October/November 2020 - 24

Total Athlete Development
Rest, Assured
The Value of Quality Rest for Athletic Development
By P.J. Gardner, MS, LAT, ATC, CSCS, PES
Contributing Writer
T
..oday with the emphasis ..on safely developing and
..increasing strength and conditioning in athletes at
all levels, less thought is put into rest periods. How
long should rest periods be between sets, training sessions,
and seasons? For the most part, it is really not monitored
in the majority of weight rooms - understanding that it is
probably closely monitored in some. There is a need for
more research on rest and how it affects the volume of
training. Rest periods are not a demanding topic in the field
of strength and conditioning.
In Designing Resistance Training Programs, Fleck and
Kreamer indicated that depending on the goals or phase
of the program, rest periods are vital to the efficacy of any
sport-training program. This article will define the most
effective rest periods between sets, training sessions,
seasons and explain the role of " active rest " in a yearround
program.
*On a separate note: Although sleep is obviously
considered rest and very important to the overall health and
well-being of athletes, it is not the focus of this article. For
most adolescents, seven to eight hours of sleep every night
is thought to be the most adequate amount.
In working with high school athletes for the past several
years, it is this author's opinion that they average closer to
5.5 to 6.5 hours of sleep a night. Take this into consideration
when working with younger athletes. Now let's look at the
various lengths of rest periods in training programs.
INTERSET REST
The human body requires rest for physical and mental
recovery. In specific training sessions, interest rest period
times are designed to allow enough recovery between sets
to complete a certain number of repetitions (reps) and sets
with a certain amount of weight or percent of repetition
maximum (RM). For clarity, understand that volume is
defined as reps x sets x resistance, and intensity is %RM
or load used (1,2,3).
MUSCULAR ENDURANCE REST INTERVAL
In a muscular endurance program where light weights
are used for many repetitions rest periods should be 30
seconds or less. This type of program is circuit training
where athletes move from one exercise to another with
short rest periods (1). Generally speaking, this type
of program is not usually part of a periodized year22
| Training & Conditioning | October/November 2020
round program for most sports - although it may be
appropriate for sports with less demand for strength and
power like tennis, cross country, and golf. In the general
population, it is used for basic fitness with an emphasis
on cardiovascular development.
HYPERTROPHY PHASE REST INTERVAL
In the Periodization model used by many strength
coaches, rest periods are specific to the phases of
training. In the hypertrophy phase (high volume and low
intensity), which usually consists of reps in the 12-15
range and 3-4 sets, 30 to 90-second rest periods are
recommended (1). Any program using high volume and
low intensity can utilize 30 to 90-second rest periods
putting more emphasis on cardiovascular conditioning
and developing a base level of strength. This phase is
usually started at the beginning of the off-season. The
idea is to get in more sets and reps in a given amount of
time to achieve the desired training effect. Longer rest
periods would allow for more recovery thus decreasing
the cardiovascular benefit.
STRENGTH PHASE REST INTERVAL
In staying with the Periodization model, a strength
phase would come next consisting of reps in the 8-10
range with a greater %RM. With the increase in intensity,
a longer rest period in the range of two to five minutes is
needed for adequate recovery between sets. This phase
may start in the latter half of an off-season. Again, any
program using moderate intensity and volume will need
two to five minutes for interset rest periods. The concept
with these specific rest periods is to rest the suggested
time for recovery but, no longer. Less fit athletes may need
additional time for recovery in any phase which can be
monitored and gradually reduced back to the suggested
time as their level of fitness improves.
POWER PHASE REST INTERVAL
A power phase in the periodization model usually starts
around pre-season consisting of an RM of 3-5 reps and 2-3
sets. In this phase, rest periods are three to five minutes
(1). A power phase may be two to three weeks in duration.
Know that strength coaches usually lay out the duration of
each phase of training according to the sport, its demands,
and the time of year.
October/November 2020

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