Q: After my 20-rep set with a 1/3 tempo on the ideal exercise, I rest 20 seconds, then do a Speed Set (1.5-second reps) on that exercise. You say that you get 10 or fewer Speed Set reps, but I get 13, sometimes more. Should I cut my rest down to 10 seconds so I get fewer reps on my Speed Set?
A: Great question, Steve A. (he hit me up with more good ones, which I will address in future newsletters).
Your fiber makeup and/or nervous system is allowing you to get more reps on that second set.
But I recommend getting 10 or fewer on the Speed Set. That’s important so that you limit fatigue for sets and exercises that follow.
More reps also causes more recovery-draining damage…
I don’t think you should cut the rest down to 10 seconds. It may work on smaller muscles, like biceps. But for most muscles, your cardiovascular system may limit your performance, forcing you to stop before you tax the target muscle sufficiently…
A better solution is to use a slightly heavier weight on the Speed Set—enough of an increase to pull your reps down to 8 to 10.
Then you can rest 20 second and do another set of the ideal or move to an add-on exercise—whichever you prefer.
I’ve found that two sets on the ideal give me enough stimulation before I’m ready to move on to a different movement—but at 64 years old, I sometimes forget how many sets I’ve done.
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