Between Sets: How Long Should You Rest To Build Muscle Faster?
By Dr. Carl Juneau, PhD
 · 2 min read
Between Sets: How Long Should You Rest To Build Muscle Faster?
Contents

Find out how much time you should rest between sets when you lift weights to build muscle faster.

Summary

How long you should rest depends on what you’re training. For hypertrophy, rest at least 2 minutes between sets. For strength, rest at least 3 minutes.

Science highlights

  • “When training with loads between 50% and 90% of one repetition maximum, 3-5 minutes’ rest between sets allowed for greater repetitions over multiple sets” (de Salles et al. 2009).
  • “In terms of chronic adaptations, resting 3-5 minutes between sets produced greater increases in absolute strength, due to higher intensities and volumes of training” (de Salles et al. 2009).
  • 3-minute rest intervals (vs. 1-minute) “promote greater increases in muscle strength and hypertrophy in young resistance-trained men” (Schoenfeld et al. 2016).
  • 2 vs. 5 minutes “did not have an influence on the magnitude of acute hormonal and neuromuscular responses or long-term training adaptations in muscle strength and mass in previously strength-trained men” (Ahtiainen et al. 2005).

Conclusion

For strength, at least 3 minutes should be used. For hypertrophy, 3 minutes is better than 1, but 5 minutes is no better than 2. With Dr. Muscle, you’ll rest at least 2 minutes for hypertrophy and at least 3 minutes for strength. Use timer option “automatch reps” for best results.

References

Ahtiainen JP, Pakarinen A, Alen M, Kraemer WJ, Häkkinen K. Short vs. long rest period between the sets in hypertrophic resistance training: influence on muscle strength, size, and hormonal adaptations in trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 Aug;19(3):572-82. PubMed PMID: 16095405.

de Salles BF, Simão R, Miranda F, Novaes Jda S, Lemos A, Willardson JM. Rest interval between sets in strength training. Sports Med. 2009;39(9):765-77. doi: 10.2165/11315230-000000000-00000.

Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, Hester GM, Sellers J, Nooner JL, Schnaiter JA, Bond-Williams KE, Carter AS, Ross CL, Just BL, Henselmans M, Krieger JW. Longer Interset Rest Periods Enhance Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016 Jul;30(7):1805-12. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001272.

Antonio J. Nonuniform Response of Skeletal Muscle to Heavy Resistance Training: Can Bodybuilders Induce Regional Muscle Hypertrophy? The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2000;14(1):102-113.