The time, or rest between sets, (a series of exercises done consecutively i.e. he did 4 sets of 10 reps on the bench press) is an important factor in your ability to complete a workout.

Very often the question raised on the gym floor is, how long should I wait after completing a set to start another set?

The answer is: It depends on your goals.

[Do you frequently spend your rest periods looking at yourself in the mirror or at the hottie on the treadmill? Stop! Focus on the time between your sets and you'll get more done (fat loss and muscle building) in less time!]

More Rest For More Strength

For example, when I’m training with Vince DelMonte’s No Nonsense Muscle Building program, I’m looking to increase my strength and build muscle so the rest period is a bit longer – up to three minutes for exercises like squats and heavy dumbbell work.

Less Rest for Fast Fat Loss?

But if I’m training for fat loss and trying to burn the most amount of body fat and gain lean muscle with Tom Venuto’s Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle program, then resting for very short periods of time (30 seconds on average) is required.

The Iron Guru – Vince Gironda

I remember in my early bodybuilding days reading about Vince Gironda, “The Iron Guru” in Iron Man Magazine. Now as many of you know, I’m not an advocate of classic bodybuilding where you try and get unnaturally huge and wear spandex t-shirts the rest of your life.

But this Vince character had some unorthodox training views on building muscle which attracted my attention and made me question the norm when it comes to building and gaining muscle.

One such view he subscribed to was leaving your hands on the bar between sets and resting for only 15-20 seconds between sets. Can you say burn?

[Here's Vince berating this woman during bicep curls. The unintentional comedy is off the charts but once you stop laughing and actually listen to his instructions I can't help but think back to the lazy personal trainer I saw last week at the gym who did nothing to correct one guy's form on deadlifts. Give me Mr. Gironda everytime!]

Better Results in Less Time!

This is similar to the strategy Tom Venuto uses in his programs – very short rest intervals and very intense training. Smart, short, efficient. The way I like it!

If your new to this strategy, Venuto suggests a good place to start is simply reducing your rest intervals by 10 seconds.

“No matter what workout you’re using, decrease your rest by 10 seconds between sets.”

You may not be as strong on the last few sets (if you are training traditionally with the same number of sets and reps), but Venuto teaches you to reduce weight (your EGO will be just fine, relax) to maintain the prescribed number of sets and reps.

Over time you will work your way back up to the same amount of sets and reps but done in far less time.

This means more work output, which means more muscle (and of course your nutrition is always important).

For the majority of us with busy lives, this is the best way to train: Limited rest, intense sets, and short workouts.

For more information about what exercises work best when reducing your rest periods and shortening your workout, check out our Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle review by Tom Venuto. It’s an invaluable resource for any person looking to reach his or her fitness goals.