Rest interval during weight training


Guest article by Shwetha Bhatia

I see a lot of people messing up the rest interval between their weight training sets on the gym floor. The importance of the interval rest period should not be taken lightly. Let’s touch the basics of why and how much..

– The inter set rest period helps in heart rate and ATP (fuel) recovery, improving the efficiency of the set. Without this, there can be an accumulation of lactic acid (the burn), which can lead to muscle failure before time.

– Lighter intensity needs lesser rest and vice versa, the minimum being 1 minute or 1.5 minute for beginners.

– Longer rest periods for heavier loads (3-5 minutes) promote greater increases in muscle strength and hypertrophy.

– Hypertensive/Cardiac patients: 1- or 2-minute rest between sets and exercises is recomended when the goal is to reduce BP after training sessions. For cardiac patients, it will go as per prescription or a minimum of 2 minutes.

Happy Training!


Shwetha Bhatia is a registered dietician with the Indian Dietetic Association. She runs her practice under the brand name “Metamorphosis’ in Mumbai. She is also a competitive fitness athlete (IBBF Bronze winner at the State & National Level 2015). She has also set up her own gym and nutrition counselling centre in Goa called Gym & Tonic. She’s also a columnist for the fitness magazine Krunch Today.

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