Training adaptations occur as a result of two opposing, but equally important stimuli: overload intensity, and intentional rest and recovery. Without the latter, the body may experience a decrease in performance that could last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. There are three different ways this performance decrement is categorized: …
Do I Need to Take Rest Days?
Are Isolation Movements Better for Muscle Growth? | Which Comes First: Strength or Hypertrophy? | Do I Need Rest Days? | Overtraining vs. Overreaching | How to Balance Volume and Intensity | The Power of Autoregulation As simple as the concept of a rest day might seem, most people still don’t seem to really understand what it actually …
Olympic Lifts for Bodybuilders (And the Rest of Us)
What is Olympic Lifting | Learn the Olympic Lifts | Olympic Lift Variations | Olympic Lifting and Bodybuilding Learning the Olympic lifts is a game-changer for a lot of lifters. Yes, the clean and jerk and the snatch require coordination, timing, mobility, and explosiveness. But here’s the thing: the full Olympic-grade snatch and clean …
How Long Should You Rest Between Sets?
As a personal trainer, I’m often asked by clients, “How much time should I rest between sets?” My answer always depends on the client’s goal. I’ve had clients training for absolute strength, aesthetics, weight loss, and/or improving muscular endurance. Their workouts (or at least part of them) all required different rest intervals. …
The Science of Muscle Recovery: How Long Should You Rest Between Workouts?
Back in the day, I used to throttle myself in the gym. Russian squat routines. Deadlift specialization programs. And, of course, my high school days, when I benched three times per week and maxed out every Friday. (Because you never know—you may have gotten stronger that week!) I’ve trained and pushed myself a lot …