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Time between reps and sets

Ed_Young Posts: 13 Joined: 2009/05/19	2011/02/24, 01:23 PM Repost of something long unanswered in the general forum: Is there an optimal time gap between a) reps and b) sets? Or does it vary by exercise? For example, I find that when I'm doing squats, simply because I'm using heavier weights than when exercising other muscles, it's just more difficult and my heart rate goes up. If I continue with the second rep without too much of a break I can do that and so on, but at the end I'm sweating like a pig. Am I building muscle here (which is what I want) or doing heavy cardio? Conversely, if I'm doing, say, flyes or presses, even though they are more difficult (lesser upper body strength) I don't sweat but I have to wait a little longer (and the more so as the exercise session lasts) before doing the next rep. And is there a time to pause between sets (not reps this time)? I do maybe five minutes of stretching. Good? Bad? Who cares?
travisdickey Posts: 21 Joined: 2004/10/21	2011/02/24, 03:06 PM Depends. Less time between sets will deplete glycogen, and burn calories, better. Longer time between will allow your nervous system and your muscles just long enough to give you their maximum effort. Leg workouts are going to be more effort intensive, thus making you sweat more, but you will still be building muscle. So the answer will be just like most answers, it depends on what you're trying to accomplish. For my power workouts I will take nearly 5min between sets. For my depletion workouts, 1min.
Ed_Young Posts: 13 Joined: 2009/05/19	2011/03/14, 01:45 PM Thanks!