Tip: Don't Cut Your Rest Periods Short Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip Don t Cut Your Rest Periods Short Short on time Don' t rest less between sets or you' ll interfere with your gains Try this instead by Andrew Heming December 14, 2018March 4, 2022 Tags Bodybuilding, Powerlifting & Strength, Tips, Training Rest Periods and Gains When you're pressed for time, you'll be tempted to cut your rest intervals short. Resist the urge! While it may seem like a time-saver, it's actually a results-killer. Consider that research shows that 3 minutes between sets is optimal for gaining strength and size (1), so when you short-change your rest times, you reduce the amount of weight you can lift and/or reps for your subsequent sets. As a result, you lower your volume load and decrease your gains. Instead of using insufficient rest intervals, try the late Charles Poliquin's method of alternating between non-competing exercises. This system has been around for a long time, yet few people use it. That's too bad, because when done correctly, you can cut your training time in half. Instead of doing a set of bench press and then playing around on your phone for 3 or 4 or more minutes, place a heavy dumbbell next to the bench press. Then do this: A1. Bench Press: Rest 45 seconds A2. 1-Arm Dumbbell Row: Rest 45 seconds Repeat for your desired number of rounds If you prefer whole body training, you can also pair lower body hinge movements with upper body movements: Hinge and Push Example A1. Trap Bar Deadlift: Rest 60 seconds A2. Dips: Rest 45 seconds Squat and Pull Example B1. Front Squat: Rest 60 seconds B2. Chin-Up: Rest 45 seconds This style of training only gives you time to record your set in your training journal, grab a quick swig of water, and get ready for your next set. This keeps you off your phone, which will improve your mental focus and create a better flow to your training session. Schoenfeld BJ et al. Longer inter-set rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016 Jul;30(7):1805-12. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Do This Exercise Combo to Prevent Shoulder Pain Strengthen your scapular stabilizers and you'll prevent shoulder injuries and get stronger. Here's how to do it. It Hurts Fix It, Tips, Training Dean Graddon March 10 Training Poetry in Motion 6 Think of bodybuilding as a language, and think of the exercises we do in the gym as words in that language. Training Charles Poliquin May 19 Training Tip Get Better Results from Incline Curls Here's a simple way to make this biceps builder even more effective. Check it out. Tips, Training Joel Seedman, PhD November 11 Training Tip Ankle Mobility Soft Tissue vs Joint Restriction If you have ankle mobility issues that affect your squat, you need to determine what kind of problem you have before treatment. Here's how to do it. Exercise Coaching, Mobility, Tips Dr John Rusin October 2