Progressive resistance workout pace:
22 January 2007If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
I’m asked often, “How long should I wait between sets of weight training? Do I need to time myself with a watch like I read about in the magazines or see personal trainers do at the gym?” Some experts advise taking a set every 30-60 seconds and they demand punctuality – literally timing the client as they rest between sets. They theorize that by pushing the muscle before it has had a chance to fully recover that they inject an element of aerobic into an anaerobic exercise format and get extra benefit as a direct result. One told me that this style of speed-lifting built a ‘sleek’ physique. On the other hand top powerlifters sit around and talk about everything under the sun and it seems like they only take a set every five minutes – or longer! But they can squat a house. So what’s up with pacing! Who wouldn’t be confused? Please avoid control freak personal trainers with obvious personality disorders who love being put in charge of naïve and unsuspecting, compliant clients. The reason speed training with weights builds a sleeker physique is because it doesn’t build near the muscle a very serious strength and power-type program does. The ultimate examples of this type of training are lean and fat-free but lacking in the muscle department. Strength athletes know how to build muscle size, strength and power. That doesn’t mean they are lean much less ripped or shredded. But they are big and they are strong and they got that way by training a certain way. A big part of how they trained was how long they rested between efforts. They refused to be rushed and since many of them were 300-plus pounds, they took their sweet time. At times it was hilarious the lengths these guys would go to.
I used to run with various packs of lumbering powerlifters and know of and partook in their various habits and practices…at Mark Challiet’s House of Pain…at Kenny Fantano’s Muscle Factory and at Maryland Athletic Club, run by Ian Burgess a man described by his own friends and relatives as, “that diabolical, poisonous leprechaun.” At one famed power gym the behemoth lifters had over time acquired a half dozen broken-down stratoloungers left out or thrown out. The boys arrayed them in a loose semi-circle around the raised squat/deadlift platform. “Since we’re gonna be here for the next four hours, might as well be comfortable – want a piece of pizza or a beer?” What could be a more conducive atmosphere for limit squatting, bench pressing or deadlifting? 900-pound squats, 800-pound deadlifts, 600-pound benches without a bench shirt…Mark Challiet was one hell-of-a-lifter. He could ring up a customer sale while having a conversation over his portable phone when someone would yell over to him and inform him he was due up in five minutes. He’d say, ‘I gotta call you back!’ give the customer a receipt and change – all while wearing a squat suit. The weight would be loaded on the bar and he’d walk to the raised platform and someone would pull the straps on his lifting suit up and help him cinch his lifting belt. He’d chalk his hands and someone would bust “a snapper” (an ammonia capsule) under his nose, he’d snort like a wounded bear and step up onto the platform and do something like deadlift 840-pounds for a double. Then un-cinch his belt, get some technical input, thank everyone and go and help another customer and make or take another call until it was his time again. It is no problem for a big-time power man to wait up ten minutes or longer between attempts. This is a far cry from the anal-retentive personal trainer who sacrifices the benefits of weight training in a vain attempt to wed cardio and progressive resistance activity.
When too much poundage-handling capability is sacrificed at the altar of elapsed time speed, muscle building morphs into muscular endurance. Muscle endurance strength is a worthy athletic attribute and deserves to be obtained but low-rep pure power and torque training of the powerlifter – including their big rests periods – results in huge size and power gains. These are the two extremes and the best advice I can offer is split the difference. Lou Ferrigno once told me, “I tell my clients to wait until their breathing normalizes after the conclusion of the set. When breathing returns to normal, it’s time to go again. I find that going sooner cuts too much into poundage handling ability. Wait longer and risk the muscle growing cold and stiff. This makes it more susceptible to injury.” Lou’s advice seems like great practical advice. It strikes the balance between too quick and too long. Try and apply this easy commonsense rule of thumb to your own weight workouts.
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Progressive resistance workout pace
10 May 2005Im asked often, How long should I wait between sets of weight training? Do I need to time myself with a watch like I read about in the magazines or see personal trainers do at the gym? Some experts advise taking a set every 30-60 seconds and they demand punctuality literally timing the client as they rest between sets. They theorize that by pushing the muscle before it has had a chance to fully recover that they inject an element of aerobic into an anaerobic exercise format and get extra benefit as a direct result. One told me that this style of speed-lifting built a sleek physique. On the other hand top powerlifters sit around and talk about everything under the sun and it seems like they only take a set every five minutes or longer! But they can squat a house. So whats up with pacing! Who wouldnt be confused?
Please avoid control freak personal trainers with obvious personality disorders who love being put in charge of nave and unsuspecting, compliant clients. The reason speed training with weights builds a sleeker physique is because it doesnt build near the muscle a very serious strength and power-type program does. The ultimate examples of this type of training are lean and fat-free but lacking in the muscle department. Strength athletes know how to build muscle size, strength and power. That doesnt mean they are lean much less ripped or shredded. But they are big and they are strong and they got that way by training a certain way.
A big part of how they trained was how long they rested between efforts. They refused to be rushed and since many of them were 300-plus pounds, they took their sweet time. At times it was hilarious the lengths these guys would go to. I used to run with various packs of lumbering powerlifters and know of and partook in their various habits and practicesat Mark Challiets House of Painat Kenny Fantanos Muscle Factory and at Maryland Athletic Club, run by Ian Burgess a man described by his own friends and relatives as, that diabolical, poisonous leprechaun. At one famed power gym the behemoth lifters had over time acquired a half dozen broken-down stratoloungers left out or thrown out. The boys arrayed them in a loose semi-circle around the raised squat/deadlift platform. Since were gonna be here for the next four hours, might as well be comfortable want a piece of pizza or a beer? What could be a more conducive atmosphere for limit squatting, bench pressing or deadlifting? 900-pound squats, 800-pound deadlifts, 600-pound benches without a bench shirt
Mark Challiet was one hell-of-a-lifter. He could ring up a customer sale while having a conversation over his portable phone when someone would yell over to him and inform him he was due up in five minutes. Hed say, I gotta call you back! give the customer a receipt and change all while wearing a squat suit. The weight would be loaded on the bar and hed walk to the raised platform and someone would pull the straps on his lifting suit up and help him cinch his lifting belt. Hed chalk his hands and someone would bust a snapper (an ammonia capsule) under his nose, hed snort like a wounded bear and step up onto the platform and do something like deadlift 840-pounds for a double. Then un-cinch his belt, get some technical input, thank everyone and go and help another customer and make or take another call until it was his time again. It is no problem for a big-time power man to wait up ten minutes or longer between attempts.
This is a far cry from the anal-retentive personal trainer who sacrifices the benefits of weight training in a vain attempt to wed cardio and progressive resistance activity. When too much poundage-handling capability is sacrificed at the altar of elapsed time speed, muscle building morphs into muscular endurance. Muscle endurance strength is a worthy athletic attribute and deserves to be obtained but low-rep pure power and torque training of the powerlifter including their big rests periods results in huge size and power gains. These are the two extremes and the best advice I can offer is split the difference. Lou Ferrigno once told me, I tell my clients to wait until their breathing normalizes after the conclusion of the set. When breathing returns to normal, its time to go again. I find that going sooner cuts too much into poundage handling ability. Wait longer and risk the muscle growing cold and stiff. This makes it more susceptible to injury. Lous advice seems like great practical advice. It strikes the balance between too quick and too long. Try and apply this easy commonsense rule of thumb to your own weight workouts.
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