How long and do you time rest in between sets

[frozensparky]

I've always said I take any where from 30 seconds to 1 min rest in between sets and I used to time it but fell off that habit and just went by my internal timer. Well I took out the timer today and went a strict 1 min between sets and I must say my internal clock is off by a long shot. Probably knocked about 30 minutes off my leg workout which at a grand total of 24 sets for legs I would be on average taking about 2+ minutes in between sets not tracking. Results were great today, kept the same weights but felt a greater pump by the end of the workout. Just wondering what anybody else's thoughts are on this subject.

[Old-Time-Lifter]

If you're training mainly for strength you're going to want to rest longer. If you're training for 'pump' go faster but either way 30 seconds is pretty quick. Even FST7 has you resting 45 seconds between sets and that is ripping right along and after 7 sets if you've really pushed yourself you will be shot.

[-=FLEX=-]

Depends on the exercise. Squats and deads up to 5 minutes between sets.

Arm isolation movements, shrugs, calves; 30 seconds to a minute.

Most back, chest, shoulder work 2-3 minutes.

[KenJenkinsII]

So that half hour sex marathon has you paranoid now? 😁 I am supposed to be resting a minute and a half to two minutes on my current workouts but now I guess I need to time them to make sure.

[litljay]

Rest as much time as it takes to be able to perform the next set at 100% effort.

That being said, I've been running a Rest/Pause routine that only allows 30 seconds on your way to 50 reps.

[Powerkicker]

I wait until I catch my breath after a set. I average about two sets per song...if that helps any

[Powerkicker]

So that half hour sex marathon has you paranoid now?  I am supposed to be resting a minute and a half to two minutes on my current workouts but now I guess I need to time them to make sure.

I thought a "sex marathon" only lasted Two minutes total anyhow??!!

[Getsum]

I'll rest around 5 minutes between heavier sets of squat, deadz and bench.

Not very long for everything else, probably around a minute at most.

[dunemonkey]

Depends on the exercise. Squats and deads up to 5 minutes between sets.

Arm isolation movements, shrugs, calves; 30 seconds to a minute.

Most back, chest, shoulder work 2-3 minutes.

This is pretty close to what I do (a little less across the board, but I don't have as much mass as flex to recover. The heavier the weight/more compound the lift, the more time I rest. I time it. Right now I use Jefit on my phone while I'm working out to track all my workouts and you can pre program a set rest time for each exercise between sets and it's a good way to track your workouts. I like how it shows my weights and reps from the last workout, but the rest timer is probably my favorite part.

[drudixon]

Time depends on goals. Size 30s to 60s so that lactic cycle can finish but ATP won't replenish. Strength, as long as you want.

[jdrub]

I started doing the 3ex pre ex and 4x MASS workout a year ago. Made great gains which made me decide to compete.

30 secs between sets. 45 between supersets and I am militant about it.

Realizing tension time is more important at this stage of the game at 42yo

[frozensparky]

A lot of interesting views on it. Like most I usually do go by feel. I just wanted to time it today to see if I felt any different. I can definitely say when I'm not timing it I take a lot longer on deads and squats

[mslman71]

As much time as it takes for me to feel I can make my rep@weight goals for the next set and no longer. Sometimes this is less than a minute, sometimes it's a few minutes. It various depending on the movement, how I feel, where I am in my routine, etc. In other words, I don't time my rest period.

[jdrub]

If you're training mainly for strength you're going to want to rest longer. If you're training for 'pump' go faster but either way 30 seconds is pretty quick. Even FST7 has you resting 45 seconds between sets and that is ripping right along and after 7 sets if you've really pushed yourself you will be shot.

Thought FSTs were 25 secs, that's how I've been doing them for months!

[jdrub]

My goal is to gain muscle and get lean. With the 4x mass they say to pick a weight you can get for 15 reps, do only ten. Wait 30 secs, go again. By that fourth set u r lucky to get 8-9. Same can apply for leg press or whatever, talk about trying to catch your wind.

So do I load up the bar on the bench with 365 and go for 3-4? Or 335 for 6-7 and wait around 1-2 min with my finger up my arse. Not too mention the risk of injuring my joints OR..... Go 235 for 10, 4 sets, 30 secs apart? That 235 gets heavy!!

[soonerman4life]

Depends on the exercise. Squats and deads up to 5 minutes between sets.

Arm isolation movements, shrugs, calves; 30 seconds to a minute.

Most back, chest, shoulder work 2-3 minutes.

I'm in line with FLEX on rest this. On strength/power days I'll rest as long as I need.

[mscriven]

Generally I go 2 minutes between sets, and 4 minutes between exercises.

[egoatdoor]

Except when I am doing a strength training cycle or FST 7, I don't time myself between sets. I go when my system tells me its ready to go which typically can be 30 seconds or so after an arm exercise or 2 minutes or more after a hard leg or back DC Training set. In strength training, I use a watch to time 2 minutes between my working sets. This forces me not to go too soon so I have maximum energy. FST 7 is 30 seconds between the sets of "Sevens" again using a timer.

