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Rest Times and Other Things
JonathonMars
Posts: 358 Member
Today I was told that apparently I should be trying to decrease my rest times.
So, how do I know how long my rest times should be?
Also, anyone have any good ideas about how to get this kind of information, because I seem to keep learning things later than I would like to...
So, how do I know how long my rest times should be?
Also, anyone have any good ideas about how to get this kind of information, because I seem to keep learning things later than I would like to...
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Replies
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Today I was told that apparently I should be trying to decrease my rest times.
So, how do I know how long my rest times should be?
Also, anyone have any good ideas about how to get this kind of information, because I seem to keep learning things later than I would like to...
Lets start with this:
How long are your current rest times and who told you that you need to decrease it?0 -
Usually about a minute. On certain exercises a bit longer (maybe 15 more seconds) and on others less (by 15 more seconds).
Oh, and this dude that works at the place where I go as a trainer. He is the one who helped show me around and give me some things to do to get started. He has a degree in Exercise Science. bit I don't really know what that even means.0 -
Usually about a minute. On certain exercises a bit longer (maybe 15 more seconds) and on others less (by 15 more seconds).
Oh, and this dude that works at the place where I go as a trainer. He is the one who helped show me around and give me some things to do to get started. He has a degree in Exercise Science. bit I don't really know what that even means.
What are your goals and which exercises are you doing?0 -
I'm not sure what my goals are, honestly. I guess my goals are to do this every MWF and not give up.
Right now, I am doing Chest Press, Shoulder Press, Curls on the Preacher Machine, Leg Curl, Leg Extension, Two Types of Standing Cable Rows, another cable row called a Tricep Pushdown, Goblet Squats, Hammer Curls, and a Lying Tricep Extension.
But I have a meeting with that dude on the 15th where we are gonna talk about doing more free weight and compound stuff. He might advise me against it though.0 -
I joined mfp a while ago, trying to get serious about it now. When I exercise should I eat the calories I earn back? My calorie allowance before I exercise is 1200. Thanks!0
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I joined mfp a while ago, trying to get serious about it now. When I exercise should I eat the calories I earn back? My calorie allowance before I exercise is 1200. Thanks!
I'm kind of confused about that also, cause I am kind of trying to do my TDEE - 20%, only it's not working I think, because I'm really not intelligent enough for any form of math.
I know if you are doing numbers calculated by MFP (rather than calculating your BMR and TDEE and such) you definitely are supposed to...0 -
I'm not sure what my goals are, honestly. I guess my goals are to do this every MWF and not give up.
Right now, I am doing Chest Press, Shoulder Press, Curls on the Preacher Machine, Leg Curl, Leg Extension, Two Types of Standing Cable Rows, another cable row called a Tricep Pushdown, Goblet Squats, Hammer Curls, and a Lying Tricep Extension.
But I have a meeting with that dude on the 15th where we are gonna talk about doing more free weight and compound stuff. He might advise me against it though.
Are you training in a circuit style where you go from machine to machine?0 -
I joined mfp a while ago, trying to get serious about it now. When I exercise should I eat the calories I earn back? My calorie allowance before I exercise is 1200. Thanks!
Please see here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf0 -
I'll try and provide some context here:
If your goal is for muscular endurance then there may be some logic/benefit to keeping lower rest times.
Most people who lift weights are either training for some measure of overall strength, power, or hypertrophy, and I'd say for these measures it will be fairly common for rest intervals to go in a range of 2 to 5 minutes (EDIT: I'm listing that as a general example and not a hard rule by any means at all) and moreover I don't see any direct benefit to intentionally decreasing rest as a means of improving on those particular goals if that decrease in rest effects your lifts negatively. (If you are 100% ready after 1 minute, then have at it, IMO).
My own philosophy is to rest until I'm ready to lift, but keep in mind that both muscular endurance and cardio are not anywhere on my list of goals.0 -
Lastly: It MAY be worth it to ask the trainer why he wants you to reduce your rest times further, and if he says something ambiguous like "to keep your heart rate up" then ask why that's important.
