rest between sets and bench press question

DerickVonD

DerickVonD

Well-known member
How much rest should there be between sets? I usually rest about 2-3 minutes between sets. It usually takes me about a month to get all my reps in for the bench press. I usually take 2 minute breaks between reps but today I took 3 minute breaks. This is about the sixth week and I'm still at 190. Really this is the fifth week, because I took last week off. Last time I did 190 my sets were set 1: 8 set 2: 6 set 3: 6, today my sets were 1: 8 2: 8 3: 6. Am I resting for too long?
 
you only wanna wait 3 mins if your lifting really heavy.(around 90% of max)
take your rest inbetween sets to 1 to 1:30 see how it goes. no longer than 2 mins.
 
Jake Fires said:
you only wanna wait 3 mins if your lifting really heavy.(around 90% of max)
take your rest inbetween sets to 1 to 1:30 see how it goes. no longer than 2 mins.
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So next week if I go down in reps, do you suggest taking 10 pounds off? Last week I rested 2 minutes today I rested 3. Does it sound like I'm progressing fast enough?
 
Your expected adaptations (short term goals) of the microcycle will determine your rest peroids.

If your goal is hypertrophy, then generally sets are in the 6-12 range and rest periods are shorter.
If the goal is strength or power, then sets utilize lower reps and longer rest periods.

Br
 
ZiR RED said:
Your expected adaptations (short term goals) of the microcycle will determine your rest peroids.

If your goal is hypertrophy, then generally sets are in the 6-12 range and rest periods are shorter.
If the goal is strength or power, then sets utilize lower reps and longer rest periods.

Br
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Oh okay thanks. I do 3 sets and when I get 8 on all sets I up the weight. My goal is strength and mass. I'm just concerned there might be a reason that I'm not progressing as fast. Is it uncommon to take 5-6 weeks to progress on the bench press as opposed to 4 weeks? I took longer to progress from 170 to 180 as well. It seems in general it's taking me 2 weeks longer to add weight then before. My rep range is around 6-8, although sometimes on the last set I can drop to 5.
 
Change your routine.

I'm doing a modified 5x5 right now where I bench every other day, all 5 sets the same weight, no warmups. 225 is my next weight, so I am going to start warming up so I dont kill my shoulders.

I rest 120 seconds.

I've read 60 seconds is best for the 8-12 rep range, where your goal is definition usually, and 120 seconds is best for the 4-6 rep range, where you are shooting for strength and mass. 3-5 minutes would be best for powerlifters who are on a 1-3 rep routine I'd imagine.

If I am doing more than 8 reps though I will never rest more then 60 seconds, if I can't lift the weight after that then I am lifting too much.
 
votum said:
Change your routine.

I'm doing a modified 5x5 right now where I bench every other day, all 5 sets the same weight, no warmups. 225 is my next weight, so I am going to start warming up so I dont kill my shoulders.

I rest 120 seconds.

I've read 60 seconds is best for the 8-12 rep range, where your goal is definition usually, and 120 seconds is best for the 4-6 rep range, where you are shooting for strength and mass. 3-5 minutes would be best for powerlifters who are on a 1-3 rep routine I'd imagine.

If I am doing more than 8 reps though I will never rest more then 60 seconds, if I can't lift the weight after that then I am lifting too much.
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I'll try next week one last time and than if no I might have to change. It's going to be hard because I can't do overhead presses yet because of my shoulder imbalance. I have to still focus on stregthing my rear and lateral delts. I was thinking of switching the order of my routine since my biceps are usually sore on bench press days, because I curl the day before. So I'm doing this right now
Day 1: back/bi's
Day 2: chest/tri's
Day 3: off
Day 4: legs
Day 5: shoulders
Day 6: off
Day 7: off

and switching to this
Day 1: chest and triceps
Day 2: back and biceps
Day 3: off
Day 4: shoulders
Day 5: legs
Day 6: off
Day 7: off

part of the reason I think I messed up is because I increased my rest time by a minute and a half, but I'm still getting 8 reps on the first set, so I might try it again and rest 1:30-2 minutes instead of 3 minutes and see how it goes. bench press is my hardest lift it seems. Maybe because of the shoulder imbalance?
 
if you went down in reps due to increasing weight that is perfectly fine. if your hittin at least 8 reps with 3 sets and maybe on the 3rd set you hit 7reps your fine, you will grow. just keep it at that weight untill you notice your reps increasing.
 
