For trained wrestlers doing bench presses, taking 3 minutes of rest between sets leads to greater mechanical output—such as more repetitions, higher power, and increased total work—in the later sets...

We analyzed one assertion on this topic and found that longer rest intervals between bench press sets may help maintain mechanical output in resistance-trained athletes. Specifically, for trained wrestlers, taking 3 minutes of rest between sets was associated with higher repetitions, greater power, and more total work performed in later sets compared to only 1 minute of rest [1]. This suggests that allowing more time to recover between sets could help preserve performance during multiple rounds of bench pressing. We did not find any evidence contradicting this finding. The single study we reviewed focused on wrestlers, so it’s unclear whether the same pattern holds for other types of trained athletes, such as bodybuilders or powerlifters. Mechanical output refers to how much force and movement the body produces during each lift — things like how many reps you can complete or how fast you can push the bar. The 3-minute rest period may give the muscles and nervous system more time to recover energy systems used during heavy lifting, which could help sustain effort across sets. What we’ve found so far leans toward longer rest improving performance in this specific group under these conditions. But because only one assertion was analyzed, and it came from one population, we can’t say this applies broadly. More research would be needed to see if this holds for other athletes, different training volumes, or varied rest periods. For now, if you’re a resistance-trained athlete doing bench presses and want to maintain strength and power across multiple sets, taking closer to 3 minutes between sets might help you push harder later on — but individual responses can vary.