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Rest Timer
Pick your rest length. Tap Start as you rack the weight, and Restart when the alarm rings and the next set is done.
1 minute 30 seconds
Spacestart / pauseRresetFfull screen+ −add or remove a minute0–9type a time
Muscular endurance, light high-rep sets and circuits. You start the next set still breathing hard.
Isolation moves for muscle size: curls, lateral raises, triceps and calf work.
The top of the usual hypertrophy range. A good default for most sets of 6–12 reps.
Heavier compound sets, and the short end of strength rest.
Strength work: squat, bench press, deadlift and overhead press for sets of 5 or fewer.
Near-maximal singles, doubles and triples, and explosive power work.
How long to rest between sets, by goal
| Goal | Typical load and reps | Rest between sets |
|---|---|---|
| Muscular endurance | Light, 12 or more reps | 30 seconds or less |
| Muscle size (hypertrophy) | Moderate, 6–12 reps | 30–90 seconds |
| Maximal strength | Heavy, 6 reps or fewer | 2–5 minutes |
| Power | Explosive, 1–5 reps | 2–5 minutes |
Common strength-training guidance of the kind published by the NSCA. These are ranges, not rules: large compound lifts sit at the long end of each range and small isolation moves at the short end.
How to use it
- Tap the chip that matches your training: 90 seconds is selected to begin with. Use the minute and second steppers for anything in between, such as 45 seconds or 4 minutes.
- Finish your set, rack the weight and tap Start, or press Space on a keyboard.
- When the alarm rings, the +1:00 button becomes Restart. Do your next set, then tap Restart to begin the same rest again.
- If you train to a fixed clock, switch on Repeat and the countdown restarts by itself each time it ends. R resets it.
Rest time for strength and rest time for hypertrophy
A heavy set runs on energy stored in the muscle that takes minutes to refill. Start the next set too soon and you lift the same weight for fewer reps, or have to take weight off the bar. For maximal strength and power, where the load on the bar is the point, common guidance is 2 to 5 minutes. Longer rests let you repeat heavy sets with the same weight.
For muscle size the usual range is 30 to 90 seconds, and for muscular endurance about 30 seconds or less. Short rests keep a session dense: more sets fit into the hour and the muscle starts each set partly tired. The trade is load. If short rests force you to cut the weight a lot, lengthen them.
Matching the rest to the exercise
The same goal needs different rests for different lifts. A set of squats or deadlifts uses most of the muscle in your body and leaves you out of breath, so it needs the long end of the range. A set of biceps curls taxes one small muscle and recovers in under a minute. A simple plan is 3 minutes for your first big lift, 2 minutes for the second compound exercise and 60 to 90 seconds for the isolation work that follows.
Let your reps check the setting. If you get 8 reps, then 5, then 3 with the same weight, the rest is too short for that lift. If every set feels as easy as the first, shorten it. This is general guidance for healthy adults; if you get chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness between sets, stop the session and speak to a doctor before lifting again.
Common mistakes
- Guessing the rest. Unmeasured rests drift longer as the session goes on and you tire, and turn a 45-minute session into 75.
- Using one rest length for everything. Deadlifts and lateral raises do not need the same recovery.
- Cutting rest on heavy sets to feel busier. On strength work that costs reps and teaches you to lift tired.
- Starting the timer late. Tap Start as soon as the set ends, not after you have logged it and had a drink.
Questions people ask
How long should I rest between sets?
About 30 seconds or less for muscular endurance, 30 to 90 seconds for muscle size and 2 to 5 minutes for maximal strength and power. Rest longer if your reps fall sharply from one set to the next.
How long should I rest between sets for hypertrophy?
The usual range is 30 to 90 seconds. Use 60 seconds for small isolation exercises and 90 seconds, or up to 2 minutes, for compound lifts so you can keep the weight up.
Is 3 minutes of rest between sets too long?
Not for heavy compound lifts. Two to five minutes is the standard range for strength work. For light isolation sets it is longer than you need.
Is 30 seconds of rest enough between sets?
It is enough for light, high-rep endurance work and circuits. For moderate or heavy loads you will lose reps quickly on 30 seconds.
How do I restart the rest timer without resetting it?
When the countdown ends, the +1:00 button turns into Restart; one tap begins the same rest again. Turning on Repeat restarts it automatically.
Should I rest longer between different exercises than between sets?
Changing equipment usually takes a couple of minutes anyway, which is enough. If you move straight on, give yourself at least your normal set rest.