How Long to Rest Between Sets? (Science-Backed Guide)
Quick Answer: Take 60 – 90 seconds to rest when trying to grow muscle, 2 – 5 minutes when trying to build strength, and 30 – 60 seconds when focusing on endurance. The time you spend resting between sets depends solely on your workout goals.
If you have finished a tough set of squats, caught your breath, and are wondering if you are ready to do another set of squats, you know the feeling. If you don’t give yourself enough time to rest between sets of squats, your next set may suffer. On the flip side, if you take too much time to rest, you will lose your momentum, your muscles will be cooler, and your workout will drag on for hours.
Rest periods are a major part of your training routine, but many people overlook them. Many people just guess at how much time they should take to rest between sets. In this article, we provide you with the exact amounts of rest time supported by the scientific community, based on what you want to accomplish in your workout (i.e., building muscle, building strength, or endurance).
How Long to Rest Between Sets: A Complete Breakdown by Goal
Below is a chart that lists the main goals of working out. Choose your main goal and use the suggested rest time to get started.
| Training Goal | Recommended Rest Time | Sets x Reps | Why It Is Right For That Goal |
| Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy) | 60 – 90 seconds | 3 – 4 x 8 – 12 | The combination of metabolic stress with moderate levels of fatigue create optimal conditions for muscle growth |
| Strength (Heavy Lifting) | 2 – 5 minutes | 4 – 6 x 1 – 5 | To build strength, you need to recover your CNS as well as ATP stores. Your CNS needs 3 – 5 minutes to recover from a near maximal effort |
| Endurance | 30 – 60 seconds | 2 – 3 x 15 – 20 | Trains your muscles to continue performing under fatigue and improves ability to perform during competition or daily activities |
| Power / Explosive (Jumping) | 2 – 3 minutes | 3 – 5 x 3 – 5 | Requires full power output per rep. Rest is required to recharge your ATP stores |
| Circuit / Fat Loss | 15 – 30 seconds | 3 – 5 exercises back-to-back | Your goal is to raise your heart rate and keep it elevated to maximize your caloric expenditure during the workout |
| General Fitness / Beginner | 60 – 120 seconds | 2 – 3 x 10 – 15 | Provides a balance between allowing you to recover and providing sufficient stimulation to promote muscle growth |
Important Note: The recommended rest times listed above are general guidelines and not strict rules. Your individual recovery speed, current fitness level, age, and specific exercise will impact the optimal rest time.
Understanding the Science Behind How Long to Rest Between Sets
During a set, your muscles exhaust the ATP-PCr (adenosine triphosphate and phosphocreatine) stores, which are the primary energy sources used to fuel brief, high-intensity efforts. The length of the rest period will determine how much of the ATP-PCr stores will be restored prior to your next set.
| Length of Rest | Fuel Source Recovery | Optimal For |
| Less than 30 seconds | Approximately none — mostly breathing | Conditioning / HIIT |
| 60 seconds | Approximately 70% of ATP-PCr stores | Hypertrophy (Muscle Size) |
| 2 minutes | Approximately 85% of ATP-PCr stores | Strength / Power |
| 3 – 5 minutes | Approximately 97 – 100% of ATP-PCr stores | Maximum strength, 1RM attempts |
That’s why powerlifters rest for 3 – 5 minutes after a heavy attempt. They need almost all of their ATP to be replenished to lift as heavy as possible. Bodybuilders intentionally rest for less to increase the metabolic stress that prompts the release of anabolic hormones such as GH and IGF-1.
How Long to Rest Between Sets by Training Goal (Detailed)
1. Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy) — 60 to 90 Seconds
This is considered the “sweet spot” for developing muscle mass. According to a landmark 2016 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, a longer rest period (3 minutes) was associated with significantly larger increases in both muscle and strength compared to a shorter rest (1 minute) over a period of 8 weeks.
While 60 – 90 seconds still results in excellent hypertrophic results and allows for an efficient workout, the slight metabolic stress created by a shorter rest is believed to stimulate anabolic hormone production.
Best for: Bicep curls, lateral raises, chest flyes, leg press, and isolation exercises.
2. Strength Training — 2 to 5 Minutes
Anytime you’re doing a heavy compound lift (deadlifts, squats, bench presses, etc.) you need to let your CNS recover, as well as your muscles. Your CNS is responsible for sending signals to your muscles to contract and relax, and it takes approximately 3 – 5 minutes for the CNS to recover from a near-maximal effort. Cutting the rest time short for heavy lifts will result in less weight being lifted on subsequent sets, resulting in less of a strength stimulus.
Best for: Heavy compound lifts including squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, overhead presses, etc.
3. Muscular Endurance — 30 to 60 Seconds
For the purpose of increasing muscular endurance (higher rep counts with lighter weights) — think circuit classes, toning programs, or sport specific conditioning — you want to train your muscles to operate while fatigued. Shorter rest periods allow your muscles to remain under prolonged stress. This is beneficial for translating to real-world situations and sport-specific scenarios.
Best for: High rep resistance training, functional fitness, and sport specific conditioning.
