Inter-set recovery periods (aka rest breaks) are often an afterthought for many gym goers. If things get “macho,” taking time out can even be derided.
However, rest intervals are vital to developing muscle strength and power. The amount of rest must be tailored to your training aims and rep program.
Ignoring the value of rest during fitness training means your body won’t benefit as much as it could from the exercises. You also run the risk of injury, which is more likely to occur during extreme fatigue.
This article busts the myths on rest periods and tells you how long they should be.
Determining Rest Periods for Different Training Goals
Achieving a training goal relies on picking the appropriate resistance training sets and identifying the correct length of rest intervals between each one.
Rest periods vary depending on whether you want to lose weight, develop muscle mass, or improve power or endurance. If you get it wrong, you won’t have enough power for the next set, and your muscles will feel stiff and tight.
During exercise, your body uses ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) as fuel. ATP is an energy-carrying molecule, often called “the fuel of life.” Think of it like the gas in your car—it needs replacing.
ATP is the primary energy source for muscle contraction in life and in the gym. Reps deplete your ATP, and rest allows your body to regenerate it.
Rest periods allow the muscles to shift metabolic waste and refuel, ready for the next set. So, rest periods are vital. But rest isn’t just all about the physical challenges.
Strength training, for example, is a neurological challenge as well as a physical one. Rest allows the central nervous system to reset and recover, ensuring you can recruit all the available muscle fibers for the next set of reps.
Muscles react differently to specific types of training, which correlates with the choice of exercises and the recommended rest intervals.
Rest periods are essential in resistance training so that the same set of exercises can be repeated. They can also be tailored to support specific training aims. Let’s take a look in more detail.
Rest for Hypertrophy Training
Muscular hypertrophy training builds muscle mass by stimulating the muscle fibers so they develop in size, a priority over other functions like strength and endurance.
The objective in hypertrophy training is to overload the muscles, causing a brief trauma, to create the stimulation that results in increased fibers.
While the load used for hypertrophy training and strength development is very similar, there is a marked difference in the recommended rest intervals between sets.
The recommended and optimal rest interval for hypertrophy training is 30-90 seconds with a classic pattern of 8-12 reps with a one-minute rest. However, recent research has suggested that three minutes may produce a better gain in hypertrophy and strength.
What this reveals is that everyone is different, so you should consider age, conditions, and training goals. Don’t be afraid to experiment with rest intervals either.
Rest for Strength Training
Strength training develops power to move a weight, so it’s directed towards optimal force and isn’t focused on aesthetics and muscle size like hypertrophy training. Adequate rest is, therefore, vital between sets to create that same amount of power.
It's no surprise that rest periods for strength training range from two to five minutes, which research has shown to be optimal for developing power. This range is a general guide and needs fine-tuning based on age, muscle fiber type, and program.
Textbook reps are six per set with a rest period of three minutes. The reason? You want your muscles to recover as much as possible to generate the same amount of force on the next set.
Strength training targets Type II muscle fibers, the largest fiber group with the greatest growth potential. Type II muscle fibers are also called fast-twitch fibers.
Fast-twitch fibers are used for short, explosive activities that require huge bursts of energy, like sprinting and football, but they also have sub-groups that provide endurance capabilities as a secondary benefit.
Rest for Endurance Training
Endurance focuses on the ability to repeat exercises over a defined period to maximize the number of reps, but using a lower amount of weight.
The aim is ultimately high reps with minimal rest so that you educate the muscles to clear waste and refuel as quickly as possible. It’s linked to conditioning the cardiorespiratory system, which needs to circulate oxygen-rich blood fast and efficiently.
Research dictates that the optimal rest period for endurance training is between 20 seconds and two minutes, with the sweet spot at 30 seconds.
The Purpose of Resistance Training
Resistance training (sometimes called weight training) is designed to increase strength and endurance and is integral to athletic and sporting training programs. However, resistance training also benefits the ordinary person who just wants to get fitter or shed a few pounds.
Resistance training aims to increase muscular strength and endurance using some form of weight or resistance, such as kettlebells, weights, dumbbells, bands, or just your bodyweight.
Resistance training programs are designed to focus on specific goals, such as endurance, increased muscle size and aesthetics, power and strength, or joint stability.
