Mixed
Inter-set rest intervals greater than 60 seconds provide a small but detectable hypertrophic benefit for upper and lower limb muscles compared to shorter rest intervals, primarily by preserving volume load.
If your goal is maximum muscle growth, rest 2-3 minutes between sets. While resting less than 60 seconds still works, resting longer allows you to maintain more weight and reps (volume load), leading to slightly better growth, especially in arms and legs. There is no extra benefit to resting longer than 90 seconds.
results suggest a small hypertrophic benefit to employing inter-set rest interval durations >60 s, perhaps mediated by reductions in volume load.
Why this rating
Systematic review with Bayesian meta-analysis of 9 randomized controlled trials; high methodological quality overall.
Source
Give it a rest: a systematic review with Bayesian meta-analysis on the effect of inter-set rest interval duration on muscle hypertrophy
Alec Singer et al. · Frontiers in Sports and Active Living · 2024
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