Thread: What is the ideal rest time between sets?

i think it's whatever works for you.. shorter rest time for smaller muscles and longer for big muscles

I read about a study a few years ago that showed one set is all you need if you really give it all you got. I once did as many slow, perfect pushups as I was able to do. The last rep probably took be over 30 seconds, several gasps of air and every bit of strength I had. I tried another set several minutes later and could barely do one or two pushups. I felt weird for several hours after that. I wouldn't recommend it. (though I've heard stories about people working out until they vomited!)

It really varies depending on how you're working out.

For example, with power lifting where you train to gain strength, you'd want to rest at least a minute or two.

If you're training with a moderate amount of weight just to burn fat, stay in shape, and gain some strength, it's best to keep your rest period one minute or under.

For hypertrophy I have read 60-90 seconds, I use 80 seconds on my stopwatch. I used to use 2 minutes and I'd almost love to continue that, but I'm enjoying the newfound punishment. I have gone as low as 30 seconds before while on HST, sweat sweat sweat.

Originally posted by prophet
i think it's whatever works for you.. shorter rest time for smaller muscles and longer for big muscles

For heavier lifting sure, not neccessarily for size.

The ideal rest period is enough time to get your strength back after all the goal is to overload the muscle. If your rest period is too short it comprimises the amount of weight you can lift.

Alot of things we do in the gym feel like we are getting a great workout such as resting only 30 seconds however that does not mean you are stimulating muscle growth. 30 seconds may feel great, you will be huffing and puffing however you will not be able to maximally overload a muscle. You certainly are not burning calories effeciently as some people believe. There is cardio for that.

I rest about 2 minutes or so except during legs and deadlifts in which case it can be between 3-5 minutes.

I think its also a good way to vary your routine, changing your set timing that is. I try to go for 60 seconds... have done 2 minutes as well in the past. So even if you are lifting heavy and going for the longer rest periods, it might be good to switch that up now and again and try shorter rest periods to induce new stress. After all, its stress that makes our bodies adapt, and in our case increase strength, increase muscle mass, etc.

I vary my rest periods with rep range. 2-5 reps, 2-3 minutes rest. 6-8 reps, 90 seconds. 10-12 reps, 60 seconds. Sometimes for variety, I'll switch it around so that for the high reps I'll go with long rest, and the low reps go only 60 seconds

I happen to think differently than alot of people on this topic. The accepted theory is that if you are a power lifter than you have losts of rest time and for a BB visa versa, right. Well that can be great for a goal of working up a 1RM, but I think that strength indurance is also important which will not be accomplished by working with a weight for just 8 seconds, nor will it be accomplished by lifting light weight for longer periods of time. That light and quick approach can train muscle endurance, but not strength endurance. I know that for someone competing in a power lifting meet this may not apply to b/c a 1RM IS the ultimate goal. But for most of us that train to be strong, I think that we could benefit from straying away from the simple black and white approach: either low rep lots of rest or no rest light weight and showing the body somehting different, going with lower rest time with heavy weight to gain some strength endurance, as well as using other techniques.

keep it between 60-90 seconds.

Anything more than 2 minutes and your muscles go cold and you mess up the rhythm of the workout.

I stay within 60 and 90 seconds also on most days. But on a heavy leg day I'll take a good 2 minutes or even 2 1/2 mins between squat sets. When I get to extensions its back down to 1 1/2 mins and extensions 1 minute.

Its really based on what your doing and how much wieght your doing. If you're doing squats with high wieghts you'll most likely need a longer rest between sets., but something like you arms you'll use less rest. Its really depends on what you can take and your body needs.

I would venture that there are 2 sides to this coin (outside of the PL to BB side). First is what I call cardio recovery and the second are the muscular effects.

When I am doing squats for 20 reps I absolutely cannot do another set after 90 seconds of rest. My gut and head cannot sustain it...while my cardio conditioning does impact this I am reasonably fit cardio wise...so that said I think the first concern is getting your respiratory rate down to an acceptable level. What that level is is likely individually dependent but folks who have been lifting for a while should recognize when their respiration reaches a point where they are prepared to lift again.

I lifted back at lunch, my last exercise is deadlifts. I do 20 reps, 15 reps, 12 reps, and 8 reps. Even though I am lifting considerably less weight at 20 reps than at 12 it takes me longer to prepare for my 2nd set than my 4th set because this is such a physically draining exercise at 20 reps (vs 12 reps).

So first and foremost is having your respiratory rate down to an acceptable level then you deal with muscle recovery or lack there-of.

The faster the workout the better the immediate pump but I don't believe there is any universal answer for the appropriate amount of muscle rest between exercises for growth. It is IMO very dependent on the individual and the muscle. I personally like as much as 4 minutes for chest but keep back in the 90 second range. Arms I skip along at a minute or so.

at this point I am not sure what I even have said so I will go back to my cave....

30 secs to a min.

If the set is a circuit set...then 1 to 3 min.

i keep it around 2 mins

give me time to change the weights/have a stretch then get focused for the next set

whist doing this i'm also allowing my muscles to recover a bit so i have energy to lift heavy again

i've tried shorter rest periods and only difference i notice is that i can't lift more

i do drop sets and supersets at the end of each bodypart to squeeze every last bit of strength out of it, besides that i keep my rests 2-3 mins

peace