How does wait between sets related to muscle gain?

[dogzer]

I was wondering this for some time... because there must be a difference between waiting 1 minute between sets, or waiting 5. And certainly it's not the same to do 1 set every 1 hour, cuz i have thought of that, you know. But people don't do it like that so it's probably not a great idea.

If I wait less time, i can imagine i'm going to gain resistance, at the cost of making my training harder. But does it affect muscle size? What about muscle Strength? Maybe If i wait a little more, i can apply more force and do the exercise better, giving me diferent benefits, right?

So what's relation between these factors, does anyone know?

[Syn]

nope, sorry, I've always just been told that your supposed to wait 1:30 - 2:00 between sets

[Rahf]

2-3 mins for me normally. This is a topic where you will hear anything from 30 seconds up to 5 minutes. Just go with what feels good for you.

[Gusch]

there is no direct relation. I also think that sets are an old fashined method and therefore I'm going for a set volume with a set percentage of my RM (usually 1RM or 5RM) per exercise and training session. How many sets I need is irrelevant in this case.
The rest between sets is only there to allow your muscles recover to some degree so they can go on moving the set weight.
To experience this in practice can try to do almost no pause between sets and see how your reps or weights will drop. Now rest for a few minutes and do it again. You'll notice the difference right away.

Simply put.

[dogzer]

OK so hipotheticaly speaking, i do 1 casual set, then i go to the market or something, come back do another casual set, and keep doing it like that for the whole day, it's like having gone to the gym, except I didn't! And then i can actually go to the gym, and it'd be like i've gone to the gym twice

[jan]

I just vary from 30 secs to 2.5 minutes. Sometimes (most often while working out my upper body and having little time left before the gym closes) I just let my creatine storages (at least majorly) rebuild before going for the next set. Too short breaks seem to be hazardous to your joints though.. My left elbow was killing me when I started supersetting like a motherfucker a while back.

[Kris]

There are different ways to guarantee a hypertrophy progress. The most easiest is actually just to put more weight on the bar. Then you can hypertrophy for other reasons, you can reduce rest between sets, you can do more in the same amount of time, bla bla. I for myself dont care that much if I am constantly able to put more weight on the bar.

[rock_ten]

IME volume density is very important in gaining muscle. Short rests are one way of increasing volume density.

[Nabil]

Rest time between sets influences growth a lot. No im not talking out of my ass im surprized that this question was asked in the 1st place anyways. 1 min works best for me. 2 min is too long and no i do not gain as much. It also depends what my goals are. Id usualy wait longer if im doing a lower rep range with heavier weights.

[dogzer]

Rest time between sets influences growth a lot. No im not talking out of my ass im surprized that this question was asked in the 1st place anyways. 1 min works best for me. 2 min is too long and no i do not gain as much. It also depends what my goals are. Id usualy wait longer if im doing a lower rep range with heavier weights.

Oh shit, i gotta take the wait time more seriously from now on

[compleks]

If your goal is size, then have shorter rests.

For strength, longer rests.

/Generalization

[Sigil]

Jan, I am just wondering. Has anyone ever told you you look like a larger version of Christian Bale from Equilibrium?

http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/2002/12_05/images/equilibrium.jpg

Jan is a Gammatron Cleric.

[jan]

Actually, I've been told that I look like two people:

Christian Bale and ... the different-coloured eye-dude whose name I can't remember atm.

Thanks though:P

[Karlnold]

I once heard "never rest less then 2 min, never rest more then three"... I think it's a good rule...

[Ashtar]

The more you rest, the more your energy reserves will have replenished, so you can usually do more. Unless you wait forever and are no longer warmed up which can decrease.

[jan]

David Bowie? And I don't think Jan is larger than Christian Bale considering he's like 6'2 and weighed above 200lbs in Batman.

Damn, I did not know he was that big.