The effects of short versus long inter-set rest intervals in resistance training on measures of muscle hypertrophy: A systematic review.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review of experimental trials
PubMed 28641044 · doi:10.1080/17461391.2017.1340524
What was done
A systematic review searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and PEDro for experimental trials comparing short (<=60 seconds) versus long (>60 seconds) inter-set rest intervals during dynamic resistance training. Eligible studies required human participants without chronic disease or injury, interventions lasting at least 4 weeks with a frequency of at least 2 days per week, and at least one direct measure of muscle mass changes where rest duration was the sole group difference.
What was found
Six studies met the inclusion criteria. The abstract reports no numerical effect sizes, variance measures, or quantitative comparisons. The authors reported that both short and long rest intervals facilitate muscle hypertrophy, with recent findings in trained individuals using sensitive measurement tools suggesting a possible advantage for longer rest intervals.
Why it matters
This review synthesizes experimental data on whether inter-set rest interval length alters hypertrophic adaptations, suggesting both durations are viable with a possible edge for longer rest in trained individuals.
Limits
The review was restricted to only six studies, reflecting a sparse evidence base. The abstract provides no meta-analytic pooling, numerical values, or sample sizes. Only English-language peer-reviewed studies were included.
Cited by
- supports Scientific evidence does not support the idea that taking shorter rest periods between sets enhances muscle growth.