Should i just always go to failure?

[Franco300992]

I've come to realize that it doesn't matter what type of workout you do, but just how hard you do it.

So i'm thinking that maybe i can do some not so dangerous lifts always to failure since that means i've worked so hard and therefore i cant go any longer.

So should i just do this no matter what kind of workout i do or should i be satisfied with following a certain number or reps and sets?

[Germinator2000]

I've come to realize that it doesn't matter what type of workout you do, but just how hard you do it.

So i'm thinking that maybe i can do some not so dangerous lifts always to failure since that means i've worked so hard and therefore i cant go any longer.

with dangerus lifts, i presum u refer to compound lifts like squat and deadlift? (if not plz explain) how do u plan to work all the muscles these lifts work with alternatie excercises? as much as its a question about working to failure, its also a question about working out efficiently.

So should i just do this no matter what kind of workout i do or should i be satisfied with following a certain number or reps and sets?

following a certain number of reps and sets without caring about wheather u reach exhaustion would be mongoloid.

[forklift]

failure is not needed - you should know when you won't be able to do 2 more reps and stop right there

[Germinator2000]

failure is not needed - you should know when you won't be able to do 2 more reps and stop right there

if its ur last set, why would u want to stop when u can do 1-2 more repps?

[likeitsyourlast]

There is a place for failure, just not every workout. Failure must be built up to over weeks in order to protect ligaments, tendons and muscles.

[forklift]

if its ur last set, why would u want to stop when u can do 1-2 more repps?

just that there is no benefit, and there are possible negative effects

[JustinT24]

I talked to my friend Kyle Witherspoon (you can look him up if you want, he's going for heavy weight pro this year) He said to go to failure every set...push your body as hard as you can with every exercise you do.

If you're doing say 4 sets with heavy weight...do em until your body can't do another set...take a break and do another set until you can't do it.

His quote "You're trying to push your body as far as you can, why would you stop when you know you can get another few reps and push it that much more"

http://www.kylewitherspoon.com/

[Germinator2000]

just that there is no benefit, and there are possible negative effects

oh rly? take a look at my profil pic buddy, and tell me again theres no benefit.

[Fogo40]

I use a system of RPE (rate of perceived expenditure/effort) to know when to squat because I rarely have a spotter. Because I work out in the morning my energy levels fluctuate.

Basically it works like this, pick your reps and go through your warm up and ramp up as usual, once you hit a weight that you think took 9/10 of your effort drop the weight (5%/7%/9%) lower numbers for less volume and high intensity, high percentages for more volume and less intensity. Work at that weight doing as many sets as you can until you hit a 9/10 again. A 9/10 is usually when you have probably 1 more rep in the tank.

This works well when you don't have a spotter and when you have varying energy levels day to day. If you have a spotter and always the same amount of rest, water, and pre-workout in you I would recommend to go to failure.

[Mavrock]

Its the last few reps which make the difference, when your pushing out them last 2 reps, thats whats tearing the microfibres which repair bigger and whats also straining your CNS to promote a better connection in the area to add more strength and power.

Its when people try to lift what they can't lift anyway and have extremely bad form when they get injured.

the last rep of each set you want to be where the weight is stuck halfway and your straining to try and finish the rep (as long as ur not straining enough for headaches and stuff)

[phoenixr2]

There is a place for failure, just not every workout. Failure must be built up to over weeks in order to protect ligaments, tendons and muscles.

best post in this thread.

OP, what are your goals? to failure lifting has its place and benefits but without knowing a thing about your conditioning or goals its hard to say.

[chazzy1864]

Most - not all - will disagree with the going to failure every set.

Newbies tend to have no issue, because they aren't even pushing enough weight to be detrimental. over time with increased loads, going to failure becomes increasingly harder on the nervous system, joints, ligaments, etc etc and it burns a body out.


It is easier to go to failure every set, on a lower volume workout. If you are doing high volume, I'd suggest straying from failure all the time.

