Rest - Pause sets help muscle growth by pushing the muscles to near failure through pre-exhausting the muscles. This occurs by pushing the muscles to near failure several times per “set” and creating a much higher level of muscle activation. One rest-pause set are three mini sets that create the set. The aim is to reach a desired rep range out of the 3 mini sets. Rest-pause has the ability to reach muscle failure several times in one set without increasing volume and decreases time. Marshall et al. found that rest-pause training finishes the same amount of volume only 17x faster (103 sec. compared to 140 sec.) and has a 13% more muscle activation across the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis and the vastus medialis (Marshall et al. 2012). Prestes et al. found favorable results and greater muscle hypertrophy greater thickness and greater gains in localized muscular endurance (Prestes et al, 2019).
Styles of Rest-Pause
Traditional Activation set: Perform muscular failure, rest 10 seconds, do another mini set and repeat until there is inability to match reps from the mini set.
Example: Chest Press
Activation set: 12 reps, rest 10 seconds
Mini Set: 7 Reps, rest 10 seconds
Mini Set: 7 reps, rest 10 seconds
Mini Set: 7 reps, rest 10 seconds
Mini Set: 5 reps — Exercise no complete because of the inability to complete 7 reps.
DC Rest-Pause: Rep aim of 11-15 reps. Start with weight that is 75-80% of 1RM.
Set 1: 6-8 Reps (or as many reps as possible, stop 1 rep shy of absolute failure), Rest is 15 large breathes (inhale and exhale)
Set 2: Rep as many as possible (example 4 reps)
Set 3: As many as possible to absolute failure (example, 2 reps)
If the total reps equal the rep range then increase the weight load the next time. The example shows reps of 6,4,2 = 12 reps. It fits the range of 11-15 so increase the weight.
Myo-Reps Style: Start light. Pick weight that one can achieve 9-20 reps (40-50% of 1RM).
First Set: 1-2 reps shy of failure, Rack weight, 3-5 deep breathes
Second Set: Do another 3-5 reps, stopping 1-2 reps short of failure. 3-5 deep breathes
Stop after 3-5 mini sets or lose a rep from initial mini set.
Example:
Set 1: 20 reps
Mini sets: 4,4,4,3 (lost a rep = stop)
Example #2
Set 1: 18 reps
Mini sets: 5 reps, 4 reps (lose a rep = stop)
Example #3
Set 1: 20 reps
Mini sets: 3,3,3,3,3 (5 mini sets performed = stop)
Marshall, P. W., Robbins, D. A., Wrightson, A. W., & Siegler, J. C. (2012). Acute neuromuscular and fatigue responses to the rest-pause method. Journal of science and medicine in sport, 15(2), 153-158.
Prestes, J., Tibana, R. A., de Araujo Sousa, E., da Cunha Nascimento, D., de Oliveira Rocha, P., Camarço, N. F., ... & Willardson, J. M. (2019). Strength and Muscular Adaptations After 6 Weeks of Rest-Pause vs. Traditional Multiple-Sets Resistance Training in Trained Subjects. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 33, S113-S121.