Other than rest-pause training, you can also add more intensity to your workout with other weightlifting methods, such as supersets, alternate sets or drop sets.
Rest-pause training breaks up a set into several mini-sets. Between each set, there are 10- to 15-second rests. This technique helps to fatigue the muscles and can help break through growth plateaus or difficult strength.
This is a great way to hypertrophy, as you can fatigue your muscle fibers deeper. Because of the nature of short, concentrated efforts, it tends to give you more pump. This is also a great way for you to break down a plateau. It gets you used to pushing through difficult reps so that you can do another straight set.
Rest-pause sets can be great, and they should be used. However, they are not as good as traditional sets.
As many strength-trainers who started or have been doing for a long time know, there is a problem. You are busy. We all are. It doesn’t matter how you feel, what matters is that your time is not available to help you achieve your goal. Strength is a skill. Therefore, to become stronger, you should continue to practice compound lifts that recruit more muscle fibers. You need to lift heavy weight and do enough reps to stimulate your nervous systems to make this happen.
The number of exercises that you should do for each muscle group will depend on many factors including your fitness level and goals. Here are some ways to maximize your...
You will be doing 20 total reps. Set 8 reps, rest for 15-20 seconds, then continue hitting as many reps per set as you can with 15-20 second rest between each set.
When choosing the type of rest-pause training you want, it is important to consider your goals.
This is why powerlifters tend to build their sets around traditional sets, rather than rest-pause. Adding intensity-extending methods might not enhance strength given that substantial volume/intensity/effort is already in place.
We are fortunate to have another study which tells us a lot. While it didn't match the rest-pause protocol that coaches use, it was comparable in terms of effort. Both groups were required to fail. Korak and his collogues compared the strength, neural activation and volume of a rest-pause and traditional lifting groups.
Hypothetically speaking, it could look like this:
My personal method to rest-pause training involves doing it in every third weekly. I enjoy using high intensity techniques like rest pause and drop sets. However, I know that if this is done every week I will eventually get bored. I make every third week more intense with drop sets and rest pause.
As the rest-pause groups grew stronger, they were able to apply progressive overload. They could complete the same number of reps while gaining the same weight in less sets. They also managed to achieve rep PR's within their first few sets.
The bad news is that the majority of the literature regarding rest-pause was poorly designed. It almost never matches the effort. One study demonstrated that resting-pause squat exercises resulted in greater muscle activation. However, the rest-pause groups trained with higher intensity.
Occlusion training can also be called blood flow restriction training (BFR). Occlusion training is a technique that restricts blood flow to muscles.
Compare this to the traditional lifting program. For six weeks, they had to complete the exact same reps at the same weight with the same number sets. It didn't matter if they were stronger. Because of its strict design, there was no room for progression.
Rest-pause training breaks down a set into many mini-sets with 10- to fifteen-second rests in the middle. This technique is not only effective in fatigue, but it can also break through difficult strength or growth plateaus.
Your usual 3 sets of 6-10 reps can be done in a workout. This will give you a lot of growth stimulus. You'll be amazed at how much you can get from your muscles if you follow the steps I have outlined.
You shouldn't do more than two sets of this type. I wouldn't recommend doing more than one rest-pause set for each exercise. It is possible to do a light set following the heavy lifting to cool off.
Despite performing 32% more reps than the rest-pause, strength gains between the groups were equal. This shows that, while rest-pause can result in more volume, it doesn’t increase strength.
For example, 10 biceps curls with quick rest and 10 triceps extensions with quick rest. This can be repeated twice more.