Jake Fires said:
if you went down in reps due to increasing weight that is perfectly fine. if your hittin at least 8 reps with 3 sets and maybe on the 3rd set you hit 7reps your fine, you will grow. just keep it at that weight untill you notice your reps increasing.
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Oh okay. Whats been happening is it's been staying around like 8,6,6 until yesterday when it was 8,8,6 but I took a 3 minute rest. For some reason it's taking a long to to progress and it feels like I'm stuck since this is like the fifth or sixth week at that weight. Although I did take a week off, this was probably about the fifth time benching 190.
 
I think you should train each muscle once at least every 5 days.

Next, you need to periodize. A simple linear periodization may prove best until you get a better grasp of programming. 2-3 sessions at 10-12 reps with 1 min in between, 2-3 sessions at 7-9 with 2 minutes in between, 2-3 sessions at 4-6 with 3 min rest in between. Take a week to deload, then repeat with new exercises.

Br
 
Yeah the main reason to keep your rest periods lower is because you don't want to give your muscles time to fully recover between sets, you will still be gaining but you will hamper them a ton. You want to rest just enough to knock out the next set, and get maximum fiber damage. As you burn out fibers deeper fibers will be recruited, if you are resting too long you give the first fibers you used time to recover, and you only will be growing those ones.
 
votum said:
Yeah the main reason to keep your rest periods lower is because you don't want to give your muscles time to fully recover between sets, you will still be gaining but you will hamper them a ton. You want to rest just enough to knock out the next set, and get maximum fiber damage. As you burn out fibers deeper fibers will be recruited, if you are resting too long you give the first fibers you used time to recover, and you only will be growing those ones.
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Didn't know that. Thanks.:goodpost:
 
votum said:
Yeah the main reason to keep your rest periods lower is because you don't want to give your muscles time to fully recover between sets, you will still be gaining but you will hamper them a ton. You want to rest just enough to knock out the next set, and get maximum fiber damage. As you burn out fibers deeper fibers will be recruited, if you are resting too long you give the first fibers you used time to recover, and you only will be growing those ones.
Click to expand...

hmmm could this be the very reason why I'm struggling at 190? That is to say, is it possible that I'm taking too long to rest between sets and as a result not progressing and staying in the same rep range? I suppose I'll continue to bench at 190 since I get 8 on the first set and just rest 1:30-2 minutes as opposed to 3 minutes. Or should I not rest any longer than 1:30?
 
check this workout. forget about benching big numbers for now.

on chest day. get three chest exercises lined up so you can hit them back to back to back.

lets say bench, db press, db flies.

get a weight where you can hit bench 12 times. get a weight where you can hit db press 10. and flys 8 times.

no rest inbetween. then after your done with that "circuit" rest for about 2 mins. yes 2 quick mins and then hit that routine again.(you might want to drop weight of all exercises. then a 3 min break and hit it again. then your done with chest for the day. shouldnt take you more than 20 mins but you will be sore and it will get you pumped..!!

try it i dare you.
 
Jake Fires said:
check this workout. forget about benching big numbers for now.

on chest day. get three chest exercises lined up so you can hit them back to back to back.

lets say bench, db press, db flies.

get a weight where you can hit bench 12 times. get a weight where you can hit db press 10. and flys 8 times.

no rest inbetween. then after your done with that "circuit" rest for about 2 mins. yes 2 quick mins and then hit that routine again.(you might want to drop weight of all exercises. then a 3 min break and hit it again. then your done with chest for the day. shouldnt take you more than 20 mins but you will be sore and it will get you pumped..!!

try it i dare you.
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Well I was doing db presses and flys but have stopped since I discovered my rear and side delts are weaker than my front delts. right now my chest day is like this
bench
tricep extension
close grip bench
 
votum said:
Yeah the main reason to keep your rest periods lower is because you don't want to give your muscles time to fully recover between sets, you will still be gaining but you will hamper them a ton. You want to rest just enough to knock out the next set, and get maximum fiber damage. As you burn out fibers deeper fibers will be recruited, if you are resting too long you give the first fibers you used time to recover, and you only will be growing those ones.
Click to expand...

Yup, its the fiber recruitment theory. You only recruit enough to get the job done. As motor units fatigue, a greater number and larger fibers are recruited.

Illustrated as such...

