When it comes to weight training, rest periods between sets are an important component of your workout routine. The length of rest between sets can impact muscle recovery, strength gains, hypertrophy and endurance. Finding the optimal rest period allows you to get the most out of each set and your workout as a whole. In this article, we will look at the research on rest periods and provide recommendations on the best rest times for different goals.
What Happens During Rest Periods?
When you lift weights, you are breaking down muscle tissue on a microscopic level. This causes metabolic stress and muscle damage. It is during the rest periods between sets that your body recovers and adapts. Here is a quick overview of what is happening during rest periods:
- ATP (adenosine triphosphate) levels are restored – This is the primary energy source for muscular contractions.
- Phosphocreatine levels replenish – This is another rapid energy source used for short, intense bursts of exercise.
- Removal of metabolic waste products – Lactate, hydrogen ions and inorganic phosphate accumulate during sets and are cleared during rest.
- Muscle temperature decreases slightly – But remains elevated compared to pre-exercise levels when rest periods are 3 minutes or less.
- Muscle oxygenation is restored – Replenishes oxygen stores that are depleted during the set.
- Anabolic hormones like testosterone and growth hormone remain elevated – These help build and repair muscle tissue.
The longer you rest, the more complete this recovery process is. However, rest periods that are too long can cause changes that are detrimental to muscle growth and strength gains. This is why the ideal rest time is a balance – long enough to recover but not so long that your body cools down too much.
How Rest Period Length Impacts Your Training
The length of your rest periods impacts your workout performance, muscle recovery and adaptations. Here is an overview:
Strength Gains
Longer rest periods of 3-5 minutes have been shown to result in greater strength gains compared to shorter rest times. This is because a longer recovery enables you to lift heavier loads in each set. Strength depends on how much weight you are able to lift, so more complete ATP and phosphocreatine restoration between sets allows for better performance.
Muscle Growth
Research shows that moderate rest periods of 60-90 seconds between sets produces greater muscle hypertrophy compared to short or long rest periods. Short rests increase metabolic stress and muscle swelling, which are growth factors. Moderate rests still allow for enough recovery to maintain higher total training volume compared to short rests.
Muscular Endurance
Short rest intervals of 30-60 seconds maximizes muscular endurance gains. This minimizes recovery so your body adapts to performing with fatigued muscles. It increases lactic acid tolerance and capillary density in the muscles.
Power Output
For training power and explosive strength, longer rest periods allow you to maintain higher power output from set to set. This is because power requires energy from both the ATP-PC and glycolytic energy systems, both of which need more time to recover.
Cardiovascular Endurance
Circuit training with shorter rest periods of 30-45 seconds helps build cardiovascular endurance. It keeps your heart rate elevated and sustains an oxygen deficit, improving VO2 max.
Fat Loss
Short rest periods of 30-60 seconds increases excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) which can help with fat loss. It also sustains a higher heart rate, burning more calories during and after your workout.
General Recommendations for Rest Periods
Based on the research, here are general evidence-based recommendations for rest period length:
Strength Gains
3-5 minutes
Longer rest periods allow for near complete ATP and phosphocreatine recovery, enabling you to lift heavier weights. This produces optimal strength gains.
Muscle Growth
60-90 seconds
Moderate rest periods offer a balance between metabolic stress and sufficient recovery for greater muscle growth.
Muscular Endurance
30-60 seconds
Short rest periods enhance muscular endurance by training with incomplete recovery between sets.
Power Output
3-5 minutes
Longer rest allows the ATP-PC and glycolytic systems to recover fully so power output is maintained from set to set.
Cardiovascular Endurance
30-45 seconds
Short rest keeps heart rate elevated and sustains an oxygen deficit for improving cardiovascular endurance.
Fat Loss
30-60 seconds
Minimal recovery increases EPOC and keeps calories burned elevated during and after your workout.
How Other Factors Influence Optimal Rest Time
Your goals determine the best rest period length. However, other factors can also influence how long you should rest between sets. Here are some considerations:
Exercise Selection
Rest periods are longer for multi-joint exercises like squats, deadlifts and bench press versus isolation exercises like biceps curls. Multi-joint exercises require more energy and muscle activation so require more recovery time.
Training Intensity
Higher training intensities require longer rest periods. Sets taken to muscular failure necessitate longer recovery compared to submaximal intensities like 70-85% 1RM. Near maximal loads inflict greater muscle damage.
Muscle Group
Smaller muscle groups like arms recover quicker than larger muscle groups like legs and back. Exercises for smaller muscle groups require less metabolic resources so have shorter optimal rest periods.
Training Volume
Higher training volume requires longer rest periods to support performance. 3 sets necessitates more recovery than 1 set. Rest periods should increase as more sets are performed for a given exercise.
Energy System Demands
Exercises requiring greater aerobic and anaerobic endurance like circuit training need shorter rests than strength training. Power output benefits from more complete ATP-PCr recovery.
