How much you rest between sets can change how many reps you complete and, over time, your training volume. A new study shows that if you equate volume-load, very short rests can keep up with longer rests for quad growth and strength.
Overview
- What did they test? Whether 20-second vs 2-minute inter-set rests produce different hypertrophy and strength when total repetitions are matched within a session.
- What did they find? There were no meaningful differences in quadriceps hypertrophy or knee-extension 1RM after 10 weeks of training when volume-load was equated.
- What does it mean for you? If you keep total reps/load comparable, very short rests can be an option; however, longer rests still help you preserve reps without extra sets and are generally better for optimizing strength.
What’s the Problem?
Rest intervals influence how long you spend in the gym, yet how long you should rest between sets for maximal hypertrophy remains somewhat debated. Traditional programs favor longer rests on the logic that more recovery preserves repetition quality and total work across a session 1. However, shorter rests are popular for time efficiency and the perceived metabolic stimulus, but they often reduce the amount of reps after the first set 2. Short inter-set rests may also disproportionately impair repetition quality in complex multi-joint lifts compared with single-joint movements. They may also affect later exercises in a training session.
A look at the broader evidence helps explain when longer rests truly matter and when matching the work can level the playing field. A previous 8-week trial in trained men showed greater quad and triceps growth and larger 1RM gains with 3 minutes versus 1 minute when sets were fixed 1. Other work complicates the picture; in trained men, 2 versus 5 minutes over 3 months produced similar quadriceps CSA and knee-extension strength when the 2-minute group performed extra sets to match repetitions 3, and a volume-load–equated comparison of hypertrophy versus powerlifting programs showed similar biceps growth despite longer rests and heavier loads in the latter 4. Reviews generally favor intermediate to long rests for hypertrophy and strength, especially in trained individuals 2. Finally, a 10-week leg-press study found short rests underperform when volume falls, but matching volume with extra sets erased the hypertrophy gap versus long rests 5.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of very-short (20s) and long (2 mins) rest intervals on changes in muscle size and strength under an intensity and volume-equated design.
