Training Guidelines

Below are some general guidelines from the ACE Fourth Edition Personal Trainer Manual.

Recommended Training Volumes
General Muscle Fitness:   1-2 sets of 8-15 reps
Muscular Endurance:        2-3 sets of greater than or equal to 12 reps
Muscular Hypertrophy:    3-6 sets of 6-12 reps
Muscular Strength:           2-6 sets of less than or equal to 6 reps
Power:
  Single-Effort Events:      3-5 sets of 1-2 reps
  Multiple-Effort Events:   3-5 sets of 3-5 reps


Rest Intervals Between Sets
General Fitness:              30-90 seconds
Muscular Endurance:      less than or equal to 30 seconds
Muscle Hypertrophy:      30-90 seconds
Muscular  Strength:         2-5 minutes
Power:
  Single-Effort Events:     2-5 minutes
  Multiple-Effort Events:  2-5 minutes

*A high-effort set of resistance exercise reduces the muscle's internal energy stores of creatine phosphate (phosphagen energy system).  Replenishment of these local energy substrates is relatively rapid, with 50% renewal within the first 30 seconds, 75% renewal within the first minute, and 95% renewal within the first two minutes.  For most practical purposes and general muscular conditioning, one-minute rest intervals between successive exercise sets are sufficient.