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Rest is a crucial part of strength training. Depending on the exercise and your goals, you may find yourself resting 30 seconds, or one minute, or three to five minutes . So what do you actually do during that time? Let’s talk about your options, both in terms of training effectiveness and gym etiquette.

You can literally do nothing between sets

As awkward as it may feel at first, this is the best option for most people, most of the time. Actually rest . Don’t stretch, don’t work a different muscle; just allow your body to recover.

Some gyms will have stools, benches, or folding chairs near the platforms where people are lifting heavy (and thus need the longest rests). I’m mostly thinking of powerlifting and weightlifting gyms, but I’ve been to big-box gyms like Crunch that provide seating as well.…