4. Power and Explosive Training — 2 to 3 Minutes
Anytime you’re attempting to develop power or explosiveness — think jump squats, hang cleans, medicine ball throws, and sprint intervals — you want your fast twitch muscle fibers firing at 100% effort per rep. Without sufficient recovery time, your power output will decrease dramatically and your form will begin to deteriorate, making you more susceptible to injury.
Best for: Olympic lifts, plyometric training, sprint interval training, and throwing exercises.
5. Fat Loss and Circuit Training — 15 to 30 Seconds
Minimal rest periods keep your heart rate elevated (typically 70 – 85% Max HR), transforming your resistance training into a cardiovascular workout. This provides the greatest caloric expenditure during the workout, and therefore the greatest post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) — or “afterburn” effect.
Tradeoff: you will not build as much strength or muscle using minimal rest periods, so this method is best suited for individuals whose primary focus is on fat loss or cardiovascular fitness.
Best for: Bodyweight circuits, HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) resistance training, and metabolic conditioning.
How Much Rest Time Does Each Exercise Type Require?
All exercises are not created equally. Compound movements that recruit multiple muscle groups require more recovery time than isolation exercises.
| Type of Exercise | Example | Recommended Rest Time |
| Heavy Compound Lifts | Squats, Deadlifts | 3 – 5 minutes |
| Moderate Compound Lifts | Bench Press, Rows | 2 – 3 minutes |
| Machine / Cable Exercises | Leg Press, Pulldowns | 60 – 90 seconds |
| Isolation Exercises | Bicep Curls, Lateral Raises | 45 – 75 seconds |
| Bodyweight Exercises | Push-ups, Lunges | 30 – 60 seconds |
Additional Considerations
Beginners vs. Advanced Trainee
Beginners typically need longer rest periods due to their less efficient nervous systems. This is normal. As you become stronger and your nervous system becomes more efficient, you will find you can recover quicker and maintain your performance with shorter rest periods.
- Beginner: Add 30 – 60 seconds to the recommended rest time.
- Intermediate: Use the standard recommendations.
- Advanced: Try experimenting with shorter rest periods (using supersets or drop sets).
Age and Rest Times
As we age our recovery speed decreases, both muscularly and neurally. There is a large body of research indicating that older adults will benefit from taking slightly longer rest periods to protect joints, prevent CNS overload, and maintain proper technique. If you are over 40 years old and serious about lifting, add an additional 30 – 60 seconds to the recommended rest times.
Using Supersets to Save Time
A superset is when you pair two exercises together with very little or no rest in between. When pairing two exercises together, you must make sure to pair non-competing muscle groups — while one muscle group is working, the other is recovering.
Examples of good supersets include:
- Biceps Curls + Tricep Pushdowns (Arm Superset)
- Bench Press + Bent Over Row (Push-Pull Superset)
- Leg Press + Shoulder Press (Upper-Lower Superset)
According to research, supersets can reduce the time spent in a workout by as much as 30% without negatively impacting the stimulus placed on your muscles. This makes supersets perfect for those who have limited time available to dedicate to their workouts.
Commonly Asked Questions About How Long to Rest Between Sets
| Question | Answer |
| Can I rest too long? | Yes — resting for more than 5 minutes will cool your muscles and reduce the intensity of your workout. Adhere to the recommended rest times. |
| Should I rest more as I get older? | Generally, yes. After the age of 40, allow 10 – 20% more time to rest to protect your joints and avoid CNS fatigue. |
| Does rest time affect my fat loss? | Yes — shorter rest periods (30 – 60 seconds) will keep your heart rate elevated and increase your caloric expenditure during the workout. |
| What if I’m running low on time? | Use supersets — perform opposing muscle groups back to back. This will allow you to save time in your workouts by 30%. |
| Will music help during rest periods? | Studies indicate that listening to upbeat music during rest periods will enhance your perception of energy and motivation. |
Summary of Key Points
There is no single answer to how long to rest between sets. The correct amount of rest time depends solely on your main goal — muscle growth, strength development, endurance, etc.
- Muscle growth: 60 – 90 seconds
- Strength (heavy lifts): 2 – 5 minutes
- Endurance / fat loss: 15 – 60 seconds
- Power / explosive: 2 – 3 minutes
- Longer rest = more strength; shorter rest = more metabolic stress
- Compound lifts always require longer rest times than isolation exercises
- Beginners and older adults should rest on the longer end of each recommended rest time
The Final Word
Rest periods should be treated similarly to your sets, reps, and weight. Science has clearly demonstrated that utilizing rest times that match your goals produces superior results than relying on random guesses.
Use the recommended rest times as a starting point, monitor how your performance is affected between sets, and make adjustments accordingly. With time, your optimal rest time will become second nature.
References and Additional Resources
- Schoenfeld BJ et al. (2016). Longer Interset Rest Periods Enhance Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
- American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand: Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults.
- Willardson JM (2006). A Brief Review: Factors Affecting the Length of the Rest Interval Between Resistance Exercise Sets. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
