Garage Gym Chronicles: 01/19/2025 Training Log. Legs

Garage Gym Chronicles: 01/19/2025 Training Log. Legs

Warm up: side plank-2x20 seconds each side

Ex 1: Bulgarian split squats-9/9, 8/8

Ex 2: single leg RDL-12/12, 10/10

Ex 3: reverse lunges-2x10/10

Ex 4: hamstring curls-15,13

Ex 5: offset calf raise-20/20, 12/12

Total Time = 45 minutes 

I moved through today's session a little slower than usual. That's okay – my energy levels were lower so I needed more time between sets in order to give each set a strong effort. 

There's a lesson in this that I'd like to talk about.

I usually rest around 2-3 minutes between sets. On unilateral and isolation exercises it's typically closer to 2 minutes between each leg. 

For example, Bulgarian split squats would be right leg for 1 set. Then I rest – or I wimper, collapse, and rock back and forth in the fetal position in a corner for 2-ish minutes before getting myself back together, finding my courage, and doing the 1st set on my left leg. Repeat.

Just about all of my compound exercises on my current leg days are unilateral or semi-unilateral (offset loaded bilateral squats, swings, and calf raises make an appearance), so I'm usually resting around 2 minutes between sides of each set.

However, I'm not super strict about how long I rest. I like to live by the rule : "rest as long as necessary but as little as possible."

This means my rest times are sometimes different depending on:

1. How much time I have to train

2. How much energy I have on a given day (more energy = I recover more quickly between sets. Less energy = I need more time to recover between sets)

3. What exercise I'm doing

4. How close I'm going to failure

I rarely go ALL the way to failure – especially on leg days. It's just not necessary and I get the same benefits from staying 1-3 reps away from failure without the added systematic fatigue which would, potentially, limit my training frequency or interfere with my following session performances. It doesn't sound as hardcore as training to failure, but most people claiming they train to failure don't anyway.

But I'm pretty good about keeping a consistent 1-3 reps in reserve on most of my exercises.

Today, I was not limited by time. But I didn't have as much energy as I usually do (I don't usually lift on Sundays). I kept my intensity the same and even increased my total reps by 1 or 2 across the 2 sets in multiple exercises. So my performance was good enough to progressively overload and improve upon my previous performances. It just required a little more time between sets. Obviously, this turned out to be a net positive for me.

Basically, don't stress too much about rest periods. Focus on progression, rest as much as needed, but don't waste time. If your mind is wandering to what's happening on social media during your rest periods, you're probably resting too long or not working hard enough in your sets.

If you're someone that NEEDS a specific answer or guideline, then assume the rule of resting 2-3 minutes between each set.