ACSM's 2009 position stand for healthy adults: novices lift 8-12 RM loads 2-3 days a week, intermediates 3-4 and advanced lifters 4-5 days with periodised 1-12 RM loads, eventually stressing 1-6 RM with 3-5 min rests, and the load goes up 2-10% once one or two reps beyond the target are possible; the abstract gives no number of sets for novices or for strength

The American College of Sports Medicine sets out how healthy adults should progress resistance training toward a chosen goal.

For strength it recommends lifting, lowering and isometric actions, work on one and both limbs, and both single- and multi-joint exercises, ordered to protect intensity: large muscle groups before small, multi-joint before single-joint, heavier before lighter. Novices (no lifting experience, or several years without it) should use loads of 8-12 RM.

Intermediate lifters (about 6 months of steady training) and advanced ones (years of it) should cycle loads across 1-12 RM, eventually stressing heavy 1-6 RM work with 3-5 min between sets at a moderate tempo (1-2 s up, 1-2 s down). The load rises by 2-10% once the lifter can do one or two reps more than the target.

Weekly frequency climbs with experience: 2-3 days for novices, 3-4 for intermediates, 4-5 for advanced. Hypertrophy programmes keep the same exercise choice and frequency, cycle 1-12 RM with the emphasis on 6-12 RM and 1-2 min rests, and favour higher-volume, multiple-set designs.

Power training pairs strength work with light, fast lifts (0-60% 1RM for the legs, 30-60% for the upper body), 3-5 sets per exercise with 3-5 min rest, mostly multi-joint and whole-body. Local muscular endurance uses 40-60% 1RM for more than 15 reps with under 90 s of rest. The stand adds that each recommendation depends on the person's goals, capacity and training status.