Resting longer between lifts doesn't make you lift more, but makes you feel less tired
Inter-set rest configuration effect on acute physiological and performance-related responses to a resistance training session in terrestrial vs simulated hypoxia
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When guys lifted weights with short breaks (60s) vs long breaks (120s), they felt more burned and their hearts raced more—but they lifted the same total weight. Breathing thin air (like on a mountain) didn't feel the same as breathing fake thin air in a lab—even if oxygen levels were equal.
Surprising Findings
Normobaric hypoxia (mask) reduced muscle oxygenation and lactate compared to hypobaric hypoxia (real altitude) at the same FiO₂.
Everyone assumes low oxygen = same stress, regardless of how it’s delivered. But this shows barometric pressure (real altitude) triggers stronger metabolic responses—even with identical oxygen levels.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re short on time, use 60-second rests between compound lifts to maximize metabolic stress without losing volume.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When guys lifted weights with short breaks (60s) vs long breaks (120s), they felt more burned and their hearts raced more—but they lifted the same total weight. Breathing thin air (like on a mountain) didn't feel the same as breathing fake thin air in a lab—even if oxygen levels were equal.
Surprising Findings
Normobaric hypoxia (mask) reduced muscle oxygenation and lactate compared to hypobaric hypoxia (real altitude) at the same FiO₂.
Everyone assumes low oxygen = same stress, regardless of how it’s delivered. But this shows barometric pressure (real altitude) triggers stronger metabolic responses—even with identical oxygen levels.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re short on time, use 60-second rests between compound lifts to maximize metabolic stress without losing volume.
Publication
Journal
PeerJ
Year
2022
Authors
C. Benavente, B. Feriche, G. Olcina, B. Schoenfeld, A. Camacho-Cardenosa, F. Almeida, Ismael Martínez-Guardado, R. Timón, P. Padial
Related Content
Claims (10)
Just because short rests make you feel more tired and your muscles burn more during one workout doesn’t mean they’ll make your muscles bigger over time—you’d need to study people for months to know that.
People feel much more tired after doing weightlifting with only 1 minute of rest between sets than with 2 minutes of rest, no matter if they’re at high altitude or breathing oxygen-poor air.
Whether you rest 1 minute or 2 minutes between sets, or train at real high altitude or with a mask, you can still lift the same total amount of weight without losing strength.
Even when the air has the same amount of oxygen, breathing it through a mask at low pressure makes your body produce less lactic acid and keeps your heart rate lower during weightlifting than being at real high altitude.
Taking less rest between sets of weightlifting makes your body work harder, raises your heart rate, makes your muscles burn more lactic acid, and feels much more exhausting.