So this is something you'll see a lot in different training plans.
You'll find online or workouts that are posted on YouTube, where there's a prescribed rest
time in between sets for each exercise.
Whether it's one minute, 90 seconds, two minutes or whatever.
And in a lot of cases the rest times that are given are just too short.
Not to mention that there's really no good reason to stick to a set in stone rest time
in between sets to begin with.
The bottom line is that when you're in the gym, your goal, if you want to stimulate hypertrophy
to your maximum potential is to lift the maximum amount of weight that you're capable of, for
the maximum number of reps that you can, in a proper form.
So, I don't mean that you need to be trained to failure on every set, or performing super
heavy low rep sets all the time.
What I just mean is that within the parameters of your training plan, so maybe on a given
lift, your rep range is six to eight, and you're training one to two reps short of failure.
Within those parameters, your goal is to generate maximum performance in terms of weight lifted
in proper form.
The more weight that you can lift in proper form, using a full range of motion across
however many sets you're doing for that exercise, and across your entire workout in general,
the more growth you're ultimately going to stimulate.
And the problem is that when you jump into your next set, before you've had a chance
to fully regenerate your strength back to its full potential from the previous one,
you end up sacrificing your overall performance on that upcoming set, which then negatively
impacts the overall growth stimulus.
Keep in mind that a hypertrophy based workout is not about getting the biggest pump possible,
or the most burn possible, or getting as tired and sweaty as you can.
It's not about improving muscular endurance or cardiovascular conditioning.
If you want to train for those things that's totally fine, but if your goal is to build
muscle at the end of the day, it ultimately comes down to maximizing progressive overload.
So if the amount of rest between sets that you're currently taking means that you end
up lifting less weight, or performing fewer reps with the same weight than you'd ultimately
be capable of if you rested a bit longer, then assuming you want to squeeze out as much
growth as possible, you should be resting longer.
And this isn't just my random opinion that I'm throwing around here, although this is
something that I've definitely seen firsthand in my own training, especially back in my
previous bodybuilding years where I was a lot heavier, and where I was training for
maximum growth.
But this is something that's also pretty clearly shown in the research, where longer rest times
consistently outperform shorter ones.
And I'll link a few studies in the description box if you do want to check them out.
Now I already know what probably a few people in the comments are going to say, something
like, "I only arrest 60 or 90 seconds between sets and I get great results, or so and so
whichever YouTuber or Instagrammer, recommends two minutes of rest and he's way bigger and
stronger than you are," or something along those lines.
But keep in mind that I'm not saying that shorter rest times don't work, right?
Obviously there are plenty of people out there with great physiques, who don't rest that
long in between sets.
I'm just saying that for the average natural lifter, with average genetics who wants to
gain muscle as effectively as possible to their full potential, longer rest times that
allow you to move more total weight across the workout as a whole, will be superior in
the longterm.
So this is not a question of ineffective versus effective.
It's just a question of effective versus optimal.
And of course if your goal isn't to be as big and as strong as possible, you're not
trying to look like a bodybuilder.
Maybe you just want to make some solid gains, but not necessarily all the way up to that
maximum level.
And maybe you just enjoy a slightly faster paced workout, or you have time constraints
to where you can only be in the gym for a set period of time, and you need to move through
things more quickly, then of course shorter rest times are going to be fine and there
is going to be some individual variation at play.
Or if you're just performing some, let's say, supplementary work toward the end of your
workout later on after your heavier compound work is done, maybe some higher rep pump type
of sets just to squeeze in some more volume.
I personally don't think that type of training has a lot of value, but if you are including
that sort of work, then of course shorter rest times are going to be fine in that situation
as well.
But again, if we're talking about someone who wants to gain muscle size and strength
as effectively as possible, and being in the gym for a slightly longer period isn't going
to be an issue, then resting a bit longer is definitely going to be the better option.
Especially when we're talking about the big basic compound lifts.
So in terms of practical recommendations, I don't think there's any necessity to have
a pre-set rest time in between sets, where you're literally looking at the clock and
using that to determine when to do your next set.
I would just say to perform your set, and then rest as long as you need to in order
to feel fully, physically, and mentally recovered and to where you're ready to give a maximum
effort on the next set.
So wait until your heart rate and your breathing are back down to normal.
The muscle burn from the previous set has subsided, and you feel mentally calm and prepared
to train again at your full potential.
It'll probably end up falling into the same general range over time, but depending on
how you feel on any given day or just how much effort you ended up exerting on the last
set.
So, whether you went three reps short of failure, or one rep short, or all the way to failure,
and also very importantly what specific exercise you were performing, those things are all
going to influence just how much rest you're going to end up needing.
If you're doing a squat or a deadlift or some other very challenging compound lift, that's
going to require a lot more rest from you in comparison to a smaller isolation exercise.
For an isolation exercise, you might only need two minutes of rest for complete recovery.
Whereas, for a heavy compound set, it could be three minutes all the way up to four to
five minutes or more.
And as a general rule, I would say, if in doubt, rest longer rather than shorter.
And another factor to consider is that, not only does resting longer improve your muscle
building results, but it also lessens your chances for injury as well.
If you're moving through your workout at a faster pace, and jumping into your next set
when you're still physically and mentally fatigued from the last one, that's going to
increase the risk for injury because your form might end up getting sloppy, or you might
end up having a sudden slip up and end up getting hurt.
Probably not a big deal for smaller isolation exercises, but for those big compound lifts
that are more technically complex, and where you're moving more total weight, especially
if you're training in close proximity to failure, you want to be going in fully recovered and
with a clear mindset, to make sure that your technique remains as solid as possible.
But the ultimate bottom line here is that when it all comes down to it, whatever training
of system allows you to achieve progressive overload as effectively as possible, and build
upon your previous weight and reps from the last workout on each lift as consistently
as possible, that will also be the approach that adds muscle to your frame as effectively
as possible.
And taking slightly longer rest times in between sets will improve your ability to achieve
progressive overload in the big picture.
And it will be the superior choice if your goal is to maximize your overall size and
strength gains.
So thanks for watching guys.
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