Wanna knock out more reps?
More Reps = More Growth Stimulation.
Is it okay to pause during a set? Will this lead to more reps? I shot a video to answer the question with a demonstration of how to put this to use right now.
Like I say in the vid, I don’t make a rule on this.
I certainly don’t do it every time. It’s like this…
If I know for sure that I’ve got a few more reps in me, but the lactic acid build up is going to force me to stop before I can execute them, I’ll take a brief pause.
It’ll let some of that lactate flush out and allow me to hammer out those reps.
Take home message: Make use of this strategy, but use sparingly.
Train With Intensity!
Mark
P.S. I’m wearing Vascular Wear gear. You can get 10% off site-wide; use discount code: MARKM10 at https://www.vascularwear.com/. Yes they do ship to the United States.
Good post Mark. I’m guess most advanced lifters do this instinctively. I just hope most newbie (and advanced) lifters don’t use this technique to bang out reps in poor form. This is excellent if used with good form
@Darshan Thanks, Big D. Exactly, use infrequently and only when necessary.
What is the problem with waiting for a short time, say 15-20 seconds and then easy go on again in good control. It’s easy. It’s not pulling and pulling and pulling to get a last cm… Why wait for a longer time… and then after 90 seconds start all over again !!! You want to reach an edge.. carefull but sure.. I don’t go to the gym to just go through the moves… I want to put some effort in it.. And what’s is more efficient then prolong the set wih short rest-times after finishing a set. Just to be in there… where you want/need to be when you are trying to win some strength… Its the most easiest way to do it. Not start over again and again.. Go in when you’;re there !!! Ease in to it but don’t go too far. Easy but stay there longer.
wrong button for follow up….
Thanks for this tip.
I agree with Big Darshan.
1. We do use this technique instinctively – and, I am not ‘advanced’.
2. Yes,. form is important.
I am fascinated by your accent. Let’s have more videos where you speak.
Nice to see ya big fella,,, 🙂
Nice post Mark. I’m happy to see you put a video to this, I remember in the various books you mentioned to pause , then push out one more. It was nice to see a video example especially for newer people
@Anand. Thanks. lol, I’ll try and do more speaking vids.
@Paul. Cheers 🙂
@Tony. Glad it helped 😀
Thank you Mark! I actually tried this on my last French Curl exercise and I was able to reach my targeted 12 reps!
Forgive me for for being off topic, but I was wondering, if I’m on M.A.N.S, does it matter how long I wait to eat my first solid meal AFTER my post-workout whey/creatine/glutamine shake? Sometimes I have that first solid meal 2 hours after the shake, and sometimes I have it 30 minutes afterwards.
@Robert. Glad it helped you get more reps.
It’s always a good idea to have a slid food meal within 3 hrs of your PWO shake. When exactly doesn’t matter that much, just let your hunger dictate it. That way it’s your body telling you when it’s ready for more food. There’s no need to force-feed yourself too early.
i think resting for 1 minute is more than enough between the sets.if w rest for 2 or 3 minutes then w r again coming to our comfort zone…w have to get out of our comfort zone to stimulate the muscle growth.
@manoj. As per the THT book, I show that it has been scientifically verified that 2-3 minutes is the optimal rest period if you want to achieve maximum overload, which will stimulate maximum growth. When you talk about a comfort zone, you’re talking about feeling aerobically tired, that’s nothing to do with stimulating a size increase in your muscles. A bodybuilding workout isn’t an endurance contest, shorter rest periods will hamper your gains.
Hi Mark
Good post as usual. I was wondering about your diet now days. You’re looking pretty lean on camera. You on MANS or GLAD at the moment ? Bulking cutting or maintaining ?
Cheers
Nathan
I use GLAD most of the year. But I do allow myself a 2 or 3 cheat meals at weekends. So I do add some fat very slowly over the year. When I want to get it back off I use the principles from my Jacked ‘N’ Ripped program. While this program isn’t available to the public at the moment, people can use Total Six Pack Abs to cut their fat off. So I would recommend GLAD as your bulking diet for most of the year, then TSPA for any needed cutting.