How many people train to failure

[IronReload04]

How many people in some point in their workout take a set or all their sets to failure?

One way i see it when going to failure-more reps, more time under tension

[PrairieDawg]

Is there any other way of doing it?

Ever since I started lifting I've always gone to failure on every set.
"The lasts three to four repetitions are what make the muscles grow" -Arnold

[Z-Ro]

i do, 1 or 2 hard sets, and i'll be through

[GoingBiG]

Is there any other way of doing it?

Ever since I started lifting I've always gone to failure on every set.
"The lasts three to four repetitions are what make the muscles grow" -Arnold

I try to stay away from failure... It ain't good...

[nickrizz]

If i have a spotter i train to failure all the time

[jbigdog69]

I use the arnold theory guys...Heavy...strip the weight...medium....strip the weight....light till failure...Super Sets Rock Baby!!!!

Vet@ BigdogBodybuilding
Vet@ Anabolic Impact

[builtthekid]

sometimes u have to do it to breakthru a plateu to really feel like
you ****ed up your muscles make yourself feel it.

[nickrizz]

i usually always superset triceps

[bluethunder]

I go to failure on certain exercises but not everytime. For example I will do bi's/tris to failure with curls or press downs but maybe every 3rd workout. It's good to mix it up!!

[Hypertrophy]

My latter sets will reach failure due to my linear increase in intensity.

[doby48]

I go to failure on certain types of exercises like my bench. But others like lat pulls I don't cause then i just start working my biceps and other muscles more than my back anyways.

[IronReload04]

i bring this up after reading hte trhead "the ideal rep amount". it later goes into failure and sais how it is not needed blabla. i called bull**** on it and some people agreed that going to failure is bad. failure rocks, it is the only way i know

[birsling]

It depends on the muscle group. Almost always go to failure with bi/tris and chest. Shoulders I baby because I need (and don't want to get) surgery. Legs I don't go to failure, except calves. I also agree with Doby as far as back is concerned. I only go to failure on traps.

[IronReload04]

i take just about every set to failure. as far as shoulders go, i am not afraid to pick up the 90's-95's and do negatives. the only time i wont go to failure is when i am doing a pyramid and the first 3 sets are not supposed to be taken to failure

[PrairieDawg]

I dont see how you guys can get bigger not going to failure. I myself am a very hard gainer and I have to go to failure otherwise its completely useless to me.

[kc]

I use the arnold theory guys...Heavy...strip the weight...medium....strip the weight....light till failure...Super Sets Rock Baby!!!!

Vet@ BigdogBodybuilding
Vet@ Anabolic Impact

yep.....triple drops with the 3rd set to failure is what I use too....my last set on the last move for each muscle group

[DNoMac]

"The lasts three to four repetitions are what make the muscles grow" -Arnold

Yup.

[IronReload04]

ounce again, i would just like to call bull**** on the asshole who said "failure is not an option, your only option is not to go to failure"

[xenithon]

I also fall into the 'depends on the exercise' category. For example, bis/tris I can go to failure. However the more compound movements where risk of injury are far greater I do not go to failure, such as deadlifts, squats etc. Also I have problems with both my shoulders so things like shoulder press I will not take to failure, but exercises involving lower weights with less injury risk I will take to the max such as laterals. I think the deciding factor for many people (although they may not acknowledge or recognise it even) is the strenght of certain joints/muscles which is different in all of us. As a typical example - the shoulders are one of the joints at highest risk, and I would put my money on it that the majority won't take military presses to failure whilst they may have no problem taking arm exercises to failure. The decision should be as much person-dependant as diet and training split IMO - customize, experiment and see what works for YOU.

[AnabolicBoy1981]

Personally a do a warmup set, a slightlty heavier set not to failure, and then one real set with real weight to failure and then have my partner help me with one to three forced reps.

