What Do You Do When You Accidentally Fail A Set?

[DrSane]

What do you do when you accidentally fail a set? If you thought you could do 10 reps, but end up having to stop at say... 6.

I was wondering what most people do. And what the better thing to do is.

These may not be all of the possible options, but I tried.

Note :

I made it so you can select multiple boxes.
This is, if, for example you usually Take A Break and go to the Next Exercise.

[foxshox]

If I were ever to fail a set, I would give up weight lifting for the rest of my life..

Just move on and go to the next exercise or if you have it in you, just do a another set with less weight.

[davis_s]

I just go to the next exercise and chalk it up to needing a bit of rest so next time I will be in better condition to do it.

[Unsterblich]

Originally Posted by DrSane

What do you do when you accidentally fail a set? If you thought you could do 10 reps, but end up having to stop at say... 6.

I was wondering what most people do. And what the better thing to do is.

These may not be all of the possible options, but I tried.

A) Next Exercise
B) Take A Break
C) End Workout
D) Same Set + Less Weight + Less Reps
E) Same Set + Less Weight
F) Same Set + Less Weight + More Reps
G) Same Set + Same Weight + Less Reps
H) Same Set + Same Weight (Keep going)
I) Other (explain in post)

This question totally depends on the amount of reps you get and what your goals are. But for the given example, 6 is a good number. If you think you can get it again, and possibly one more, go for it. If it was heavy as **** and you were fresh, drop the weight a little bit, and do a few more reps, hopefully.

Like I said though, totally depends on the situation.

[football95]

i normally get pissed then take a break then go down about 5 pounds and try again

[mc21]

if i have a spotter id just make the spotter help me on the last couple.. but if i dont and i just cant do it, id do the same set with less weight

[CelticBhoy]

I have a workout journal, so what I do is simply look at my notes from the last time I did "said" exercise. So let's say hypothetically speaking that I was doing flatbench (ex: 185 lbs for 4 sets for 8 reps) and it was noted that I completed all 4 sets and did them well. However, unfortunately this time I am only able to complete 3 sets and on my fourth set only succeed in getting 3 reps.

I would write it down, make a note that I struggled, and move on. Our bodies always adapt and are always changing. In your mind, you might want to increase the weight 2.5 lbs every week but it simply isn't going to happen. A perfect example would be a MLB pitcher. In one game, a starting pitcher could be insane totally on fire. The very next game he plays, he could get completely shelled. There are days when you're on and off...

Do nothing, stay positive, make a mental note, and lift hard!

[beach89]

Originally Posted by davis_s

I just go to the next exercise and chalk it up to needing a bit of rest so next time I will be in better condition to do it.

Yep. I just chalk it up to pushing too hard on earlier exercises, not getting enough sleep, or not eating enough pre-workout.

[Serjin]

Originally Posted by beach89

Yep. I just chalk it up to pushing too hard on earlier exercises, not getting enough sleep, or not eating enough pre-workout.

x 2

[V1sual B1nary]

If i got 6 on a set i would have a brief rest for say 15-20 secs then get the last 4 reps

[Toffee Nose]

i take a rest then go down a weight

[Vietgoboi]

the worst one is alt Db Curl, my left fail me : (, but i went with less weight to make it up the last rep, tough call?

[John Prophet]

(Im not a teen, but)

aiming for 10 and only getting 6 is pretty drastic bro, lol. I write down all my workouts before I do them. I keep them in a steno pad. before a workout I go back and look at the last workout for that bodypart and I usually either add 5 lbs or try to get one more rep.

if you do that you are not going to miss by 4 reps, lol. You might get 8 one workout then have a bad day or something and only get 7 but you arent going to all of a sudden get only 3.

Me personally I dont push to failure that often. By not going to failure I seem to be able to make more consistent gains. I think going to failure too much will burn you out quicker.



in your example above, if I had another set to do then id probably drop the weight some. But like I said, if you were planning on getting 10 and you only got 6 id say you werent really planning, lol...u were just guessing or hoping. You strength might vary a little from day to day but it aint gonna drop 4 reps, lol

[John Prophet]

Originally Posted by V1sual B1nary

If i got 6 on a set i would have a brief rest for say 15-20 secs then get the last 4 reps

that is another decent option


sometimes it depends on where you are in the workout....if you are near the end then you could go ahead and push hard etc. if it was on the first exercise then you would probably just pace yourself a little more and drop the weight some if you want to get 10 reps.

obviously if you were aiming for 10 and u got 6, then u aint gonna get 10 with that same weight on the next set, lol

[Adamisseyegh]

failed today on my last set on bicept hammers droped the weight i really think its cuz i didnt eat alot before the work out.

[flash_416]

i like this topic, ive always been curious on peoples ways of doing this

[magnate]

If i fail a bench set i drop the bar on teh spotter rods, squeeze out from under it, take a few second break and start the set again from the beginning, if i got 6 of 8 reps on the first, i go for 8 again, usually wont get the 8 but at least i get more than the original 8 i was trying for.

[MidwestMonster]

For example, yesterday on 3x5 bench. On my last set I only got 3 reps. I took a 2 min break, got some water, and came back and did 2 reps.