Going to failure every set??

[Bulkn]

Hey everyone, im new to this forum and think its great, there is alot of info about everything to do with bodybuilding. I have been at the gym for a few years now and have recently been learning more about bodybuilding.

I have been doing as many reps as i can every set, every excercise. (apart from warm-up of course)
Im a little confuzed because from what ive have seen it apears that people are doing many "warm up" sets for each excercise until giving all they got on the final set?

thanks.

[Reed]

If you truly go to failure and beyond, the exercise weights will NOT go any higher. I also work up to a final set and weight were I push my self to failure and beyond through forced reps from the assistance I get from a training partner.

Its best IMO to warm your way up to the heaviest you can do for "X" amount of reps while still maintaining form and push your self to the limit with the help of a training partner. Look into drop sets as well

[eatrainrest]

have an effective cardio warm up 5-10 min. followed by a couple prep sets at liek 80% intensity. then perform every set to 100 percent intensity good form. i personally dont advocate drop sets or beyond failure techniques for the sake of the joints/tendons and the risk of overtraining the muscle. apply th eoverload training principle, eat right, train 100%, and results will undoubtedly show, this is the best approach IMO...

[Reed]

^^^ I respects eatrainrest opinion but this all depends on one's goals, diet and drugs or supplements implemented. Just remember bulkn do what works for you. The key is to look into all different training protocols and give them a shot. From volume to HIT. I can do both and grow great from them

I have utilized drop sets for a good year now and don't have any joint issues or overtrained as I actually grew much quicker than previously and have become MUCH stronger. Only thing I would not recommend drop sets on is deads. Watch videos from Milos Sarcev, Dennis Wolf, Dorian Yates, Dennis James, Phil Heath (list goes on of professional bodybuilders) and tons of top trainers in the industry, they all implement or use drop sets. There is a reason for it.

Good luck

[Phate]

^^^ I respects eatrainrest opinion but this all depends on one's goals, diet and drugs or supplements implemented. Just remember bulkn do what works for you. The key is to look into all different training protocols and give them a shot. From volume to HIT. I can do both and grow great from them

I have utilized drop sets for a good year now and don't have any joint issues or overtrained as I actually grew much quicker than previously and have become MUCH stronger. Only thing I would not recommend drop sets on is deads. Watch videos from Milos Sarcev, Dennis Wolf, Dorian Yates, Dennis James, Phil Heath (list goes on of professional bodybuilders) and tons of top trainers in the industry, they all implement or use drop sets. There is a reason for it.

Good luck

i love drop sets, and i'm about to start using pump sets again(i read a study that showed that performing a set of 25reps after 3 hard sets can stretch the muscle fascia allowing more room for growth and thus more overall growth in a shorter period of time)

as far as going to failure on every set, this can be counterproductive, when your body is stressed to failure constantly(true failure), then it will begin to release cortisol, which in turn will cause the body to lean towards breaking down muscle tissue for energy, so IMO and from the studies i've read, it's best to only perform drop sets and sets to complete failure on the last set of an exercise

this should be more than enough because if you are utilizing true failure then you wouldn't be able to do it on every set and still keep up intensity over a full workout

[eatrainrest]

hey to each his own, i respect all your opinions. the only fact out of the three is that training beyond failure can lead to overtraining, and joint/tendon issues. Can is not saying they will, but its a good enough reason to shy me away from them, also im not into competitive BB as REED. not to mention i already developed tendonitis from doing heavy straight sets (isolation movements), damn im a dumbass lolol.

[eatrainrest]

^^^ I respects eatrainrest opinion but this all depends on one's goals, diet and drugs or supplements implemented. Just remember bulkn do what works for you. The key is to look into all different training protocols and give them a shot. From volume to HIT. I can do both and grow great from them

I have utilized drop sets for a good year now and don't have any joint issues or overtrained as I actually grew much quicker than previously and have become MUCH stronger. Only thing I would not recommend drop sets on is deads. Watch videos from Milos Sarcev, Dennis Wolf, Dorian Yates, Dennis James, Phil Heath (list goes on of professional bodybuilders) and tons of top trainers in the industry, they all implement or use drop sets. There is a reason for it.

Good luck

everytime i debate about this topic, you know what nullifies all our arguments??? exactly what is bolded.

