“ IF YOU WANT TO INCREASE YOUR STRENGTH IT MAKES SENSE TO USE LONGER BREAKS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE DOING COMPOUND EXERCISES TO FAILURE OR NEAR MAXIMAL EFFORTS.”
SCIENCE
“ IF YOU WANT TO INCREASE YOUR STRENGTH IT MAKES SENSE TO USE LONGER BREAKS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE DOING COMPOUND EXERCISES TO FAILURE OR NEAR MAXIMAL EFFORTS.”
TRAINING VARIABLE # 4
REST BETWEEN SETS
❱❱ FOR STRENGTH
Powerlifters typically rest between 3 and 5 minutes between sets as this time frame increases strength. The longer the rest period, the harder a lifter can train at a higher intensity. For most individuals it is better to rest longer if the goal is to gain strength( Lesinski et al., 2016, Schoenfeld et al., 2016 and Willardson and Burkett 2008). If you are more experienced, a shorter rest interval is beneficial( Borde et al., 2015 and Villanueva et al., 2015).
❱❱ FOR HYPERTROPHY
Studies have found the minimum rest for hypertrophy to be 2 minutes. Exercise scientists are divided into two groups on this subject, with some supporting the less-rest theory for more gains and others recommending longer breaks. Fink et al.( 2016) determined that untrained subjects may be able to induce hypertrophy with even shorter rest interval( 30 seconds) and Schoenfeld et al.( 2016) found longer rest periods to be more important for seasoned lifters.
❱❱ IN PRACTICE
Research has shown that it takes longer to recover from complex movements such as the barbell squat or bench press than a machine-based isolation movement. If you want to increase your strength it makes sense to use longer breaks( 2 to 4 minutes), especially when you are doing compound exercises to failure or near maximal efforts( 2RM and up).
There is a difference between trained subjects versus the untrained when the end goal is hypertrophy. A study conducted by De Souza in 2010 even suggests that reducing rest from 2 minutes to 30 seconds over a period of 8 weeks can lead to the same response as 2-minute rest periods. The short rest group did less volume, as a result of the reduction in time, yet there were no differences in muscle strength or size measurements among participants of the different groups. There is probably not one ideal rest period that applies to every exercise in the gym, though. The amount of rest you take greatly depends on your goal, the intensity of your session, and the type of exercise you are performing.
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Muscle Evolution