Is it okay to sit down in between workout sets?

Asked by: Sarah Hardy

But new research reveals what you should do: Sit between sets and you’ll recover more fully and perform better, according to scientists at the University of Utah.

Should I sit or stand in between sets?

Some coaches recommend that you completely rest between sets or circuits. Sit down or even lie down, they say. That way when it’s time to do your next set, you’ll be able to put more into it and get better results.

How long should you sit between sets?

Renowned Sydney-based strength coach Sebastian Oreb recommends rest periods of 4-5 minutes for full-body movements like squats and deadlifts, and 2-minute rest periods for upper-body movements like bench press, shoulder press and rows.

Is it okay to sit down during a workout?

Another downside to sitting at the gym: the exercises you do compress your spine. If you sit, you place greater strain on your spine, but seeing as your back muscles are relaxed, the pressure is all placed on the spine itself. This increases your risk of injury drastically!

What should I do between workout sets?

However, if you follow the advice below, you can make use of what is otherwise a period of dead gym time.

• Go for a record. After every set, record the reps that you completed and the weight that you lifted. …
• Stretch yourself. …
• Get activated. …
• Time to mobilise. …
• Do a pre-lift list. …
• Ignore your phone.

What is the fastest way to recover between sets?

No more than three minutes between your working sets on the main movements. And 90 to 120 seconds for your supplemental. And assistance work rest periods start as soon as you rack the bar.

Does resting too long in between sets?

The time that you take between sets is a crucial variable of resistance training. Rest periods can be tweaked to complement changes to rep count and intensity. Too little rest between sets could mean submaximal muscle growth. Too much rest can take you out of the zone and waste precious gym time.

Is resting between sets important?

Adequate rest between sets helps to maintain a high level of force production for the next set. Thus, typical rest periods for increasing strength are between 2–5 minutes, which research shows to be optimal for strength development.

Why is there a short rest between sets?

Using long rest times allows us to use heavier weights and gain more strength, helping us to build more muscle. Short rest times, on the other hand, help us to improve our work capacity and general fitness, also helping us to build more muscle.

Should you flex in between sets?

Therefore, to sum up this study, flexing between sets did not seem to help build more muscle for the elbow flexors, triceps brachii, or lateral-thigh. But it did seem to help build more muscle for the mid-thigh.

Does time between sets matter?

Does resting between sets matter? You bet your bulging biceps, resting matters! Taking a break between sets gives your muscles a chance to remove wastes and replenish their energy supply. Give them the right amount of time, and they’ll work for you without fatiguing or injuring too easily.

How long should you rest between sets for fat loss?

Rest periods for fat loss



For circuit workouts or higher-calorie-burning programs, keep your resting time between sets to 30 seconds or less. For alternating sets, however, you can bump that time up to 30-90 seconds.

Does resting between sets burn more calories?

To add a calorie-burning element to your weight training, limit rest periods to 30-45 seconds. Resting 30 seconds between sets has been shown to increase caloric burn by 50%, compared to a three-minute rest period.

How do I know if I am overtraining?

Symptoms and warning signs of overtraining

• Unusual muscle soreness after a workout, which persists with continued training.
• Inability to train or compete at a previously manageable level.
• “Heavy” leg muscles, even at lower exercise intensities.
• Delays in recovery from training.
• Performance plateaus or declines.