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Br
 
DerickVonD said:
hmmm could this be the very reason why I'm struggling at 190? That is to say, is it possible that I'm taking too long to rest between sets and as a result not progressing and staying in the same rep range? I suppose I'll continue to bench at 190 since I get 8 on the first set and just rest 1:30-2 minutes as opposed to 3 minutes. Or should I not rest any longer than 1:30?
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It might not be that simple.

What part of the rep is fatiguing? The initial burst off the chest, 1/3-2/3, 2/3 to lockout, etc.

Second, define your goals. Size and strength can be achieved best by separating the two into 2 distinct phases. A phase for hypertrophy (size goals) and a phase for strength. Yes, you will gain strength during hypertrophy, and vice versa, but you can focus your attention fully on one goal at a time, and at the end of the cycle, will have made more progress then spending an equal amount of time trying to achieve both at once.

So, I suggest again that you periodize. You may be near the current training roof for the 8 rep range. Thus, you have maximized the adaptations at that range. It is time to focus on something different, perhaps a greater nerual recruitment of muscle fibers and the CP energy system (4-6 reps) or training for greater muscular endurance, GH release, and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (10-15 reps).

Br
 
Okay guys I'm going to try 8-12 on everything. I keep getting tired out on the bench and on deadlifts. Does 8-12 sound good for 3 sets? Usually when I progress to a new weight I can't get the max reps on the first set, for example with the 6-8 rep routine when I progress to a new weight for the first time I usually get 6 on the first set and I can drop as low as 4 for the next to sets.
 
This is very individual. When I was younger I took about 5 mins between heavy sets, and it worked extremely well despite the nay sayers telling me it was far too long for proper muscle fiber recruitment. Now, for conditioning, accessory work, or easy days, I tend to go very quickly, sometimes 30 seconds to a minute break. For very heavy work? 5-6 mins usually, maybe even longer on true maxing days. In competition you usually have about 10 mins between attempts, and that time FLYS by. Longer breaks for heavy work is very common for strength athletes.
 
DerickVonD said:
hmmm could this be the very reason why I'm struggling at 190? That is to say, is it possible that I'm taking too long to rest between sets and as a result not progressing and staying in the same rep range? I suppose I'll continue to bench at 190 since I get 8 on the first set and just rest 1:30-2 minutes as opposed to 3 minutes. Or should I not rest any longer than 1:30?
Click to expand...

Correct, you want to be recruiting unused fibers. Resting a lot lets them recover so you are always using the top fibers and your lower fibers just stay the same. That's why huge volume routines like GVT work so well, by the time you hit your 6 or 7th set of 10 you are burning up and using fibers that have literally never been used before
 
DerickVonD said:
Okay guys I'm going to try 8-12 on everything. I keep getting tired out on the bench and on deadlifts. Does 8-12 sound good for 3 sets? Usually when I progress to a new weight I can't get the max reps on the first set, for example with the 6-8 rep routine when I progress to a new weight for the first time I usually get 6 on the first set and I can drop as low as 4 for the next to sets.
Click to expand...

That's good, but if your goal is growing I'd do 4 or 5 or even more, like until failure for your 2 main groups for that day.

Today I did chest, 135x10, 185x10, 205x8, 225x3, 225x3, 205x5, 185x5, 135x10, x10, x10, x10. For all the 135x10s I supersetted 10 concentrated slow super wide pullups, and after that I did some rotator cuff work, then some dips and cable crossovers. I always hold at the end of the crossover for 2 or 3 seconds, you really feel the burn when you hold at the end of the corssover movement.
 
If you feel better with 3 minute rest than try that out and see how it works. I always rest 3 minutes on my first exercise in my workout. I do higher reps towards the end of my workout and will use shorter rest like 1-2 minutes.
 
i've dropped about 30 pounds off of my compund lifts in favor of more reps and less rest. This has woroked out good however on the bench press I'm still having problems. Although, I think the problem might just be, that I need to start doing a warmup set for the bench press. I recently moved out two weeks ago and the week before I moved out I benched 4 sets, two sets at 190 and than two sets at 170. The first 190 set I got 8, then 5. 10 Minutes later I tried benching 170 at a higher rep range just to see how I do. I got 12 for the first set and 6 for the second set. Last week I tried benching 170 in the cold garage and was only able to get 10 reps in on the first set and 4 on the second set. Today I decided to try 160 and on the first set I got 10, the second set I got 7 and the third set I got in about 6. So, I'm thinking it might be time I incooperate warmup sets. I'm never done warm up sets before. How much weight should I use on the bench press warmup set and how many reps would you recommend?
 
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