QUICK ANSWERS
How long to rest between sets
The right rest depends on your goal: here’s how long, why, and how to keep to it
| Goal | Reps per set | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Maximal strength | 1 to 6, heavy | 2 to 3 min, or more |
| Muscle size | 6 to 12 | 1 to 2 min, 2 to 3 for big lifts |
| Muscular endurance | 10 to 20 or more, lighter | Short: under 1 min, up to 2 for very long sets |
Are longer rests better?
Key study
3 minutes of rest beat 1 minute
- Randomized trial
- Resistance-trained men
- 8 weeks
Men who rested 3 minutes between sets gained more strength and more thigh muscle than men who rested 1 minute, doing the same exercises, sets and reps. Longer rests let them do more work in each session.
Source 2Short rests aren’t wrong. They make a session faster and harder, which is useful for conditioning, but they usually mean lifting a little less.
Keep to your rest with a timer
- Open Cero’s countdown and touch and hold a preset to set your rest, such as 2:00.
- After each set, tap the preset and add one to the sets counter.
- Start your next set when it ends.
See the rest timer between sets for more.
Sources
- American College of Sports Medicine. Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708. doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670
- Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer Interset Rest Periods Enhance Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812. doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001272
YOUR NEXT SESSION STARTS HERE
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Cero is a timer, not a medical device. If you’re new to hard exercise, are pregnant or have a health condition, check with your doctor first, and stop if you feel unwell.