Ep. #1178: Brad Schoenfeld on Optimal Rest Times for Muscle Gain

Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

How long should you rest between sets to maximize muscle growth? And how does this vary based on exercise type, training intensity, and fitness level?

In this episode, I welcome back Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, an internationally renowned fitness expert, author, educator, lecturer, and researcher, who’s published over 300 peer-reviewed research articles on exercise science and sports nutrition.

We discuss the importance of rest intervals for muscle and strength gain, with Brad offering practical, evidence-based tips for lifters of all levels.

In this interview, you’ll learn . . .

The ideal rest period length for muscle growth and performance

Differences in rest requirements for trained vs. untrained individuals

The impact of training to failure on rest needs

How to auto-regulate rest periods for effective workouts

The advantages of short rest periods

And more . . .

So, if you'd like to optimize your gains and understand how rest impacts your training, click play and join the conversation.

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(05:13) New Meta Analysis on Hypertrophy

(10:20) Untrained vs. Trained Insights

(11:30) Training to Failure Effects

(12:06) Reps & Hypertrophy Importance

(13:57) Individual Training Prescriptions

(17:05) Indicators for Next Set Readiness

(18:43) Pairing Sets Strategy

(21:38) Programming Supersets

(23:30) Best Exercises for Supersets

(30:34) Thoughts on Pre-Exhaustion

(36:53) How to Try Pre-Exhaustion

(45:09) Short Rest & Hypertrophy

(50:52) Shortening Rest in Training Blocks

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Mentioned on the Show:

Brad Schoenfeld Instagram

Brad Schoenfeld X

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