Tortoise or Hare?

The arm exercise videos I’ve been doing seem based not only on pure repetitions and time spent, but also doing many different exercises in close succession, therefore tiring one’s arms out from holding them up for so long. They do have mercy – only usually 60 seconds at a time and then a brief rest (5-9 seconds). I’m getting sore and winded though, so I’m given to woder if it’s ok to take somewhat longer breaks inbetween? Or is it better to keep going as full-blast as I can, and give up when I’m exhausted, rejoin as soon as I can? If I take longer breaks (15-30 seconds?), am I’m still working enough? Or is that cheating too much? Is it better to do 10 min following the video precisely as fast/long, even though I semi-collapse a few seconds her and there? Or can I make a list of the exercises and do at my own pace w/breaks for maybe 15-20 minutes instead? If I do increase my rest time, what will motivate me to go back to shorter ones? Or get me ready to? I have not, and would not, try wimpy weights unless I slowed down to my own pace. So that is not an issue yet. But which is better, speed and exhaustion from close succession of exercises? Or engaging more muscle from using light weights but going slower?

Being winded, tired, sweaty, I can handle. It's being so rediculously sore that's annoying. I ease up on my effort for a couple days, feel fine, try to do a bit more, and then regret it. Do you know how exhausting it is dreaming about being uncomfortably sore and achey all over? You wake up feeling like you've been acutely aware of your suffering that much longer.