So I’m sat here in Hungary watching Disney’s Robin Hood (the singing rooster is my favourite) and I wondered ‘Why do you never see articles and programs dedicated to rest periods?’
I’d argue the answer is because you can’t sell it! You can sell “6 weeks to shredded abs” or even “4 weeks to bulging muscles”. But I never see “8 weeks to fully rested – now only £25.95”.
How long should you rest to me is like asking how long is a piece of string? A complete novice may do a max deadlift and be fresh and ready after 60seconds to go again, however, an advanced lifter that has built up a powerfully strong nervous system and will need 6minutes plus, but a max lift of 120kg is going to affect the body a lot differently to 260kg!
Now here’s my rule, as the intensity goes up the volume must come down (and the rest periods times go up.)
To build endurance one must lift light (low intensity), for high reps (high volume) and with short rest periods. Such as long distance running, a marathon is run very slowly (compared to a sprint) but goes on for a long period of time, 3 hours if you’re good!
However, things such as sprinting, weightlifting and powerlifting are performed at a high intensity but for a very short period of time, these will need much longer rest periods. It’s not even uncommon for a powerlifter to not bother timing rest periods and just go again when they are ready. The movement quality is much more important than the reps!
So how long should you rest?
As coach Dan John says: “the only correct answer is it depends”
It depends on intensity, volume, and experience.
You don’t build power with 30 seconds rest, and you don’t get better at endurance with 5-minute rest periods.
So, if you’re weak and want to be strong, (and sorry for this but in my eyes if you can’t squat your body weight for 15 reps or do a double bodyweight deadlift you’re not strong) try resting longer, 4-5 minutes rest, while lifting heavy weights, that will make you strong (funny that.) I see a very common mistake with guys looking to get stronger, they don’t rest long enough!
Try even taking a full six weeks off every now and again! I do mean OFF! No recovery sessions, no Zumba classes, no swimming, you’ll feel as if you can take on the world after!
Hopefully, I’ve shed a little light on the whole thing, it’s probably not something you’ve pondered until now, but this whole culture of “if you have time to check your phone you’re not training hard enough” has made young men weak.
And I’m not bragging but these are the rules I stick to for strength and I could quite comfortably squat 205kg for 2 reps (actual squats ass to grass and everything) and deadlift 260kg for one, now for a guy that’s been in endurance sports his whole life that ain’t half bad I don’t think.
