Ready to make significant gains in the gym? Are you ready to dominate your workouts with explosive energy and tenacity, all while achieving maximal muscle mass faster than ever before?
If this sounds like something you want to achieve—then rest/pause training is the way to go! It's a revolutionary style of exercise that combines periods of intense effort followed by brief breaks.
The technique was designed to get more work done in shorter amounts of time, so not only will it produce new muscle growth quickly – but it also helps boost recovery during times when other methods fail.
So if building muscular strength and size has been at the top of your list, read on to learn how rest-pause training can help you accomplish your goals fast!
Related Article: The Science of Muscle Recovery: How Much Rest Between Workouts for Muscle Growth?
How to Build More Muscle With the Rest/Pause Training
If you haven't heard of rest-pause training, now's the time to check it out. It's a high-intensity bodybuilding technique that forces your muscles to work harder than they're used to during traditional sets and reps.
The idea is that by keeping rest periods short and pushing your muscles close to (but not quite as far as) failure each time, you'll be able to build muscle faster—plus, you've got the added benefits of growing mental tenacity and elevating your pain threshold along the way.
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Fail, Breathe, Repeat
You don't have to feel like a slug working out when rest-pause training is used. Instead of just aimlessly checking off reps one after the other, rest-pause training puts a little extra oomph into your workout.
Take chest press as an example - if your program calls for three sets of ten reps, start by doing as many with impeccable form until you can no longer push the weights up.
Then pause and sit up, take around ten deep breaths, and grab your weights again before repeating the 'fail, breathe, repeat' process to hit the thirty-reps goal. Once you're done with this rest-pause method, trust us - you'll be DONE!
Faster, Bigger, and Stronger
Rest-pause training is a cornerstone of effective muscle building. When you start, it might look like 13 reps, rest for 20 seconds, then 5 reps, and rest for 20 seconds—but soon enough, you'll be able to make it through the full 30 reps in just two or three sets.
Rest at 10 deep breaths because anything more (or less) will probably give your muscles too much (or not enough) of a break. It's all about smart execution: pick two to three body parts per session and work from the biggest movements down to the smallest; trust us, your muscles won't be able to handle more than that! While it's important to push yourself to meet your greatest potential, always remember to listen to your body and avoid injury.
Related Article: Bulking Vs. Cutting: Best Way to Build Muscle
This Technique is NOT for Everyone
Rest-pause training is the best way to get ripped fast and become a muscle-gaining machine overnight. But rest-pause training is not something to attempt if you're just starting.
It is an advanced technique that’s designed solely for experienced lifters who have been stuck on a plateau and need some extra help with muscle growth. So rest-pause newbies—don’t do it! Stick with straight sets until you've built more strength and gotten the perfect form. For faster strength building, add Pre Workout Supplements to your routine.
Once you've gained more experience and find yourself at a plateau, rest-pause sets could be your ultimate saving grace—but only if deployed sparingly and strategically on lagging body parts. Good luck!
Avoid Higher Risks Exercises, Such As, Deadlifts and Squats
Keeping your form perfect is critical when pushing yourself to the limit with rest-pause training. Otherwise, things can quickly get dangerous.
To be safe, exercises such as deadlifts and squats are out of the question; if you must do a higher-risk exercise like the bench press, ensure you have a spotter or at least someone in the vicinity who can help in case something goes wrong. It pays to be extra careful when working out at this intensity!
Related Article: Injury Prevention: 7 Ways to Stay Injury-Free for Life
The Perfect Push Workout to Gain More Muscles Safely
Here are exercises that are great for gaining muscles safely and perfecting the shape of a toned body. Perform these workouts and see huge muscles popping out of your sleeves soon.
