Trouble training to failure

I posted this on the other board but I'll post it here as well. Maybe you guys can help. I recently just started training for boxing again. I also am currently on a weight training program as well. My program is:

Day 1
Bench press, tricep pushdowns,preacher curls, reverse preacher curls
Day 2
Squats, deads, hyperextensions 1 set till failure with 25 lbs. plate, calve raises 3x15
Day 3
Military press, bent over lat raises, lat raises, shrugs
Day 4
Lat pull downs, chin ups, machine rows, neck machine 3x 10

Here's my problem, I was lifting on a rep scheme of 5 sets (10,8,6,4,failure). Lifting till failure my last set is a bitch. But I was always told lifting till failure was the way to go.

Well anyway the day after I lift, especially biceps, I am so sore I can't even throw a punch. Keep in mind I am just starting lifting again (and boxing/running) after a 3 year layoff. So I was thinking instead of (10,8,6,4, failure) I would just do 10,8,6. Will this decrease my soreness and at the same time help me develop size and strength. (I am just looking to get some hardness and some strength for the ring). Or should I just keep doing what I've been doing and hope the soreness gradually goes away? Boxing is my first priority and I feel if I am too sore to train for boxing than there's no point and the lifting is counterproductive.

All in all would I would like to know is for my situation do I have to lift to failure or will a 10,8,6 rep scheme be enough? I am 23 years old 6' 210. I am not taking any roids but I am taking a multivitamin, glucosamine, glutamine, creatine, BCAA's, and a protein drink daily.

wtf?

What forum is this again?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slugger

I posted this on the other board but I'll post it here as well. Maybe you guys can help. I recently just started training for boxing again. I also am currently on a weight training program as well. My program is:

Day 1
Bench press, tricep pushdowns,preacher curls, reverse preacher curls
Day 2
Squats, deads, hyperextensions 1 set till failure with 25 lbs. plate, calve raises 3x15
Day 3
Military press, bent over lat raises, lat raises, shrugs
Day 4
Lat pull downs, chin ups, machine rows, neck machine 3x 10

Here's my problem, I was lifting on a rep scheme of 5 sets (10,8,6,4,failure). Lifting till failure my last set is a bitch. But I was always told lifting till failure was the way to go.

Well anyway the day after I lift, especially biceps, I am so sore I can't even throw a punch. Keep in mind I am just starting lifting again (and boxing/running) after a 3 year layoff. So I was thinking instead of (10,8,6,4, failure) I would just do 10,8,6. Will this decrease my soreness and at the same time help me develop size and strength. (I am just looking to get some hardness and some strength for the ring). Or should I just keep doing what I've been doing and hope the soreness gradually goes away? Boxing is my first priority and I feel if I am too sore to train for boxing than there's no point and the lifting is counterproductive.

All in all would I would like to know is for my situation do I have to lift to failure or will a 10,8,6 rep scheme be enough? I am 23 years old 6' 210. I am not taking any roids but I am taking a multivitamin, glucosamine, glutamine, creatine, BCAA's, and a protein drink daily.

It's common for people who suddenly start lifting heavy weights to have extreme soreness for several days after, or a serious DOMS reaction. There are a lot of reports from people that they're barely able to stand up or make it up a small flight of stairs after overdoing it on squats their first day. This often only happens this severely after working out on your first week, and some people just starting to lift weights again will even do it on purpose because of the one time, initial 'shock' repair reaction the body will have after the very first work-out..

Not everyone agrees on the type of rep scheme you speak of. Magazines publish a new approach every month, just so they will have something to fill their magazine with. Certainly many people are successful simply trying to average 5-8 reps over 4-5 sets in most exercises, with a target of 6-7 reps average over the sets. Some exercises will actually be more likely to help build muscle with higher reps in the 8-12 range, like seated row and shoulder shrug, for instance.

As far as working to failure, you should be reaching the last rep that you're reasonably able to accomplish in all sets in 'most' exercises at 8 reps or less, even in the first set. If you find yourself able to do more than 8 reps on your first set of bench presses, you probably should have had the weight up a little higher.

For instance, when I'm doing fly's I'll typically see the following pattern without having to adjust the weight between sets:

Set 1: Reach failure on rep 8. (failure = last rep I'm reasonably able to do)
Set 2: Reach failure on rep 7.
Set 3: Reach failure on rep 7.
Set 4: Reach failure on rep 6.

I caution against greatly straining yourself and risking injury to try to do that 'one last rep', because of the misguided mentality that many have of "no pain, no gain". This is what often leads to injury, sprains, torn muscles, injured ligaments and tendons, increased healing time, bursted blood vessels, dangerous blood pressure, heart damage from extreme stress, etc. I really think this is one of the biggest dangers, and one of the most prevalent mistakes people in general make when lifting.