Go into any gym in the world and observe the people training (or lack thereof).

Most people do a set, get up, walk to the water fountain, engage in some meaningless conversation and whenever they feel like it then they do their next set.

If you are in the gym simply to make friends and chit chat then this may be an effective approach. However, if you are looking to optimize your body composition or achieve champion status then paying attention to your rest intervals will accelerate your fat loss, muscle gain and strength.

To quickly review the last newsletter about the KING T.U.T. Principle, a specific TUT produces specific result.

Stated in another way, the duration that a muscle is working during a set produces a specific result. This too applies to rest intervals.

Specific Rest Intervals Produce a Specific RESULT.

At the advanced level, I use a formula that combines the TUT with Rest intervals referred to as the WORK: REST Ratio.  Here I will simplify the formula and state some guidelines that will provide the framework for an effective training plan so that you can begin to apply it at once.

1. For Body Composition Improvement, Rest Intervals of 30 seconds to 120 seconds produce the greatest physical change.
2. Rest Intervals of 30-60 seconds coupled with a higher volume (total sets 20-32, rep ranges of 10-20) boost Growth Hormone levels. This is an effective protocol to speed fat loss.
3. Longer Rest intervals (60-120 seconds) with lower rep ranges (6-12) elevate Testosterone levels more so than GH. This type of plan is effective in adding lean muscle mass.

Try this 4 week plan:

• Week 1: Rest 60 seconds between sets (keep reps between 12 – 15, tempo 202)
• Week 2: Rest 45 seconds (Reps 12 – 15, tempo 211)
• Week 3: Rest 30 seconds (Reps 10 – 12, 401)
• Week 4: Rest 120 seconds (rep 6 – 8, 401)

During your training do not choose candy ass exercises like tricep kickbacks or knee extensions. While they may have there place at times, I find far too many people avoid the BIG BANG Exercises like Squats, Split Squats, DB Presses, Pull-ups, Rows, etc.

The basic movements are far more effective at eliciting physical change for two reasons:

1. They activate more muscle fibers
2. They initiate the release of hormones that signal the body to burn fat and build muscle (Testosterone, GH, IGF-1)

One last thing, I put my assistant on my most effective muscle-building plan. So I walk in my gym and see him training. I quickly notice that he is talking between sets and there is no stopwatch in sight. So I sternly ask him, “Johan, are you timing your rest?”
He says, “Yes “and get this. He claims that he can tell time by the music playing.

Yeah…my assistant thinks he is Dick Clark. Moral of the story…get a STOPWATCH. Do not Guess-timate. Do not use the sun to measure rest intervals and definitely do not use music. Use a Stopwatch.

The next Champion Training Principle is the MOST IMPORTANT of them all.

Stay Focused, Eat Clean and Get Lean!

BB3

P.S.- Here is a link that I found inspiring so much so that I hung a copy of it on my wall in my office. Check it out.