How Long Do You Rest Between Sets?

I get quite a few questions messaged to me about training, diet, supplements, and motivation. So instead of keeping all my answers private, I’ll be posting a few here (with permission) so that more of you can benefit. If you have a question of your own just go to the contact page and fire away!

How do you time your rest between sets? I have been going by my heart rate from my watch. After a set, my heart is pounding, like 150-170 [beats per minute], which is high. So I rest until I drop below 130. It’s usually about two minutes or so but sometimes more. Is this too much rest? Should I give myself a strict one minute or two minutes instead?

Rest between sets is a tricky one mostly determined by your goals and the structure of your program. I’m assuming your interests lie in building strength, some size, and shaping up.

The short answer: Two minutes is a great general rule of thumb for your needs. It’s not too short where it could gas you too much and it’s not too long to drag your workouts out.

The long answer: Normally, shorter rest periods are designed for hypertrophy (muscle size) and longer rest periods are more for muscle strength. Essentially, shorter rest periods will tax the muscle faster as well as recruit as many fibers as possible to be stimulated for growth. Lighter to moderate weights along with higher volume and a moderate rep range are all ideal for hypertrophy. It’s normal to feel a little winded during a workout since you’re trying to push the muscle to recruit more fibers. Rest periods usually hang around the one to two-minute range.

For strength, heavier weight, lower rep ranges, and longer rests are usually needed. Since strength is more about numbers, the goal isn’t to pummel the muscle into submission. It’s simply to get stronger by getting your numbers up. The goal is to feel relatively rested before your next set. Rest periods can be from two minutes up to five depending on the lift, weight, and how fatigued you feel.

I’m predicting that you’d like a combination of both so your rests are good at two minutes. It’s also a good practice to play around with rest periods. On some days work with more moderate weights and shorter rests and on others try heavier weights with longer rests.

Lastly, as you move along with your training you’ll notice that you may be recovering quicker between sets. That’s a great sign.

Good luck!

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