In the sport of powerlifting, there are two factors that you can adjust in your workout when completing a particular movement. First, you can vary the weight that you use for the sets. This will allow you to vary your repetition range and bump up or down the intensity of each set. The other method is a bit more creative, and will require some detailed record keeping. It is called the ‘shaving method’ and can gradually lead to the best powerlifting performance of your life, when used correctly. Improperly used, you can derail your training rather quickly. Let’s examine the technique known as “Powerlifting Shaving” or “Time Set Shaving”, and you can decide if they are right for you!

Week one has arrived for your bench day. You will be completing five sets of the bench press. Sound easy enough? Complete your first set, and then immediately hit the button on your stopwatch at the conclusion of your first set. Wait 90 seconds. Then, quickly lie down and complete your next set. You will wait exactly 90 seconds between each set. Use this method for your entire benching routine.

When week two arrives, you will repeat this procedure. This time, however, you will do things a little differently. Instead of waiting 90 seconds between workouts, you will only wait 86 seconds. That’s right – you will shave four seconds off of your rest time. After a timed 86 seconds, you will complete the next set. Follow the 86-second rule for the remainder of your workout.

Week three is here and, as you can guess, we’ll be shaving another four seconds off your time. This will mean you’ll be training with exactly 82 seconds between sets. When week four arrives, cut back even more. Shaving four more seconds off will result in a routine where you only wait 76 seconds between work sets. The weight and reps you use on each exercise will remain the same. The only thing that will change is the time you wait between repetitions, carefully measured using a stopwatch.

Using this timeline, it will take a full 20 weeks to get your routine down to the point where an absolute minimum of “zero” time is needed between your bench press sets. Obviously, it would be impossible to ever reach this point, but working to attain it is where you find the success! As you get closer and closer to 20, then 12, then 8 seconds of rest between your sets, it will become tougher and tougher. However, if you keep striving for near-zero rest time, the shaving method can leave you getting more powerlifting done in less time, every time.

Be sure to use a stopwatch to ensure the time break between sets is accurate. Trying to mentally keep track of the time, count aloud, or just watching the clock may result in you losing your place. This sort of training will not be all that beneficial for partner training as the times between sets gets shorter and shorter, but having someone to spot the weight is a very good idea.

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