Resting long enough between your sets

How Long Should You Actually Rest Between Sets?

This is a question a lot of people ask, and the answer depends entirely on your goal. I train to build a strong, muscular physique, so let’s dive into what works best for that—I’ll briefly cover other goals too.

If your main goal is to build muscle, here’s the bottom line: rest as long as you need to feel ready for the next set. For example, say you’re benching 180 lbs and get 10 reps on your first set. Ideally, you’ll rest long enough so you can hit at least 8 reps on your second set with the same weight or get 10 reps with slightly lighter weight. If you rush back in and can only crank out 5 reps, you’re not getting the most out of your sets. It’s normal for your muscles to fatigue during your workout, but it shouldn’t happen too fast. Based on experience, resting 3–5 minutes between sets is often the sweet spot for strength and muscle growth.

Ultimately, listen to your body. If you still feel tired or out of breath, give it a bit longer. (Again, this is for those focused on gaining strength and muscle.)

I used to do very high-volume workouts. I would superset almost every set and barely give myself time to rest. I made progress, but a lot slower than I could have if I’d done lower-volume workouts (fewer exercises and sets) with more rest. For reference, I used to do around 24–32 sets in a 75–90-minute workout; now I do around 15–20 sets in the same amount of time. This just works better for my goals (building a strong, muscular physique).

That said, high-volume workouts have their place. If your goal is fat loss, high volume can be a great way to keep your heart rate up (essentially adding cardio) while also getting some solid weight training in.

The conclusion here is that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how long you should rest between sets. Different goals require different approaches. If your goal is to build muscle and gain strength, I can tell you from personal experience and doing a ton of research that lower-volume workouts with 3–5 minutes of rest between sets is more than likely going to be best for you. Once again, don’t look at the time—pay attention to how you feel and how you’re performing.

Hope this helps!

If you have any questions, DM me or leave a comment.

Go win your day!

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