The Importance of Rest Time While Exercising

When building a successful workout regimen, it’s easy to get caught up in the specifics of exercise routines, weights, and reps. But the often overlooked component is rest time between sets. Understanding how to balance your rest intervals can significantly enhance your results and help you achieve your goals more effectively.

Rest Time for Muscular Strength

Why It Matters:

Muscular strength is achieved through lifting heavy weights and pushing your muscles to their maximum capacity. Typical rep ranges for muscular strength include 1-5 reps at 80-90% of your 1 rep max. To build strength, your muscles need to fully recover between sets so that you can lift with optimal force each time.

Optimal Rest Time:

For strength training, aim for 3 to 5 minutes of rest between sets. This longer rest period allows your muscles to replenish their energy stores and reduce fatigue, which is essential for lifting heavier weights with proper form.

Key Points:

• Longer rest intervals help in restoring your muscle’s creatine phosphate levels, which are crucial for high-intensity efforts.
• Avoid short rest periods that can lead to premature fatigue and hinder your performance.

Rest Time for Endurance

Why It Matters:

Endurance training focuses on improving the ability of your muscles to sustain activity over a longer period. The goal here is to increase your stamina and cardiovascular fitness, often through activities like running, cycling, or high-repetition weight training.

Optimal Rest Time:

For endurance-focused workouts, shorter rest periods are generally more effective. Aim for 30 seconds to 1 minute of rest between sets or exercises.

Key Points:

• Shorter rest intervals help maintain an elevated heart rate and enhance aerobic capacity.
• This approach can improve your ability to sustain prolonged exercise and adapt to longer periods of activity.

Rest Time for Hypertrophy

Why It Matters:

Hypertrophy refers to muscle growth, and achieving this requires a fine balance between lifting moderate weights and providing adequate recovery. The goal is to induce muscle fatigue and promote muscle repair and growth.

Optimal Rest Time:

For hypertrophy, the recommended rest period is typically 30 to 90 seconds between sets. This moderate rest allows for sufficient muscle fatigue while keeping the muscles under tension.

Key Points:

•  Shorter rest periods can increase metabolic stress and muscle pump, which are both conducive to muscle growth.
•  Ensure that your rest is long enough to allow partial recovery so that you can perform your next set effectively without compromising form.

Strength vs. Endurance vs. Hypertrophy:

• Strength Training: Emphasize longer rest periods to fully recover and lift maximal weights.
• Endurance Training: Shorten rest periods to keep your heart rate elevated and improve stamina.
• Hypertrophy Training: Moderate rest to balance muscle fatigue with recovery, promoting muscle growth.

Rest times are a guideline, not a strict rule. If you’re feeling fatigued, extend your rest periods. Conversely, if you’re well-rested and ready to go, you might find that slightly shorter rest times work better for you.

Rest for Success:

Rest time is a powerful tool in your fitness arsenal. By tailoring your rest intervals to your specific goals—strength, endurance, or hypertrophy—you can enhance your performance, prevent injury, and make the most of every workout. So next time you hit the gym, don’t just focus on the weights and reps; think about how you’re managing your rest time as well! 

Elite Sports Performance & Physical Therapy offers Sports Performance programs and Sports Physical Therapy at both our Foxboro and Stoughton locations. To learn more about our programs and services, click HERE ! Our Winter Sports Performance Program kicks off on December 2nd so give us a call at 774-300-3529 (Foxboro) or 781-297-0979 (Stoughton) to learn more or sign up today!

About the Author:

Tessa Rogari, PT, DPT, is a Physical Therapist at Elite Sports Performance & PT in Foxboro. Prior to PT school, she was a collegiate rower at the University of Miami and is an avid fan of most Florida sports teams, but especially “the U.” When she’s not helping patients and athletes recover from injury at Elite, she enjoys working out, spending time with friends, and cheering on her favorite teams. To schedule a PT evaluation with Tessa, give us a call at 774-215-5401.

Citations:

Freitas de Salles, B., Simão, R., Miranda, F. et al. Rest Interval between Sets in Strength Training. Sports Med 39, 765–777 (2009). https://doi.org/10.2165/11315230-000000000-00000

Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Van Every DW, Plotkin DL. Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports (Basel). 2021 Feb 22;9(2):32. doi: 10.3390/sports9020032. PMID: 33671664; PMCID: PMC7927075.