# Time between sets



## Oregon Diver (Dec 15, 2004)

What is the optimum time between upper body sets?

I do a 60% X 10, 75% X 10, 85% X 8-10, 90% X 4-6, and 95% X 3 routine. 

This leaves me sore enough I can only do a muscle group twice a week.


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## BIGSARGE (Dec 15, 2004)

Upperbody I Usually Take 30seconds To A Minute And A Half Depending On Intensity.


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## wolfyEVH (Dec 15, 2004)

I take at least 2 to 3 min rest if i'm doing balls to the walls training such as heavy squats or deads.  Like sarge said, it'll depend on the intensity of your workout.


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## Oregon Diver (Dec 15, 2004)

BIGSARGE said:
			
		

> Upperbody I Usually Take 30seconds To A Minute And A Half Depending On Intensity.



It seems the longer I wait the more reps I can do for the next set. Are you saying after the 1.5 min. you get diminishing returns from the extra reps, or you cool down too much?

I usually take about 45 sec. between them, because I'm afraid of cool down.


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## wolfyEVH (Dec 15, 2004)

Oregon Diver said:
			
		

> It seems the longer I wait the more reps I can do for the next set. Are you saying after the 1.5 min. you get diminishing returns from the extra reps, or you cool down too much?
> 
> I usually take about 45 sec. between them, because I'm afraid of cool down.




of course u can do more reps because your ATP levels are replenishing with rest...as long as you are still warm and pumped, long breaks are ok.  Just don't wait so long where you're cold.  A couple minutes will not hurt.


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## BIGSARGE (Dec 15, 2004)

On Legs I Always Wait Atleast 2 Minutes


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## DragonRider (Dec 15, 2004)

Oregon Diver said:
			
		

> What is the optimum time between upper body sets?
> 
> I do a 60% X 10, 75% X 10, 85% X 8-10, 90% X 4-6, and 95% X 3 routine.
> 
> This leaves me sore enough I can only do a muscle group twice a week.


I take two minutes between sets and you don't want to work a muscle group more than twice a week. Many bodybuilders work each muscle group once a week.
You grow when you rest, not when you train. 
When it comes to bodybuilding, more is not better unless it's more weight.


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## BIGSARGE (Dec 15, 2004)

Or Gear Haha


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## DragonRider (Dec 15, 2004)

BIGSARGE said:
			
		

> Or Gear Haha


Amen bro.


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## BIGSARGE (Dec 15, 2004)

Dr U Got A Pm At Pm.


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## DragonRider (Dec 15, 2004)

BIGSARGE said:
			
		

> Dr U Got A Pm At Pm.


Thanks, I answered it.


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## pincrusher (Dec 19, 2004)

for me personally, large muscles require a longer rest between sets while small muscle groups need a shorter rest time. legs and back i may go as long as 5 minutes between sets especially when going very heavy. arms, shoulders, calves, chest get only about 1 minute between sets.


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## Big Danny (Sep 22, 2006)

Everybody is different. Wait until your pulse is back to normal. It depends on the intensity of your workout. If your breathing after a set is pretty intense of course you will have to wait a bit longer in order to give  a 100% in the next one.


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## body122506 (May 10, 2008)

thats true everyone is different, personally on average i take a rest of 2 minutes between sets.


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## kaju (May 15, 2008)

july issue of musclemag international an article reported from Kathy Laucius, ACE, NASM study showed shrter rest between sets increases fat burning with lactic acid.


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## Elvia1023 (May 15, 2008)

There is no right answer. It depends upon various factors. The above basically covers it all and shows how everyone has a different approach. It is true if you have shorter rest periods (such as 30-60 secs) that promotes fat loss (speeds up your metabolic rate). But at the same time if I am doing heavy squats I can have upto 3 mins rest between sets. I would say a good figure for most exercises is 1-2 mins... but again supersets can be good too.


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## kaju (May 16, 2008)

*HEY IF i DIDNT REST LONGER ON HEAVY SQUATS i WOULD HAVE A HEART ATTACK !!!!*


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## ASHOP (May 18, 2008)

Oregon Diver said:
			
		

> What is the optimum time between upper body sets?
> 
> I do a 60% X 10, 75% X 10, 85% X 8-10, 90% X 4-6, and 95% X 3 routine.
> 
> This leaves me sore enough I can only do a muscle group twice a week.




depends on training phase and goals but if trying to move heavy iron i like 2-3 minutes between.


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## ASHOP (Mar 31, 2011)

Evaner said:


> Hi Oregon Diver,
> I usually take 1 minute time after normal exercise but after tough exercise I increased the time to 2 minutes.
> My gym instructor advised me to take at least 1 minute between sets.



For me 1 min just isnt enough, I dont recover enough to be able to use maximum weight for each following set.


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## hilary (May 3, 2011)

I take little time between sets. This is because ( beside beying a female )  I do light weights, and also because  I want to keep a high pulse rate and use my wo as a cardio too.


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## ASHOP (May 8, 2011)

hilary said:


> I take little time between sets. This is because ( beside beying a female )  I do light weights, and also because  I want to keep a high pulse rate and use my wo as a cardio too.



That makes sense.


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## yuris (May 19, 2011)

I don't rest much. I belive to achive the PUMP you can't rest too much.

For fat burning what i do is, supersets or trisets no rest between, of course i use less weight.

But for mass, i try to rest at most 1min, even doing Heavy Squats. I like the feel of the blood rushing in the veins.
I like the feel of my legs getting harder at the point they seem to explode.(and at the end i get a new walk, ehehe)

Know people say: "but if you do so, you can't lift large amount of weight"

Well it's a question of practice and dedication, and beside, bodybuilding is not how much weight we can lift, that's weightlifting.

Better results are gained when proper execution of the exercice takes place, but of course, you must put enought weight to break fibers and request new ones.


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