[Reed]

i love drop sets, and i'm about to start using pump sets again(i read a study that showed that performing a set of 25reps after 3 hard sets can stretch the muscle fascia allowing more room for growth and thus more overall growth in a shorter period of time)

as far as going to failure on every set, this can be counterproductive, when your body is stressed to failure constantly(true failure), then it will begin to release cortisol, which in turn will cause the body to lean towards breaking down muscle tissue for energy, so IMO and from the studies i've read, it's best to only perform drop sets and sets to complete failure on the last set of an exercise

this should be more than enough because if you are utilizing true failure then you wouldn't be able to do it on every set and still keep up intensity over a full workout

Yep I agree with what eatrainrest said about the intensity levels of about 70-80% then the last set go wild and to complete failure

hey to each his own, i respect all your opinions. the only fact out of the three is that training beyond failure can lead to overtraining, and joint/tendon issues. Can is not saying they will, but its a good enough reason to shy me away from them, also im not into competitive BB as REED. not to mention i already developed tendonitis from doing heavy straight sets (isolation movements), damn im a dumbass lolol.

Well like you just said beyond failure training is not the only way you can have joint issues. Simple heavy training without going to failure can cause this.

everytime i debate about this topic, you know what nullifies all our arguments??? exactly what is bolded.

Yep agreed 100%. Just wanted to let him know that I have not had any joint issues or anything with this protocol in order for him not to be scared to give it a try. We all have our methods of madness

[Biff77]

hey to each his own, i respect all your opinions. the only fact out of the three is that training beyond failure can lead to overtraining, and joint/tendon issues. Can is not saying they will, but its a good enough reason to shy me away from them, also im not into competitive BB as REED. not to mention i already developed tendonitis from doing heavy straight sets (isolation movements), damn im a dumbass lolol.

agree, been there done that ,,, to many sets to many drop sets ,, to much forced wieght = joint and tendons hurt instead of the muscle,, and extra days off........... at least for me,,,,,, each person is different

[Bulkn]

thanks guys, good responses.

[Tigershark]

Welcome to AR.

[LizzardSecond]

I have been training fairly the same way since highschool where my coaches taught us how to train. The model then was to do 3 excersises per small muscle group and 4 per large muscle group. 3 sets for each excersise. Then the reps was 10, 8 and 6. You should always achieve 10 and 8 with no assistance and then the third must require assistance. The 6 should always be achived with some assistance. If you get 6 and dont then go for 7 I think its a waste. Tax the muscle but dont kill it by doing a failure set each time. This is too much. Also drop sets are great as they said above but only to be used at the end of your routine when your looking to just finish off the muscle.

[ninesecz]

I only go to failure with one exercise per body part and I do it on alternating exercises as to have some muscle confusion in there

[eatrainrest]

I only go to failure with one exercise per body part and I do it on alternating exercises as to have some muscle confusion in there

you should go every set bro to failure.. unless your trying to heal up some joints/tendons.. its BEyond failrure tehcniques that you should be more worried about (not ever done IMO)... people know my opinion on this alredy lol

[Bulkn]

so just to clear things up, for example bench press this week:
Warm up- 40 kg (15 reps)
1st set- 75kg - 11 reps. i think i could have squeezed out 12 but i didnt go for it.
2nd set- 80kg - 9 reps. might have been able to get 10.
3rd set- 85kg - 8 reps. wouldnt be able to get to 9 on my own.
4th set- 90kg- 6 reps on my own + 2 with spotter.

this is what i do now opposed to before where i used a spotter to help me with all sets.
should i have gone harder in sets 1,2,3 or does it seem ok?

[zero9]

i'm confused about all of this, lets say i can do 90# dumbells for 6 reps on the flat bench, how should i set my reps up, do like 70# for 10, 80# for 8, and then do 90# for failure, or should i start out lighter with like 50 or 60# for the first two sets, this is all confusing guess i need to start keeping a journal haha

[Bulkn]

anyone?

[Phate]

so just to clear things up, for example bench press this week:
Warm up- 40 kg (15 reps)
1st set- 75kg - 11 reps. i think i could have squeezed out 12 but i didnt go for it.
2nd set- 80kg - 9 reps. might have been able to get 10.
3rd set- 85kg - 8 reps. wouldnt be able to get to 9 on my own.
4th set- 90kg- 6 reps on my own + 2 with spotter.

this is what i do now opposed to before where i used a spotter to help me with all sets.
should i have gone harder in sets 1,2,3 or does it seem ok?

that's perfectly fine IMO for a basic exercise

[Swifto]

Been training HIT and incorperating volume into it after X amount of weeks. Kind of switching between the two.

Never been so strong and big in my life.

