Resumen de Effect of Different Interset Rest Intervals on Performance of Single and Multijoint Exercises With Near-Maximal Loads
Gilmar Weber Senna, Jeffrey M. Willardson, Estevão Scudese, Roberto Simão, Cristiano Queiroz, Raoni Avelar, Estélio Henrique Martin Dantas
The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of different interset rest intervals on performance of single- and multijoint exercises with near-maximal loads. Fifteen trained men (26.40 ± 4.94 years, 79.00 ± 7.10 kg, 176.6 ± 6.06 cm, 11.80 ± 2.47% body fat, and bench press relative strength: 1.26 ± 0.19 kg·kg-1 of body mass) performed eight sessions (2 exercises × 4 interset rest intervals); each consisting of 5 sets with a 3RM load. The exercises tested were the machine chest fly (MCF) for the single-joint exercise and the barbell bench press (BP) for the multi-joint exercise with 1, 2, 3, and 5 minutes of rest between sets. The results indicated that for the MCF, significantly higher total number of repetitions were completed for the 2- (12.60 ± 2.35 reps; p = 0.027), 3- (13.66 ± 1.84 reps; p = 0.001), and 5-minute (12.93 ± 2.25 reps; p = 0.001) vs. the 1-minute (10.33 ± 2.60 reps) protocol. For the BP, a significantly higher total number of repetitions were completed for 3- (11.66 ± 2.79 reps; p = 0.002) and 5-minute (12.93 ± 2.25 reps; p = 0.001) vs. the 1-minute protocol (7.60 ± 3.52 reps). In addition, subjects completed significantly higher total number of repetitions for the 5-minute (12.93 ± 2.25 reps; p = 0.016) vs. 2-minute (9.53 ± 3.11 reps) protocol. Both exercises presented similar and progressive reductions in repetition performance for all rest protocols along the 5 sets, starting as soon as the second set for the shorter 1-minute rest protocol. In conclusion, to maintain the best consistency in repetition performance, rest intervals of 2 minutes between sets are sufficient for the MCF and 3�5 minutes for the BP. Thus, it appears that longer acute recovery time is needed for a multijoint (core) exercise such as the BP vs. a single-joint (assistance) exercise such as the MCF.
