To Improve WO's- decrease rest between reps

Date: August 16, 2008
Time: 11 PM
Place: Kitchen

Many of us, and I guiltily include myself, have borrowed a tenet from the world of powerlifting concerning resting between sets. Powerlifters will rest three to five minutes, sometimes longer, between sets to fully recover from the all-out effort of near-maximum lifts.

Many bodybuilders have mistakenly adopted the same method, theorizing that it will allow them to lift heavier as well. What we seem to have forgotten is that there is a huge difference between strength training and bodybuilding. If getting stronger is your number one goal, then by all means long rest periods will serve you well.

If instead, as the case is for most of us, an impressive physique with huge muscles is your goal, then you should be doing more reps with less weight and resting less. It should take no more than ninety seconds for your breathing to return to normal and the lactic acid to clear from the muscle group after an intense set of eight to twelve reps