When measuring overall body muscle growth using common scans like DXA, resting longer or shorter between sets doesn’t seem to make any real difference — and shorter rest might even look a tiny bit better, but it’s probably just noise.
Scientific Claim
Whole-body muscle mass changes, as measured by DXA or BIA, show no meaningful difference between short and long inter-set rest intervals, with a central estimate slightly favoring shorter rest (SMD = −0.08), likely due to the imprecision of indirect measurement methods.
Original Statement
“In contrast, central estimates closer to zero but marginally favoring shorter rest periods were estimated for the whole body [whole body: −0.08 (95%CrI: −0.45 to 0.29)].”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
probability
Can suggest probability/likelihood
Assessment Explanation
The claim reflects the data accurately: small negative SMD, wide CI, and authors’ own interpretation about measurement limitations. Probabilistic language is appropriate.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Give it a rest: a systematic review with Bayesian meta-analysis on the effect of inter-set rest interval duration on muscle hypertrophy
The study found that whether you rest a short or long time between sets, your overall muscle growth is about the same — and any tiny difference is probably just because the measurement tools aren’t perfect.