The Study
Time under tension and mechanical variables in the bench press exercise at different rest intervals
This study is like a fair race between two rest times — it shows that if you take a longer break between sets, you can do more reps and push harder in the later sets. But it doesn't prove that taking longer breaks will make you stronger over time — just what happens right after you rest.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
When wrestlers did bench press with only 1 minute to rest between sets, they got tired fast and couldn't lift as much by the third set. With 3 minutes of rest, they stayed stronger and lifted more reps and heavier total weight in the later sets.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 550 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — longer rests let athletes maintain intensity and volume in later sets, which is critical for muscle growth and strength gains.
- 2With 3-minute rests: more reps (p=0.016–<0.001), more total work (p=0.005–<0.001), faster bar speed (p=0.029–<0.001), and more power (p=0.044–<0.001) in sets 3–5 compared to 1-minute rests.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Retos
Year
2024
Authors
G. C. Silva, Juliana Brandão Pinto de Castro, João Gabriel Miranda de Oliveira, Andressa Oliveira Barros dos Santos, Ana Beatriz Moreira de Carvalho Monteiro, Rodolfo de Alkmim Moreira Nunes, Guilherme Rosa, Vicente Pinheiro Lima, Rodrigo Gomes de Souza Vale
Related Content
Claims (10)
Longer breaks between sets during weight training allow for more total weight to be lifted, which increases the mechanical stress on muscles and may promote greater muscle growth.
Among trained male wrestlers performing bench presses, performance metrics such as the number of repetitions, total work done, and movement speed drop significantly starting at the third set, whether they rest for 1 minute or 3 minutes between sets.
When trained athletes do multiple sets of bench press with only 1 minute of rest between sets, their power output drops noticeably by the third set. With 3 minutes of rest, power output stays more consistent, suggesting that shorter rest periods lead to greater fatigue buildup across sets.
When performing bench presses with only 1 minute of rest between sets, speed and power decrease with each subsequent set. With 3 minutes of rest, speed and power stop declining after the third set. This suggests that inadequate rest limits the ability to maintain force and movement speed during repeated efforts.
When performing bench presses with 3-minute breaks between sets, people complete more total work than with 1-minute breaks, and this total work increases with more repetitions and faster movement speed, making it a reliable measure of training volume when speed is kept consistent.
When wrestlers who regularly lift weights do bench presses with only 1 minute of rest between sets, their performance starts to drop by the third set, indicating that fatigue builds up more when recovery time is short.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.