When it comes to rest between sets, most bodybuilders know the rules. The heavier the weight, the fewer the reps and the longer the rest between sets. Researchers and coaches have followed these principles for years. The general recommendation has been to rest for 3-5 minutes for 5-7 reps; 2-3 minutes for 8-10 reps; 1-2 minutes for 10-13 reps; and less than a minute for more than 13 reps. Yet few bodybuilders realize that athletes use these work-to-rest ratios to improve physical fitness, rather than to maximize muscle growth.
To maximize muscle growth, you need to perform as many reps as possible with your chosen weight. Rest periods should therefore be seen as a tool to help you do this. A study conducted at Arizona State University East (Mesa) found that, regardless of how heavy a weight you use, you need roughly the same amount of rest to perform the same number of reps in your next set.
The study involved 16 trained male bodybuilders who completed two 3-week testing periods. During one three-week testing period, the participants performed 5 consecutive sets of bench presses at 80% of their maximum. Rest periods were either 1, 2 or 3 minutes. During the other testing period, they used 50% of their maximum, again testing rest periods of 1, 2 or 3 minutes.
The researchers published their results in Journual of Strenght and Conditioning Reasearch and reported the following:
At 80% of their maximum, participants completed the following number of reps across 5 sets:
- 18 reps with 1 minute of rest
- 23 reps with 2 minutes of rest
- 27 reps with 3 minutes of rest
At 50% of their maximum, participants completed the following number of reps across 5 sets:
- 59 reps with 1 minute of rest
- 75 reps with 2 minutes of rest
- 88 reps with 3 minutes of rest
From lab to gym: The researchers concluded that, whether you train with light or heavy weights, you should rest for about 3 minutes between sets to maximize your rep count at a given weight. Being able to keep your rep count within your chosen range while maintaining the same weight leads to greater gains in muscle mass and strength.
Three minutes is not a magic number, as bodybuilders recover at different rates. Those with more training experience will probably need less rest. Find a rest period between sets that works for you and allows you to perform more reps with the same weight.
References: J.M Willardson and L.N. Burkett, „The effect of rest interval lenght on bench press performance with heavy vs. light loads,” The Journal of Strenght and Conditioning Research, 20(2):396-9, 2006
Author: Jim Stoppani/FLEX
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