To me, at some point you are doing glorified cardio, and while there's not necessarily anything wrong with that, you should at some point be clear on your goals and choose a method that brings you closer to those goals. Low-rest circuit training may or may not do that.0 -
Thanks for the link. It helped....I think I get it now!0
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Well, I have no interest in being stronger or anything like that...I guess my goals are mostly aesthetic. When do you know that you feel "ready to lift" again?0
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Oh, and yeah, I guess I kind of am doing things where I go from machine to machine...but not really? It's not like there is a certain order to go in or anything...0
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You'll learn through experience when you're ready to lift. Assuming you are somewhat new to lifting, it's just going to take some trial and error.
As for your trainers recommendation, I don't agree with it but I still think you should ask him why and see what he says.0 -
Okay. I am interested, too, because I had never heard anything about that--not that I've researched much of anything. Maybe he feels that I need to improve my muscular endurance since I am so weak...not sure.
Right now, I just kind of wait until my heart rate is getting close to almost normal and then lift again.0 -
A reasonable rest period allows you to lift more and therefore stimulate your muscle more which in turn is better for LBM preservation in a deficit (or gain in a surplus).
I agree with SideSteel in that you should ask the trainer why he wants you to shorten it. It seems to me, he is thinking about a pretty common endurance based circuit style training which is really cardio with some weights to be honest.
If your goals are muscle preservation or muscle gain (if on a surplus), then this style of training will not achieve that, except in the very early stages when your muscles are 'learning' how to work (newbie neuromuscular adaptations). It is fine for what it is, but what it is, is not strength training is you are moving from one station to the next without allowing for a reasonable rest period.
As a beginner, having shorter rest periods is not a big deal, but as you get stronger and more familiar with lifting, you will want to keep reasonable rest periods to enable you to better optimize your strength training, otherwise all it will be is endurance work.0 -
I feel like I spend a LOT of time resting. I don't know. I can't imagine having 3-5 minute rest periods. I would just be standing there most of the time...0
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I feel like I spend a LOT of time resting. I don't know. I can't imagine having 3-5 minute rest periods. I would just be standing there most of the time...
At this point you probably have no need to rest for that long, but I still don't necessarily think your current ~1min rest needs to be decreased further. But as mentioned, lets see what rationale your trainer has.0 -
I feel like I spend a LOT of time resting. I don't know. I can't imagine having 3-5 minute rest periods. I would just be standing there most of the time...
When people get to really heavy weights in the strength range of reps they need that long to recover. At lower weights it is generally not needed - basically, you need to give it as long as you need, within reason, to be able to do your next set will optimal effort.
If on lower weights and higher reps you only need a 30 second rest period for strength training rather than endurance/circuit training then you aren't lifting heavy enough once out of the beginners stage.0 -
So--I asked and got an answer. He said that the reason was that I wanted to keep my heart rate up. No idea.0
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I feel like I spend a LOT of time resting. I don't know. I can't imagine having 3-5 minute rest periods. I would just be standing there most of the time...
You'll understand if/when you get there. Once you start getting heavier and heavier you will REQUIRE more rest to be able to do the weights you want to do. 3-5 minutes might seem like a long time now but it will eventually seem like way too short of a time. Hell, half the time I'm dreading my rest period being "over" because I have to go pick up those heavy-*kitten* weights again. When you're seeing stars between sets and/or you have to sit down because you're dizzy and lightheaded after your squats/deadlifts, you'll appreciate the extra rest time.
Regardless, for now, if your heart rate is down and you feel fine, go for it. Don't think you have to abide by a strict time schedule. Some days I feel really god and I go shorter rest periods and some days I'll sit around for 10 mins before my last set trying to psych myself up.0 -
Oh good, it's not just me! No stars and I don't have to sit down but a little 'lightheaded' once in a while from a really hard set of squats.When you're seeing stars between sets and/or you have to sit down because you're dizzy and lightheaded after your squats/deadlifts, you'll appreciate the extra rest time.0
This discussion has been closed.