Three sets of 10 lbs or something similar is what I often hear at seminars or from patients. Where did this come from? Apparently, it was borne out of world war II. I found this explanation which seems to be plausible. “3 sets of 10 isn’t random, but was born out of necessity during World War II by a powerlifting physician, Dr. Thomas DeLorme. Assigned to Gardiner Army Hospital in Chicago, DeLorme was tasked with getting veterans moving again. The issue? Underwhelming rehab: heat, rest, and endless high-rep, low-load exercises resulting in discharges dragging out for 6–9 months. Frustrated, he turned to what he knew best as an avid lifter himself: strength training. The result? A simple, progressive system based on a 10-rep max: 3 sets of 10 was born. Other methods such as super setting try to use decreasing weights in sets to build strength. The myth behind 3 sets of 10 progressive resistance exercises. In my own experience, three sets of anything often will make patients more sore over time and I often find people becoming much tighter rather than stronger. In rehabilitation, you may see quick gains using this although we now understand that the fascia has much to do with power and strength. Also, the body works as a unit so a lower back or lower core stabilization issue will end up causing shoulder problems and neck issues. Training this way as the body fatigues out ignores this and the rest you take between each set reduces the load on aerobic exercise allowing you to do more. With today’s understanding of HIIT (high intensity Impact training), this type of training may have early benefits but may be responsible for many of the weight lifting injuries we see related to it. Train for the life you want or for how you function in life. A philosophy I have adapted is the idea of training for how you live. If you were to walk around a 5 mile lake with a friend, are you doing three sets of 1/3 the lake with a rest or just walking the 5 miles. Should your training prepare you for this rather than training for something now true to how you live and function. We train for how you function in life in my office and patients have less tightness and soreness and fewer injuries. They also have better endurance since doing 40 pushups in a row is more difficult than doing 3 sets of 30 and it raises the heart rate and forces you to breath differently. Google offered this information about gyms that train this way. Key Types of Real-Life Training Gyms: Functional Training/Functional Fitness Studios: Specialize in movement-based training (e.g., Kettlebells, TRX, battle ropes, medicine balls) that simulates daily life. CrossFit Boxes: Emphasize functional movements performed at high intensity, focusing on functional strength for daily life. Performance/Athletic Training Centers: Focus on improving athletic capacity and structural balance, enhancing mobility and reducing injury risk. Specialized Group Classes: Circuit training or HIIT classes that combine functional movements with cardiovascular conditioning. Why They Work: Mimics Life: Focuses on pushing, pulling, squatting, hinging, and rotating. Prevents Injury: Improves balance, stability, and posture to prevent injuries during daily tasks. Functional Strength: Builds practical strength rather than just cosmetic muscle mass. How to lift for how you live. The concept is simple. Work till fatigue. On our universal gym, I teach quad and hamstring workouts beginning with 6 reps of each. Two days rest and then 7-8 and then two days 9-10. The goal is 18. Once the goal is reached, add weight and begin again with 6 and follow the same protocol. Our office has fewer exacerbations and better fitness. Working out for strength uses the same idea. Work to fatigue and do not add weight if working out with your body weight. An example of this would be roman chair exercises. Start with 6 and work toward 50-60. Same with gluteal kicks or lateral leg raises. Do reps for better tone and strength. The fascial system works poorly and reduces strength if you load it the wrong way. In my opinion, improve efficiency, then build. Foam roll in between which improves fascial flexibility and therefore better workouts. Need more advice to help you work out better and stay injury free? We can help. Book online or call either of our offices. We can help.