To get results from your workouts, you need to pay attention to many factors, such as training and diet. But many people don’t realize how important rest time between sets is.
Rest between sets is extremely important because it directly affects your performance and workout intensity.
Many people use this time to chat, use their phones, take selfies for Instagram… walk around the gym… eventually exceeding the time set by their trainer. And that is a problem.
It may not seem like it, but the rest between sets or exercises makes all the difference!
You’ve probably already wondered what the ideal rest time between sets is. In this article, we’ll talk about it.
Why do we need to rest between sets?
Rest intervals serve several purposes, but in short, we can say that their goal is to provide a controlled increase in fatigue.
When we exercise, we tire our muscles—the control is important because it helps us maintain the same level of performance or slow down in a planned way. This is easy to understand.
If I ask you to do 3 sets of 10 reps and rest for 10 seconds after each set, using an intensity technique such as rest-pause, drop sets, etc., you won’t be able to complete all the reps, or you’ll have to use a light weight as the sets go on.
However, if you increase your rest time, you’re more likely to perform better in this exercise.
Therefore, rest time between sets allows you to control the fatigue that occurs during your workout.
The importance of rest time between sets
Rest time is associated with several changes in training, and these changes often determine the success or failure of a workout.
Short recovery intervals, such as 30 or 60 seconds, trigger a series of physiological and hormonal adaptations. For example, these adaptations contribute to muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth).
But these same short recovery intervals will speed up muscle fatigue, making it difficult to maintain the number of reps throughout your workout.
We can use longer rest periods for low reps with heavier loads. For example: 2- to 4-minute breaks.
In short: workout intensity and its effects are also related to rest.
There is no set time
First, there is no fixed time. Using guidelines that 30, 45, or 60 seconds is ideal may not suit every strength trainee’s goals. Remember that every body is biologically unique, and we should respect that.
That’s why we use the concept of an “interval,” which generally ranges from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. But, I repeat, it’s not fixed!
Use periodization to decide
Tension-focused workouts are characterized by low reps, heavier loads, and longer rest intervals between sets.
Metabolic workouts are characterized by high reps, lighter loads (compared to tension-focused workouts), and shorter rest intervals between sets.
Ahhhh, and you may be wondering: What’s the best method for hypertrophy? There isn’t one best method! What matters is making the right adjustments to your workout routine. It’s recommended that you vary the stimulus to avoid plateaus!
If your set is metabolic, with more reps and a lighter load, it’s best to reduce your rest time to around 30 seconds to 1 minute.
That’s because this interval is enough to restore your energy and prepare you for more reps.
If your training is tension-focused (more strength-oriented), you can do fewer reps with more weight.
During these periods, you can rest longer. Therefore, an interval of 1 to 2 minutes may be ideal between sets.
Use time to your advantage
Some advanced techniques involve completing several sets of the same exercise, resting for 10–15 seconds, and then continuing the established protocol. This optimizes a workout for someone with little time available, for example.
That’s why it’s important to consult a physical education professional to find out what best suits your needs.
For those who work out at home
This tip is for those who work out at home.
If you’re doing more strenuous exercises, such as dumbbell exercises and push-ups, take a longer break between the two sets, around 2 minutes.
This is because if the exercise is very difficult, you’ll need more time to rest.
Otherwise, you won’t be able to do it many times. If the exercise is “easy,” rest as little as possible. This way, you can maintain high-intensity training and fatigue your muscle fibers.
Conclusion
We can conclude that there is no exact answer on this subject; you can combine different rest periods to achieve what you want.
One good option is to rest longer during compound exercises such as squats, bench presses, and military presses. These movements require a lot of energy to perform correctly.
Longer rest periods are necessary to restore your energy levels and maintain good performance in the following sets.
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