Is Your Physio Still Giving You 3 Sets of 10?

Why Cookie-Cutter Rehab Is Holding You Back

❌ The Problem with “3 Sets of 10”

Too often, patients walk out of physiotherapy clinics with a sheet of exercises labelled “3 x 10”—no context, no progression, and no performance outcome in sight. This outdated structure may once have served a purpose, but it falls short for modern athletes and active individuals who expect more from their rehab.

At Optimum Derby, we challenge the norm. As a leading clinic for sports physiotherapy and injury rehabilitation in Derby, we tailor every plan to your sport, your goals, and your capacity.



📊 What the Science Says: Rep Ranges by Training Goal

Rehab isn’t just about doing something—it’s about doing the right thing at the right time. Different goals demand different reps, sets, and loads.

✅ Muscular Endurance

  • 12–20 reps per set

  • 2–3 sets

  • Lower load (40–60% 1RM)

  • For early rehab and tissue tolerance

✅ Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth)

  • 6–12 reps per set

  • 3–5 sets

  • Moderate load (65–75% 1RM)

  • Ideal in mid-stage rehab to build tissue mass and control

✅ Maximal Strength

  • 3–6 reps per set

  • 4–6 sets

  • Higher loads (80–90% 1RM)

  • Develops tendon stiffness, joint stability, and injury resilience

✅ Explosive Power

  • 1–4 reps per set

  • 3–5 sets

  • High velocity with low-to-moderate load (30–60% 1RM)

  • Crucial for athletes returning to jump, sprint, or pivot sports

✅ Return to Training

  • Blended rep ranges and complex loading

  • Examples:

    • Trap bar deadlift: 2x bodyweight (3RM)

    • SL leg press: 1.8x BW (5RM)

    • SL squat: 30 reps to parallel

  • Prepares you for game speed and decision-making under fatigue

🖼️ [Image: Athlete performing a trap bar deadlift with form coaching]
Caption: Objective benchmarks guide your return—not guesswork.

🔄 Optimum Derby’s Phased Rehab System

Your recovery is not linear, and neither is your programme. We use a seven-phase rehab model to support full recovery and long-term performance:

🖼️ [Visual: Flowchart graphic showing the 7-phase rehab model]

  1. Recovery – Manage pain and inflammation

  2. Restore – Regain mobility, control, and confidence

  3. Rebuild – Load tissue for capacity and strength

  4. Recondition – Train fatigue resistance and functional endurance

  5. Reintegrate – Apply explosive, game-speed drills

  6. Return – Sport-specific loading and decision making

  7. Remain – Ongoing injury prevention and performance support

📈 Why This Matters to You

If you’re an athlete, coach, or active individual, rehab must mirror your performance demands. The “3 x 10” method simply doesn’t prepare you for high-level return.

Tom providing athlete support to World Cup athlete Mateo Jeanesson.

At Optimum Derby, we blend clinical expertise with performance programming. You’ll leave each session knowing:

  • What phase you're in

  • What goals you're working toward

  • How close you are to return-to-sport readiness

And we don’t stop there—we provide remote training support, weekly check-ins, and digital video analysis to ensure your progress continues outside the clinic.

💥 Still Doing 3 Sets of 10? Let’s Fix That.

You deserve a rehab plan that reflects your ambition—not a photocopy from 1995.

👉 Book your assessment at Optimum Derby, and discover a smarter way to recover.


Book Now | Call: 01332 347008

✅ SEO Blog Meta Title:

Still Doing 3 Sets of 10? | Derby’s Advanced Sports Rehab Clinic

✅ SEO Blog Meta Description:

Outdated rehab plans keeping you stuck? At Optimum Derby, we tailor rep schemes and loading strategies for real-world recovery and return to sport.



Tom Heeley