Finally got a watch...need timing help

Hey I just got a watch so that I can keep track of the time i rest between sets and stuff. Right now i want to gain mainly strength and power, and size is secondary. So I was wondering how long I should rest in between sets and exercises?

I'm currently doing a FBW 3x a week that looks like this

squat/deadlift
bench
bent over row
military press/dip
pull up

Also I've been alternating my rep/set scheme between 3x12, 3x10, 4x8, and 4x5. I think i need to change that a bit but I need help deciding what rep/set scheme is best for me? Thanks
 
well for strenght you usually want complete rest, so ATP gets time to replenish, which is 2 min and above. for hyp you want uncomplete rest. But you will still grow with complete rest, and still get stronger with incomplete, i say go for about 2 min, atleast on the main exercises.
 
I tend to go the other way if you want strength stick to 1 - 2 minutes, if you're looking to pack on muscle mass go for 3 - 4 minutes. The longer rest will allow full recovery and refueling of the muscles.

This is a good article:
 
just the oposite of what ive heard :S

that article actually says to do 3-4 for strenght, not mass

generally speaking, bodybuilders should spend most of their training time using the Lactic Acid Energy System. A significant amount of time should be spent doing heavy weight training with 3 or 4 minutes rest to increase your strength, and the rest of the time (maybe 70 percent of your training) should be done with rest periods of 90 to 150 seconds rest between sets.


By training like this, you can build your strength levels during the heavy training with longer rest periods, and then use that new strength to lift more weight for more reps when you train using the Lactic Acid Energy System.

If you want strenght, you want to get the most out of each set, with higher rest you can keep the weight and speed up.

If you are arguing that you should train for strenht in order to get bigger, becaue when you can lift more weight you can stimulate more hyperrophy, i agree.
 
Last edited:
Ok thanks guys I guess I'll stick to 2 minutes for now. Also, what about the second part of my question? (set/rep scheme)
 
Back
Top