IM MUSCLE
RESEARCH
THE 2 TO 5 SECOND
SECRET TO GAINS
A pause repetition is a friend with many benefits . The two to five-second pause during the eccentric , or stretch , phase of a lift increases time under tension , which is one important aspect necessary for muscle growth .
LONGER RESTS CREATE MORE MUSCLE
By Nathane L . Jackson , RHN , CSCS
Most of us would like to see greater muscle-building returns from our workout investments . What if we gave you a way and it required you to do next to nothing ? Seriously !
Resting longer between sets is a key to greater muscle growth . Researchers from the University of Birmingham found when lifting weights using the typical one-minute rest interval recommendation , myofibrillar protein synthesis , or MPS , a process responsible for growth and multiplication of myofibrillars inside a muscle cell , wasn ’ t as stimulated as it was when there was a five-minute rest interval .
Volume ( sets x reps x weight ) is the main predictor of muscle growth . You might feel that you can increased volume by cramming more sets and reps into a training session as a result of resting less , but less than one-minute rest intervals don ’ t provide adequate recovery . This approach may increase metabolic stress and acute hormonal signaling , but if slightly longer rest intervals are used , more repetitions of the same weight ( about 75 % of 1RM ) can be performed , increasing volume and doubling MPS . Basically , fatigue sets in quicker with short rests and you would continually lift fewer reps at the same weight with each subsequent set .
Longer rest periods are necessary for increasing strength and the same is true for building muscle according to recent studies . A study published in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found when they split participants into groups of either one-minute or threeminute rest intervals , participants in the group that rested longer not only experienced greater muscle growth , but also performed better on a one-repetition max lift .
It ’ s important to note that insufficient rest intervals , especially during sets of multi-joint exercises like squats and deadlifts , require more recovery time . Why ? Because fatigue can lead to reduced postural integrity and poor body awareness .
While your muscles recover from a set , maximize gym time with a superset by adding an antagonist exercise or a mobility drill . For example , combine the bent over row with a chest press or work on mobilizing your hips . This way you ’ ll be working the whole time , but you won ’ t be overtaxing the muscles you just finished training .
Pause repetitions can help rectify flaws in exercise technique . For example , when performing a squat you may find it difficult to maintain spinal alignment throughout the lift . All you have to do is add a pause repetition just before you break form . This will ensure that you build strength , increase mobility and gain confidence at the exact point of your rep that you find most challenging . The same approach can be used to bust through sticking points . Keeping with the squat example , you can benefit greatly by performing a pause rep at the weakest point within the range of motion – usually at the lowest depth – to increase strength . The result will be a stronger , more quality squat the next time you train .
Pause reps also allow for greater muscle activation , proprioception , stability , torque and mind to muscle connection . By stopping in the middle of a rep , you can ’ t help but focus on the movement and your muscles won ’ t be able to do anything but adapt .
10
The number of pints of blood the average person has according to the American Red Cross . That ’ s less than one-and-a-half gallons of blood to power your muscle-building efforts and keep your brain and vital organs working .
10 AUGUST 2017 | ironmanmagazine . com