How much time between sets?

Overall, and throughout the year, I like to take about 60-90 seconds between sets. Anything longer than that is “likely” too long, this means staying off your phone, getting off the machine or rack and walking around for a bit; not sitting on a bench or machine, looking at your phone waiting for the time to go by… be productive, get up and keep your body moving. this burns more calories and keeps you focused on the next set.

Of course, there are exceptions (like everything), if you are putting in legit work and pushing yourself—take the time you need to recover for another productive set! MOST people I see in the gym are not pushing themselves, they are just wasting time and loitering.

What do I “try” to stick with? 90-seconds (or less) between sets, applies to single-sets, super-sets and tri-sets. Old-school bodybuilders, that a lot of our “programs” are built on, did not do extra cardio… their cardio was built-in to their hypertrophy workouts, often done twice a day.

When I am in “prep” for a show or just trying to get ripped/lean, my rest times between sets is 45-60 seconds. Keeping and maintaining this tempo increases my conditioning and makes my time at the gym more efficient; also, I just like it. I’m hyper focused on the next set and my mind is in a zone where everything is blocked out, because I’ve eliminated “time” for anything else.

A lot people that say “I spend 1.5 to 2 hours at the gym” and don’t even look like it. 45 minutes to an hour is about all you need if your training program and tempo are on-point. This does not account for post-training cardio— like step-mill or incline treadmill—I am talking about weight training/hypertrophy (growing muscle) work.

I understand that some high-intensity compound movement sets take up to almost 2 minutes to catch your breath—this happens sometimes to me in the off-season, when I’m heavier and going hard… Like I said before “take the time you need”. If you feel like you train hard enough to take 3 to 5 minute breaks between sets (big compound movements “hopefully” here), and you are NOT a competitive powerlifter, I will assume “you just don’t know”. Pretending to be a powerlifter is not an excuse to occupy the power-rack for a half-hour and the long rest periods tie to the same mindset that it’s OK to be above 15% bodyfat for males or 25% for females… All some people really need to do is focus on the movements, reps and sets—not conversations or text messages. Make this YOUR time in the gym.

Compound movements WILL tax your entire body; push yourself, don’t be THE slug that occupies the hack-squat for 20+ minutes.

Smaller body parts? This should be a no-brainer…

Generally speaking, “arms” should be a mix of super-sets and singles. Arm training is a good example of rarely going beyond 45 seconds between sets.

Quads: if you are training these correctly, they are in their own solar system and everything in you should be smoked and approach the 2-minute mark to catch your breath—sometimes longer, especially if you just did a set that lasted almost a minute… Hamstrings, not as much, but the demand should still yield no more than 90 seconds between sets for seated/lying movements; RDLs and variations of it, can be very demanding, take the time you need, but don’t get distracted.

Most folks don’t train legs “like they should” and it shows—a coach or a good gym partner will help you differentiate “am I training like a champion” or not?

Put in the work, focus on the exercise, be out of breath! recover enough to attack the next set… there should be no time for small talk or formulating a text message. Unless you are counting breaths for an all-out Rest-Pause set, get off the machine or bench and move-some. Don’t just sit on your phone scrolling IG like a slug, it’s not a good look and someone is probably waiting on that piece of equipment.

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