How long you rest between sets is between 15 seconds and 5 minutes, depending on these 4 goals
It's leg day and you just crushed a set of squats, and now it’s time to catch your breath between sets. But how long should you actually rest? Take too little time, and your muscles might not fully recover, increasing your risk of injury; too long, and you risk cooling down too much before the next round.
Between sets, 'your muscles and nervous system need time to recover,' says Ariel Belgrave, CPT, a fitness and nutrition coach. 'Giving your body time to recharge between sets will allow you to show up better for the next round and lift even heavier.' Resting between sets also helps prevent injuries and strain, because when your muscles are fatigued, your form tends to suffer.
Meet the Experts: Ariel Belgrave, CPT, is the founder of The L.E.A.N Program fitness and nutrition coaching. Kristen Lettenberger, PT, DPT, CSCS, is a physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments in New York City and strength and conditioning coach.
The amount of time you should rest depends on your goals—hypertrophy, muscular endurance, or strength and power—because the energy system your body uses is different for all of them, says Kristen Lettenberger, PT, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist and strength and conditioning coach.
Wondering how long you’ll have to wait? We’ve got the answers to all of your rest period Qs based on your goals.
If your goal is to build muscle…
The recommended rest time between sets is 30 to 90 seconds.
Want toned muscles? Hypertrophy is the way to go, says Lettenberger. You’ll typically lift moderate to heavy weight and your last two reps should feel challenging—like you’re almost not able to complete it, she says. For optimum muscle growth, experts typically recommend doing three to four sets of eight to 12 reps for each exercise.
Between each set, you’ll rest for 30 to 90 seconds to 'keep the intensity high while also helping with muscle fatigue and growth,' Belgrave adds. 'The goal is to keep the muscle under tension and slightly fatigued.'
Expert Tip: Set a timer on your phone to hold yourself accountable, Lettenberger says. Time flies when you’re resting.
If your goal is to improve muscular endurance…
The recommended rest time between sets is 15 to 30 seconds.
If your goal is muscular endurance, you’re 'training your muscles to sustain effort over time,' says Belgrave. This is great if you want to be able to carry groceries while walking, do a ton of pushups, or run long distances, Lettenberger adds. To strengthen the endurance of your muscle fibers, lift lower weight for a higher rep range, something like 12 to 20 reps, and complete two to four sets, Belgrave says.
Rest for a maximum of 30 seconds between sets because 'shorter rests will keep your heart rate elevated and train your muscles to perform while you're still fatigued,' Belgrave says.
At the end of each rest period, you should almost feel like you can’t do another set, and that you’re pretty physically taxed, Lettenberger adds.
If your goal is to build strength and power…
The recommended rest time between sets is two to five minutes.
The goal of strength and power training is to lift the heaviest weight possible through explosive movements, Belgrave says. (These are your compound and Olympic lifting moves, like snatches, deadlifts, bench presses, and power cleans.) Building strength and power can help you become a more explosive and well-rounded athlete, says Lettenberger. 'If you're training to play soccer or basketball on the weekend with your friends, add some power training in,' she says.
So, you’ll lift 80 to 95 percent of your one rep max, or 'the maximum amount of weight you can use in a single rep,' Belgrave says, and perform a lower rep range, like three to six sets of one to six reps. Then, you’ll take longer rest breaks, up to five (!) minutes. 'You're pushing your muscles and nervous systems to their limit,' she says. 'The longer rests are needed because your body needs that time to fully recharge.'
During your break, sit down or walk around and drink some water while you visualise your next set, Lettenberger says, because this will give you the best results when it comes to lifting heavy. At the end of your rest period, you’ll ideally feel relaxed and fully recovered. The goal of these longer rest periods is that you feel fresh—not exhausted or winded—by the time you start your next set, so that you can really put your all into each rep.
Catch your breath: If your goal is hypertrophy or strength and power, you’ll want to make sure your breathing slows, your heart rate has calmed down, and you can comfortably carry a conversation before moving on to the next set, Belgrave says. If the recommended rest time has passed and you still feel like you’re catching your breath, wait a bit longer until you feel ready to jump into the next set.
If you're new to strength training…
The recommended rest time between sets is 60 to 90 seconds.
If you’re new to strength training, focus on hypertrophy and muscular endurance work to learn the movements and build up your muscles, Lettenberger says. She recommends lifting lower weight for higher reps, and resting for at least 60 seconds before your next set. Basically, you should feel 'just depleted enough, but be able to complete all of the reps during the next set,' she says.
Remember, each rep should be performed with proper form, Belgrave says. So, if you feel like you’re too tired to finish your reps or you’re sacrificing good form, that’s a sign that you may need to wait a bit longer than a minute between sets.
Regardless of your goal, honing in on your form is the most important factor for building strength and preventing injury. Next up is listening to your body, 'whether it's taking longer rest, reducing the amount of rest, or doing lighter weight so you can focus on your form,' Belgrave says, adding that when it comes to your reps, it’s always about 'quality over quantity.'
You Might Also Like
