If you lift heavy weights with either short or long breaks between sets—while doing the same total work—you’ll get about the same stronger in your leg muscles after 10 weeks.

Scientific Claim

In untrained young men, 20-second and 2-minute inter-set rest intervals during volume-load-equated unilateral knee-extension resistance training over 10 weeks are associated with comparable improvements in maximum strength (42.4% vs. 41.5%), suggesting rest duration has minimal impact on strength gains when total training volume is controlled.

Original Statement

“No significant differences were observed between conditions for... maximum strength (SHORT = 42.4%; LONG = 41.5%; diff: − 0.59 kg [95% CI − 8.36, 7.18]; P = 0.883)”

From study:Comparison between 20-s and 2-min inter-set rest intervals on changes in muscle cross-sectional area and maximum strength under volume-load-equated resistance training

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

definitive

Can make definitive causal claims

Assessment Explanation

The claim uses exact percentage changes and confidence intervals from the study, and avoids implying causation. The within-subject design and direct strength testing support definitive language for the absence of difference.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Comparison between 20-s and 2-min inter-set rest intervals on changes in muscle cross-sectional area and maximum strength under volume-load-equated resistance training

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

In simple terms, whether the guys rested 20 seconds or 2 minutes between sets, they got just as strong after 10 weeks—as long as they did the same total amount of work.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Comparison between 20-s and 2-min inter-set rest intervals on changes in muscle cross-sectional area and maximum strength under volume-load-equated resistance training

Score: 51

DOI: 10.1007/s11332-025-01605-5

Similar Assertions

Whether you take short or long breaks between leg exercises, as long as you do the same total number of reps, your inner and outer thigh muscles grow about the same.

92%

If you take only 20 seconds between sets, you can still lift the same total weight as someone taking 2 minutes—you just have to do more sets to make up for the shorter breaks.

92%

When people who’ve never lifted weights before do leg exercises with either 20-second or 2-minute breaks between sets—while doing the same total amount of work—their thigh muscles grow about the same amount.

88%

The strength gains from this study are about what you’d expect from regular weight training—whether you rest a little or a lot—so rest time doesn’t seem to change how much stronger you get.

86%

You don’t need long breaks between sets to get strong—just do the same total amount of work, even with short rests, and you’ll get just as strong.

86%