The Big Fat Problem With 3 Sets Of 10 Reps

One of the most common set and rep schemes is 3 sets of 10 reps, and for good reason:

It’s simple and it makes sense.

But there’s a big fat problem with working out like this, which holds so many people back without them even knowing it.

Before I learned a key workout principle, I fell into this trap too…

But once I figured out a better way, I was able to make more consistent progress and it made my workouts more interesting.

The Reason Why 3×10 Isn’t All That Great

The truth is it’s really tough to make decent progress by sticking to a strict 3×10 while putting in true effort without form breaking down.

For example, if you’re shoulder pressing the 35lbs dumbbells for 3 sets of 10, one of two things is going to happen when you go up to the 40lbs dumbbells:

1. You’ll realize 35lbs was far too easy and you’ll wonder why you didn’t increase the weight sooner, which means your previous efforts weren’t doing much for you except burning a few extra calories

2. You hit the 40s and get 8, 7, and 5 reps, figure that weight is too heavy, and go back to the 35s where you know you can hit 3 sets of 10 and stay at that weight indefinitely.