Rest between sets: how long for muscle, strength and a short session

What rest does

Between two sets, the muscle restores part of the energy it used and the fatigue of the previous set fades. Rest too briefly and the next set suffers: fewer repetitions with the same weight, or a lighter weight for the same repetitions. That drop in work is the main reason short rests can limit progress. The Singer meta-analysis suggests the small benefit of longer rest is perhaps explained by the larger volume load, meaning the total weight lifted, that longer rests allow.

Rest is also when you check technique, note the set, and decide whether the next one needs more or less weight. Rushing it rarely saves as much time as people think.

Recommendations by goal

The ACSM position stand on resistance training gives the following ranges.

• Muscle size: 1 to 2 minutes between sets, at moderate loads emphasising 6 to 12 repetitions.
• Maximal strength: 3 to 5 minutes between heavy sets of 1 to 6 repetitions.
• Power: 3 to 5 minutes, with light to moderate loads lifted fast.
• Muscular endurance: less than 90 seconds, with loads of 40 to 60% of maximum for more than 15 repetitions.

These are starting points. The heavier the load and the bigger the exercise, the longer the rest you will need to repeat the effort.

What recent studies add

In the trial by Schoenfeld and colleagues published in 2016, 21 trained men followed the same programme for eight weeks: three full-body sessions a week, seven exercises, three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions maximum. The only difference was rest: one minute or three minutes. The three-minute group gained more maximal strength on the squat and the bench press, and more muscle thickness at the front of the thigh.

A systematic review by Grgic and colleagues in 2017 concluded that both short (60 seconds or less) and longer rests can be useful for muscle growth, with a possible advantage for longer rests in trained participants. The Bayesian meta-analysis by Singer and colleagues in 2024 refined the picture: a small benefit from resting more than 60 seconds, and no appreciable difference beyond 90 seconds. Training to failure or not did not change that relationship.

Put together: for muscle, aim for at least 90 seconds on most exercises. For heavy compound lifts, two to three minutes lets you keep the quality of each set.

A practical rest table

1. Heavy compound lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press, rows with heavy loads), 3 to 8 repetitions: 2 to 3 minutes, up to 5 for maximal strength.
2. Compound lifts at moderate loads, 8 to 12 repetitions: about 2 minutes.
3. Single-joint and machine exercises (curls, lateral raises, leg curl), 10 to 15 repetitions: 60 to 90 seconds.
4. Bodyweight circuits or endurance work: 30 to 60 seconds, accepting that this is a different goal.

A simple test helps: if your next set loses more than two or three repetitions compared with the first one at the same weight, the rest was probably too short.

Saving time without cutting rest

Long rests make sessions longer. A session of 18 sets with two minutes of rest spends 36 minutes resting. The review by Iversen and colleagues on time-efficient training reports that supersets, drop sets and rest-pause methods roughly halve training time compared with traditional sets, while maintaining volume, though they may favour muscle growth over maximal strength.

The most useful option is the antagonist or non-competing superset: pair two exercises that do not use the same muscles, such as a bench press with a row, or a squat with a pull-up. Do one set of the first, rest about 60 to 90 seconds, then one set of the second, rest again, and repeat. Each muscle still gets two to three minutes between its own sets, while the clock runs half as long. That is how the 30-minute version of the full body workout works.

Timing rest in practice

• Use a timer rather than guessing: rests often stretch to four or five minutes when you check your phone.
• Start the timer when the set ends, not when you begin to load the next one.
• Stay on your feet and walk a little during long rests on lower-body days if you feel cold.

The calculator on this page tracks your weekly repetitions. Keep that number stable when you change rest times, so that you compare like with like. For choosing repetitions and sets, see sets and reps, and for the full picture, build muscle.

If you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, ask your doctor before lifting heavy loads or using short rests, and stop if you feel dizzy, breathless or have chest pain.

Train with the clock on your side with Never Skip Club

Create your free account and launch a guided session in 20, 30 or 45 minutes: the series and rests are set for your level, so you do not have to calculate them between sets. Train with a crew of friends at a rhythm you choose, and see who kept it. If you want someone to set your loads and rest times for a strength goal, book a coach from our network, or sign in to start your next session.