Fitness News.

The Value of Rest

Pausing for the right amount of time between weight-training sets can lead to better results. In a study from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, subjects completed one set of chest presses until they were fatigued. After being assigned to a rest period of one, three, or five minutes, they performed another set, using the same weight and completing as many repetitions as possible. All subjects performed under all three rest conditions. Although every participant lifted fewer times in the second set, one-minute resters lifted only four to six repetitions, while the three-

and five-minute resters pumped out 8 to

12owhich is the optimal number for strength gains. If youire short on time, do an exercise for another muscle ?group while you wait,I advises lead study author Scott R. Richmond of the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

Sexily Active

Physically fit people tend to be viewed by others as sexyobut they may not feel the same about themselves. In a study from the Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality, subjects who described themselves as fit were more likely to call themselves attractive than less-active participants. Yet while all men who worked out six or seven ...