Subject: One of THESE sets is worth 3 regular sets for building mass...
And the research backs it up...
The technique is called "Rest-Pause Training" and it's one of the single most effective ways to build muscle you can do in the gym.
I've used it with great success myself, and worked it into several of my muscle-building programs.
And yes, it seems too good to be true. With the rest-pause technique, you can build muscle just as fast (or faster) with 1 set than you would with 3 normal sets, according to a study published in 2017 by researchers from Brazil (Prestes et al. 2017).
How to Apply The Rest-Pause Technique
To do the rest-pause technique, simply double your reps, using as many 40-second rests as you need. For example:
- Do your set like you normally would (e.g. 7 reps on bench press)
- Rest 40 seconds
- Do as many reps as you can with good form (e.g. 4 reps)
- Rest 40 seconds
- Do as many reps as you can with good form (e.g. 3 reps)
- You’re done!
This counts as 1 rest-pause set... Prestes et al. (2017) found it results in similar or better muscle growth than 3 normal sets.
How Does The Rest-Pause Technique Helps You Build Muscle Faster?
Effective reps are reps close to your last rep (failure).
By doing rest-pause training, you stimluate growth as you near failure on the first part, then you get incomplete recovery so that when you're doing your other 2 "mini-sets," you're already very close to the effective rep point that stimulates muscle growth most efficiently.
You're ringing the bell 3 times in a set instead of once, basically.
I've also used shorter rest periods when doing rest-pause (20 seconds) and that's worked quite well, too.
What's The Best Way to Incorporate Rest-Pause Training?
I prefer to use it with big, compound exercises, doing 3 total rest-pause sets for the lift with 2-3 minutes rest in between setes. Anything more than that in terms of volume becomes overkill.
If you're interested in an integrated approach to using rest-pause training, I HIGHLY recommend the Dr. Muscle app, created by my friend and colleague, Dr. Carl Juneau.
Right now, he's offering a free month trial of the app, so you can use it and see exactly how it works.
It's Like SkyNet for Building Muscle...
As in SkyNet from the Terminator movies :)
Dr. Muscle is an app that tells you exactly how much weight to use and how many reps to do for maximum muscle growth.
It's programmed with training frameworks designed to maximize your strength and muscle gains by adjusting your customized training program based on the actual reps and weights you're using.
There's no guesswork involved.
You plug in your numbers and the app tells you what to do.
You can learn more about the Dr. Muscle app here and claim your free month!
Nick Nilsson
The Mad Scientist of Muscle
References
Fink J, et al. Effects of drop set resistance training on acute stress indicators and long-term muscle hypertrophy and strength. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2017 Apr 26.
Prestes J, et al. Strength And Muscular Adaptations Following 6 Weeks Of Rest-Pause Versus Traditional Multiple-Sets Resistance Training In Trained Subjects. J Strength Cond Res. 2017 Apr 4.
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