Not me.Well, let me be more specific: reps, sets and loads, while important tools in the strength training toolbox, are simply that - tools. They do not define the ultimate goal. They are pathways you can use, but they shouldn't be your main focus.
What do I mean by that? Here's the strength training equation:
Relative intensity x time under load = muscle training productivity
That means that there is some combination of a percentage of maximum load the muscle can bear and the total time the muscle will bear that load that is optimal for training either for muscle power, muscle endurance, or some combination of the two.
So, while a jockey or tennis player might pick a load that he/she can handle for 20+ reps but stay a few to several reps short of complete muscle exhaustion, a sumo wrestler or football lineman might work with a load he can only press a handful of times. They have different purposes so they approach strength training differently. And there's basically an inverse relationship between how much weight you lift and how many times you can lift the load. So each of those variables (load vs. number of reps in a single set) has the nice quality of pretty much defining the other.
As for volume (number of sets), the more you do, the more aggressively you'll be training the muscles. There's a corresponding growth/strength increase relationship with volume, to a certain point of diminishing returns. Over training is a real pitfall to avoid for bodybuilders and power lifters, but that's the subject of another post.
The bottom line is that if you go into the gym planning to do three sets of 10 reps, you're missing the point. Do you want to get stronger, bigger or have more muscle stamina? Both?
Then pick a load you with which you can do somewhere between 8-12 reps, and go as close to failure (exhaustion) on each set, for one to three sets per muscle group. If you're executing with consistently excellent quality, each set should have a drop off of at least a few reps.
And if you're really hitting the muscles hard, one or two sets should be plenty.
