Why a Super Bowl Champion Uses Rest-Pause Training for Size

From anchoring the Broncos’ defensive line to sculpting an elite upper body, Derek Wolfe joined Brett Wilkin at the Armbrust Pro Gym amidst Wilkin’s prep for his Olympia debut on Oct. 9–12, 2025, in Las Vegas, NV. Wilkin guided Wolfe through a shoulder and back session, tapping into rest-pause reps for growth. 

“Wolfe trained for sports performance all those years, but now…has the opportunity to expand his knowledge, especially on bodybuilding-style training and hypertrophy,” said Wilkin. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkmkS01mkF8&t=0s&ab_channel=Brett%22TheButcher%22Wilkin

Rear Delt Flye & Lateral Raises 

Aiming for thicker shoulders, Wolfe controlled the weight to promote time under tension (TUT) to maximize hypertrophy. Research supports TUT and longer eccentrics as a means to increase mechanical stress, a muscle-building driver. (1)

Longer TUT forces fast-twitch fibers into action, highly responsive to hypertrophy. (2)

Lateral raises target the medial deltoid and, to a lesser degree, activate the posterior head, making them one of the more comprehensive shoulder exercises. (3) Wilkin advised more intensity for Wolfe via rest-pauses — holding the dumbbells at peak contraction for three seconds.

A study on rest-pause reps by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that while effective for hypertrophy, they offer similar strength gains compared to traditional multi-set training. Rest-pause reps had a greater endurance and muscle-building effect on the lower body. (4)

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Incline Chest Press Machine 

Incline presses are typically used for chest development, but can also be potent front delt builders. (5) The fixed bar path makes compensatory muscles less likely to take over, allowing the Super Bowl champ to concentrate on the mind-muscle connection to build more symmetrical shoulders. 

Lat Pulldown 

Wilkin refined Wolfe’s form by keeping the elbows forward and driving them down toward the ribs. The goal was two-fold: to prevent the biceps and rear delts from compensating, and to fully engage the lats during shoulder extension. 

Machine Rows 

“Keep your chest glued to the pad,” Wilkin told Wolfe, guiding him through the setup of chest-supported rows. 

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Muscle fibers under tension at longer lengths can lead to greater growth. (6) However, research indicates that progressive overload with sufficient mechanical tension remains the most reliable factor of overall hypertrophy. (7)

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References 

1. Gillies EM, Putman CT, Bell GJ. The effect of varying the time of concentric and eccentric muscle actions during resistance training on skeletal muscle adaptations in women. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2006 Jul;97(4):443-53. doi: 10.1007/s00421-006-0192-y. Epub 2006 May 10. PMID: 16685548. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16685548/
2. Tesch PA. Skeletal muscle adaptations consequent to long-term heavy resistance exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1988 Oct;20(5 Suppl):S132-4. doi: 10.1249/00005768-198810001-00008. PMID: 3057312. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3057312/
3. Campos YAC, Vianna JM, Guimarães MP, Oliveira JLD, Hernández-Mosqueira C, da Silva SF, Marchetti PH. Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained Individuals. J Hum Kinet. 2020 Oct 31;75:5-14. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2020-0033. PMID: 33312291; PMCID: PMC7706677. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33312291/
4. Prestes J, A Tibana R, de Araujo Sousa E, da Cunha Nascimento D, de Oliveira Rocha P, F Camarço N, Frade de Sousa NM, Willardson JM. Strength and Muscular Adaptations After 6 Weeks of Rest-Pause vs. Traditional Multiple-Sets Resistance Training in Trained Subjects. J Strength Cond Res. 2019 Jul;33 Suppl 1:S113-S121. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001923. PMID: 28617715. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28617715/
5. Lauver JD, Cayot TE, Scheuermann BW. Influence of bench angle on upper extremity muscular activation during bench press exercise. Eur J Sport Sci. 2016;16(3):309-16. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2015.1022605. Epub 2015 Mar 23. PMID: 25799093. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25799093/
6. Guex K, Degache F, Morisod C, Sailly M, Millet GP. Hamstring Architectural and Functional Adaptations Following Long vs. Short Muscle Length Eccentric Training. Front Physiol. 2016 Aug 3;7:340. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00340. PMID: 27536252; PMCID: PMC4971444. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4971444/
7. Schoenfeld BJ. The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Oct;24(10):2857-72. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3. PMID: 20847704. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20847704/

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