Rest-pause

Rest-pause training takes a set to or near failure, rests for a very short period — commonly ten to twenty seconds — then continues with the same load for a few more reps, often repeating the cycle two or three times.

It matters because those brief pauses restore just enough of the immediate energy system to allow more hard reps at a load you could otherwise no longer move. Like drop sets, it is a way to reach a given amount of near-failure work in less time; matched-volume comparisons do not show it to be inherently better for growth.

In practice it suits machines, dumbbells and single-joint work where re-starting a set is safe. Using it on heavy barbell squats or deadlifts, where technique degrades under deep fatigue, is a poor trade.