muscle fiber type %.

[zeroman614]

Rest until you feel the muscle begin to pump up and breathing to slow back down to normal working rate, then move to the next set. Bigger muscles take longer to get pumped/more cardio exertion so a more rest is needed. Usually about 60-90 seconds for arms/calves/delts but up to 3-5 minutes for back and legs.

[H4TW]

5 mins is WAY too long for any bodypart unless you are hitting triples, doubles and singles. ATP levels take seconds to replinish, not minutes.

[H4TW]

But to each their own I might add.

[Wallbag]

that's what the pause button is for

Can't pause a song that puts you into the right mood.

[tmno]

30 to 60 seconds of rest or pause, this just seems the right time for me

[Shawn Bellon]

Depends on my training but I do take my time since my focus is to be fresh for each set while not getting too cold. In a meet I might have to wait a while so I sorta train with that same idea in mind. Maybe 5-10 minutes between general work sets. Assistance work is contingent on what I am trying to achieve.