Does a little rest during heavy squats help athletes jump and run better later?
Delayed potentiation effect after high-load resistance priming: Effects of rest-redistribution set structures on athletic performance
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
A tiny 30-second intra-set rest led to significantly better explosive performance 6 hours later.
Most people think more rest between sets matters most—but here, rest *within* a set made the difference, challenging conventional gym wisdom.
Practical Takeaways
If you have a game or event 6–24 hours away, do 4 sets of 5 heavy squats (85% 1RM) with a 30-second pause in the middle of each set.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
A tiny 30-second intra-set rest led to significantly better explosive performance 6 hours later.
Most people think more rest between sets matters most—but here, rest *within* a set made the difference, challenging conventional gym wisdom.
Practical Takeaways
If you have a game or event 6–24 hours away, do 4 sets of 5 heavy squats (85% 1RM) with a 30-second pause in the middle of each set.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness
Year
2025
Authors
Xingyi Niu, Fei Liu, Yuzhen Chen, Diwei Chen, Zhexiao Zhou
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Claims (5)
Young male athletes who take short breaks during heavy squats might jump a little higher six hours later compared to those who rest longer between sets — it could help their muscles stay sharp for explosive moves.
For male college athletes, taking extra short breaks within sets during heavy weightlifting might help them sprint faster 6 hours later compared to doing regular sets.
Guys who lift weights might be quicker on their feet 6 hours after squatting if they take extra short breaks during their sets instead of doing them the usual way.
Doing heavy squats the night before can help young male athletes change direction faster the next day, whether they take short breaks during sets or not.
When male college athletes do heavy squats, their balance gets better over the next day, peaking at 24 hours — and it doesn’t matter how they spaced out their sets, just that time passed.