There is alot of confusion on this subject. Most programs today are some sort of high intensity regimen which does involve taking sets to failure. However some still just do a **** load of volume like ten sets of ten reps for each excercise type thing. Some mix volume with failure and forced reps. Some use heavy weights with to failure with forced reps and others use light weights to failure and forced reps.
Whichever way ya do it, my opinion is that failure must be reached.
The biggest voices against traininng to failure are sometimes powerlifters and russian strength trainers. They believe in "training to success, not to failure". But remmeber, even though powerlifting is often touted as a great way to get size, this isn't always the case. Powerlifters and Olympic weight lifters are primarily concerned with moving iron. Bodybuilders are primarily concerned with building muscle mass beyond normal levels, which of course is acccompanied with an ability to move more iron. Both competive lifters and body builders both move iron, but in bodybuilding it is the means, not the end, whereas in olympic and powerlifting the moving of the iron is the whole thing.
THere are many powerlifters who are not big people. But they are sometimes as strong or stronger as some "freaks". In powerlifting their is more concern about training "neuromuscular efficiancy". When a muscle is "smarter" it can pull more weight. The reason many powerlifters don't train to failure is because is becuase they want their muscles to "remember" succeeding in moving the wieght.

Now if you don't define yourself as either powerlifter or bodybuilder, just ask yourself what your point is in lifting. Is it to lift weights and do great feats of strenght, or so you can look huge and imposing(not to mention sexy) to everybody. If you wanna be strong an look sexy, go to failure. If you just wanna move huge weights, hell i'd still go to failure but it might not be as important if that is your goal.
I feel that if you're gonna put all theis work in the gym, might as well look sexy from it, right?
Going to failure and getting a few forced reps and "cheat reps" many feel is what makes the muscle actually grow bigger. Nobody knows why yet, not even the scientists, but going to failure is generally the best way to a bigger muscle. Something goes on inside the muscle which science can't yet explain on that last rep, but it happens.
Some people don't train to failure because they say its dangerous. Well...information that support that and contradicts that can both be found. The naysayers of failure training say that when you go to failure the muscles are fatiged and form in excecution of the excersise may suffer and injuery may thus occur. HOWEVER, it has been said that the opposite is true by others becuase of this: on the last rep your muscle is fatigued so much that it can't really generate enough force to be dangerouse, therfore, if any repetition would be dangerous it would be the first one, becuase that is the rep on which the muscle is strongest and can generate the most force.

So whatever. Just go to failure.

[xenithon]

Some valid points there. I always say that the debate of injury and failure must be taken with the exercise at hand in mind. As an example, you wouldn't consider failing on dumbbell bicep curls a danger however failing while squatting - most would (and should) think twice

I agree with you on one thing for sure: failure must be reached. I forgot to mention in my previous post that although failure may not be reached on the first exercise, it would at some point in the workout, nearer the end when the muscle if heavily fatigued. For chest for example, I don't take bench press to absolute failure (1st exercise). But by the time I am finishing off with dips, failure would be reached almost by default of the almost concluded workout session.

[yooo]

A lot of beginners tend to do there last set "to failure" but in reality just cheat themselves out of quality reps. Without having a set number to reach, its almost like an excuse to stop.

[se11]

I like to end alot of my workouts by going to failure. I usually go to failure on dips, push ups, pull ups(when I get the chance to do them), and last sets of squats, pressdowns, and some others. Failure is a good way to make sure you completly burn out the muscle and make sure your getting everything you need.

[dotNet]

I do a lot of dropsets and probably go to failure on about 2/3 of my sets ... some exercises I don't because I'm a solo lifter and for me, safety is key

[Pale Horse]

I think it's best to switch it up. I have increased my lifts and bulk by going heavier with lower reps. In addition I have increased definition and lowered BF with supersets.

I think they both have a place in someone workout. Just my 02

[Anhydro78]

I allways go to failure. Most people dont apply themselves. Even what I call failure I can really get another one if I had my head straight.

[Jef-El]

Failure is important to a bodybuilder, but not to a power lifter, as you may know.

I usually save failure to the last set/s of a workout, mainly b/c I have heard, and would love to find out for sure....is that training to failure is absolute hell on you CNS.(hence violent shaking etc..)

[Paingain]

I train every set to failure, you need to recruit the maximum number of muscle fiber in order to grow, when fiber gets tired your muscles search for more, if you quit the set before you utilize all your muscle fiber IMO you've cheated yourself out of gains. And I think powerlifting and bodybuilding are 2 totally different types of training, powerlifters are strong but many lack the size of a bodybuilder because they train with heavy weight but not enough reps to recruit almost all of the available muscle fiber. But they have that stong as hell fast twitch fiber that many bodybuilders do not because of their workout overloads. So I've come to the conclusion that you need to do both , failure for size, low reps for density.

[HOLLYWOOD]

who would actually expect to get anything from their training if you dont go to failure? maybe someone who doesnt like progress in the positive direction!

