Men Need More Rest Between Workouts Than Women

Recovery from a monster workout can sometimes take as long as two weeks. Most people weight train every other day as it is a traditional method. A study in the Journal of Sports Physiology Performance showed gender differences in recovery capacity following weight training. The results showed men needed at least 48 hours of recovery to achieve the same strength levels as previous workouts, while women needed only 4 hours of recovery. The most likely explanation is that men are capable of exerting greater relative force during intense workouts, which makes it more difficult for them to recover.

Longer Rest Intervals Between Sets Produce Greater Strength

Muscle tension is critical for building high levels of strength. Reps to failure with little rest between sets may burn, but it will not make you as strong as lifting heavy weights and resting long enough between sets to come back and do it again. A group of Brazilian scientists conducted a study in the Journal of Science Medicine Sport and reaffirmed this basic principle of strength athletics. They showed that rest intervals of at least 3-5 minutes between sets produce the greatest increases in upper and lower body strength. If strength and power are your goals, then rest long enough to recover between sets.