[jj341]

15 seconds.

[EjnarKolinkar]

Ive been milking it a bit lately. One of the downsides of the home gym, it is easy to get distracted with shiny things. I like the stopwatch idea to help as a rest to a faster pace.

I do like super and giant sets, the feeling of momentum helps me work harder. I have been trying to cultivate this more actively and break out of a rut of low momentum (dont know what else to call it). On the accessory stuff I like to work until I am panting, and need to catch my breath.

[Reality_Check]

Deads, Squats, Bench Press 5 min.
Most other stuff 2 to 3 min.

But longer if I feel the muscle hasn't fully recovered. Endurance is a fine thing to train for but shouldn't be done in the same set you are training for strength. For strength it is better if the muscle is fully recovered (free from lactic acid) so it can contract with max force each set.

[acrawlingchaos]

Depends on the exercise. Squats and deads up to 5 minutes between sets.

Arm isolation movements, shrugs, calves; 30 seconds to a minute.

Most back, chest, shoulder work 2-3 minutes.

Time depends on goals. Size 30s to 60s so that lactic cycle can finish but ATP won't replenish. Strength, as long as you want.

This... rest time is dependent upon goal.

When strength training, exhaustion/failure is caused by mechanical tension, which is taxing on the CNS. The heavy compounds (squats / deads) in the 1-5 rep range will tax the CNS the most and require the highest rest times for recovery. The closer you get to a near maximal load, the longer the rest time utilized.

Ligher, submaximal loads done with significant volume are used to create metabolic tension (constant depletion of ATP). Metabolic failure take FAR less time to recover from, and constant ATP depletion is the goal. For this method, shorter rest time should be utilized.

[GuyJin]

As has been said above, it's largely dependent on what kind of training and exercise you're doing. Right now, I'm sort of limited as to the weight I have and what I can do, so I circuit train with lighter weights, taking minimal rest between exercises, probably around twenty seconds between them, do four or five exercises in a row and then rest up to a minute, and then do it again. If I had access to a gym and much heavier weights, I'd probably rest around two or three minutes between squats and deads and any other power exercise, and maybe a minute between the other, isolation stuff.

[Old-Time-Lifter]

I started doing the 3ex pre ex and 4x MASS workout a year ago. Made great gains which made me decide to compete.

30 secs between sets. 45 between supersets and I am militant about it.

Realizing tension time is more important at this stage of the game at 42yo

In looking at the 4x Mass it looks like you're doing just one movement per bodypart is that correct? It sounds interesting, I may have to spring for the e-book.

My guess is that one loses strength however much like HST which worked for me for size but I hated the loss of strength.

[bodyhard]

Depends on the exercise

Deadlifts, squats etc 3-5 minutes roughly
Bench, BOR, Mil Press etc 2-3 minutes roughly
Curls, Lateral raises, etc 30 seconds to a minute

[litljay]

My goal is to gain muscle and get lean. With the 4x mass they say to pick a weight you can get for 15 reps, do only ten. Wait 30 secs, go again. By that fourth set u r lucky to get 8-9. Same can apply for leg press or whatever, talk about trying to catch your wind.

So do I load up the bar on the bench with 365 and go for 3-4? Or 335 for 6-7 and wait around 1-2 min with my finger up my arse. Not too mention the risk of injuring my joints OR..... Go 235 for 10, 4 sets, 30 secs apart? That 235 gets heavy!!

This sounds similar to what I'm following from the workout section. Take your 10 rep max weight and try to get 50 reps resting no more than 30 seconds. It can be found here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=146471313

[djflex]

I usually rest until the hot chics at my gym are done with their hip abductor set. Then i go do mine.......




About 90 seconds on warm up, then 2- 4 minutes on heavy working setd

[jdrub]

In looking at the 4x Mass it looks like you're doing just one movement per bodypart is that correct? It sounds interesting, I may have to spring for the e-book.

My guess is that one loses strength however much like HST which worked for me for size but I hated the loss of strength.

You don't lose any. I thought the same thing so I would ocassionally check in and go heavier one set here and there between various compound movements. Nah, matter a fact, probably stronger. For sure leaner.

It is not I set per. They focus on the points of flexion for every body part. Mid range, stretch, and contraction.

[jdrub]

This sounds similar to what I'm following from the workout section. Take your 10 rep max weight and try to get 50 reps resting no more than 30 seconds.

Not the same at all.

[Old-Time-Lifter]

You don't lose any. I thought the same thing so I would ocassionally check in and go heavier one set here and there between various compound movements. Nah, matter a fact, probably stronger. For sure leaner.

It is not I set per. They focus on the points of flexion for every body part. Mid range, stretch, and contraction.

Okay, thanks for the clarification, much appreciated.