Rest timer between sets
Pick a time and hit Start after your set. When the rest is up I'll beep and, where your phone allows it, buzz.
How long to rest
For muscle growth, resting longer than a minute gives a small edge, and past about ninety seconds the difference mostly disappears — that's what the Singer et al. (2024) meta-analysis found. For strength on heavy compound lifts, 2–3 minutes: in Schoenfeld's 2016 study the group resting 3 minutes gained more strength than the one resting 1 minute. The details, with numbers and links, are in the guide on how long to rest between sets.
- 60 s — isolation work, abs, light sets.
- 90 s — most hypertrophy work.
- 120 s — heavy sets in moderate reps.
- 180 s — squats, deadlifts, bench for 3–6 reps.
The countdown runs off the phone's clock, so switching tabs doesn't slow it down. Sound kicks in after your first tap on Start — that's how browsers allow it. Vibration works on Android; iPhone browsers don't vibrate. Keep the screen on holds the display awake during the rest, where the browser supports it.
Rested? Log the set. The diary keeps the weight and reps, and I'll work out the target for next time.