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What is the rest period for strength training?


The rest period between sets and exercises is an important component of any strength training program. Taking adequate rest allows your muscles to recover and replenish energy stores so you can complete each set with maximum effort and intensity. How much rest you need depends on your goals, the exercises you’re doing, and your current strength and fitness level. Generally, the more intense the exercise, the longer the rest period should be between sets.

What is the purpose of the rest period?

The main purposes of the rest period are:

  • Allow your muscles to recover – During strength training, you are breaking down muscle fibers. The rest period gives them time to recover before the next set so you can lift with full power and intensity.
  • Restore energy – Your muscles use ATP for fuel during exercise. The rest period allows your body to resynthesize ATP and creatine phosphate stores.
  • Remove waste products – Exercise causes buildup of metabolic waste products like lactic acid. The rest period helps clear these out of the muscles.
  • Regulate breathing and heart rate – The rest period gives your cardiovascular system time to recover back to normal levels.

Without proper rest, you will experience premature fatigue, reduced power output, and increased risk of injury.

Recommended rest period for different goals

The optimal rest period depends largely on your training goals:

Strength building

When training for maximal strength gains, such as in powerlifting, longer rest periods of 3-5 minutes are recommended. This allows for near complete recovery between heavy, low rep sets. Longer rest enhances strength development by allowing you to lift maximal or near maximal loads on each set.

Hypertrophy/Muscle building

For muscle growth, rest periods of 1-2 minutes are ideal. Shorter rests place more metabolic stress on the muscles, enhancing hypertrophy. Performing multiple challenging sets with shorter rest also increases mechanical tension and muscle damage.

Muscular endurance

When training for muscular endurance, such as high rep sets with moderate loads, rest periods of 30-90 seconds are advised. This minimizes recovery so you fatigue muscle fibers more thoroughly, enhancing muscular endurance.

Fat loss/conditioning

For fat burning or conditioning focused training, take shorter rest periods of 30-60 seconds or less. Short rests keep your heart rate elevated, increasing calorie burn. Minimal recovery also enhances metabolic conditioning.

Recommended rest times for different exercises

The rest period required depends largely on the specific exercise, due to differences in muscle groups used, mechanics of the movement and severity of muscle fatigue induced.

Lower body exercises

Lower body exercises like squats, deadlifts and lunges require longer rest periods, as they involve large muscle groups and are mechanically taxing:

  • Squats – 2-5 minutes rest
  • Deadlifts – 3-5 minutes rest
  • Lunges – 1-2 minutes rest

Upper body pressing exercises

Pressing exercises for the upper body like bench press, shoulder press and push-ups are demanding and require longer rests:

  • Bench press – 2-3 minutes rest
  • Overhead press – 2-3 minutes rest
  • Push-ups – 1-2 minutes rest

Upper body pulling exercises

Pulling exercises like pull-ups, rows and lat pulldowns fatigue the back and biceps muscles significantly:

  • Pull-ups – 2-3 minutes rest
  • Bent over rows – 1-2 minutes rest
  • Lat pulldowns – 1-2 minutes rest

Isolation exercises

Smaller muscle group isolation exercises like bicep curls, tricep extensions and calf raises require less rest time:

  • Bicep curls – 45-90 seconds rest
  • Tricep extensions – 45-90 seconds rest
  • Calf raises – 30-60 seconds rest

Bodyweight exercises

Calisthenics like planks, crunches and bodyweight squats require shorter rest periods as they involve smaller muscle groups:

  • Planks – 30-60 seconds rest
  • Crunches – 30 seconds rest
  • Bodyweight squats – 45-90 seconds rest

Factors that influence rest period duration

Along with the exercise choice, several other factors should be considered when determining optimal rest period length:

Training experience

Beginners require longer rest times as their work capacity is lower. Advanced lifters can get away with shorter rest periods for a given intensity.

Load and reps

Heavier loads using lower reps necessitate longer rest periods. Lighter loads and higher reps require shorter rests.

Number of sets

When performing multiple sets, allow longer rests early in the workout when you are fresh. Take slightly shorter rests in later sets as fatigue accumulates.

Muscle group size

Larger muscle groups like legs and back need longer recovery than smaller muscles like biceps and calves.

Use of supersets

When supersetting exercises, take shorter rests between exercises but longer rests between supersets.

Time under tension

Exercises with greater time under tension like tempo training require more rest between sets.

Age

Older individuals may need longer rest periods as recovery ability declines with age.

How to determine your optimal rest period

Here are some simple tips to gauge if your rest period is adequate:

  • Use a stopwatch or timer to precisely track rest times.
  • Only start your next set when you feel reasonably recovered and ready to give full effort again.
  • If you find your performance declining drastically set to set, you likely need more rest between sets.
  • If you can easily perform additional reps on your last set, you may benefit from shorter rests.
  • Adjust your rest times as needed based on your subjective feel and objective performance.

Finding your optimal rest period for each exercise takes some trial and error. Aim to keep detailed notes on your rest times and adjustment approach over time.

Active vs. passive rest

You can take your rest periods in two ways – actively or passively:

Active rest

Active rest involves:

  • Light cardio activity like walking, cycling or rowing
  • Stretching and foam rolling
  • Light joint mobility drills

Active rest can enhance blood flow to working muscles and help remove metabolic waste products like lactate. It may allow for improved performance in subsequent sets.

Passive rest

Passive rest involves simply sitting or standing still during the rest period. This allows for complete muscular recovery without any additional demands placed on the body.

Most research indicates that passive rest is superior for maximizing strength and hypertrophy training goals. Active rest can leave you overly fatigued.

Rest period recommendations

Here are some evidence-based recommendations for rest period lengths:

  • 1-2 minutes for moderate load hypertrophy training
  • 2-3 minutes for heavier strength training sets/compound exercises
  • 3-5 minutes for maximal strength/power training using near 1RM loads
  • 30-90 seconds for lighter isolation exercises and bodyweight moves
  • 60 seconds or less for muscular endurance training

Adjust as needed based on your individual recovery capacity, which may take some trial and error. Record your rest times to optimize them over time.

Sample strength training routines

Here are two sample strength training routines with recommended rest periods:

Strength building routine

Exercise Sets Reps Rest
Barbell back squat 4 4-6 3-4 minutes
Bench press 4 4-6 2-3 minutes
Bent over row 3 6-8 2 minutes
Overhead press 3 6-8 2 minutes

Muscle building routine

Exercise Sets Reps Rest
Barbell front squat 4 8-12 90 seconds
Incline dumbbell press 3 10-12 60 seconds
Lat pulldown 3 10-12 60 seconds
Seated cable row 3 10-12 60 seconds
Dumbbell lateral raise 3 12-15 45 seconds

Conclusion

The rest period is an important but often overlooked component of strength training programs. Allowing for adequate recovery between sets and exercises is vital to maximum performance, strength gains, muscle growth and injury reduction. While general recommendations can provide a good starting point, you need to fine-tune your rest periods over time based on the specific exercises, load, reps and your individual recovery ability. Aim to keep detailed notes and be attentive to your rest times. With some practice, you can optimize your rest periods to meet your strength training goals in the most effective, efficient manner.