Why Three Sets of Ten Might Be Holding You Back
If you’ve ever worked out in a gym, followed a rehab program, or completed physical therapy exercises, you’ve probably heard the phrase:
“Do 3 sets of 10.”
It’s one of the most common exercise prescriptions in fitness and rehabilitation. The problem? The prescription of 3 set of 10 does not take into consideration the specific goal that the athlete is trying to accomplish.
As a sports physical therapist, one of the most common mistakes I see is people focusing on completing a certain number of repetitions instead of achieving the right amount of challenge. The number of reps you perform matters, but what is equally important how fatigued you become while performing them.
Fatigue Is What Drives Change
Your body adapts to stress.
Whether you’re trying to recover from an injury, improve athletic performance, build muscle, or increase endurance, your body needs a reason to change. That reason is often reaching a level of fatigue where continuing the exercise becomes difficult or your form can no longer be maintained.
If you finish a set and feel like you could have easily completed another 15 repetitions, your body likely didn’t receive much stimulus to adapt.
On the other hand, if you reach the target number of repetitions and feel like doing more would be very difficult, you’re probably working in the right range.
The goal isn’t simply to reach a certain number.
The goal is to challenge the body enough that it has a reason to improve.
Different Rep Ranges Create Different Adaptations
Not all rep range achieve the same goal.
The number of repetitions you perform before reaching fatigue determines what adaptation your body prioritizes.
If Your Goal Is Strength and Muscle Growth
Lower repetition ranges create higher levels of muscular stress and tension. This results in microscopic damage to muscle fibers, which then repair and become stronger.
A general target is:
3-6 repetitions before fatigue
This range is best for:
- Building strength
- Increasing muscle size
- Improving power production
If Your Goal Is Endurance
Higher repetition ranges challenge the muscle’s ability to repeatedly produce energy over time.
A general target is:
20-30 repetitions before fatigue
This range is best for:
- Improving muscular endurance
- Increasing resistance to fatigue
- Enhancing sustained activity performance
What About Everything In Between?
Rep ranges between 6 and 20 provide a blend of both strength and endurance benefits. Rep range of 8 to 12 will help with both building strength and endurance but will greater benefit in building strength. Similarly a rep range of 15 to 20 will also help with both but will help more with endurance.
The rep range you should aim for depends on what your goals are and what real life goal you are trying to mimic.
The important thing is understanding that the adaptation you receive depends on where fatigue occurs.
If You’re Not Fatiguing at the Right Number, Change the Exercise
This is where many exercise programs fall apart.
Let’s say your goal is strength, and you’re supposed to fatigue around six repetitions.
If you complete 15 repetitions before feeling challenged, the exercise is too easy.
Likewise, if your goal is endurance and you can only complete five repetitions before fatiguing, the exercise is too difficult.
The solution is simple:
Adjust the exercise until fatigue occurs within your target range.
That may mean:
- Adding resistance
- Using heavier weights
- Changing body position
- Increasing leverage demands
- Reducing resistance
- Using assistance when necessary
The exercise itself is less important than whether it produces the adaptation you’re looking for.
Why Multiple Sets Matter
Another common mistake is doing a large variety of exercises but only performing one set of each.
Your body improves when it receives repeated exposure to a training stimulus.
Research consistently shows that completing multiple sets produces greater strength gains than a single set alone.
For most people:
Two sets are good. Three sets are even better.
In many cases, it’s more beneficial to perform:
Three exercises for three sets each
than
Twenty exercises for one set each.
Repeated exposure allows the body to practice the movement, accumulate fatigue, and create a stronger adaptation.
Rest Is Part of the Training Program
Many people think resting between sets is wasted time.
In reality, rest is one of the most important variables in strength training.
When your goal is maximum strength, your muscles need time to replenish their energy stores so they can perform at a high level during the next set.
For Strength Training
Rest approximately:
3-5 minutes between sets
This allows the muscles to recover enough to generate near-maximal force again.
For Endurance Training
Rest approximately:
1-2 minutes between sets
Shorter rest periods help train the body’s ability to continue working despite fatigue.
The stronger you want to become, the more important adequate rest becomes.
The Best Exercise Is the One That Matches Your Goal
Athletes often ask:
“What is the best exercise for me?”
The answer depends on what skill you’re trying to improve.
If your goal is to jump higher, run faster, throw harder, or return to a sport after injury, your strength exercises should closely resemble the demands of that activity.
The body adapts specifically to the challenges you place on it.
That’s why a baseball player, runner, soccer player, and golfer may all need very different exercise programs—even if they’re all trying to get stronger.
The best exercise isn’t necessarily the one that burns the most.
It’s the one that best prepares you for the activity you want to perform.
Stop Chasing the Burn
Too many people judge a workout solely by how much it burns.
Others think more exercises automatically equal better results.
And unfortunately, many rehabilitation programs still rely on a generic “3 sets of 10” prescription regardless of whether the individual is actually challenged by the exercise.
Effective training is more intentional than that.
Instead of asking:
“How many exercises should I do?”
Ask:
- Am I reaching fatigue in the right rep range?
- Does this rep range match my goal?
- Am I completing enough sets?
- Am I resting appropriately?
- Does this exercise relate to the activity I want to improve?
Those questions will lead to better results than blindly following a standard prescription.
Need Help Building the Right Program?
Whether you’re recovering from an injury, returning to sport, or trying to improve performance, the right exercise program should be tailored to your goals—not based on arbitrary repetition numbers.
At Baldi Movement Group, we help athletes and active adults identify the most effective exercises, resistance levels, and training strategies to maximize recovery and performance.
If you’re tired of doing exercises that don’t seem to be producing results, we’d be happy to help you create a plan that actually matches your goals.
