Practical Strength Training in the Gym and at Home

The optimal prescription is 3 to 5 RM, at least 90 seconds and possibly more than two minutes of rest between sets to target fast-twitch fibers, 3 to 5 sets per muscle group and one to two sessions a week, adjusted for training history. RM is preferred over a percentage of one repetition maximum, which many patients cannot test because of pain or inexperience. Gym examples include single-leg knee extension on a machine, calf raises set up in a power rack, and knee flexor work against a plyobox or with dumbbells when cables are not available. When pain limits the exercise, the speaker recommends changing the range of motion rather than reducing the load. At home, a rucksack filled with water bottles, at roughly one kilogram per liter, can load sit-to-stands, step-ups and eccentric step-downs, with more bottles or sand to progress. The summary returns to the three pillars and warns that traditional programs are often underloaded and not individualized.