Optimal Rest Times for Strength and Muscle-Building Workouts
A typical strength- or muscle-building workout happens in sets. But how long should the rest periods be? The optimal rest time for strength workouts is three to five minutes for most exercises. For muscle-building workouts, it’s recommended to use a combination of long and short rest times. Rest times for specific exercises vary, but generally rest three to five minutes for compound exercises, two to three minutes for smaller muscle group exercises, and 30 seconds for isolation exercises. It’s important to experiment and find the rest times that work best for you.