Rest Between Sets Chart: Reps, Load and Rest

One table with the four training goals, the reps and loads that define each one, and the rest interval the American College of Sports Medicine recommends for it. Everything below is from the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training, except the last column.

The chart

Goal	Reps per set	Load (% of 1RM)	ACSM rest	Where the newer evidence lands
Maximal strength	8–12 for novices; 1–6 once heavy	70–85%, rising to 100%	at least 2–3 min on core lifts; 3–5 min for 1–6 RM work	NSCA 2023: a 2–5 min band, autoregulated
Power	1–6, moved fast	0–60% lower body, 30–60% upper body	at least 2–3 min on core lifts; abstract gives 3–5 min	same band as strength; speed sets the floor
Hypertrophy	6–12	70–85%	1–2 min; 2–3 min on heavy core lifts	2024 meta: floor near 60 s, nothing gained above 90 s
Muscular endurance	more than 15	40–60%	1–2 min at 15–20+ reps; under 1 min at 10–15	circuits: only the walk to the next station

Assistance and single-joint exercises take 1 to 2 minutes regardless of which line you are on. That carve-out appears in the strength, power and hypertrophy sections alike, and the NSCA repeats it for curls and calf raises.

Read it by exercise, not only by goal

The single most useful thing in the guidance is not the goal column, it is the split between core and assistance work. A squat and a lateral raise inside the same hypertrophy session do not deserve the same timer: the squat recruits enough muscle that fatigue carries into the next set for minutes, while the raise clears in under a minute. Programming one interval for the whole session means either wasting time on the small lifts or shortchanging the big ones.

The NSCA’s 2023 review adds a second layer on top of that. Sleep, stress and a steep calorie deficit all push the interval longer on a given day, and its recommendation is to pick a length inside the 2 to 5 minute range and then adjust it session by session rather than treating it as fixed.

5x5 and other named schemes

• 5 sets of 5 is heavy strength work, usually around 80 to 85% of max. Three to five minutes. Four breaks at three minutes is 12 minutes of rest in that exercise alone.
• 3 sets of 10 is the classic hypertrophy prescription. One to two minutes, or two to three if it is a barbell compound.
• Circuits of 15 to 20 are endurance work. Move to the next station and start.
• Clusters and drop sets deliberately break the pattern by using very short or zero rest inside the set, then a long break after it. The NSCA describes drop sets with load reductions of 20 to 25% per drop, followed by a long recovery because the fatigue is high.

Related pages

Each goal has its own page with the reasoning: strength, hypertrophy, muscular endurance and power. The pillar, how long to rest between sets, carries the calculator and the short answer. To convert the percentages in the chart into actual plate loading, use the 1RM percentage chart.

This content is informational and does not replace advice from a physician or a certified strength coach.