How To Build Bigger Muscles: 5 Minute Rest Period In Between Sets Is More Effective, Study Finds

Many people who work out in the gym to build bigger muscles implement 1 minute of rest time in between exercise sets. However, a new study suggests that a longer rest period in between workout sets -- 5 minutes -- helps build bigger muscles.

The study was conducted by a research team at the University of Birmingham "With short rests of one minute, though the hormonal response is superior, the actual muscle response is blunted," study author Dr. Leigh Breen stated via Medical Daily.

The researchers recruited 16 adult males to participate in workout experiments. The participants were given either a one-minute or a five-minute rest period in between workout sets.

The research team then took muscle biopsies of the study participants right after their workout. Additional biopsies were also obtained after 4, 24 and 28 hours of finishing the workout.

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Obtaining muscle biopsies at different time periods helped the researchers accurately determine muscle protein synthesis and intercellular signals to check for muscle growth and development.

The study participants who rested for five minutes in between exercises had a 152 percent increase in muscle protein synthesis. On the other hand, those who rested for one minute in between sets had a 76 percent increase.

But why are there so many long-time bodybuilders who practice shorter rest periods in between sets? "For experienced lifters, it's possible that they may not experience the same blunted muscle building response to short rest intervals, particularly if they have trained this way for a prolonged period and adapted to this unique metabolic stress," Dr. Breen explains.

Aside from getting an adequate rest period in between workout sets, there are other effective ways to build bigger muscles. Eating plenty of protein-rich food and getting adequate rest and sleep are great ways to build bigger muscles, according to SwolePT shares.