Age
Older trainees may require slightly longer rests due to reduced recovery capacity and fitness levels compared to younger trainees. However, moderate 1-2 minute rest periods are still ideal for muscle growth in older adults.
Nutrition
Proper pre-workout nutrition provides energy substrates to support performance and recovery between sets. Carbs replenish glycogen stores while protein provides amino acids to aid muscle recovery.
Active vs. Passive Rest
You can take your rest periods passively by sitting or standing still. Or you can use active recovery techniques:
Active Rest Techniques
- Light cardio or cycling on a stationary bike
- Mobility exercises and stretching
- Foam rolling
- Walking around
Active rest can facilitate greater recovery by:
- Promoting blood flow to deliver oxygen and nutrients to working muscles
- Clearing metabolic waste products like lactate
- Maintaining elevated heart rate to sustain EPOC
However, studies show comparable strength gains with passive and active rest when volumes are equated. Active rest may optimize recovery efficiency but limit the load you can lift.
Sample Rest Periods for Common Exercises
Here are evidence-based recommendations for rest period length for common exercises based on your goals:
Squats
- Strength: 3-5 minutes
- Hypertrophy: 2-3 minutes
- Endurance: 1-2 minutes
Bench Press
- Strength: 2-4 minutes
- Hypertrophy: 1-2 minutes
- Endurance: 30-60 seconds
Deadlifts
- Strength: 3-5 minutes
- Hypertrophy: 2-3 minutes
- Endurance: 1-2 minutes
Bicep Curls
- Strength: 1-2 minutes
- Hypertrophy: 60-90 seconds
- Endurance: 30-45 seconds
These recommendations represent generally optimal rest periods, but individual needs vary. Track your strength and recovery ability to fine tune what works best.
How to Determine Ideal Rest Time for You
Here are some simple strategies to determine your optimal rest period length:
- Trial and Error – Start with research recommendations for your goals, then experiment to find what allows optimal performance.
- RPE – Rest until you feel recovered based on rate of perceived exertion each set.
- Performance Decrease – Rest until power or reps decrease significantly indicating incomplete recovery.
- Heart Rate – Rest until heart rate returns closer to normal recover levels.
- RepTiming App – Measures power and recovery between sets to indicate optimal rest time.
Aim to find the minimal rest time that allows you to maintain workout performance from set to set. Decreases in reps or power indicate you need slightly longer rests.
Tips for Making the Most of Your Rest
Here are some tips to optimize your rest periods for greater strength, hypertrophy, endurance and fat loss:
- Time your rests – Use a stopwatch rather than estimating. Consistency improves adaptations.
- Adjust over time – Increase rest periods over your workout as fatigue accumulates.
- Cluster sets – Break sets into smaller clusters with short 15-30 second mini-rests.
- Superset antagonists – Combine exercises for opposing muscles to maximize rest efficiency.
- Active rest – Perform light activity to enhance recovery if time allows.
- Hydrate – Drink water or electrolyte beverages to rehydrate.
- fuel – Consume fast-acting carbs to restore glycogen during longer workouts.
Rest Periods for Common Workout Splits
Here are examples of appropriate rest periods for popular training splits:
Full Body Workouts
60-120 seconds rest
Moderate rests for global muscle recovery. Slightly longer for lower body exercises.
Upper/Lower Split
Upper body: 60-90 seconds
Lower body: 2-3 minutes
Longer rest for large lower body muscle groups.
Push/Pull/Legs
Legs: 2-3 minutes
Push: 1-2 minutes
Pull: 1-2 minutes
Longer rest for legs, shorter for smaller muscle groups worked in push and pull workouts.
Body Part Split
Large Muscles: 2-3 minutes
Small Muscles: 1-2 minutes
Adjust rest periods based on muscle group size – longer rests for legs, back versus smaller groups like arms.
| Training Split | Recommended Rest Periods |
|---|---|
| Full Body Workouts | 60-120 seconds |
| Upper/Lower Split | Upper: 60-90 seconds Lower: 2-3 minutes |
| Push/Pull/Legs | Legs: 2-3 minutes Push: 1-2 minutes Pull: 1-2 minutes |
| Body Part Split | Large Muscles: 2-3 minutes Small Muscles: 1-2 minutes |
Conclusion
Rest period length is an important component of your workout programming. The research shows that:
- Longer rest periods enhance strength gains.
- Moderate rests of 60-90 seconds optimize hypertrophy.
- Short rests build muscular and cardiovascular endurance.
However, your individual needs vary based on the exercise, training intensity, volume and more. Use these recommendations as a starting point. Track your rate of perceived exertion and performance over sets to fine tune the ideal rest time for you.
Adequate rest between sets allows more complete ATP, phosphocreatine and muscle oxygenation recovery. But don’t rest too long so that your muscles cool down excessively. Find the training sweet spot that lets you maintain strength and performance from set to set.
Carefully planned rest periods will help you achieve your greatest gains in strength, muscle, endurance or fat loss from your workouts.