Rest-pause training divides a single set into several mini-sets, with a brief rest in between.
Several methods can be used depending on the intensity level and what you hope to achieve.
For strength, perform a single at 85 percent to 95 percent of your one-repetition max, wait 15-30 seconds, then perform another single with the same weight and repeat until failure. Six to eight singles can usually be completed.
This method is extremely taxing on the central nervous system and is potentially dangerous. In general, the adaptations for strength are more neurologically driven than those for muscle hypertrophy.
For someone with a one-repetition max of 300 pounds, an example of this type of training on the bench press would be to use 275 pounds, rest 15 seconds, repeat, and stop after failure.
For the person seeking muscle hypertrophy, a more effective variation of this method can be used.
Choose your exercise and a weight that you can perform for six to ten repetitions, lift the weight to failure, stop and rest for 15 seconds, and repeat the same weight to failure; this will most likely be two to three repetitions.
Repeat this process once or twice; going beyond three sets is difficult.
If you choose the bench press as your exercise, a hypertrophy-focused rest-pause series might look like this:
This method is excellent for breaking through a plateau and teaching you how to grind out reps. Your muscle fibers will be extremely fatigued, and the short repetitive bout will allow you to develop a fantastic mind-muscle connection and experience a massive muscle pump.
This method is extremely taxing on the central nervous system (CNS); do not use it for every workout or multiple sets of the same exercises or movements. Avoid doing this for highly technical movements due to the strain on the CNS.
