How Long Should You Rest Between Sets?
General information: This article is general information about training, rest intervals and how an app works. No dietitian or doctor has reviewed it, and it is not a substitute for their advice.
Is 30 seconds of rest too short, or three minutes too long? This page checks what trials and reviews of rest intervals report, then gives a simple rule for beginners at a gym or at home.
The short answer
For most beginners, rest about 1 to 2 minutes between sets, and longer if you need it to keep good form. That matches the ACSM position stand (2009), which pairs 1 to 2 minutes of rest with 6 to 12 repetition maximum training, and a systematic review of 23 studies (Grgic et al., 2018), which concluded that, for untrained people, it seems short to moderate rests (60 to 120 seconds) are sufficient for maximising strength gains. Longer rests (over 2 minutes) seem to matter more once you are experienced.
What the research says
- Strength, 23 trials. The systematic review of 23 studies (Grgic et al., 2018), with 491 participants and studies of good to moderate quality, found that robust strength gains can be achieved even with short rests (under 60 seconds), but that longer rests (over 2 minutes) seem required to maximise strength gains in resistance-trained people.
- Muscle size, 6 trials. The systematic review of 6 studies (Grgic et al., 2017) of studies comparing short (60 seconds or less) with longer rests concluded that both can be useful for muscle growth, with a possible advantage for long rests in trained people, and said more research is needed because few studies had similar designs.
- One direct test. In an 8-week randomised trial (Schoenfeld et al., 2016) of 21 young, resistance-trained men doing 3 workouts a week for 8 weeks, a group resting 3 minutes between sets gained more squat and bench-press strength and more thigh muscle thickness than a group resting 1 minute. Triceps thickness showed a trend (p = 0.06), and muscle endurance did not differ between groups.
These are training trials and reviews of trials, not observational surveys. They are small, and the one direct trial here was in young men and compared only 1 with 3 minutes, so they describe averages, not what will happen to you. Several of them tested trained lifters, not beginners.
A beginner rule (our practical template)
The table below is our own reading of those sources, not a trial result.
| Situation | Rest between sets |
|---|---|
| Main lifts at 8 to 12 reps (squat, bench press, row) | About 1 to 2 minutes; take longer if your form slips. |
| Lighter or smaller exercises | Shorter is fine; the reviews found good gains even with under 60 seconds. |
| You are short on time | Use shorter rests and keep every set honest, rather than skipping sets. |
| Later, when lifting heavy for low reps | Longer rests of 3 minutes or more fit what the ACSM and the trials describe for experienced lifters. |
Rest is a variable you can change, like load. If you add weight following the 2 to 10% rule in the beginner gym plan or in the progressive overload guide, give yourself the rest you need to hit the target reps. Our reading is that the same rest rules apply at home with dumbbells or bodyweight; the compound vs isolation guide explains which exercises are the main lifts.
When to ask a doctor first
If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or another medical condition, are pregnant, or have not exercised for a long time, ask your doctor before you train hard. Stop and get advice if you feel chest pain, dizziness or sharp pain.
Resting with the NYUS timer
NYUS is an AI diet and workout coach. On the workout screen you can log each set and use the rest timer. When you log a set in the exercise screen, the rest timer counts down from the rest time in your plan for that exercise, or from 90 seconds if the plan gives none, and you can skip it. NYUS does not decide your rest for you: follow the timer or take longer.
Use the rest timer in NYUS
Log each set and let the rest timer count your rest. An AI diet and workout coach built around Indian food. 30-day free trial, then ₹499/month, no card needed to start. No ads, no data sold.
Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
How long should a beginner rest between sets?
About 1 to 2 minutes for most exercises, and longer if you need it to keep good form. The ACSM position stand pairs 1 to 2 minutes of rest with 6 to 12 repetition maximum training, and a systematic review concluded that, for untrained people, it seems 60 to 120 seconds is sufficient for maximising strength gains.
Is 30 seconds of rest enough?
Reviews found robust strength gains can be achieved even with rests under 60 seconds, but longer rests seem to give more strength in resistance-trained people. Our practical reading: short rests are fine for lighter exercises; take more for heavy main lifts.
Do longer rests build more muscle?
The evidence is not settled. A systematic review of 6 studies found both short and long rests can be useful, with a possible advantage for long rests in trained people and a need for more research.
Does NYUS tell me how long to rest?
When you log a set in the exercise screen, the rest timer counts down from the rest time in your plan for that exercise, or from 90 seconds if the plan gives none, and you can skip it.
Sources (read 23 October 2026)
- Grgic, Schoenfeld, Skrepnik, Davies and Mikulic, Effects of rest interval duration in resistance training on measures of muscular strength: a systematic review (Sports Med 2018) (abstract; DOI 10.1007/s40279-017-0788-x, PubMed 28933024, read 23 Oct 2026): 23 studies, 491 participants; short rests (under 60 s) can give robust strength gains; longer rests (over 2 min) seem required to maximise strength in resistance-trained people; 60-120 s seem sufficient in untrained people.
- Grgic, Lazinica, Mikulic, Krieger and Schoenfeld, 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) (abstract; DOI 10.1080/17461391.2017.1340524, PubMed 28641044, read 23 Oct 2026): 6 studies; both short (60 s or less) and long rests may be useful for hypertrophy; possible advantage for long rests in trained participants; more research needed.
- Schoenfeld et al., Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men (J Strength Cond Res 2016) (abstract; DOI 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001272, PubMed 26605807, read 23 Oct 2026): 21 resistance-trained men, 8 weeks, 3 workouts a week, 1 vs 3 minutes rest; 1RM squat and bench press and anterior-thigh thickness greater with 3 minutes; triceps trend (p = 0.06); endurance no difference.
- American College of Sports Medicine position stand, Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults (Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009) (abstract; DOI 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670, PubMed 19204579, read 23 Oct 2026): 8-12 RM for novices; 1-2 min rest in the 6-12 RM zone for hypertrophy; 3-5 min with heavy loading in intermediate to advanced lifters; 2-10% load rule.
- The beginner table and the practical rules are NYUS's own reading, not from a trial. App behaviour checked in the NYUS app on 23 Oct 2026.