Some athletes do not pay enough attention to the pause between repetitions. This is mistake. Learn how to gain massive muscle mass using the new training method. The pause between repetitions is also called the repetition rate. You've probably experimented with the length of the pauses. Today we will find out what should be the pause between repetitions in bodybuilding.
Variations in the pace of reps
First, let's see what options we have for performing repetitions at all. And after that we will consider how the length of the pause affects each element of the training. We can use the following types of repetition rates:
- Super slow - pause duration is up to 20 seconds.
- Slow - a pause of just over one second.
- Medium - the pause duration is one second.
- Fast - there is no pause, and the muscles are in constant tension.
Now is the time to figure out how the duration of the pauses between repetitions affects the training.
Influence of pause duration on training elements
Energy consumption rate
This element is the most important of all, which is influenced by the length of the pause. The higher the rate, the more ATP is spent on work and the slower the rate of replenishment of the substance. If the pauses between repetitions are long, then the energy reserve will increase.
At the same time, you should remember about such a term as “specificity of sport”. Simply put, this is what we need to develop in the first place. For example, in powerlifting, the most important indicators are speed and strength. At the same time, there are also secondary tasks, for example, energy supply. If your task is to gain mass, then you need to spend the maximum amount of energy reserves.
If we consider the rate of energy consumption from the point of view of activating muscle growth processes, then it is necessary to use up the energy reserve until the glycolysis process restores the energy balance. Thus, you should do it in less than thirty seconds. This is due to the fact that with such a rapid expenditure of energy, the muscles will receive enough microdamage to start the recovery processes, resulting in supercompensation.
For this reason, it is necessary to use small weights and a lot of repetitions. These two factors will significantly increase the amount of work, which will lead to a rapid waste of energy.
To completely empty the body's energy stores, you need to lose weight again after the last set and perform a new approach. Thus, to gain mass, you must maintain the maximum rate of repetitions, and to increase physical performance, the minimum.
Force
For the development of strength parameters, athletes use from 1 to 3 repetitions, but the most effective is still one-repetition training. This improves the functioning of the ligamentous-articular apparatus, the Golgi tendon complex, and also strengthens the neuro-muscular connections.
Weight gain
In this case, you need to use 7-20 repetitions in each set. In this case, there should be no pauses between repetitions, and between sets they should be minimal. This allows the development of fibers of all types. Since you are doing a lot of work, the body is forced to increase its glycogen stores and learn to quickly release it when needed. Also, the sarcoplasmic mechanisms of energy exchange will improve, which will lead to the growth of muscle tissue cells. That being said, you should complete each set in less than 0.5 minutes.
You must remember that gaining mass is, in fact, a side effect of increasing strength. You will be able to achieve maximum tissue growth only in the case of the development of hypertrophy of myofibrils, as well as sarcoplasm. The latter type of hypertrophy is possible with an increase in the glycogen depot. This, in fact, is the difference between training a powerlifter and a bodybuilder. The former should develop speed and strength, and the latter should increase the energy reserves and the size of myofibrils.
Blood flow
Another important indicator of the effectiveness of training is the blood circulation in the muscle tissues. If the muscles are relaxed, then the circulation is high enough. When you start to do the work, the muscles contract, thereby restricting blood flow. The higher the repetition rate you maintain, the more pumping effect you can achieve, but blood flow will slow down.
The impairment of blood flow is important enough for training, as it allows the development of slow-type fibers at the same time. This is due to the fact that oxygen begins to enter the muscles in small quantities and slow fibers begin to use anaerobic type of glycolysis. As a result, the tissues become highly acidic due to the high concentration of lactic acid in them, which leads to hypertrophy of slow fibers and a rapid depletion of energy reserves.
In addition to this, by reducing blood flow to the tissues, you improve the capillary network. This improves the quality of tissue nutrition and has a positive effect on increasing muscle volume.
Burning muscles
This parameter directly depends on the previous one. The less weight you use in the set, the more reps you can do and fill the muscle tissue with more blood. As a result, a burning sensation occurs in the muscles, which is caused by lactic acid.
This substance is a metabolite of the anaerobic type of glycolysis reaction. Over time, lactic acid breaks down into hydrogen ions and lactate. Hydrogen ions, in turn, trigger the mechanism for the synthesis of protein compounds.
By doing a lot of repetitions at a fast pace, you will be able to achieve maximum synthesis of lactic acid. This will lead in the future to the appearance of hydrogen ions in tissues, which activate the processes of synthesis of protein compounds necessary for the creation of new fibers.
Now I would like to give advice to novice athletes. You'd better start working at a slow pace. This will maximize the use of fiber and provide an excellent foundation for future progress.
How does the pause between repetitions in bodybuilding affect muscle growth? Learn from this video:
