Raising Intensity by Cutting Rest Time (Rtestes this means you!)

[1FastGTX]

Tonight I tried something new, I shortened my rest time.

It really came out of necessity. I wanted to try the donkey calf raise machine. Trouble with that thing is the weight stack doesn't go high enough (330lbs.) for me. So I jumped on there and banged out a set, rested only 30 seconds and banged out another set. My usual rest period is 2-3 minutes, so this was dramatically different.

Felt good, but I guess I'll know more after a few weeks of this. I felt like I needed to change an exercise on calves as I've been doing the same thing for nearly 2 years. Calf growth has been phenominal though in the last 2 years so if this doesn't do anything for me I'll definitely go back to my old ways.

Just thought I'd share.

[RTE]

Originally Posted by 1FastGTX

Tonight I tried something new, I shortened my rest time.

It really came out of necessity. I wanted to try the donkey calf raise machine. Trouble with that thing is the weight stack doesn't go high enough (330lbs.) for me. So I jumped on there and banged out a set, rested only 30 seconds and banged out another set. My usual rest period is 2-3 minutes, so this was dramatically different.

Felt good, but I guess I'll know more after a few weeks of this. I felt like I needed to change an exercise on calves as I've been doing the same thing for nearly 2 years. Calf growth has been phenominal though in the last 2 years so if this doesn't do anything for me I'll definitely go back to my old ways.

Just thought I'd share.

Good to hear, My grandson has been on 3 state champion soccer teams and is in good shape. He left the gym with me breathing heavy. We try to move as fast as possible we avg less than 60 sec, close to 30 sec. Today, I threw into the game some kickers, like 1 1/4 reps on leg curl, upping all weights, slow negative chins, BB curls up against wall, It was a good one! The kid came home and drink a 64oz shake with milk, protein, and ice cream, I couldn't find any karo syrup to add.

The 30 sec rest is aerobic, we don't do cardio. We try to slow down on exercises, even calf raises and we screach at top and bottom.

[bps1999]

Originally Posted by 1FastGTX

Tonight I tried something new, I shortened my rest time.

So I jumped on there and banged out a set, rested only 30 seconds and banged out another set. My usual rest period is 2-3 minutes, so this was dramatically different.

Did you have to lower the weight you were using in each set, or did you just keep it the same the whole time? Whenever I have a rest time lower than 1:30, I have to lower the weight, because well... thats all i can do really. I was curious, because a couple weeks ago you said that you were against drop sets and was wondering if maybe you had a change of heart.

[1FastGTX]

Originally Posted by bps1999

Did you have to lower the weight you were using in each set, or did you just keep it the same the whole time? Whenever I have a rest time lower than 1:30, I have to lower the weight, because well... thats all i can do really. I was curious, because a couple weeks ago you said that you were against drop sets and was wondering if maybe you had a change of heart.

Not at all, I didn't do drop sets whatsoever. Kept the weight the same. Rep amounts however did decrease from set to set!

[RTE]

How about a five minute workout?

One should only perform the least amount of exercise necessary to stimulate growth in all the major muscular structures, to avoid using metabolic resources that the body could otherwise have used for recovery and growth.

[Kino]

If anything, I'm kind of surprised that you weren't aware of this fact. I know that MAX OT suggests resting 2-3 minutes between sets, (which allows for 90-100% ATP replenishment) but thought that this would have come up in here before. Rtestes is a sharp cookie, and has been around this game for some time. The one thing that I have learned from his posts over that past 12-16 months, is that he won't throw you a line of crap.
Something that Gironda had suggested, was to keep your rests between sets so short that you never took your hands off of the bar.

[1FastGTX]

I think I was always aware of it Kino, I just preferred a longer rest time in order to lift maximum weight. I still do prefer a longer rest time, but don't argue the validity of other procedures to raise intensity. Shorter rest periods were just never my thing until I had to do them out of necessity. When I am doing lying calf raises at over 800 pounds, then go to the donkey raise which only goes up to 330, obviously I have to either choose a different exercise or find some other way of raising intensity.

