Rest-Pause Push-ups When Traveling?

Hi CT,

I am loving the recent content you have been releasing on Tnation and Thibarmy. I realized that I respond far better to lower volume-high intensity training. My training mostly consists of submaximal compound lifts at a somewhat high frequency followed by assistance work done with intensity techniques such as drop sets and rest pause.

I will be traveling for some time and will not have access to a proper gym with barbells and heavy dumbells for most of the week. I should be able to make it to a proper gym twice a week but I will have a gym with light dumbells available to me in my hotel. I was thinking of doing heavy legs and back when going to the proper gym, and then doing pressing muscles and bicep/rear delt work the other days. For these days in the hotel gym, what do you think of rest pause pushups? I was thinking of this based on the study suggesting that 30% 1RM and 80%1RM resulted in the same muscle growth as long as you hit failure. I should fail between 50 and 60 pushups (I would use tempo contrast+pauses or something of that nature to make it more difficult) I realize that this won’t be optimal but would this provide a viable growth stimulus for a short period of time?

Thanks!

Well I would use a technique that has you fail at 20 reps at the most. So slower tempos, isometric holds, doing an iso hold for 30 sec then doing reps, etc.

Ok so I get the idea that to make this work I would need to combine most of those techniques otherwise it won’t be challenging enough. I will give it a shot!

Thank you so much!

Buy bands… you can do band resisted push-ups, band resisted curls, triceps extensions, etc.

I have been doing this technique with pushups and they have been awesome! It is crazy how I could normally do about 60 pushups but I could barely get my 20th rep when using iso holds and controlled eccentrics. Also as a lifter with a history of shoulder issues I often have issues properly stimulating my chest. I feel as though this has taught me quite a lot about training/how to maximize a set for hypertrophy.

Thanks CT!

if you have acess to back pack can load up hotel dbs. or if they have 45 plate put on your back. combined with bands and these iso methods (also try deadstart, fom the bottom pushups - really gets the pecs) you can actually build some significant mass.

pushups are amazing