Zero Rest Technique

The "zero rest alternate" technique is surprisingly difficult and will probably give you the most amazing pump you have ever had and you will be very sore the next day, I personally love this technique. Chose two complimentary exercises that are within a few feet of each other, for example a mat for pushups near the pec deck machine or a dumbbell for rows at the lat pull-down machine. It should not take you more than 10 seconds to get between the first exercise and the second.

Do 6-10 reps of the first exercise, then immediately do 6-10 reps of the second exercise and keep this up for 15 minutes! Lower the weight if you have but don't stop, don't slow down and continue to use perfect form, do pushups from your knees if you have to. Take a 5 minute breather and then choose two other exercises and do them for 15 minutes. You will probably be dead by now even with this short 35 minute workout but if you still have energy choose another two and do another 15 minutes. This is a killer workout and will make you really sore the next day if you are accustomed to lifting heavy - give it a try! If you find you completely lose your pump, its time to stop the workout even if it has only been 30 minutes.

The best place to use this technique is at home as it can be a challenge in a crowded gym to do this, the best way is to use the same piece of equipment for both exercises - we don't want to be a equipment hog since we are tying up the equipment for 15 full minutes. For example, if you are doing chest then use a flat bench to do dumbbell presses followed by dumbbell flys. If you are doing back then carry a dumbbell over to the lat pull-down machine and do lat pull-downs followed by dumbbell rows using the lat pull-down seat. For shoulders, use the straight back bench and do dumbbell presses followed by side raises. You get the idea.

This workout seems deceptively easy, don't be fooled. Plan on whining the next few days about how incredibly sore you are.