rest time and BB2

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hello for BB2, do you recommend 3 minutes rest or is 2 minutes just as good between exercises?

for single joint exercises like bicep curls and triceps? for more compounds like bench press and dumbbell press?

or should we go off of rep range (3 min for 5 reps), 2 minutes if doing 8-12 reps?

or is 3 minutes better because more rest so thus can take more weight? or 2 min because creates more fatigue? 2 min is more efficient

is overweight dumbbell extension or overhead cable extension more effective, or both are equally as good (if we dont have cables)?

and last, which exercises do you recommend using a weightlifting belt for (squats? deadlifts? etc), or not needed?

2

AC,

Thanks for the post.

I don’t think there’s likely to be a big difference between 2-3 minutes for rest periods. I’d be fine with rest periods for all exercises in this program being between 2-3 minutes. It is not reliably true that people can use more weight with 3 minute rest periods than 2-minutes based on available evidence. Even if it were, heavier weight doesn’t drive more hypertrophy.

I think French presses are great free weight alternatives to overhead triceps extensions.

Using a belt is up to you based on personal preference. I like them for the heaviest exercises, but again, it’s personal preference.

I can tell you’re very interested in making progress and your training in general. I think you’d really enjoy taking a look at the eBook that came with the Bodybuilding II program. Lots of questions answered there!

-Jordan

3

thank you for the reply. yes I am, very motivated and dedicated. my arms have been stuck at 16 in. would like to get to 17. my weight went from 190 to 195 lbs but arm size did not change.

we have discussed this before. you had said the arm volume in BB2 is fine, its more about gaining body weight, 10 lbs or so. so I am working on that now. keeping the arm volume as it is in BB2.

regarding counting calories, wondering if you have any recommendations, whatever I eat out of a box (oatmeal, almonds, etc) I can weigh out so I know how many calories I am eating. but when I eat lunch and dinner prepared by family, its hard for me to know how many calories it has. for instance if family made enchiladas, lasagna, lentil soup, etc., its hard for me to know the calories. I guess I have a rough idea so I use a rough estimate, and every week I am mostly eating the same stuff anyway, but any other advice on how to know how many calories something is, or rough estimate is ok? its too much to ask our family members to weigh everything out to know the exact calories.

I guess this is important because if I want to eat 200 cal surplus to gain weight, well if I mess up these rough estimates by 200 then I am stuck at the same weight.

any apps you recommend other than my fitness pal to roughly get calories per various foods? similarly if we eat at a restaurant not all places write the calories on there, so again kind of estimating.

I guess I can just try to eat same amount, give it a same number of calories, then just increase by 200 cal as needed from foods that I know the exact calories for.

just trying to do a better job tracking calories and wondering if you have any advice on how to get calories esp for foods where its not listed

4

Yes, I continue to think that weight management and making sure the isolation arm work sets are taken close to failure are the biggest things here. FWIW, I’d predict a ~ 0.25" gain in arm circumference from a 5-lb weight gain.

I would use your best estimate for tracking meals/foods you aren’t preparing. I am not familiar with an app that does this uniquely well, as they pretty much all rely on user inputs. I think using your average weight over 1-2 weeks to guide “should I increase my Calories or not” is a good strategy.

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