Dumbbell Bench Press x 30
The dumbbell bench press is an amazing exercise to work your chest, shoulders, and triceps—three muscle groups essential for improving upper body strength. This method involves taking very short rest periods while doing multiple sets of a given exercise, allowing your muscles to work harder than they would during a normal set. You don't need fancy equipment; you only need yourself and some dumbbells. To do it:
- Pick the adjustable dumbbells in your hands, keep a neutral grip, and sit on the bench.
- Lay down on the adjustable bench and hold the dumbbells close to your chest.
- Now raise your arms and, almost locking your elbows, hold the dumbbells straight over your head.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells about the level of your chest.
- Contracting the chest muscles, push the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Dumbbell Tricep Extensions x 30
If you need to take your tricep workout up a notch, dumbbell tricep extensions should be on your radar. These bad boys help get those horseshoe-looking muscles firing and ready to tackle anything.To do it:
- Start by lying flat on a bench or the ground with your dumbbells locked out above your chest.
- Bend at the elbows, slowly lowering the bells towards your forehead while keeping your upper arms locked in place.
- Stop short of the bells meeting your forehead before pressing back up.
- Repeat using the rest/pause method as tolerated
Dips x 30
Dips should be considered your go-to exercise for building muscles because no other single movement has the same potential to fatigue your chest, triceps, and shoulders.
So remember, if you want to start getting jacked up with that gym-chiseled body for summer, start dipping with the rest-pause method and watch those sweet gains! To do it:
- Start by sitting on the edge of a bench and grip the edge next to your hips.
- Your legs should be extended or bent, and your feet should be hip-width apart with the heels firm on the ground.
- Press your palms to lift your body, balancing your weight on your palms and heels and body, forming a straight line.
- Lower yourself by bending your elbows. Keep the movement controlled and slow.
- Repeat using the rest/pause method as tolerated
Dumbbell Z-Press x 30
The Dumbbell Z-Press is a great exercise option to build muscles. This exercise works your shoulders and triceps, plus it can be used as rest-pause training, so it's more effective than just powering through a traditional set of exercises. Once you get your core engaged while doing these, you'll feel the burn. To do it:
- Start by sitting on the ground with your legs extended and hold a pair of dumbbells on your shoulders.
- Breathe and brace your core, keeping your torso upright press your dumbbells overhead
- Lower under control to your shoulders.
- When you can no longer lock the weights out overhead, or control their descent, take ten breaths before continuing.
- Repeat as tolerated
Lateral Raises x 50
A lateral raise is a great place to start. They are a fantastic way to target and strengthen your middle deltoid muscle. To do it:
- Start by picking a pair of dumbbells and stand shoulder width apart
- Grab the dumbbells and hold them at your sides but slightly off your body.
- Keeping your palms facing your sides, gradually raise the dumbbells to the height of your shoulders. Ensure your wrist doesn’t go above your elbows.
- Hold for a moment when you reach the highest point of the movement, then lower them back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps as tolerated
Related Article: 10 Best Pushing Exercises to Build a Strong Upper Body
Conclusion
Rest-pause training is your next stop shop. All you need is power, discipline, and the urge to add more challenge to your routine. This training type helps you gain muscle faster and bigger with its extra ingredient of short rest periods.
The motto goes in the way of ‘fail, breathe, repeat’ and ‘faster, bigger and stronger.’ Due to its new approach, it is fun, exciting, and inspiring for all bodybuilders. Rest-pause training shouldn't be performed with higher risk exercises and must be taken with spotters. It's not for everyone, especially beginners, due to its extra range.
It offers a variety of exercises like dumbbell bench press, dumbbell tricep extension, dips, dumbbell z-press, and lateral raises with their required reps. Try out and let those muscles squeeze out your sleeve.
Reading List
Article Sources
- Enes, Alysson, et al. ‘Rest-Pause and Drop-Set Training Elicit Similar Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Compared with Traditional Sets in Resistance-Trained Males’. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism = Physiologie Appliquee, Nutrition Et Metabolisme, vol. 46, no. 11, Nov. 2021, pp. 1417–24. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2021-0278.