[DJAuto]

Increased to-failure training requires inverse adjustments in intensity and volume. Chazzy pointed out that the risk of over-exertion and injury increases with time.

[mbinda]

I also think that it is hard for a lot of beginners/novices and maybe even some intermediates to really grasp what training to true failure is. I know there have been plenty of times where I feel I pushed a particular set to failure but if someone was there holding a gun to my head you know damn well I could get another rep or 2. I think keeping a rep or 2 in the tank is often the best way to go but pushing yourself to absolute failure on occasion has its merits as well.

[greekmanman]

I go to failure pretty much on every set.
I am on a 5 day split so only hit each muscle group once a week.

I probably wouldn't go to failure on every set like I currently am if I was hitting each muscle group more than once a week however.

[Germinator2000]

There is a place for failure, just not every workout. Failure must be built up to over weeks in order to protect ligaments, tendons, ...

...over time with increased loads, going to failure becomes increasingly harder on the nervous system, joints, ligaments, etc etc ...

partly i strongly dont agree. while joint and tendon problem are more like to appear with heavyer weight yes, joints, tendons and muscels are three different things. while u eke out that last repp and ur muscle is about to rip, it doesnt mean that ur tendon or joint is about to rip at the same time. they could have 20 repps more in them before taking damage, or they could already have suffer damage half way thru the set.

the danger is if during this last repp, ur form derail and u strses joints & tendons in bad ways. if u work to failure (and at any other point in ur traning) make sure u use safe form. not necesarily proper, but safe.

[Franco300992]

Good info everyone.

My goal is to get big, isnt it everyone's? lol

I like to do HIT and X-centric workouts almost every day i work out. But not for every muscle during that day. Just for some compound and iso lifts.

I dont feel overtrained or hurt or anything however. Just have felt something on my shoulders on chest day but nothing serious. And it might be from form too.

So they say not to do HIT to often or work to failure too often but is that for everyday you workout? Or for a certain muscle group?

Cuz i work back and chest twice a week. and legs once. I like to go to failure on some sets. I like to do xcentric mostly. But never have felt overtrained. Real sore. But not hurt.

[henmaniac87]

just that there is no benefit, and there are possible negative effects

I dont buy that for one minute. If youre not forcing your muscles to change, why the hell would they? Our bodies are very resilient to change, if youre not pushing your limits, you wont make serious gains, its that simple really.

GO TO FAILURE

It wont hold you back, it will help you grow.

Its going past failure that needs to be limited, as this can quickly lead to over training if done too often.

[chazzy1864]

Good info everyone.

My goal is to get big, isnt it everyone's? lol

I like to do HIT and X-centric workouts almost every day i work out. But not for every muscle during that day. Just for some compound and iso lifts.

I dont feel overtrained or hurt or anything however. Just have felt something on my shoulders on chest day but nothing serious. And it might be from form too.

So they say not to do HIT to often or work to failure too often but is that for everyday you workout? Or for a certain muscle group?

Cuz i work back and chest twice a week. and legs once. I like to go to failure on some sets. I like to do xcentric mostly. But never have felt overtrained. Real sore. But not hurt.

wtf is x-centric?

It is saying don't go to failure all the time. Failure on a couple sets is fine. As loads continually increase, it is perpetually harder on your system.

Going to failure on a 135lb squat isn't as taxing on the system as a 315lb squat to failure.

I dont buy that for one minute. If youre not forcing your muscles to change, why the hell would they? Our bodies are very resilient to change, if youre not pushing your limits, you wont make serious gains, its that simple really.

GO TO FAILURE

It wont hold you back, it will help you grow.

Its going past failure that needs to be limited, as this can quickly lead to over training if done too often.

Shut

The

F*ck

Up.

[Franco300992]

Couple sets of every exercise or of every workout? or of every week?! :0

Well maybe its true for people who have been doing it a long time. But ive just been doing it for about 2 months the going to failure part. and weight lifting about 8 months.

