rest times

**novastepp** · 02-19-2008, 07:15 PM

I just read an article written by a few professors of exercise, and they say that for hypertrophy (what we are all looking for) the best rest times are between 45-60 seconds.

I've also read numerous of old school lifting artucles by Lee Priest, Dave Tate ect ect... that say you should rest about 3 minutes between sets for maximum growth. what gives? any more literature on this subject? I'm curious about what works for everyone. I usually rest 1.5-2 minutes between sets and about 3 minutes between exercises. Keep in mind these are your basic lifting techniques, not HIT or doggcrapp.

i posted this in the workout section, but there isn't a lot of traffic there.

discuss.

**rockinred** · 02-19-2008, 07:18 PM

nova, i have heard it all, i stregnth train and rest prob 2-3 minutes and my stregnth has been going up from the start... I probably need to give the 45-60 seconds a try... if that is you in avy, you should head your own advice...

**UberSteroids** · 02-19-2008, 07:23 PM

I know I couldn't do 45-60 sec between sets on all exercises.

I go really intense so I rest about 1-2 minutes between sets.

About 1 minute between exercises.

**novastepp** · 02-19-2008, 07:27 PM

yeah, i really don't see my workouts being as productive with shorter rest time, but i can't be sure. anyone have success gaining S I Z E with shorter rest periods??

**solid-d** · 02-19-2008, 07:30 PM

less time between sets = Less weight being moved... But I like to switch it up. Always switching it up.. If Im going heavey with low reps, I take longer breaks... Also for instance, say Im doing chest and I wanna max or do a 2-3 rep set. I usually do a set of back or bis inbetween the chest set to 'get the blood pushin' threw-out the body... I find that getting a pump can help when maxing.. Normally I wait about 1-2mins earily in the muscle group im working, then after about 5 sets I start to push it and end with a superset...

**solid-d** · 02-19-2008, 07:31 PM

I can do bicepts with short rests in between sets, and shock the muscle in about 12mins... Again, switch it up...

**novastepp** · 02-19-2008, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by solid-d

less time between sets = Less weight being moved... But I like to switch it up. Always switching it up.. If Im going heavey with low reps, I take longer breaks... Also for instance, say Im doing chest and I wanna max or do a 2-3 rep set. I usually do a set of back or bis inbetween the chest set to 'get the blood pushin' threw-out the body... I find that getting a pump can help when maxing.. Normally I wait about 1-2mins earily in the muscle group im working, then after about 5 sets I start to push it and end with a superset...

but i was talking about hypertrophy, not maxing out.

**novastepp** · 02-19-2008, 08:00 PM

shorter rest times = more efficient.

personally i like old school methods, but science is always changing.

**rockinred** · 02-19-2008, 08:04 PM

brotus, i am telling you that if that is truly you in avy, you are looking jacked and doing something right..... I remember your M1T write up and if that is you from then... than, you need to be educating these folks on here with your training techniques...

I still say give it a shot and see if it works for you...

**Amorphic** · 02-20-2008, 01:36 AM

i cant do sets as quickly as it is suggested, if i go really heavy im resting at least 1-2 mins between sets, between exercises about 3 mins.

i feel that as long as im pushing myself hard on each set, that the wait time wont matter too much

**novastepp** · 02-20-2008, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Amorphic

i cant do sets as quickly as it is suggested, if i go really heavy im resting at least 1-2 mins between sets, between exercises about 3 mins.

i feel that as long as im pushing myself hard on each set, that the wait time wont matter too much

how many reps are you doing in your sets? are you training for hypertrophy?

**novastepp** · 02-20-2008, 08:55 AM

do you guys use low reps and large weight or do you train for hypertrophy?

and when cycling what kind of rep counts do you do. are you doing a common 12,12,10 split with the occasional drop set to failure?

**novastepp** · 02-20-2008, 09:32 AM

along the same lines.... have you read about "escalating density training"? it uses short rest intervals to build size and strength... it is a good read, has anyone had success with using it or something similar for hypertrophy?

**Pooks** · 02-20-2008, 12:08 PM

I usually start of with 45-60 second breaks between sets, but as I begin to tire the breaks tend to be 1-2min long, mostly to kind of enjoy the pump

**Amorphic** · 02-20-2008, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by novastepp

how many reps are you doing in your sets? are you training for hypertrophy?

first set 8-10, second set 6-8, third set 6-8.

for the forth set i do 50% of the weight that i was doing for my second and third sets and i try tohit 20 reps or failure.

i start the fourth set immediately after the third.

i just started doing this type of routine and its leaving me with amazing pumps, but its making me sore for almost twice as long.

hopefully it works well for packing on the mass, i feel a bit stronger doing it this way.

**novastepp** · 02-22-2008, 11:11 AM

so, not necessarily hypertrophy. but definitely sounds like a good pump.

**qualityclrk1** · 02-22-2008, 01:48 PM

alittle late w/this, but from the day i started lifting i heard to wait NO longer than 90 seconds, but longer than a minute...............thanks dad.....

**Amorphic** · 02-22-2008, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by novastepp

so, not necessarily hypertrophy. but definitely sounds like a good pump.

i'm hoping it works for hypertrophy...in theory it should since im putting a lot more load on my muscles than they're used to.

i think the only concern with the way im doing it right now is the possibility for overtraining.

**novastepp** · 02-22-2008, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by Amorphic

i'm hoping it works for hypertrophy...in theory it should since im putting a lot more load on my muscles than they're used to.

i think the only concern with the way im doing it right now is the possibility for overtraining.

i have been advised in the past to go for rep ranges of 10-15 for exclusive hypertrophy training. i need to do a little digging and see what kind of factual refereed literature i can come up with to support that.

**novastepp** · 02-22-2008, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by qualityclrk1

alittle late w/this, but from the day i started lifting i heard to wait NO longer than 90 seconds, but longer than a minute...............thanks dad.....

absolutely nothing wrong with that. i dropped weight a little and shortened my rest times and i gained strength. so that is why i posed the question for actual size gains, because i don't think i saw any changes. only changes in strength.

**wilson9d** · 02-23-2008, 12:08 AM

From what I have read the best way to increase size (hypertrophy) is big weights low reps with about a 1 min break between sets. I rest about 30sec to 90sec depending on my level of fatigue. But you have to change up you program to get bigger as well you cant stay with low reps and long rest periods. I personally think if I rest too long my muscles cool down and become less efficient. I have also read that functional fitness exercises make your body much stronger and cure muscle imbalances. Therefore giving your body a greater ability to grow.