Rest time feels like a small detail, but it changes how much work you can do. Rest too little and your next set falls apart. Here's how long to rest, and how to save time when you need to.
The short answer
- Big lifts (squats, presses, rows, deadlifts): 2 to 3 minutes.
- Smaller exercises (curls, raises, extensions): 1 to 2 minutes.
- Heavy strength work (sets of 1 to 5): 3 to 5 minutes.
Why longer rest can build more muscle
It used to be common advice to keep rest short to "feel the burn". Studies comparing short and long rests on big lifts found the longer rests built more muscle and strength, mainly because people could do more reps on every set. Short rests feel harder, but you end up doing less work.
Rest until you're ready, within reason
Start your next set when your breathing has settled and you feel ready to match your last set. If you're doing noticeably fewer reps every set, rest a bit longer. Just don't let a 3-minute rest turn into 8 minutes on your phone.
Short on time?
- Pair exercises that don't compete, like a row with a press, and alternate between them. Each muscle still rests while you work.
- Keep longer rests for your first, heaviest lift, and shorten them on the small stuff at the end.
- Cut a set before you cut your rest. A few good sets beat more rushed ones.
Every exercise in the Forged Axis programs lists a rest time, so you always know how long to wait.