Resting one to two minutes between sets could be effective for promoting hypertrophy.

Last updated on May 28th, 2024

Rest time between sets is a crucial but often under-considered aspect of resistance training. Sufficient rest time between sets allows neuromuscular system recovery to maximize workout performance and results.

Dr. Mike Israetel, Ph.D. in Sport Physiology, discussed a meta-analysis led by Dr. Milo Wolf, Ph.D. in Sport Science, examining inter-set rest times’ effects on hypertrophy. Check out the findings below: (1)

The meta-analysis synthesized findings from nine studies that included various muscle groups (lower body, arms, whole body). Each study maintained an equivalent volume load across groups, ensuring shorter and longer rest interval groups performed the same total work. This was achieved by adjusting the sets, reps, and weights.

Volume & Rest Intervals

Volume load is calculated by multiplying the weight lifted by the number of repetitions and sets:

• Volume Load = Weight x Reps x Sets

The researchers categorized the rest of the intervals as follows:

• Short — Under 60 seconds
• Intermediate — Between 1-2 minutes 
• Long — Between 2-3 minutes 
• Very Long — Over 3 minutes

“All rest time groups led to hypertrophy,” said Wolf. “No matter your rest times, you will likely experience muscle gains if you train for hypertrophy.” These studies did not include super-trained participants or compound high-rep sets. 

The research concludes that while all rest times led to some muscle growth, resting for one to two minutes between sets yielded the maximum hypertrophy. Conversely, resting for less than one minute or more than three minutes resulted in comparatively smaller gains in muscle mass.

Wolf highlights that the optimal rest times may vary depending on the trained muscle group. For instance, legs may benefit from longer rest than arms as the former engages more muscle mass.

Suggested Rest Times

“Rest time isn’t one of the variables that’ll kill your gains or create all the gains in the world,” said Wolf, who recommends the following rest times for hypertrophy:

• Lower body exercises: 1-3 minutes
• Upper body isolation exercises: 1-1.5 minutes
• Compound upper body movements: 1.5-2 minutes

[Related: A Guide to the Best Pre-Workouts, Tested and RD Approved]

Key Takeaways

• Rest intervals shorter than 60 seconds or longer than three minutes may not be optimal for maximizing muscle growth.
• Resting one to two minutes between sets is ideal for hypertrophy for most people. 
• There may be benefits to individualizing rest times based on the trained muscle group.

[Related: The 8 Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders, Tested by Our Experts]

References

1. Singer, Alec & Wolf, Milo & Generoso, Leonardo & Arias, Elizabeth & DelCastillo, Kenneth & Echevarria, Edwin & Martinez, Amaris & Androulakis-Korakakis, Patroklos & Refalo, Martin & Swinton, Paul & Schoenfeld, Brad. (2024). Give it a Rest: A systematic review with Bayesian meta-analysis on the effect of inter-set rest interval duration on muscle hypertrophy. 10.51224/SRXIV.395.

Featured image: @drmikeisraetel on Instagram