Hi there,
It's always a little tricky to describe dough and rising with just words. I know when I speak with bakers on the phone, my hands are always moving as well, even though no one sees but me.  Another way to think about the rise is that you want the dough to look full, round and buxom but not quite as full and round as a baked loaf. When it's "nearly perfect" but not quite, that's about 75-80%. Hope that helps!

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