Do you train to failure?

[RTF]

I posted this in the random gym thoughts and wanted to know what people thought on this?

:

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO TO FAILURE TO MAKE GAINS.

In my experience, you actually make better gains when you don't. You leave more gas in your CNS meaning you can lift more weight for more reps across sets.

As soon as you push to failure (as in you give everything for that extra rep win or lose) you lose A LOT of strength for the next set. Where as if you stop 1 or 2 reps before that you'll retain most of your strength. Which means you'll be able to do more reps across your sets.

That's why I like to use the same weight across sets, with the aim of achieving a defined number of reps on the last set. So whether that's a 5x5, 8x8, 3x8 whatever... while your working hard on that first set it's only really the last few sets you might approach failure.

However that means working in 70-90% of your 1 rep max and a lot of people don't like that.

If you lift weights more than x3 I would suggest you don't train to failure often. As soon as I stopped going to failure so often, I stopped picking up injuries and actually made faster gains.


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I hear people say they avoid barbell bench for this reason and it's not valid.


Sidebar: I've failed at the barbell bench with no spot at least 5 times and it aint that bad. Don't put the clips at the end, tilt the bar and let the weights slide off one side. It's not pretty and you might feel some embarrassment but you'll survive. Once you get into it... know your body, you learn to leave that ego at the door and only make an attempt if your certain you can at least put the weight back on the lowest clip.

 

[Jesus]

That shock to your muscles when you go to failure....I learned in my first year to never rep out unless it's a aux exercise at the end of my workout.

 

[50CentStan]

I love reppin until failure though breh.

 

[semtex]

I don't feel like I've worked out unless I go to failure. Not to mention watchin all them CT Fletcher vids reinforced that type of thinking. How do I know when to stop then?

 

[Jesus]

I don't feel like I've worked out unless I go to failure. Not to mention watchin all them CT Fletcher vids reinforced that type of thinking. How do I know when to stop then?

The same way you know when to pull out when going raw.

 

[philmonroe]

@RTF Never trained to failure since HS because when not doing so you can train more often. I learned that from my HS strength coach and saw the results and been doing it since. People looked shocked when I do the same exercises with weight for 4/5 days in a row but I tell them and then be like ok. Nobody does it though because like somebody else said most like that tired feeling that you've done something. I understand esp since most have been taught that way.

 

[IronFist]

sometimes i do but only as it pertains to a biceps. But nowadays i stick to a range

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

How do I know when to stop then?

There's "failure", and then there's FAILURE

If you have to question whether you can get the next rep off... you've reached "failure" which is good enough

 

[Flackaveli]

The same way you know when to pull out when going raw.

Jus one more pump

 

[Hacksaw Jim Thuggin]

There's "failure", and then there's FAILURE

If you have to question whether you can get the next rep off... you've reached "failure" which is good enough

this is what i do....i keep going until i KNOW i wont make that last rep....

lately ive been in a maniac phase where im super-setting flat bench with pull-ups....try this brehs....

 

[HHR]

I love doing drop-sets on my hypertrophy days. Especially on flys, Hammer Strength rows and cable pulldowns

 

[Kal El]

I train to failure frequently.

That's the whole point of progressive overload, trying to do more weight and/or reps than your previous workouts.

 

[Bledswole]

At first I didnt, but the past two months I have and been seeing ALL KINDZ OF GAINZ.............ALL KINDZ.

 

[RTF]

I train to failure frequently.

That's the whole point of progressive overload, trying to do more weight and/or reps than your previous workouts.

That doesn't mean training for failure. Doing the same weight x3 for 8 reps is better than 10, 7, 4. Then going up a weight the next week.

Training to failure constantly gives your workouts a short tail. You give it your all early but lose explosiveness early as a result. Spreading it out allows you to lift more over a longer period of time. And by spreading it out, it's literally 1 or 2 reps max you miss out on, which you get back on the following set. Failure should only come on the last set or two of a particular exercise.

IMO if you are busy/work 40 hours a week or more and train more than 3 times a week, training to failure aint for you.

 

[RTF]

At first I didnt, but the past two months I have and been seeing ALL KINDZ OF GAINZ.............ALL KINDZ.

I agree.. at first it's best to go to failure. First the weight isn't likely to be too taxing on your CNS but also it's important to learn when failure is about to happen.. so you can use it as a tool.