MD Training Camp: Victor Martinez #2

How Much Rest Between Sets?

How Much Rest Between Sets?
What’s your take on rest between sets? How long do you think one should rest between sets of heavy compound movements in order to be able to move some heavy weight and put on quality size, but at the same time be able to induce a pump and also train the body to stay in decent shape? I know there’s a balance between resting too long and losing the pump and killing your ability to improve your conditioning, and not resting long enough and thereby killing your strength. Also, how long would you recommend resting between light isolation movements? Everyone seems to have his own take, so I was hoping to get yours.
If I’m training with a partner, I go as soon as he’s done with his set. If I’m training alone, I go as soon as I catch my wind. Obviously, it takes longer for your breathing to return to normal doing lighter isolation movements like curls, as opposed to something like squats or deadlifts. When I did powerlifting, I went after having a small conversation, since it was about the lift and not the muscle stimulation. Basically, don’t linger too long so you wind up chitchatting. That’s when you lose your pump and you walk out of the gym staring at the clock and wondering what the hell took you so long.

Carbs and Protein: See What Works Best for You

How many grams of carbs and protein were you usually taking in a day when you were trying to build mass?

Bro, I’m sorry to tell you I have no idea. I can tell you this, though. I would average a pound of meat— yes, a whole pound— of steak or chicken at every meal and I usually ate five times a day. Protein was the priority for me because I felt that was what would help me recover and grow from my workouts better than anything else. By the time I would finish that pound of meat, I was already pretty full and I would eat whatever carbs I could manage. It wouldn’t end up being much, maybe close to a cup of rice or a medium-size sweet potato. To this day, I still am not a fan of carbs and don’t really crave them. That’s why I can go for days and days on very low carbs, and I’m fine. Take my meat away, and we got a problem!

A lot of guys find that they need at least as much carbs as protein, sometimes even double the amount per meal, to make their best gains. I probably ate two-thirds protein and one-third carbs. But don’t go copy that ratio because it worked for me. You have to go for a couple of months on different ratios of protein, carbs and fats to see how your body responds. There are a lot of bodybuilders who thrive on high carbs and can’t gain much without them. Others are like me, and seem to do better with ridiculous amounts of protein. I can remember people telling me I was eating too much protein and not enough carbs, but in the meantime I was growing and growing. So the way I was eating was “wrong” to them, just like it might be “wrong” for you. Then again, it’s possible that my way could be what works best for you. Keep trying different things, keep track of how each one is working, and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing or what they say you should be doing.

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