Rest Timer: Free Timer for Rest Between Sets
Pick a rest length or use the quick picks, then restart in one tap between sets. A big clock and beeps tell you when to go again.
TL;DR
A rest timer counts down your rest between sets so you don't have to check a clock or guess. This one offers quick picks of 30 seconds, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 3:00 and 5:00, plus +15 and -15 second buttons and a one-tap restart, with beeps in the last 3 seconds and a big, gym-readable clock.
Rest Timer
1:30
Quick Picks
Settings
Your screen stays awake while the timer runs, in browsers that support it.
Let Your Rest Timer Start Itself
PR Streak starts your rest timer automatically the moment you finish a logged set, with a countdown on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, so you never have to tap start by hand.
How Long Should You Rest Between Sets?
How long to rest between sets depends on your goal. General strength and conditioning guidance puts strength work, low reps at a heavy weight, at 2 to 5 minutes of rest, hypertrophy work, moderate reps, at 30 to 90 seconds, and muscular endurance work, high reps at a lighter weight, at 30 seconds or less.
A controlled study of 21 trained men found that resting 3 minutes between sets produced greater 1-rep-max squat and bench press gains, and greater thigh muscle thickness, than resting 1 minute, over 8 weeks of training. Longer rest let lifters keep more weight on the bar across sets.
See how long to rest between sets for a full breakdown by training goal.
How to Use This Rest Timer
Tap a quick pick, 30 seconds, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 3:00 or 5:00, or set your own length, then start. Use +15 or -15 seconds to nudge the time up or down without resetting everything.
A big clock counts down in large, gym-readable numbers, with beeps in the last 3 seconds so you know to get ready without staring at the screen. When it hits zero, restart in a single tap for your next set.
Run it full screen, and your screen stays awake for the whole rest period in browsers that support it.
Rest Time for Strength vs. Hypertrophy vs. Endurance
Strength work, generally low reps at a heavy weight relative to your one-rep max, calls for the longest rest, 2 to 5 minutes, so your nervous system and energy stores recover close to fully before the next heavy set. Hypertrophy work uses a shorter 30 to 90 seconds, and muscular endurance work, higher reps at a lighter weight, needs 30 seconds or less.
These are starting points, not rules. Adjust with the +15/-15 buttons until your rest matches how you actually feel set to set.
Does Longer Rest Mean Better Results?
For strength and muscle gains, research suggests longer rest tends to help, not hurt. In one 8-week study, resting 3 minutes between sets built more strength and thigh muscle than resting 1 minute in the same lifters. Rushing your rest to save time can quietly cost you weight on the bar.
The one exception is training built around short rest on purpose, like the Tabata protocol's 10-second rest between all-out efforts. That's a conditioning tool, not a template for a heavy squat or bench set.
Restarting and Adjusting on the Fly
Restart your rest in one tap the moment you rack the bar for your next set. If your rest ran long because you were loading plates or resetting, the +15/-15 buttons fix the count without a full restart.
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should you rest between sets?
It depends on your goal: 2 to 5 minutes for strength work with heavy weight and low reps, 30 to 90 seconds for hypertrophy work with moderate reps, and 30 seconds or less for muscular endurance work with high reps and lighter weight.
Does resting longer between sets build more muscle?
In one 8-week study of trained men, those who rested 3 minutes between sets gained more strength and more thigh muscle thickness than those who rested 1 minute, so longer rest wasn't wasted time for either goal.
What are the quick-pick rest times on this timer?
30 seconds, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 3:00 and 5:00 cover the common rest windows for endurance, hypertrophy and strength work, so you rarely need to type in a custom number. Use +15 or -15 seconds to fine-tune any of them to the second.
How do I restart my rest timer quickly?
One tap restarts the countdown at the same length you last used, so you can start your rest again right after racking a bar without resetting every field. That one-tap restart is built for moving straight from one set into the next.
Is there a rest timer with no get-ready countdown?
Yes. The rest timer starts counting down immediately when you tap start, with no get-ready phase first, since rest itself is the thing being timed here, not a lead-in to it. Every other mode keeps its own adjustable prep countdown.
Should I rest less to save time in the gym?
Cutting rest short can leave weight on the bar you're capable of lifting, since research links longer rest to better strength and muscle gains. If time is tight, shortening your workout elsewhere usually costs you less than shortening rest on your heaviest sets.
Can I use this rest timer for exercises other than lifting?
Yes. Pick any length with the quick picks or the +15/-15 buttons, then start and restart it the same way for rest between sprints, circuit stations, mobility holds or any other timed rest period outside the weight room.
Sources
- Schoenfeld BJ et al. (2016), J Strength Cond Res 30(7):1805-12, "Longer Interset Rest Periods Enhance Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Men"
- Tabata I. et al. (1996), Med Sci Sports Exerc 28(10):1327-30, "Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max"
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