Optimal Rest Times for Strength and Muscle-Building Workouts
A typical strength- or muscle-building workout happens in sets. You lift the weight a certain number of times (“reps”), then you put it down for a quick rest before going again. But how long should that rest be? The answer will depend on a few factors, including the purpose of the workout.
Optimal Rest Times for Strength Workouts
If you want to get good at lifting heavy weights, you need to give yourself practice lifting heavy weights. Strength is a specific metric: If two people can do the same weight for 20 reps of bench press, but one person does heavy singles (sets of just one rep) while the other does not, guess who’s going to win if they decide to see who can bench the heaviest? Unsurprisingly, the person who has experience lifting heavier is going to be able to lift heavier.
The longer you rest—within reason—the more fully recovered you’ll be for the next set. The optimal rest time for strength workouts is three to five minutes for most exercises, with shorter rests for lifts that use fewer or smaller muscles, like bicep curls, and even longer rests for heavy lifts that use most of your body, like a max effort deadlift.
Optimal Rest Times for Muscle-Building Workouts
When it comes to muscle growth, the answer isn’t as straightforward. Traditionally, trainers recommend rest periods of 90 seconds or less, but research has shown that longer rest periods may actually yield more muscle growth. One study found that three-minute rest periods resulted in more muscle growth than one-minute rests. However, there are several factors to consider, including the number of sets and the weight lifted.
Ultimately, it may be best to use a combination of long and short rest times. For example, using longer rest times for compound lifts at the beginning of the workout and shorter rest times for isolation exercises afterward.
Rest Times for Specific Exercises
Here are some guidelines for rest times based on specific exercises:
- Pushups and pullups: Rest three to five minutes between sets for small to medium number of reps, and about a minute for higher rep ranges.
- Barbell squats and deadlifts: Treat these as strength exercises and rest three to five minutes between sets.
- Bench press, overhead press, chest press, and shoulder press: Rest two to three minutes, and up to five on heavy sets if needed.
- Rows and lat pulldowns: Rest two to three minutes, or up to five if necessary.
- Isolation exercises: Take 30 seconds between sets to feel the burn or pump.
Remember, these are just guidelines, and it’s important to experiment and find what works best for you. Rest times can be adjusted based on your goals and preferences. Just remember that everybody rests between sets!
