...in the Fitness Fundamentals article on this forum (which is GREAT) it advises at least 2 sessions of strength training per week of 20mins - I need to ask, does the 20 mins include rest between reps? Cos if you're resting for a minute or so between sets that's quite a lot. Sorry again if this is a silly question, I'm on a bit of a tight schedule these days and trying to plan things out!

I would think it would mean just twenty minutes of getting your heart rate up.

well, actually, strength training is not about getting your heart rate up - as I understand it - I'm new to fitness. It's more about toning...

Jude -- There are never any silly questions... Just so that it's clear this is a MINIMUM 20 minutes twice/week requirement... You can and should do more... But when time is restraint it's certainly better than nothing...

My suggestion would be that if you only have 20 minutes to dedicate to working out and you want to make the most of it, don't rest, you may elevate your heart rate, but that's ok, it'll be a circuit training workout...

I think the best way to do it is work continually by alternating body parts. For example do some weights working on your arms then switch to legs, when you're doing your legs your arms can rest then go back to arms, etc. that way you're working for the whole 20 minutes but different muscles get a chance to rest between reps.

Alternating body parts is what I do, and it's been working pretty well so far. The kind of tiredness that results from it is different from that of aerobic exercise (you won't find yourself sitting on a bench trying ton catch your breath, for instance), so it doesn't matter that much. If you wish to rest between reps all the same, try to keep it at under 20 seconds. 1 minute is unneeded.

Thanks guys! That's why I love this forum, even my questions aren't silly! Kery, I think you're right, resting for one minute between reps is unecessary (for me - it is probably necessary for people doing serious weights). I have gotten it up to 3 strength sessions a week at the mo.