How long should you rest between sets?
Short rests feel productive, but the research says longer rests often build more strength and muscle. Here's a simple guide by goal.
Rest is where many lifters quietly lose results. Cut it too short and your next set suffers. Stretch it out by scrolling your phone and a 45-minute session turns into 90. So what’s the right amount?
What the research says
For years the advice was to keep rests short, around 60 seconds, “for the pump”. More recent studies challenge that.
- In a 2016 study, trained men who rested 3 minutes between sets gained more strength and more muscle thickness than those who rested 1 minute, on the same program [1].
- A 2017 systematic review found that, for muscle growth, longer rests (generally more than 60 seconds) tend to work as well or better than short ones, especially for trained lifters [2].
The likely reason is simple: longer rests let you do more good-quality reps on later sets. More quality work means more stimulus.
A practical guide by goal
| Goal | Suggested rest |
|---|---|
| Heavy compound lifts (squat, bench, deadlift) for strength | 2–5 minutes |
| Muscle growth on compound lifts | 2–3 minutes |
| Isolation exercises (curls, raises, pushdowns) | 60–90 seconds |
| Supersets of non-competing muscles | Short between exercises, normal after the pair |
These are starting points. If your reps drop sharply from one set to the next, rest longer.
Make rest automatic
The hardest part isn’t knowing how long to rest. It’s actually timing it while you’re out of breath. That’s why Leann starts the rest timer automatically when you tick a set, with:
- Per-exercise rest times, so squats get 3:00 and curls get 1:15 without you thinking about it.
- A lock-screen countdown (and Dynamic Island on iPhone), so you don’t have to unlock your phone.
- A vibration and sound when it’s time to lift.
Use rest well
- Stay a little active: walk around, sip water, set up your next weight.
- Avoid getting pulled into your feed. It’s the fastest way to turn 2 minutes into 6.
- Use it to look at last time’s numbers and decide your target for the next set.
Sources
- Schoenfeld BJ, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2016;30(7):1805–1812.
- Grgic J, et al. The effects of short versus long inter-set rest intervals in resistance training on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review. European Journal of Sport Science, 2017;17(8):983–993.
Put it into practice with Leann
Leann tracks your sets, suggests your next weight and shows your progress. Free, offline, no ads.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, talk to a qualified professional before starting a new program.
