What do you do between sets?
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jessiefrancine
Posts: 271 Member
What do you do to kill the rest time between sets? The 90 seconds - 3 minutes takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R to me. I sometimes do a couple quick stretches, stand up and swing my arms around, stare at myself in the mirror and those around me. But I wonder if there is a better way I could be using that time. Or should I be sitting my *** down and truly resting? Just wondering what everyone else does.
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Pretty much the same as you. I will admit that if I am alone in the gym I will dance a little to the music I am listening to.0
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I tend to move around, shake the working muscles out, do stretches for things I'm NOT working, playing with my lax ball to undo knots in my back or chest, pulling at my resistance bands and these days also doing some shoulder rehab work in-between sets of lower body work (but i haven't been too consistent with that this past week lol).
let's just say, when you get to the point where the squat sets are pretty challenging, that 3-5 minutes in-between has you reeling for air for a minute or 2 as you sit your *kitten* down, then you gotta get up- and move around to get the blood flowing into your legs again, then you spend another minute staring at the bar and psyching yourself up for the next set because that shyte is HEAVY! Time goes by a lot faster.
If you're bored and don't feel like you *need* to sit in-between sets, you can cut the rest shorter. You'll juust get the workout done faster :P0 -
I usually fold laundry or edit photos. But I workout in my basement so it is easy to set up my laptop and get some multi tasking in. Occasionally I will just meander the interwebs too though.0
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I have done everything from stretching, standing on the stability board we have, lightly jogging around my living room like a nut case, to actually cooking/preparing lunches for the next day. Guess it depends on how strapped I am for time.0
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I flex hahahahaha cos I'm vain like that!! But I did read somewhere that flexing is good for you so I'm going with that!
Being serious tho, when my weights are super high the 90secs flies by0 -
Okay, so I think I'm going to keep stretching, possibly add in some crunches or light ab work, dance a little if the gym is relatively empty, and flex at myself in the mirror. These all seem like things I will actually do, so I appreciate the ideas! I also have some studying to do for work, so perhaps I should bring that stupid book along and spend some of the rest periods reviewing the material. Or use flashcards - that would look slightly less nerdy, right? I am cutting the break down to 60 seconds if I don't feel like I need the whole thing, but I suspect I won't be able to do that much longer because the progression is starting to get more challenging. Thank you!0
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personally, i plot the revolution. or i try to get ahead on my post-lift stretches, or i do the warmup moves for the next lift . . .
or i just hook my arms over the bar and zone out. and/or this trainer has me obsessed with upper-back strength, so there's always the stretchy band too.0 -
Listen to music and stare at the clock. I stretch my wrists and stuff sometimes, cause they get a bit cranky with certain lifts, but for the most part I don't do much of anything.0
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I usually static stretch or pace around while drinking water.
I've been finding the HR monitor really handy. Once my HR drops low I start the next set instead of waiting the 1.5/3/5 minute mark. My rests are shorter and my performance has been just as good.0 -
Wanted to share this article on the effects of stretching before, during and after a workout. The gist is that static stretching before or during can result in some weakening where stretching after the workout promotes strengthening. I believe this applies to the particular body part you are working at the time. When I read this thread I was reminded of this advice from a trainer I once had and decided to look it up.
http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/static-stretching-before-during-and-after-lifting
I usually just rest and browse on my phone during rest periods. I also just wait until my heart rate goes down to start my next set which is usually less than the 90 seconds. Cheers.0 -
Come on guys, I can't be the only person that flexes for the mirror and tries to work out her best angles...right?0
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Come on guys, I can't be the only person that flexes for the mirror and tries to work out her best angles...right?
well . . . definitely do that when it's bench. all that bench-correct form plus the preventative work that i do on the antagonist muscles really improves my posture. so i sit on the end of the bench swivelling slightly from left to right in order to see myself from even more angles, admiring my traps and my beautiful shoulders, and thinking 'hot DAMN but you're cute.'
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hehehe
I might check to see if I have any tiny bit of definition in my legs or on how my new capris look... maybe. I haven't really flexed as far as upper body is concerned with the mirror. I do on occasion watch the guys flex or try to pull up part of their pants/shorts to check themselves out. Then I can shake my head and go back to listening to music.
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Come on guys, I can't be the only person that flexes for the mirror and tries to work out her best angles...right?
Sometimes if I work my arms a bit I'll check to see if I have a pump, lol. Other than that, I HAVE stared at myself in the mirror a lot, but I usually don't flex. I did realize somewhat recently that my upper body is getting all sorts of definition - esp. for how heavy I am. And then there is my butt. And usually at the point I turn away and go stretch xD0 -
Mostly I stare at the floor or the wall and drink water.
I also have exercise induced asthma, so I take my rest times to focus on breathing properly to make sure I don't start breathing too shallow.0 -
Come on guys, I can't be the only person that flexes for the mirror and tries to work out her best angles...right?
Sometimes if I work my arms a bit I'll check to see if I have a pump, lol. Other than that, I HAVE stared at myself in the mirror a lot, but I usually don't flex. I did realize somewhat recently that my upper body is getting all sorts of definition - esp. for how heavy I am. And then there is my butt. And usually at the point I turn away and go stretch xD
OMG, the PUMP! I can't take my eyes off the pump. Someone is going to catch me staring at myself one of these days and I am going to be so embarrassed.0 -
canadianlbs wrote: »personally, i plot the revolution. or i try to get ahead on my post-lift stretches, or i do the warmup moves for the next lift . . .
or i just hook my arms over the bar and zone out. and/or this trainer has me obsessed with upper-back strength, so there's always the stretchy band too.
Warming up for the next move? *mind blown* Why has that never occurred to me?0 -
jessiefrancine wrote: »Warming up for the next move? *mind blown* Why has that never occurred to me?
;-) maybe you don't really need a warmup? i've always got some part of me that's stiffer or sleepier or less well-aligned than i'd like it to be.
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I'm boring and I rest so I can generate ATP on my next set. Sometimes I nod my head to the music I'm listening to though, and people watch.0
