How long do most of you recomend for rest periods between sets? My main goal is lean mass and I usually rest 90 secs. between sets, but I am having a hard time keeping up my poundages.
Well your goal is the same as many other striving bodybuilders these days and my suggestion is try 60 sec or 30 secs. Also the gym I go to there are 6 or 7 hardcore lifters then there are weekend warriors then there are the guys who come in thinking they can outlift you because they are bigger but they cant because there more fat than muscle plus there muscle are not used to being put through hell.
Anyway try listening to hardcore nail biting music to keep the poundage going but dont let the music drive you to losing your form always keep that and breathing first.
Hope I helped.
Keep Lifting!!
Maximus…rest intervals are largely dependent on training goals and load. Since your goal is gaining lean mass, I assume that you’re working in the 6-12 rep range or so and are are probably working with 60-75% 1RM. When training for hypertrophy, you have two choices for rest: full recovery or partial. Generally, full recovery takes 2-3 minutes with these loads. By taking shorter rest intervals between sets of the same exercise, you force hypertrophy by increasing energy substrate storage (creatine phosphate, etc.) within the muscle. In this method, strength WILL decrease with subsequent sets of the same exercise, if each set is taken to concentric failure. Meaning, you either compromise reps or weight. When using time under tension is very critical and I believe you should get the reps by lowering the weight. The other option is full recovery, or near full recovery, where you probably won’t have to lower the weight or reps each set but maybe every other set. This method creates hypertrophy by increasing the contractile protein content of muscles. The former method is considered the bodybuilding method. Both methods should be incorporated, in my opinion, as they are different stimuli for hypertrophy. When using the latter method, I tend to pair antagonists and superset exercises. Using the former method, you could use staggered sets, rest-pause, quite a few options. This method is employed by GVT2K. Hope this helps, Maximus. BTW, you’re not doing anything wrong by decreasing poundages if you’re taking your sets to failure.
Ya what Timbo said!
rest periods - this is a very important topic in terms of actually doing the workout. when working with big weights rest a hell of a lot 4-5 mins. Think of power lifters big weights big rest. The lenght of the set also needs to be considered. Long squat sets need plenty of rest . How is your vo2 max , some people recover more quicker than others. Generally compound exercises 3-4 min rest , calves , arms shorter.