Increasing muscle strength and power protects joints and aids flexibility, which is just as necessary for an older person looking to avoid injury and maintain balance and flexibility as it is for a track athlete.
The right choice of resistance exercises aligns with the training goals, using tailored rest periods between repetitions.
Resistance training has a wide variety of health benefits, not just confined to bodybuilders, gym nuts, and track athletes. Resistance training boosts metabolism, removes body fat, improves stability and balance, and promotes good mental health.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends muscle strengthening activities of at least moderate intensity for two days a week, minimum, involving all the main muscle groups. For kids, this should be three hours per week.
Resistance training works best if it's targeted to reflect training aims, current physical health, and age. There are numerous programs available.
Understanding the body’s different muscle energy systems is essential for choosing between different resistance training fitness programs and determining how rest periods fit into this.
Knowing which system powers the different exercise types will help you isolate more effective workouts and maximize the benefits of fitness training.
Muscle Energy Systems Explained
Muscles work using three different energy systems, which provide power to the muscle cells. These systems work in various ways to deliver the right energy to serve different activities.
The Phosphagen System
The phosphagen system is a short-duration system that can only deliver energy for a short period, typically up to 30 seconds. It’s deployed for high-impact activities that require a brief burst of energy; sprinting is a good example.
The Glycolytic System
The glycolytic or anaerobic system is another shorter-duration system that kicks in next, supplying energy for a period of 30 seconds to three minutes. The glycolytic system supplies energy for moderate activities.
The phosphagen and glycolytic systems are commonly involved in resistance training, focusing on muscle hypertrophy and strength.
The Aerobic System
For exercise, after three minutes, the aerobic or oxidative system kicks in; this system services lower energy production activities.
Common Mistakes in Managing Rest Periods
-
Beginners and newbies to resistance training may need more extended rest periods than someone more established. Not taking account of this risks can lead to undue fatigue and injury. The less fit you are with untrained muscles, the longer the rest intervals should be, gradually reducing as fitness develops. Rest periods should be at least two minutes for compound exercises and 60-90 seconds for isolation exercises.
-
Not following a structured plan is a standard error. It means you won’t necessarily achieve your training goals and risk an injury. Planning a program involves choosing the right exercises with the correct number of reps and tailored rest intervals.
-
Resting for more extended periods is often seen as a weakness, but this is just evidence of a failure to understand how muscle conditioning works relative to the training goal. With strength training, a more extended rest period is vital for the muscles to recover and repeat the performance. It also activates Type II muscle fibers, which are most ripe for development. However, resting too long also causes problems like the muscles stiffening up, which impacts the next reps and increases the risk of injuries.
-
Skipping rest periods and running rep intervals together risks excessive fatigue and possibly injury. Craft a plan and stick to it.
-
Rest means rest, so no stretching or scrolling on your phone! Use a timer or a watch to calculate your rest intervals accurately – don’t guess. It’s also a good time to rehydrate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Shorten Rest Time To Burn More Fat?
As with any specific training goal, the type and number of reps are just as important as the rest periods, which should be bespoke to target weight loss and lose fat. Rest intervals promote muscle strength and fat loss and can progressively be reduced to boost this in line with the number and type of reps as part of a structured training program.
Is Resting Too Long Between Sets Bad?
It can be. Resting too long means your muscles can become stiff and tight, making the next set of reps more difficult, less productive, and running the risk of an injury. Don’t guess the rest period. Follow established research and professional guidance. Choose the correct rest period for your sets and training program and use a timer.
Rest Periods Regulate Muscle Recovery and Training Results
Rest is vital to muscle strength and development. What’s also essential is calculating the correct rest interval relative to the number and type of reps and the training goals. Rest is just as much a training tool as the barbell or the bench. The amount of rest between sets directly correlates with your body’s physical, hormonal, and neurological response to exercise and will optimize the benefits.
A structured training program is essential to develop muscle power and endurance. You can ace your home training with the Speediance Gym Monster 2, the ultimate strength training equipment outside the gym environment. Enjoy easy digital weight adjustment, a compact design that works in the smallest spaces, and the benefit of AI power for the muscles you’ve always dreamed of.
