Tools / Rest Timer
Rest Timer
Set your rest period and track countdowns between sets. No install needed — works offline once loaded.
Rest duration
1:30
mm:ss
1:30
Ready
Rest complete — go!
Rest timer built into every set
SteelRep starts the rest timer automatically after each set — with the programmed rest time for that exercise and notifications when time is up.
How long should you rest between sets?
Rest periods directly affect how much weight you can lift on the next set. Shorter rests increase metabolic stress (useful for hypertrophy), while longer rests allow more complete recovery for strength work.
1–2 minutes
Hypertrophy / accessory work. Higher metabolic stress, more pump.
2–3 minutes
General strength. Good balance between recovery and session pace.
3–5 minutes
Heavy compound lifts and max effort work. Full ATP recovery.
Research consistently shows that strength athletes benefit most from longer rest periods (3–5 minutes) between heavy sets, as this allows phosphocreatine stores to fully replenish. For hypertrophy, shorter rests of 1–2 minutes are common but are not significantly superior to longer rest periods for muscle growth.