Do you know the rest break in weight training ? This intensification technique is a great way to make your workouts more effective in gaining muscle. But be careful not to injure yourself if you include it in your training program, especially if you are a beginner!
What is a rest break in bodybuilding?
The rest break in weight training is one of the many intensification techniques. Drop sets, supersets, partial reps or forced reps are other methods of unlocking progression.
Also known as partial recoveryThe purpose of the rest pause is to take a few seconds of rest when you reach failure. The goal is to perform more reps on the same set, without changing the workload.
Let's take the example of a set of squats at the gym. Let's imagine that you want to perform 16 repetitions using the rest pause technique. Generally, the weight used by athletes who apply this method is 80 % of the maximum load.
Start your squat set with 8 reps. Then take a recovery times rest for 10 seconds and perform 4 more reps. Rest again for 10 seconds to complete the last 4 reps of your set.
During recovery time, some athletes rest the bar on the rack, while others continue to lift it to keep their muscles under tension. In both cases, these few seconds of rest allow you to regenerate physically in order to perform more repetitions in the same set.
The benefits of this method
A study conducted in 2019 by a team of international researchers looked at the benefits of rest breaks in weight training.
To understand the potential benefits of this method formuscle hypertrophy and strength gains, the researchers compared it with a conventional 6-week training program.
Significant results in muscle development have been observed, mainly on exercises targeting the lower body. The use of the rest break during workouts would also increase endurance.
In contrast, the researchers did not note any increase in strength compared to a traditional weight training program.
In summary, the rest pause technique seems to be an excellent way to optimize your muscular growth.
What are the disadvantages?
If this method has advantages for gaining muscle volume, it should be handled with caution.
Indeed, the rest pause causes more consequent muscular damage. It is also particularly trying for the nervous system and metabolism.
It is therefore not recommended to use this technique at every session in the weight room. The accumulation of fatigue could cause injuries and slow down your progress.
Finally, as already mentioned, the rest pause is not suitable if your main objective is to gain strength.
Who is the rest break for?
On paper, the rest break is for all athletes who want to gain muscle mass.
But in reality, this technique is rather reserved for advanced practitioners. It is not recommended for beginners.
Indeed, the rest pause implies a perfect control of the movements of the various exercises, even when the muscles are exhausted. This is generally the moment when the execution technique is beginning to be neglected.
This control of gestures and postures is essential to build muscle effectively and to avoid injury. It is therefore preferable to have some experience before including this intensification technique in your weight gain program.
If you are a beginner and you want to gain muscle, do not hesitate to be accompanied by a sports coach who will be able to advise you.
What exercises are involved?
The rest pause can be applied on most of the strength exercisesThese are both upper body and leg workouts.
This is particularly the case for basic exercises such as the deadlift, squat or rowing.
For the bench press and military press, ask a partner for help. Your partner can hold the barbell or dumbbells in an upright position while you recover.
This technique can also be used on multiple isolation exercises :
- Biceps curl;
- Triceps extensions at the high pulley;
- The leg extension for the quadriceps;
- Hip thrust for the glutes;
- Or the lateral lifts for the shoulders.
To conclude
The rest pause is an effective method to intensify your workouts and help your muscles grow. However, it does require some experience in strength training to avoid injury. If you're just starting out, focus on mastering the techniques of execution and apply a progressive overload.
