How much should you rest between sets?
How many reps are enough?
These are questions I routinely get in my email inbox.
And here’s the simplest answer I can give you:
The higher the load or effort relative to your repetition maximum (RM) - regardless of what it is, the more you should / will need to rest between sets and the less reps you’ll be able to do per set.
“Yeah, but is EMOM good?”
“And how many sets should I get in a workout?”
Again, see the bold print above.
Said differently:The general rule of thumb is, the lighter the weight relative to your maximum, the more reps you’ll be able to do per training session, and the less you’ll need to rest between sets.
This is why I generally recommend two different training RMs for people:
4-5RM = Pure Strength
10RM (8-12RM is okay) = Strength & Muscle Mass
And in the first case, sets of 1 rep are going to be way easier for you than sets of 4 reps.
And in the second case, 5 reps in a set are way easier than sets done with 8 or 9 reps.
That’s not only because of effort relative to your maximum, but because of biology.
Lower reps = lower time under tension.
And typically, they are easier to recover from than higher reps.
That’s because they use less cellular energy. And typically, they’re less neurologically taxing.
Higher reps = greater time under tension.
And here, the converse is true.
They use more cellular energy, and depending on the load, the closer those reps are to your maximum effort (RM), the more neurologically taxing they are.
(For example sets of 9 with a 10RM.)
The mistake most guys make is they “chase” their effort (“That was INTENSE, Bruh!”) by using either too heavy a weight to begin with or reps too close to their RM.
You can get away with this when you’re young (18-25) or if you’re on steroids.
But if that’s not you, then this type of training check here will grind you to powder in the long run.
So what should you do instead?
Train off a 5RM (4-6RM) for pure strength.
Or train off a 10RM (8-12RM) for a combo of strength and muscle.
And then keep your reps in a zone where you move your kettlebell quickly, but at a constant speed from rep to rep. If it slows down or you have to stop mid-set to “catch your breath,” you’ve gone “too heavy.’
Doing keeps you seeing results from workout to workout, week to week, and month to month, without burning yourself out or getting injured - assuming you’re using the correct technique.
“But what if I want to build my endurance or work capacity?”
Same thing.
Just extend the duration of your training session and add sets accordingly.
Start there.
For example:
Sets of 5 with a 10RM for 20 minutes →
Sets of 5 with a 10RM for 25 minutes →
Sets of 5 with a 10RM for 30 minutes →
… Ends up being in many cases, over the course of time, 50% more work.
(60 reps in 20 minutes = average of 30 reps in 10 minutes. Add another 30 reps in another 10 minute block for 30 minutes total, and you’ve completed 90 reps or a 50% increase.)
Hopefully this all makes sense to you and clears some things up about rest, reps, and RMs.
But admittedly, some of this can be hard to program yourself - I get it.
One of the simplest programs that has all this info “done for you” is by using “just” the Clean + Press (single or double).
Stay Strong,
Geoff Neupert.