How Long Should You Rest Between Sets?

When it comes to the bodybuilding tips, there are a large number of myths that do the rounds such as 3 minutes rest between the sets is the ideal situation, Whey Protein should only be taken in water, and so on. However, effectively managing and changing of the rest period between the workout sessions, managing the number of reps, the number of sets and loads everything plays a crucial role when it comes to the fitness routine. 

 

If you’ve ever wondered about the ideal rules of the fitness schedule and how long should one rest between the sets, here is your comprehensive guide to refer to-

 

 

It is essential to understand that the reasoning behind the rest between the sets is to do with the facilitation of the adequate recovery for a better performance on the subsequent sets. The performance in the previous sets helps in determining the rest needed between the sets.

 

 A tip here would be to keep a track of the accumulated fatigue as you progress through your work sets and if you realize that you barely made your last work set after a reasonably short rest, it is time to take a longer break before your next work set. The process should be repeated with each subsequent set.

 

 

As a general fitness rule, the lesser is the number of repetitions, the more you need to rest between sets. Furthermore, the heavier the weight you lift, the longer you need to rest between the sets. 

 

 

There are several types of muscles in the body. Type I muscle fibers, also known as slow-twitch, offer endurance to the weightlifter. They get activated during workouts, aerobic activities or when we lift lighter weights for higher reps. These fibers don’t require as much energy to contract as type II muscles, thus requiring lesser rest between the sets.

 

 

If someone is doing the sets at a rate of perceived exertion (RPE) of 7, which is equivalent to 3 reps from failure, there is a need for less rest as compared to the need for sets taken to 10 RPE (failure). 

 

 

It is obvious that heavier, stronger people have more tissue to recover, and hence they need longer time periods for the recovery to occur, and vice versa. 

 

 

This one is often ignored when it comes to deciding the rest period between the sets. Remember that if your squats or deadlift workout calls for 2 sets of a certain weight, your rest periods between the sets should gradually increase after the warm-up sets to adequately support the muscles of the body.