Resting For Building Mass

Resting is another one of those small, weight lifting techniques that can be easily overlooked.

There are two types of rest:

• Rest in between workouts


• Rest in between sets

Rest In Between Workout

Resting in between workouts is crucial to your weight lifting program. Your muscles grow during this time. When you lift heavy you are causing micro tears in the muscle fibers. During the 48 hour recommended resting period the muscles rebuild stronger, bigger and tougher to be able to handle the demand you have been putting on them in the weight room. The idea of a lift and rest technique is to allow your muscles to match the heavier weight load and then increase the load when the muscles are comfortable. This way, your muscles never adapt to the routine. They are constantly challenged to grow more in strength and size to keep up with the work you are forcing them through.

If you were to work the same muscle group everyday you would only be tearing down your bod. It would make you feel weak and tired. You need to give muscles an opportunity to build themselves back up again. Break then build, break then build etc.

Rest In Between Sets

If you are looking to build mass you need longer rest periods in between sets. Longer periods than endurance training but less than power lifting. 1-2 minutes is ideal because you will actually release more anabolic hormones that stimulate muscle growth during rest, then you would resting 3-5 minutes. 1-2 minutes is also the way to go for hypertrophy (muscle growth) because of increased lactate production and increased blood flow to the muscles, which allows the protein that you eat to get there faster.

Resting in between sets allows your muscles the chance to recuperate from the work so they can be worked a second (or third or fourth etc) time at their full potential. If you perform another set without adequate rest the lift will be weak and not as effective. Taking the time to rest ensures that your next lift is just as powerful and ultimately your strength gains will progress at a much quicker pace.

Building muscle takes a lot of hard work and everything has to be just right including your technique, diet, exercises, lifting tempo and of course rest.

REST!