Set Intervals And Optimal Volume

[rying]

It seems people rarely think much about rest between sets. IMO, doing 10 max-effort singles in ten minutes is a totally different workout than doing 10 singles in 30+ minutes.

Say you're doing severe negatives (or overcrushes, or whatever). If you rested 3 minutes between sets you will be exerting greater force on each attempt than if you only rested 1 minute. So the total workload will be higher with longer rests, perhaps requiring a lower number of sets or a longer recovery period between workouts for the same effect.

For example, I've read that Nathan Holle would rest 5+ minutes between single gripper attempts, giving a max effort on each one. Maybe this allowed him to "get away" with what most here consider to be low volume given his results. If Joe Kinney did 60 negatives in two hours, that comes out to about 2 minutes between sets. He also emphasized not to rush the sets.

The general consensus seems to be ~3-5 min rest for max strength and ~1-2 min for muscle growth. I've read of peoples grip routines where they only rest <30 sec. between max negatives, for example? I usually like to rest around 3 min. This can make for some long workouts when venturing into high volume (ie, KTA).

Maybe shorter rest times as one goes into higher volume will stimulate some muscle growth, thereby increasing the "strength potential" of the muscle when you go into a strength peaking phase.

What do you think and how long do you rest between sets (or do you vary rest times from week to week)?

[nagual]

I rest a looong time. Actually I wouldn't call them rests, but seperate workouts.

Simply, I do progressivly harder sets of negatives or holds during the day, depending on the day that can be from once an hour, to just 2 times a day, until I reach my optimal workout time, which is about 8-10 pm, where I am the strongest and where I do an all out - balls to the walls- set.

The negatives are done as reps in one set. Sometimes I double up and do 2 or 3 sets... but that is not often, and then I rest like 10-15 minutes between sets.

[JasonL]

One can also do sets throughout the entire day.

[John Wood]

When it all comes down to it, there are really only two meaningful factors in any kind of strength training:

- the amount of work performed

- relative intensity.

I would also add degree of motivation to the mix.

[foggymountainmuscle]

I know I need at least 2 minutes between maximum efforts. I think John has a good point and I always strive to use an amount of rest that maximizes those two factors. If I am doing triples and I only hit a double because I wanted to make the workload more intense by using less rest, I have only dropped the intensity level of the set.

[rjkd12]

I think that duration is very important also. Just like Rying said, 10 singles in 10 mins is a lot different than 10 singles in 30 mins. One way to increase the intensity (not % of 1rm, but just effort) is to go through your workouts a bit faster. On the other hand though, between maximal effort sets a longer set duration would give more time to recover and restore all the energy stores in the hand/forearm.

Although this is very cliche, I"d say do another set when it feels good, as everybody is different. I have less time between my warmup sets, but during my max effort I probably rest between 3 and 10 mins.

When it all comes down to it, there are really only two meaningful factors in any kind of strength training: 

- the amount of work performed 

- relative intensity.   

I would also add degree of motivation to the mix.

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[bencrush]

I usually do sets throughout the day with absolutely no regard for how long the rests are. As long as I feel good enough or strong enough to do another set I'll do it. Very simple way of doing it. And it works for me. But not everyone has a huge amount of time on their hands.

[pdoire]

I have found that when I do my workouts there is a place that I can

find where my hands feel full of blood and pumped. If I rest too long the blood feels like it starts wanting to leave my hands..if I rest to short

a period of time, than I am not as strong. Sometimes I mix it up. I will do my goal gripper attempts with say 1-2 minutes rest. Negatives I sometimes try to do consecutively. I try to mix the volume and intensity in every workout..