Not Building Muscle? Check Your Rest
Building muscle is all about intensity, but pushing too hard without enough rest can stall your progress.
New research reviewed nine trials comparing short (60 seconds or less) and longer rest periods (over a minute). The findings suggest that while both short and long rest periods build muscle, taking two to five minutes between sets resulted in greater muscle growth and strength gains than resting only 30-60 seconds.
This doesn’t mean short rest periods aren’t effective. They can still help you make progress, especially if you’re short on time. But if you’re using shorter rests or doing supersets (back-to-back exercises with minimal rest), try pairing opposite muscle groups. For example, follow a chest exercise with a back exercise, or combine quads with hamstrings, or biceps with triceps.
Why does longer rest work better? It helps manage fatigue and allows for more recovery, so you can lift heavier and maintain more reps. With short rest, your muscles don’t fully recover, which limits your reps and weight in the next set — and ultimately, your results.
For maximum growth and strength, aim for two to four minutes of rest between sets. If time is tight, shorter rests work too, as long as you use exercise pairings wisely.
