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Rest intervals are an overlooked aspect of training. During a workout, you want each set to approach failure, with the requisite weight, reps, and intensity. This points to longer rest periods between sets. With that said, you don’t want to be in the gym forever, and need to be efficient with your time.
A new study looked to thread the needle between rest intervals and results. Forty resistance-trained adults (not beginners) were separated into two groups. One group had the freedom to rest as long as they felt they needed to between sets. The other group used a timer, and had a fixed rest interval of two to three minutes between sets. Both groups performed the same workouts for eight weeks.
Between the two groups, all of the variables measured statistically similar. Increases in muscle thickness, strength, endurance, and even perceived effort were nearly identical no matter the rest interval used.
This indicates that you don’t necessarily need to “feel” ready before your next set, provided that you are resting two to three minutes in between. Three minutes may seem like a long period, but for heavy compound movements time seems to fly by.
The one thing that differed greatly between groups was the duration of the entire workout. The group on the fixed timer finished their workout in about 56 minutes, while the non-restricted group finished in about 78 minutes. That is a near 40% increase in time from one to the other.
This one study shows that you don't need to overthink your rest periods to get results. Setting a timer for two to three minutes between sets appears to be just as effective as “listening to your body,” and it saves you a meaningful chunk of time in the process. That 22-minute difference between sessions could be valuable for someone with a busy schedule. Your gains won't suffer, and you'll be out of the gym and on with your day that much sooner.
