5 min read

TRY AS YOU might, you can’t pump out reps forever when you’re working toward building bigger muscles. Eventually, you‘ll be too fatigued to complete another rep with good form, a point referred to as “ technical failure .” Pushing beyond your last good rep can lead to sloppy lifting mechanics, which can compromise your results or, worse increase your risk of injury. If you find yourself stuck lifting the same weight for the same reps, it may be time to get creative with how you push past that iron hurdle.

One way to head off the siren song of ego lifting is by implementing a planned rest-pause set. It’s an intense lifting technique that requires focus and intention, and as effective as it can be, it shouldn’t be done for every set or even every exercise.

By briefly resting after reaching failure, you can squeeze out a few more quality reps using the same weight.…