60 seconds or less: Rest breaks

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This is part of the Real Talk With Client Series. Click here for the rules. Go here to see other topics.

How long should you rest between sets?

Goals dictate rest breaks.

If getting stronger is your only, or most important, goal, make the rest break help you lift the most weight. You feel like another minute increases the odds you can lift a weight? Take the extra minute.

Because most have multiple goals, lose weight, get stronger and be in better cardiovascular shape, the rest breaks should be short enough you’re breathing a little heavy. You can probably talk, but can’t have a conversation. If you feel dizzy or lightheaded, take longer. You want to push the pace, but blackouts aren’t productive.

This way you’re not doing pure endurance work (no rest breaks), and not pure strength work (long rest breaks), but you’re somewhere in the middle.

This gets people a little bit of everything, which is what most want, as well as takes less time than splitting a workout into strength and cardio sections e.g. lift for a while, then run for a while. Less time only helps people stick with a routine.