Set rest intervals by training goal.
Rest length follows the goal: strength work needs two to three minutes for the nervous system and phosphocreatine to recover, hypertrophy work tolerates about ninety seconds, and endurance work is deliberately short. Compound lifts get roughly a third more rest than isolation work because they fatigue far more tissue, and sets taken close to failure need longer than sets stopped with reps in reserve.
Rest prescription
Rest seconds = goal base (180 strength / 150 power / 90 hypertrophy / 45 endurance) x 1.3 if compound x proximity adjustment for reps in reserve
These figures are estimates based on population-average formulas and are intended for training and recreational planning only. They are not medical advice. Consult a qualified health professional before starting or changing an exercise programme, particularly if you have an existing medical condition.
Two to three minutes for heavy strength work, around ninety seconds for hypertrophy, and thirty to sixty seconds for endurance circuits. Compound lifts sit at the longer end of each range.
No — the evidence points the other way. Longer rests preserve the load and reps per set, which supports growth better than rushing between sets.
Because it dominates session length. Twenty sets with three-minute rests is an hour of resting alone, which is often the real constraint on a training plan.