rest more between sets to get more reps, or less rest and less reps

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Jul 10, 2007
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What is the goal? To reduce workout time?

If so, I usually alternate push/pull exercises. I'll bench then do bentover rows. Something like that.

I usually mix in calf raises when doing squats.

It tends to save time.

I basically do bench. Ten immediately do bent over rows. Then wait no more than 5 minutes since I started bench to repeat it.

Running helped me alot. But weights alone work to. You can build up endurance over time just like you can with running. If you are doing bench, military and squats for example. And your body is fatigued at the end of squats. Keep doing it till you can do it without muscle wobble/fatigue. Then add another exercise like arm curls. Do that till you overcome the same wobble/fatigue issue.

it's not actually muscular fatigue that's holding me back.
it's my heart and lungs that are taking minutes to recover. yeah I know, my cardio sucks.
 
Mar 22, 2002
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it's not actually muscular fatigue that's holding me back.
it's my heart and lungs that are taking minutes to recover. yeah I know, my cardio sucks.

Technically, the reason you feel it so much in your lungs is because your muscles aren't efficient at what they do. In human physiology, healthy lungs are not the limited factor with activity (except in the most elite of athletes). If your muscles aren't trained well, they don't utilize oxidative pathways well. Instead, they use less efficient glycolytic (aerobic and anaerobic) pathways, which produce more CO2. Because of that, your lungs must let off more CO2 and buffer the acidity. That's why it feels like your lungs are the limiting factor, but in reality they just feel like crap because your muscles aren't as efficient as they could be. Need to work on endurance of those muscle groups that affect you the most if this is a problem you want to fix.
 

Zivic

Diamond Member
Nov 25, 2002
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If your normal sessions only last 60 minutes, you're doing something wrong!

I would have to slow things down to get to 60 minutes.

the weights I lift, the number of lifts/sets, I can be done in as little as 30 minutes. Going longer doesn't mean you get a better workout. It more likely means you are doing less meaningful lifts to fill up the time.