Rest periods during workouts might seem boring or unneeded. However, understanding their role in your overall progress is crucial. Especially if your goal is to build muscle, taking enough rest between sets is a must.

Why Rest Is Important in Resistance Training

Despite what some think, the goal of resistance training isn't to make you breathless or soaked in sweat. It's to slowly increase your strength and muscle size. To do this, your muscles need time to recover between sets.

When you're training to failure or close to it with the right intensity and form, you should take at least 2-3 minutes of rest between sets. This rest time lets your muscles recharge their energy, helping you perform at your best in the next set.

Without enough rest, you might still lift in your next set, but your performance might not be the best. For example, during heavy compound lifts, rest periods can sometimes be up to 4-5 minutes. While it might seem boring, remember that your goal is muscle growth and strength, and that needs patience and discipline.

Check out the art of balancing consistency and variation in physique training programs for optimal muscle growth.

Balancing Rest and Workout Time

Many worry that longer rest periods will make their workouts take too long. This is a valid concern but can be solved with efficient workout planning. Remember, not all exercises take a long time to set up, especially machine exercises.

In my workout programs, which usually last from 45-90 minutes, I always stress the importance of rest periods.

If you're training with the right intensity, reaching or getting very close to failure on exercises, you don't necessarily need 3-4-5 sets. So, your workout time doesn't need to be excessively long even with enough rest periods.

Remember, in your fitness journey, quality always beats quantity. You're not racing against time; you're working towards steady progress and long-term results. So, be patient, stick to the suggested rest periods, and let your muscles recover for top performance