[znak]

If you are not training to failure at least some of the time, how do you know what your max is?

I train to failure about 70-80% of the time. My last set is ALWAYS to failure- I NEVER leave anything on the table. I have never understood why someone would do eight reps if he could do thirteen. What's the point? Putting a check in the box?

I never train to failure on squats (I kill my legs with drop sets), but on virtually every other exercise, I do. I work out with a partner (who has trained his share lifters in his 55 years). I trust him and thus have the luxury of being able to go for it.

When I train by myself, I go to failure only on exercises that I can safely fail on, thereby excluding almost all compound exercises (except weighted pullups and weighted dips)

[IronReload04]

alot of good stuff

I am all about every set going to failure. i have great strength as well as size increases with failure. I like the old saying, a stronger muscle is a bigger muscle. also, their can be size (fat) with no strength, but their cannot be strength with out size (most of the time).

as far as bodybuilding vs powerlifting- I have heard a saying, "the best bodybuilding routine is a powerlifting routine" and also "max out for more musle" So i guess using both b.b. and pwl (progressive resistance) is best. when progressive resistance is used, i guess you can gain strength from 8-12 reps to a certain degree and gain mad size, and then gain size using a 1-3 reps scheme to a certain degree and gain mad strength

my final conclusion when using progressive resistance and failure , all 3 major rep schemes (1-3), (4-6), (8-12) will add both size and strength.

[Aggression]

I'll do one of three rep schemes:

1) 5 sets 10,8,6,4 all while increasing the weight each set with an additional set to failure (usually can only get 2-3 on the last set).

2) 5 sets 6,8,10,12 all while decreasing the weight with an additional set to failure (usually can only get 13-15 on the last set).

3) 1 set. My goal is to get 30 reps. I shoot for 25-30 reps. If I go past 30 that means next week increase the weight and try for 30 again. If I get less than 25 that means next week decrease the weight so I can get atleast 25 and hopefully 30.

All three have given me great results.

I usually switch rep schemes every time I start a new routine which is usually every 6 weeks.

It's all about shocking your body and keeping things fresh and new.

[Aggression]

What do you guys think of my 3 rep schemes?

[bluethunder]

Well if you ask Mike Mentser or Dorian Yates they say 1,2,3 is best but must be heavy & very high intensity. But the concenses is 3 is too little for the average bodybuilder. Unless its used as a finisher set to failure.

[63190]

I always train to failure. Unless it's squats. But I have done it. Just use the power rack and adjust the safety bars to a safe level that will let you duck out. If I want to train heavy, I just fail at an earlier rep range like a set of 6, 4, or 2. I don't like pull downs for failer for reasons stated by doby48. For failing on lats, I like wide chins or narrow chins. When I can't feel my lats contracting any more I call that failure and stop at what ever rep that was. I could do the same with pull downs I suppose, but I don't really like them to begin with. I like T-bar rows for back width failure.

[Pork Chop]

I have begun doing 2 exercises per muscle, 1 set per exercise.
I go to failure. True failure - like if i don't make this next rep my whole family dies.

I don't get the ridiculous pumps like i did from traditional multi set exercises - but am told by sky scrapers it's the best way to build meat.

[m1514]

Are you guys serious? If you haven't been training to failure you haven't been getting all the potential out of your workouts. Quit being pansies...failure, no other option.

[brian11]

Are you guys serious? If you haven't been training to failure you haven't been getting all the potential out of your workouts. Quit being pansies...failure, no other option.

Thats a very closed-minded way to think about it. To think that your way is the only way is very ignorant. Muscles are very complex and there is no one way to acheive maximum results.

Personally, I have a set goal for each set and I move up when i can complete an exercise without having a forced rep. One thing to think about is that if you go to failure with each set then each set following will be a lower set of reps. Your muscles should be shot when you leave the gym, not after you first set. JMO

[singern]

The best way to keep growing is to mix it up, keep your muscles off guard, go Heavy, go light, go high reps, or low. No matter how I mix it up I always go to failure. This is something I’ve learned from the folks on this forum, and no supplement has done what this simple method has for me. It Works...

[MrDezel]

watch pumping iron to get the answer to this one. The scene where Arnold is in the squat rack talking about pushing himself past everything else and doing those extra reps past what you think you're capable of is what builds muscle the best. So if it is good enough for Arnie then I think we can all take his principle on this one.