Weight Training Question - Lunges

[Alcyon]

Hi all,

Here's my question:

I have been incorporating single leg lunges into my workout.  I use 12.5 lbs weights and a bench.  I perform 3 sets of 10 reps/leg.  What I need to know is this - how long do I wait between sets and how long do I wait, if at all, between alternating legs.  Currently, I have been performing 10 reps on one leg, waiting 30 seconds, and then doing another 10 reps on the opposite leg.  This often gets my heart pumping quite a bit, so I'll walk a lap, and then after 1-2 minutes, perform the second set, and so on.  I am doing this correctly? Should I instead work one leg and then the other immediately after?  With lunges, I find myself to fatigued to do this after the first set...  

Any input would be appreciated! 

Thanks!

[Heybales · Accepted solution]

For the weight to overload the muscle because of weight, and not fatigue - you must wait long enough to be recovered.

Obviously not 10 minutes, that's one extreme.

The other obvious extreme would be bouncing back and forth between one leg and another with no rest.

Obviously at that point a certain weight will feel heavy, but not because it's actually heavy to the muscle, but rather the muscle is just tired.

Same as if you held your breath the entire rest time.

Sounds like you have observed this first hand already.

Good job. Now watch how many topics start with person doing some intense cardio during rest time - wondering why their weight doesn't go up hardly ever.

You'll likely find the time between legs can go down as you get more fit, while the time between sets with same leg (counting the time the other leg was used only), will remain or go up - if you intended to increase weight.

And hopefully you do want to increase weight.

With leg muscles and heavier weight they can do, 2-4 min rest before using it again isn't out of range.

So part of that would be 30 sec before other leg, then time to do lunges with other leg, then whatever time is left before coming back to first leg.

Walking around for that remaining perhaps 2 min is just fine, blood flow is good.