Using Intra-Set Rest Period Productively

[RobertM]

So far I am halfway through the Starting Strength book and am gradually working towards compliance as I move from the machine driven, light weight/15 rep or so approach I have been using with no results over the past year. I am into about a month of going heavy and I am liking the results, I feel I am already gaining some mass, but I admit I am going to have a hard time waiting 5 minutes between sets. I work out on my own, so I'm not killing time chatting and the scenery is not that enticing (mostly septuagenarians, I am almost always the youngest in my gym at 54). I feel like there is too much waiting around time. What do people do with this all of this time between sets? Also, is there a wrist mounted or other convenient method to count out the intra-set period? Ideally, I would think something that would require a single pushbutton and vibrate at the end of a set period so as to not disturb others.

[Adam Skillin]

So far I am halfway through the Starting Strength book and am gradually working towards compliance as I move from the machine driven, light weight/15 rep or so approach I have been using with no results over the past year. I am into about a month of going heavy and I am liking the results, I feel I am already gaining some mass, but I admit I am going to have a hard time waiting 5 minutes between sets. I work out on my own, so I'm not killing time chatting and the scenery is not that enticing (mostly septuagenarians, I am almost always the youngest in my gym at 54). I feel like there is too much waiting around time. What do people do with this all of this time between sets? Also, is there a wrist mounted or other convenient method to count out the intra-set period? Ideally, I would think something that would require a single pushbutton and vibrate at the end of a set period so as to not disturb others.

Just get a watch with a stopwatch on it. If you don't need 5 minutes yet, don't take it yet, but in order to finish the program correctly, you're going to need to rest even longer than that between sets as the weight on the bar goes up. The good news is you'll spend the first 4 minutes just trying to catch your breath and the next 4-6 coping with mixed feelings of dread and elation.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

So far I am halfway through the Starting Strength book and am gradually working towards compliance as I move from the machine driven, light weight/15 rep or so approach I have been using with no results over the past year. I am into about a month of going heavy and I am liking the results, I feel I am already gaining some mass, but I admit I am going to have a hard time waiting 5 minutes between sets. I work out on my own, so I'm not killing time chatting and the scenery is not that enticing (mostly septuagenarians, I am almost always the youngest in my gym at 54). I feel like there is too much waiting around time. What do people do with this all of this time between sets? Also, is there a wrist mounted or other convenient method to count out the intra-set period? Ideally, I would think something that would require a single pushbutton and vibrate at the end of a set period so as to not disturb others.

A cheap TIMEX watch has an easy to use stop watch feature. I don't know any other wrist-mounted timing devices other than a watch??? Don't worry about how you "feel" about the rest time. Right now it's not about heart rate and cardiovascular fatigue. It's about regenerating energy substrates to be used for the next set. That takes 2-3 minutes minimum, 5 minutes later on, and way down the road you might be up to 8 minutes or so. I usually don't go beyond 8. Just chill out and relax.

[ExpertOrBust]

The Starting Strength App has a nice rest timer.

[Mark D]

If you're pressed (pun intended) for time, can you begin the warm-ups for the next lift during the rest? For instance start warming up presses between sets of squats? Or would that interfere with the rest between squats?

[poser]

Treat it like a sport. What do sprinters do between sprints? Who do NFL kickers do between kickoffs? What do race car drivers do while they are in the pit? What do downhill skiers do while they are riding the lift?

Keep your mental game focused, stay loose and do what you have to do to get ready for the next "performance." One mental aspect of athletic performance is that you don't always have control of when you perform and how much time there is between performance efforts. Instead of thinking of it as 5 sets with 5 minutes rest between, think of it as a single effort (i.e. "Game" or "performance") that is 30 minutes long with your concentration and focus between the sets being just as important as your focus and effort during the sets themselves. If it were a powerlifting meet, I doubt you'd be "bored" between your squat attempts.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

If you're pressed (pun intended) for time, can you begin the warm-ups for the next lift during the rest? For instance start warming up presses between sets of squats? Or would that interfere with the rest between squats?

I do that with my lifters all the time here at KSC. Usually between workset 2 and 3 we might start warming up the next exercise. Then, by the time you get done with work set 3 of say squat, you can move directly into workset 1 of Presses.

Here is an example:

Squat
45 x 10
95 x 5
135 x 3
165 x 1
185 x 5 (workset)
185 x 5 (workset)
Begin Press Warm Ups
45 x 10
75 x 5
95 x 3
Return to Squat - 185 x 5 (final workset)
Press Worksets
5 x 115
5 x 115
Begin Deadlift Warm Ups
5x135
3 x 185
1 x 225
Final Press Workset (115 x 5)
Final Deadlift Workset (5 x 250)


*Done

[Adam Skillin]

If you're pressed (pun intended) for time, can you begin the warm-ups for the next lift during the rest? For instance start warming up presses between sets of squats? Or would that interfere with the rest between squats?

Sure, he could definitely do that. But it sounds like the OP isn't pressed for time, just bored. And probably not inclined to occupy 2 pieces of equipment at once for purposes of good gym citizenship.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Here's a thought. Determine how long your sets take you on average. Then get an app on your phone for HIIT workouts. Set the work interval for your average time under the bar. Then set your rest interval for 5 minutes or whatever.

I had one when I ventured into HIIT intervals for a while and the whistle blowing to signal start and stop times is pretty attention getting.

[A Schenck]

I pace back and forth between sets. It's an old habit from running track where we were encouraged to not stop moving between intervals and certainly never to sit down. It gives me something to do and keeps me entertained... but I do sometimes feel like I'm getting in the way when the gym is busy so I have to confine my roaming to a smaller area.
However, a side effect of walking away is people sometimes think you are done and take over your rack. I've found that a smart phone with a stopwatch going in the floor of a rack lets people know you are coming back.