Hypertrophy experts Dr. Mike Israetel and Menno Henselmans discuss rest times, lifting tempo & pump work for optimal muscle growth. They cover optimal rest intervals, the impact of rest on performance, using pauses for hypertrophy, training with bands, and the importance of exercise technique and individualization. They also challenge misconceptions around perfect form, range of motion, and momentum in exercise. The hosts stress the need for evidence-based practice and focusing on overall principles in fitness.
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Quick takeaways
Rest periods play a crucial role in hypertrophy training, with short rest periods reducing overall training volume and potentially hindering muscle growth, while excessively long rest periods may caution overreaching.
Explosive concentric contractions have shown consistent benefits for strength development, indirectly supporting muscle growth, while controlling the eccentric phase of lifting movements is crucial for optimal hypertrophy, although the evidence for slow eccentrics is inconclusive.
Bands can be a useful tool in resistance training, especially for improving strength curve matching and adding variation, but caution is needed to use them intelligently with the right tension and avoid compromising exercise execution and hindering muscle development, making them a tool to enhance and diversify training but not a magic solution.
Deep dives
Importance of Rest Periods for Hypertrophy
Rest periods play a crucial role in hypertrophy training. Short rest periods have been traditionally recommended for muscle growth, but recent research challenges this notion. Studies indicate that rest intervals primarily impact training volume rather than having an independent effect on muscle growth. Short rest periods can reduce the number of repetitions and overall training volume, leading to less muscle growth. On the other hand, excessively long rest periods may hinder progress by cautioning overreaching. Therefore, it is important to find an optimal balance based on individual needs and training goals.
The Role of Lifting Tempo in Hypertrophy
The impact of lifting tempo on hypertrophy is not well established due to limited research. However, explosive concentric contractions have shown consistent benefits for strength development, which indirectly supports muscle growth. For the eccentric phase, controlling the movement and being able to stop at any point is crucial. Slow eccentrics have shown a potential trend towards increased muscle growth, but the evidence is inconclusive. Overall, prioritizing an explosive concentric and controlling the eccentric phase is recommended for most individuals.
Using Bands in Resistance Training
Bands can be a useful tool in resistance training, primarily for improving strength curve matching and adding variation. However, it's important to use bands intelligently and with the right tension. Bands can be beneficial for exercises like bench presses and squats, reducing injury risks and providing different resistance curves. However, caution is needed when using bands for pull-ups, as they can compromise the proper exercise execution and hinder muscle development. Bands should be seen as a tool to enhance and diversify training, but not as a magic solution.
Tempo and Control in Resistance Training
The importance of control and muscle connection in resistance training is emphasized. While tempo plays a role, the focus should be on maintaining control during the concentric and eccentric phases of the exercise. A slow concentric can be effective, especially for compound movements and fast-twitch muscle fibers. However, excessively slow eccentrics or holding positions for too long can be counterproductive and limit the number of reps. The podcast provides insights on the impact of tempo on hypertrophy and emphasizes the need for practical considerations and personal preferences when determining the optimal tempo.
The Benefits and Considerations of Pausing in Strength Training
Pausing in strength training can be beneficial, especially for advanced trainees and those using heavier weights. Pausing allows for muscle activation, resets technique, and helps manage injuries. It is particularly important for exercises like bench press, where high forces can lead to injuries. However, pausing excessively or in exercises that don't allow for proper setup can hamper performance and limit progress. The podcast discusses the contextual nature of pausing in different exercises and highlights the importance of individual differences and goals when determining the use of pauses in training.
The Rest, Tempo, Pump Work Roundtable:
Dr. Mike Israetel and Menno Henselmans get into a discussion about the general principles and understanding of rest times, lifting tempo & pump work for hypertrophy. Talking about things such as optimal rest times & lifting tempo and ways to go about pump work and how to properly apply these variables for optimal hypertrophic outcomes.
Timestamps:
00:42 Menno starts with talking about rest periods
05:30 Mike adds his opinion on the topic
14:22 Menno responds to Mike's take on rest periods
17:05 Mike talks about decreased performance independently of rest times
21:15 Mike further elaborates and talks about a limit of performance decrease for an exercise
23:08 Menno first adds something to Mike's stated approach & continuous with touching on the topic regarding tempo
28:13 Mike comments on the points being made by Menno
31:06 Mike shares his thoughts on variations and techniques such as pausing
33:58 Menno appends on pauses for hypertrophy
37:10 Mike expands on the topic and the potential downsides
39:47 Menno moves on to talking about training with bands
42:17 Mike gives his slightly different view on using bands
45:50 Mike responds to Steve's question about potential benefits and practical applications of using bands
47:36 Menno further goes into the topic of using bands
50:19 Additionally, Mike elaborates his views on bands
53:04 Mike continuous with a short summary and how people easily get caught up with minute details
55:04 Menno follows up with speaking about "overcueing"
57:15 Mike brings up the point about posture obsession
1:00:31 Mike shares his thoughts on the fallacy of "Perfect Posture"
1:04:12 Menno talks about perfect form and momentum
1:07:16 Menno goes back to talking about the illusion of "Perfect Posture"
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