But i guess its true that even though you are big, your nervous system is still vulnerable.

OH! And x-centric is Eccentric lol the Lowering part of an exercise

[chazzy1864]

Couple sets of every exercise or of every workout? or of every week?! :0

Well maybe its true for people who have been doing it a long time. But ive just been doing it for about 2 months the going to failure part. and weight lifting about 8 months.

But i guess its true that even though you are big, your nervous system is still vulnerable.

OH! And x-centric is Eccentric lol the Lowering part of an exercise

A few sets per workout should be fine to hit absolute failure on.

You perform negatives every workout?

[OhsoClutch]

You guys do realize, the OP is considering NOT lifting heavy. Just killing your muscle isn't going to get you hyuge.

[PeterGibbons316]

I dont buy that for one minute. If youre not forcing your muscles to change, why the hell would they? Our bodies are very resilient to change, if youre not pushing your limits, you wont make serious gains, its that simple really.

GO TO FAILURE

It wont hold you back, it will help you grow.

Its going past failure that needs to be limited, as this can quickly lead to over training if done too often.

Can you learn me as to how someone goes PAST failure???

[aman88]

really depends how long youve been lifting. it will create a more anabolic response as long as ur in a calorie surpluss, but is also more taxing on the joints, ligaments, and tendons which do not grow as muscles do.

[BlazinWC]

Can you learn me as to how someone goes PAST failure???

Its a figure of speech really, but what i assume he meant is for example doing drop sets after initially hitting failure at a given weight, or once reaching concentric failure you can have a spotter help you, or completely do, the concentric portion of the lift and you do a slow negative.

As previously said failure training has its place and imo should be used sparingly, not all the time. I used to train to failure on all sets but found it much more efficient to go for a certain weight and rep total, then trying to beat that next workout, in other words progressive overload. Also everyone responds different to training methods so just see what works for you.

[jdjprimer19]

I talked to my friend Kyle Witherspoon (you can look him up if you want, he's going for heavy weight pro this year) He said to go to failure every set...push your body as hard as you can with every exercise you do.

If you're doing say 4 sets with heavy weight...do em until your body can't do another set...take a break and do another set until you can't do it.

His quote "You're trying to push your body as far as you can, why would you stop when you know you can get another few reps and push it that much more"

http://www.kylewitherspoon.com/

A fallacious appeal to authority.

[Bigal1717]

oh rly? take a look at my profil pic buddy, and tell me again theres no benefit.

Alright cocky guy, you really arent that big at all. Your just skinny as hell like me and look defined and big.

[k9pit]

I've come to realize that it doesn't matter what type of workout you do, but just how hard you do it.

So i'm thinking that maybe i can do some not so dangerous lifts always to failure since that means i've worked so hard and therefore i cant go any longer.

So should i just do this no matter what kind of workout i do or should i be satisfied with following a certain number or reps and sets?

Nah, you'll probably overwork yourself that way. As long as your increasing the weight with good form, you're doing great.

Personally I started doing squats/legs 2x a week: Light day, Heavy day. The only time I go to "failure" is on heavy day for my (3) work sets. And by failure I mean I know if I did 1-2 more reps I'd likely have to dump the weight. The light day is great because all I do is concentrate on form. Hell, I'll rep out sets of Back Squats and SLDLs at 135 and 185lbs just to perfect the form along with Front Squats at 115, then go hard and heavy on Calves. Squats and Deads are too dangerous and too taxing on CNS in my opinion to go "balls to the wall" absolute failure everytime. I wouldn't wanna be that guy that fainted under the bar.

[D4rkhorse]

oh rly? take a look at my profil pic buddy, and tell me again theres no benefit.

Not sure if serious...

If so, I lol'd. If not... I still lol'd

[nich0lls]

ok its better to go to failure every set rather than not at all, its better to go to failure on last set rather than every set.

so basically go to failure on last set