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Imagine a classic gym scene. You finish a set, and after 30 seconds, you’re already starting another. Other times, you diligently count down three minutes while scrolling through social media. But which case is the right one if the goal is maximum muscle growth? The length of the pause between sets is one of the most underestimated, yet absolutely crucial variables that determine the success of your workout.
Fortunately, we no longer have to just guess and rely on feelings. A 2024 scientific analysis focused on finding that “golden path” to muscle growth. It turns out that, in addition to factors such as mechanical tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress, the time spent resting plays a crucial role in the overall outcome. In this article, we will therefore take a deeper look at this issue and show you what rest time is best for building muscle mass and why. [4]
Is it better to rest for 30 seconds, 1 minute, or longer?
Before we get into the study itself, let’s summarise how scientists typically divide rest pauses and what happens in the body during them. [2, 3] Basically, there are three main categories.
1. Short pauses (up to 60 seconds)
These pauses, often around 30 seconds, are typical for circuit or HIIT workouts. They lead to a large accumulation of waste products in the muscles, such as lactate or hydrogen ions. This creates strong metabolic stress. This can be positive for muscle growth because, according to some studies, it stimulates the production of metabolites and a short-term increase in hormones. These include growth hormone or IGF-1, although the influence of this hormonal fluctuation on muscle growth itself is rather questioned in modern science. However, the disadvantage is great fatigue, which may prevent you from completing as many repetitions or lifting as heavy a weight, which reduces the overall volume of work. [5]
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2. Medium pauses (60–90 seconds)
Pauses of one to one and a half minutes may be an ideal compromise. They are still short enough to create significant metabolic stress in the muscle, but at the same time, provide enough time to partially restore energy stores (ATP and creatine phosphate) and remove some fatigue substances. [1]
3. Long pauses (2–5 minutes)
Long rest pauses help almost completely recharge the muscle’s batteries, i.e. restore the reserves of fast energy ATP and phosphocreatine.[1] Thanks to this, you are able to develop maximum strength and lift a heavier weight in the next series, which is crucial for so-called mechanical tension, another important stimulus for muscle growth. These pauses are ideal for maximum strength training and also allow for better regeneration of the nervous system.
Behind the scenes of scientific research: How was the truth sought?
And now to the analysis itself from Singer and his team. [4] The scientists embarked on painstaking work. They went through hundreds of studies and finally selected 9 of the highest quality that met strict criteria. They had to use precise muscle measurement methods (such as DEXA, ultrasound, or biopsy), clearly define the length of pauses, and meet a duration of at least 4 weeks. It is also fair to mention that six of the nine selected studies were conducted on beginners or slightly advanced exercisers, while the remaining three were on experienced athletes.
The best pause length between sets for muscle growth
The results of the study are best seen in the graph, which compares the effect size of individual pause lengths.
Don’t be afraid of complicated names. On the vertical axis, we see different pause lengths. But the most important is the horizontal axis, which shows the effect size. Simply imagine it as a score that tells us how much a given pause length helped muscles grow. The more the coloured hill and its peak are shifted to the right, the better the result the pause achieved.
A clear winner is visible at first glance. The best result was achieved by the blue-green curve, which represents medium pauses lasting 61–119 seconds. Its peak is furthest to the right, which indicates the greatest positive influence on muscle hypertrophy. Close behind is the green curve, a long pause lasting 120–179 seconds. The other two categories, i.e. short pauses (<60 s) and very long (>180 s), were placed furthest to the left in the analysis, which in the graph indicates a weaker influence on overall muscle hypertrophy.
As the study authors discuss, it seems that neither too short nor too long pauses are the ideal path. The medium length of rest best combines the advantages of both worlds: it is short enough to induce the desired metabolic stress, and at the same time long enough to restore energy reserves to maintain strength and work volume. So you don’t have to spend an eternity on the bench. With moderately long pauses, you will maintain a brisk pace and get the most out of your muscle growth workout.
Although the study suggests that, from a statistical point of view, pauses longer than 90 seconds no longer bring an additional bonus in muscle growth for the average exerciser, the authors themselves point out in the limitations section that the type of exercise plays a crucial role.
With heavy squats or deadlifts, fatigue (not only muscle fatigue, but also respiratory fatigue) sets in much earlier than with isolated exercises. In practice, therefore, trainers agree that while 90 seconds is enough for biceps, it is safer to give the body complex exercises more time, so that you do not unnecessarily lose too much strength and overall work volume in the next series.
Quick cheat sheet: How long to rest between sets for biceps or deadlifts?
| Type of exercise | Examples | Recommended pause | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-joint (isolated) | Biceps curl, leg extension, lateral raise | 60–90 seconds | No further bonus for muscle growth was recorded for these exercises above 90 s. |
| Multi-joint (complex) | Bench press, leg press, pull-ups | 2–3 minutes | A longer pause helps maintain the volume of work (number of repetitions), which drops sharply with a short pause in complex exercises. |
| The most difficult strength exercises | Squats, deadlifts | 3 minutes or more | A sub-analysis of the thighs showed that very long pauses (≥180 s) had a slight advantage for better muscle growth. |
- If you want to learn more about how to put together an entire training system, read our article How to create a quality training plan – tips, workouts, and common mistakes.
- And if you don’t have a way to get to the gym right now, our guide How to create a quality training plan for home workouts might be useful.
What to take away from this?
Finding the ideal pause length is crucial for effective training. As a new scientific analysis has shown, for maximum muscle growth (in most exercises), it is most effective to rest between 60 and 90 seconds. This interval represents the ideal compromise because it allows you to maintain high intensity and at the same time recover sufficiently for another demanding series. While it is worth resting longer for pure strength training, for hypertrophy, this golden mean is the best choice for your muscles.
And how long do you usually keep the pauses between sets? Share your experiences with us in the comments. If you liked the article, don’t forget to share it with your friends so that they also know how to properly set up rest for the best results.
[1] de Salles BF, Simão R, Miranda F, et al. Rest interval between sets in strength training. Sports Med. 2009 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19691365/
[2] Henselmans M, Schoenfeld B. The effect of inter-set rest intervals on resistance exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy. Sports Med. 2014 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25047853/
[3] Grgic J, Lazinica B, Mikulic P, et al. The effects of short versus long inter-set rest intervals in resistance training on measures of muscle hypertrophy: A systematic review. Eur J Sport Sci. 2017 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28641044/
[4] Singer A, Wolf M, Generoso L, et al. Give it a rest: a systematic review with Bayesian meta-analysis on the effect of inter-set rest interval duration on muscle hypertrophy. Front Sports Act Living. 2024 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11349676/
[5] Willardson JM. A brief review: factors affecting the length of the rest interval between resistance exercise sets. J Strength Cond Res. 2006 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17194236/
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