Most people assume rest periods are simply downtime between sets — a chance to scroll your phone or zone out.
But according to neuroscience professor and performance expert Dr. Andrew Huberman, what you do during your rest periods can significantly impact both recovery and performance.
Whether you’re a sprinter, powerlifter, or weekend warrior, optimizing your rest isn’t passive — it’s active recovery with intention.
From walking to nervous system reactivation, here’s how to supercharge your rest intervals and avoid common pitfalls that could lead to injury.
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Start With Gentle Movement, Not Stillness
When your heart rate is elevated after a high-intensity set or sprint, the best immediate choice isn’t to sit — it’s to walk it out.
This isn’t just about catching your breath. Walking engages the calf and leg muscles, which act as a kind of “pump,” helping push blood back to the heart through one-way valves in the veins.
“This movement reduces the stress on the heart, aiding in overall circulation and recovery,” explains Huberman.
Stopping abruptly after intense effort can lead to blood pooling in the extremities and delayed recovery, or in extreme cases like marathon events, even fainting.
Perform “Fast and Loose” Relaxation Drills
After your heart rate has settled, the next key step is what Huberman and other performance coaches call “fast and loose drills.”
Watch any elite boxer between rounds — they shake their arms, let their shoulders drop, and seem to turn their bodies to jelly. This isn’t random flailing — it’s an ancient technique with Soviet-era sports science roots going back to the 1930s.
These drills serve multiple recovery purposes:
- Restore circulation to tense muscles.
- Unstick cross-bridges in muscle tissue that naturally “gel” after strength efforts.
- Balance muscle tension and enhance neuromuscular control.
Relaxing a muscle is just as critical as contracting it. In fact, elite sprinters are recognized by how relaxed their necks, jaws, and shoulders are — even at top speed.
As Huberman says, “Relaxation is something that’s practiced just like tension.”
Nervous System Activation for Longer Rests
If you’re taking long rest periods — like 5 to 15 minutes between heavy lifting or sprint sets — you may experience a temporary decrease in central nervous system (CNS) excitability after the first few minutes.
This drop can make it harder to generate high force or speed in your next effort.
To counter this, Huberman explains that Soviet authorities in the 1940s introduced light dynamic movements during extended rests. Examples include:
- Low-intensity hops or skips using the same muscle groups involved in your working set.
- Short mobility flows or rhythmic bouncing to maintain neuromuscular priming.
These drills aren’t meant to fatigue — just to reactivate. They’re subtle tools to keep your body alert but not drained before another heavy lift or sprint.
Mind Your Posture — Especially When Sitting
Sitting may be warranted during certain long rests, but how you sit matters — a lot.
Huberman warns strongly against slumping, especially after heavy compound lifts or endurance efforts. “The discs in your spine are warm and pliable after training, which makes them more vulnerable to injury,” he says.
Slouching can create spinal flexion that risks disc issues, especially in the lumbar spine.
Instead, take postures that support spinal alignment and facilitate alertness, even while seated:
- Sit upright with a neutral spine — avoid kinetic collapse.
- Sit cross-legged (lotus) or in a kneeling “seiza” posture if comfortable.
- Lie prone (on your stomach) with elbows propped, like reading a book.
StrongFirst coaches even mandate “authorized rest postures” during courses to encourage optimal recovery positioning and performance readiness.
Active Recovery After Training
What you do immediately after your workout can shape how sore, stiff, or energized you feel hours later.
For Huberman personally, a recurring back and hip issue used to flare up after leg training — not because of the training itself, but afterwards when he sat for extended periods.
“Switching to a standing desk setup after lower body workouts has dramatically reduced the issue,” he shares.
Even light movement like walking after training can help dramatically.
In fact, walking post-workout — now widely popular in 2024 for its metabolic and joint-health benefits — supports everything from blood glucose regulation to lymphatic drainage to mental clarity.
Extension-Based Recovery Movements
Dr. Stuart McGill, leading spine biomechanics expert, often recommends strategies like lying in the upward-facing dog position (also known as “cobra”) to promote spinal extension and decompress the discs.
Options include:
- Lying prone on your elbows (sphinx pose) while reading or relaxing.
- Short intervals in cobra or standing backbends post-workout.
- Gentle thoracic extensions to offset rounded postures.
Maintaining extension after leg day or runs — when we’re prone to sink into flexion — helps protect the spinal disks and reduce pain.
Bottom Line: Rest Is Not Passive — It’s Strategic
Optimizing your rest period isn’t just about waiting until the next set begins — it’s about accelerating recovery while preserving performance.
The protocol is well-defined:
- First, walk it out — keep the blood flowing and help your heart rate drop naturally.
- Then, perform fast and loose drills — shake, bounce, and relax your muscles intentionally.
- Add light reactivation work during long rests to stay alert but not fatigued.
- Sit or lie in posture-supportive positions — never slouch post-training.
- Finish with gentle walking or extension moves to keep your spine and nervous system happy.
“There’s no rest for the wicked,” Huberman jokes — but the evidence shows that smart rest isn’t about doing nothing … it’s about doing just enough of the right things.
