Both groups used their respective 80% of 1-rep maximums. However, the rest-pause group failed to train while the traditional group could not have trained to failure given their protocol.
There are two possible approaches: one that focuses more on strength and another that focuses more on hypertrophy or larger muscles.
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This training technique is quite brutal. While it may be possible to make significant progress in a short amount of time, it can also be mentally and physically draining. If you aren't sure that you can fully recover from this style of training (i.e. It is possible to create a bigger recovery deficit than your body can handle by not getting enough sleep and eating enough. Training is not what makes us better, but how we recover from it.
Their protocol allowed them progressive overload as the rest-pause group got stronger. They could do the same amount of reps in the same weight and with fewer sets. For their first set, they were able to set rep PRs.
Brad Schoenfeld published a 2018 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. It evaluated the muscular adaptations in men who have been weight training for a long time. It was found that high volume weightlifters gained more muscle than the low volume ones, but the strength gains of the other two groups were virtually identical. To be clear, low volume participants only performed three 13-minute sessions per session over an eight week period to gain the same strength progress that the moderate and high volumes groups.
Although the study showed greater muscle endurance and muscle growth in the lower half for rest-pause exercise, it is not what I would expect in real life.
Your muscles are being trained to fail by pushing them as far as they can. This causes the most trauma to muscle fibers.
Hypothetically speaking they might have looked like this as they got stronger for a given exercise.
difference between cluster sets and rest pauseRest-pause Training allows you to quickly increase your strength, and muscle size by doing more work in a short time.
Both the traditional lifting and rest-pause groups did 8 sessions of bench presses training. They were unable to complete 4 sets of 80% one rep max. The traditional lifting team lifted conventionally, while rest-pause lifted for 4 seconds after each rep.
Are you still skeptical of the benefits of rest-pause training? In 2017, another study was published in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. This time, it looked at the differences between a standard rest-pause training protocol and a more conventional rest period protocol. The conventional group performed 6 sets at 80% with 2-3 minute rest in-between sets. The rest-pause set performed as many sets as possible during the first set. Next, they took 20 seconds to rest between each set. Finally, they completed as many sub-sets of 18 reps until they were done. There were no significant strength gains in the two groups when volume and load were equal. The key difference? The biggest difference?
Each group completed eight sessions of bench press training. The exercise consisted of four sets of 80% 1-rep max. To keep the pace consistent between the groups, the traditional lifting group lifted the bar conventionally and the rest-pause group did the same.
This article explains in detail the benefits of rest-pause training and how to use them. Take a look at this article before you head to the gym.
This is what powerlifters use to create their training programs. Adding intensity-extending methods might not enhance strength given that substantial volume/intensity/effort is already in place.
A 6-week study to compare strength, hypertrophy and endurance between rest-pause and traditional training found that all measurements were equal after the study. Only lower body endurance was found and lower body hypertrophy were higher in rest-pause.
It's very taxing on your body and can cause more harm that good.
While the study indicated that there was greater muscle growth in the lower part of the body during rest-pause training than the upper, I think the reality would be different.
You should also consider that the personal differences between the participants could have allowed them to do a greater number of reps.
You should try the 4-minute calves and possibly add some rest-paused mini sets to your next session. It's a great addition to your training toolbox.
Dumbbell chestflies with dumbbells may help to strengthen the arm and shoulder muscles. They also open up the chest muscles. Do this safe exercise on a table or on a chair.