If you push yourself to the limit every set, whether you rest 20 seconds or 2 minutes, you’ll end up doing about the same total amount of work.

Pro

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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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

The study found that if you keep pushing until you can't do another rep, you can get the same total work done whether you rest 20 seconds or 2 minutes between sets — so failure-based training levels the playing field.

Contradicting (0)

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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

You can do more sets with shorter rests to match the total work of fewer sets with longer rests—and you’ll still get the same muscle growth and strength gains.

84%

If you take only 20 seconds between sets, you have to do way more sets to match the same total weight lifted as someone taking 2-minute breaks, making your workout longer and more intense.

81%

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.

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If you do the same total amount of weightlifting work, it doesn’t matter much if you rest 20 seconds or 2 minutes between sets—your muscles grow and get stronger about the same either way.

79%

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.

79%