How Much Rest Should I Take Between Sets? Mastering the Balance Between Rest and Results

I have been watching a conversation between Dr. Mike Israetel and Dr. Todd Lee the last couple days on Youtube and they have been discussing the relationship between sets and rest and how it impacts performance related topics such as hypertrophy, strength, and endurance. Dr. Mike Israetel, who many of you may be familiar with because he is all over social media, comes from RP Strength and he is definitely associated with a more bodybuilding approach to exercise science. And Dr. Todd Lee is a professional bodybuilder, in addition to being a biochemist and medical doctor. Whenever I listen to conversations like this I of course think about how this impacts our world of fitness and what we can learn from it as crossfitters.

How Rest Relates to CrossFit and How We Can Learn From the Science

One of the most debated topics in strength training isn’t what you lift—it’s how long you rest between sets. Believe it or not, the rest you take can make or break your results depending on your goal: whether it’s building muscle, gaining strength, improving endurance, or torching calories. Let’s break down the science so you can make every second count.

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Why Rest Periods Matter

Rest is more than just a chance to catch your breath. It’s your body’s window to recover energy, reset your nervous system, and prepare your muscles to perform again.

We have three major energy systems at play:

• ATP-PCr (phosphagen): Fuels short, explosive efforts. Fully recharges in 3-5 minutes.

• Glycolytic: Powers moderate-intensity work for up to 90 seconds.

• Oxidative: Fuels endurance activities over longer durations.

The shorter your rest, the more you challenge the glycolytic system (great for muscle growth and endurance). The longer your rest, the more you restore the ATP-PCr system (essential for heavy lifting and power output).

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Short Rest Periods (30–90 seconds)

Best for: Hypertrophy, Muscular Endurance, Metabolic Conditioning

Why it works: Short rests keep the muscles under metabolic stress, which is a key driver of growth. They also trigger hormonal responses like spikes in growth hormone (GH) and IGF-1 that support muscle gain and fat loss.

Pros:

• Encourages muscle growth (hypertrophy)

• Efficient for short workouts

• Builds muscular endurance

• Increases metabolic demand

Cons:

• Reduced strength output due to fatigue

• May compromise form and volume on heavier lifts

• Higher central nervous system fatigue if overused

Use it for:

• Supersets, circuits, or high-volume accessory work

• Example: 4 sets of 10 reps at 75% of 1RM, rest 60 seconds

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Moderate Rest Periods (90 seconds–2 minutes)

Best for: Blending Strength and Size

Why it works: Offers a sweet spot between recovery and metabolic stress. You can lift relatively heavy while still stimulating muscle growth.

Pros:

• Supports progressive overload

• Balanced hormonal response

• Great for compound lifts without sacrificing hypertrophy

Cons:

• Not specialized for either pure strength or pure hypertrophy

• Can still accumulate fatigue if overused

Use it for:

• Compound lifts like squats, presses, or rows

• Example: 4 sets of 8 reps at 80% 1RM, rest 90 seconds

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Long Rest Periods (3–5+ minutes)

Best for: Maximal Strength and Power

Why it works: Full recovery of the ATP-PCr system allows you to lift heavy with proper technique and explosive output.

Pros:

• Maximizes force production

• Ideal for neuromuscular recovery

• Great for strength phases or performance training

Cons:

• Less metabolic stress (lower hypertrophy stimulus)

• Longer workouts

• Minimal cardiovascular challenge

Use it for:

• Heavy compound lifts (deadlifts, squats, Olympic lifts)

• Example: 5 sets of 3 reps at 90% 1RM, rest 3-5 minutes

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Choosing Rest Based on Your Goal

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Other Factors to Consider

• Training Age: Beginners often need longer rest to maintain proper form.

• Exercise Type: Big compound lifts = more rest. Isolation movements = less rest.

• Daily Readiness: If you’re tired or sore, give your body the recovery it needs.

• Time Crunch? Use supersets, circuits, or EMOMs (Every Minute on the Minute) to get more work done efficiently.

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The Bottom Line: Train Smart, Not Just Hard

Rest is not wasted time—it’s where recovery and growth begin. Short rests are great for burning fat and building muscle. Longer rests help you get stronger and more powerful. Match your rest intervals to your goal and you’ll get better results, faster.

One Final Point

One thing that Dr. Mike said that really resonated with me is he talked about the filling the cup method. Essentially every rep and every set we do fills our cup.  And it matters less on how we fill the cup over the course of the week and it matters more on whether we are actually filling the cup. So make sure you are getting into the gym this week and FILL THAT CUP!!!