I think some rules are different for calf training anyhow. Sure the same principles of intensity, overload, general training, etc. apply as they do to biceps or pecs, but I have always been of the opinion that the majority of people complaining about their calf size simply either don't lift heavy enough or they don't lift with the intensity that they have when they're doing bench press or curls.

Now I'm rambling...

Originally Posted by Kino

If anything, I'm kind of surprised that you weren't aware of this fact. I know that MAX OT suggests resting 2-3 minutes between sets, (which allows for 90-100% ATP replenishment) but thought that this would have come up in here before. Rtestes is a sharp cookie, and has been around this game for some time. The one thing that I have learned from his posts over that past 12-16 months, is that he won't throw you a line of crap.
Something that Gironda had suggested, was to keep your rests between sets so short that you never took your hands off of the bar.

[Kino]

I actually just hit calves this morning. Reading one of you posts about having monster calves got em on my mind. I think mine come from almost always living in 3rd floor apartments since I was 20 years old...
I'm temporarily motivated to be permenantly lazy, so that means when I go shopping all the bags come up in one trip. It doesn't matter how many or what else there might be...one trip.

[supirman]

There's no way I could reduce my time between sets. I can't even recover from ONE strict set of 10 reps on a heavy bench and then do another set 3 minutes later. I've trained myself to have zero endurance

It's funny though, there was a point when I could do 225 for 40 reps... It seems now that if I go over a certain number of reps, with any weight, I'm done. My muscles can't recover. I get an intense burn and the lactic acid fills me up quickly. I guess I should stick to high weight, low rep explosive sets.

[MGB]

Originally Posted by supirman

It seems now that if I go over a certain number of reps, with any weight, I'm done. My muscles can't recover. I get an intense burn and the lactic acid fills me up quickly. .

Ditto on this.
I used be able to do many more reps, and seem to have a definite and unfortunately relatively low rep limit no matter what the weight.

I wonder if this is an issue w/how much fast-twitch vs slow-twitch fiber the muscle is composed of?

[supirman]

I have no idea. I know nothing on the subject. All I knowis I was born to be very strong. I think alot of my problem ismental, as today I pushed through a few more sets than I normally wouldbe able to on shoulders and arms. I can't even reach my headright now because my arms and shoulders are so tight from myworkout. My fingers are trembling so bad that typing is quite thetask

Was an awesome workout!

Originally Posted by MGB

Ditto on this.
I used be able to do many more reps, andseem to have a definite and unfortunately relatively low rep limit nomatter what the weight.

I wonder if this is an issue w/how much fast-twitch vs slow-twitch fiber the muscle is composed of?

[RTE]

Originally Posted by supirman

I pushed through a few more sets than I normally wouldbe able to on shoulders and arms. I can't even reach my headright now because my arms and shoulders are so tight from myworkout. My fingers are trembling so bad that typing is quite thetask

I am not a PT but that sounds like what I always thought was lactic acid. I didn't think Lactic Acid was a good workout component. After going on the net, I doubt I am right:

http://www.time-to-run.com/theabc/lactic.htm

http://www.csmngt.com/lactic_acid.htm



We need an expert - Jeremy? What causes when you can't raise your arm to comb hair after workout?

[supirman]

Interesting reads. It seems I was misinformed, like most people,about what lactic acid was. All I know is that I get thisstiffness after my first decently hard set, and it gets tighter andtighter to the point where I'm practically immobile. I've alwaysbeen this way, so it really doesn't concern me

Originally Posted by rtestes

I am not a PT but that sounds like what I always thoughtwas lactic acid. I didn't think Lactic Acid was a good workoutcomponent. After going on the net, I doubt I am right:

http://www.time-to-run.com/theabc/lactic.htm

http://www.csmngt.com/lactic_acid.htm



We need an expert - Jeremy? What causes when you can't raise your arm to comb hair after workout?

[lostmind]

I'm with supirman.

although I find my strength and endurance to be improving... but I;ve only been lifting for a few months.