In a method magnetic resonance apparatus, a pulse sequence is optimized in order to identify a time interval of the pulse sequence during which gradient pulses are modifiable, and subdividing that time interval into two time subintervals wherein, during one of these two time subintervals, no gradient pulse is activated. Such an optimized pulse sequence can be repeated in a number of repetitions, during which magnetic resonance data are acquired, with a contiguous gradient being activated between repetitions, that performs the role of a conventional spoiler occurring directly before an RF excitation the contiguous gradient occurs during a duration that is shorter than a time directly following acquisition of data in one repetition and before excitation in the next repetition.