[ninesecz]

you should go every set bro to failure.. unless your trying to heal up some joints/tendons.. its BEyond failrure tehcniques that you should be more worried about (not ever done IMO)... people know my opinion on this alredy lol

That could not be more from wrong!! It is horrible to go to failure with every set! Should o nly go to failure with one exercise and usually one set so for instance, on chest you would do say flat barbell chest press and on the last set go to failure and thats it!! Even professionals will tell you tht they aonly go to failure on one exercise! It should be a finisher to exhaust the muscle at thr end of the workout. I hoe you did not learn that from the CPT courses you took. Dont mean to bash but I do not think you would find many orofesioinals out there either athletes or trainers that would sugest going to failure every set! It is not good for the body. and just so you know I have actuallty trained with several different IFBB Pro's and never seen any of them go to more than failure on one may 2 sets! That us why we have rep ranges for mass, toning, etc

[ninesecz]

I always try to get between 12-15 my first set and then go up in weight every set and still shoot for 12-15. I more than likely wont get 12-15 but it gives me a number to shoot for. so I will probably get 8-12 second set and 6-10 on the 3rd! I always get as many as I can and it usually ends uo being a drop of 1-3 reps per set

[eatrainrest]

That could not be more from wrong!! It is horrible to go to failure with every set! Should o nly go to failure with one exercise and usually one set so for instance, on chest you would do say flat barbell chest press and on the last set go to failure and thats it!! Even professionals will tell you tht they aonly go to failure on one exercise! It should be a finisher to exhaust the muscle at thr end of the workout. I hoe you did not learn that from the CPT courses you took. Dont mean to bash but I do not think you would find many orofesioinals out there either athletes or trainers that would sugest going to failure every set! It is not good for the body. and just so you know I have actuallty trained with several different IFBB Pro's and never seen any of them go to more than failure on one may 2 sets! That us why we have rep ranges for mass, toning, etc

my friend you are buying into myths and popular belief... rep ranges for toning-myth.

let me ask you this-when do you increase weight? when your feeling good? what measures do you use to progressively get stronger? please explain how going 100 percent is hrorible?? that is the way to progressively know when once youve reached x amount of weight that you increase. 2nd. there are many styles of exercise have you ever heard of HIT? drop sets, beyong failure techniques, etc. are you saying these dont work either? i agree that HIT is not the best for the joints/tendons and can lead to overtraining. going 100 percent is what i recommened... do you want to grow? then bust your ass int he gym

[eatrainrest]

^^im not trying to flame or discredit the fact that you workout with BB's either... but lets face it youve psoted that you do 22 sets of delts... i do between 6-9 sets and grow beyong belief.. i think you should rethink your training and try ronnies slingshot training and start working at 100 percent intensity with about 1/3rd-1/4th the amount of sets you currently perform

[ninesecz]

^^im not trying to flame or discredit the fact that you workout with BB's either... but lets face it youve psoted that you do 22 sets of delts... i do between 6-9 sets and grow beyong belief.. i think you should rethink your training and try ronnies slingshot training and start working at 100 percent intensity with about 1/3rd-1/4th the amount of sets you currently perform

My delts and Chest have grown so much in the past 6 weeks it is almost unreal!! I have stretch marks 6-8" long and 1/2 wide! 5- on each side all new i the last weeks! So the workout I am doing is doing something compared to what I used to do! and going to Failure Every set IS in my book Overtraining! Ehy if it works for you Great But I Know Powerlifters, And Bodybuilders and none of them go to failure every set! As I said before going to failure on the last 2 maybe 3 sets of a bodypart is what is normally done! I know many powerlifters who do not ever go to failure! and they only do 2-4 reps per set even if they could do 6 reps! It is all about the exercises and which parts of the muscle head you hit! Trust me bro I am not new to this! I am 34 and have been training and reading for 22+ years! I was benching 310 @ 15 years old and my friend still to this day hold the high school bench press record for the entire USA! I can literally get as strong as I want and I I have benched well over 400# naturally with mediocre diet! I would honestly say I know as much as 30-40% OF THE CPT's out there just never bothered getting my Cert. As I said if failure on every set works for you more power to ya but as i said I have personally worked out with top 5 Olympia contenders (and MR.O) and WSM contestants and have never once seen any of them go to Fail on all sets! Basically my theory is this... IF they are the best in the business and they dont do it, Then neither do I, cause if it could help them , they would be all over it! Dont you agree!

[eatrainrest]

there are many different training techniques that work different for everyone to say there is a right way is not an accurate statement, are the MR. olympia runner ups have great genetics that no matter how hard we tried we couldnt get that big? yes. they could probly do any time of resistance training technique and grow bigger than well ever get. i dont go by them, i go by me.

[illwillogical]

If you can go to failure every set, I commend you! If I did 4 sets to failure, my last set would be like 20lbs. People say they go to failure 4 or 5 sets with a 30-90 break in between, BS I don't see anyone that can do that. But the definition of failure is a gray area, some people consider failure when they can no longer complete a rep with perfect form. I consider failure to be I can not get another rep without a spot.

Reading too many magazines if you believe you can do that, or have superhuman muscle endurance!