Should hardgainers train to failure?

[pineapple_guy]

I'm a hardgainer and I just started a new training regime after researching a fair bit and I am still uncertain as to the optimal amount of effort that a hardgainer should use in the gym.

Everyone agrees that hardgainers have a low threshold for exercise and poor recovery abilities meaning that they should train infrequently and intensely if they wish to progress, but should they go balls to the walls EVERY training session on EVERY exercise? If they are training their whole body in two half body splits once a week, will they have enough time to recover during this time? Or will it be better for them to shy away by one rep, giving their body and cns a better time to recover and grow for the next session?

[user128333334]

Originally Posted by Frank Zane

"Not only do I not believe in not going to failure when doing a set, I also do not believe in setting up failure. Before we fail with a weight the thought of failure always crosses our minds. As the saying goes "intention precedes movement". You might call this thought of failure "doubt". So if doubt crosses my mind on the 8th rep when I want to do 10 reps in a set, I don’t force out 10 reps. I deliberately do a slower negative making my 8 rep my last one, then rest 20 seconds and do 2 more reps I had intended to do with very, very slow negatives. The secret to developing personal power is always doing what you say you are going to do. "If a man speaks the truth long enough eventually his words become law." This is the principle of Mantric Speech."

[Oz Enhanced]

i shall try that tomrorow

[Goonie]

do it

[pineapple_guy]

Anyone else, never train to failure?

[_Dominik_]

Originally Posted by pineapple_guy

I'm a hardgainer and I just started a new training regime after researching a fair bit and I am still uncertain as to the optimal amount of effort that a hardgainer should use in the gym.

Everyone agrees that hardgainers have a low threshold for exercise and poor recovery abilities meaning that they should train infrequently and intensely if they wish to progress, but should they go balls to the walls EVERY training session on EVERY exercise? If they are training their whole body in two half body splits once a week, will they have enough time to recover during this time? Or will it be better for them to shy away by one rep, giving their body and cns a better time to recover and grow for the next session?

"I'm a HARDGAINER!"

I don't buy any of that HARDGAINER rubbish. There are only a handful of guys out there with low T levels who can't gain doing everything right and I doubt you're one of them. Skinny ecto guys with a fast metabolism actually have an advantage if you ask me. I was one and looking back it's been a blessing since I've been able to get away with eating more than a lot of guys while gaining plenty of muscle without getting fat and I didn't have to diet down starting out. I was skinny already so I could just go for broke.

If I could give you any advice it's not to sweat over details like whether you should be going to failure or not. Find a solid program (see the Workout Programs section) that focuses on the big compound lifts (like squats, deads, presses, rows, etc.), start eating more, eat more frequently, consume more protein (at least 30% of your calories, and that means chicken, steak, fish, eggs, milk, and protein shakes), get plenty of sleep, get adequate recovery time (i.e. train 3-4 days a week so 3-4 days are rest days), and above all train hard and make strength gains a priority.

You'll soon come to see how ridiculous the whole "hardgainer" excuse really is, just like in that comic strip.

[Tyrbolift]

I've known guys at the gym that don't use enough intensity, and take the "never train to failure" mantra to heart, and guess what, they always look the same, month after month, year after year. IMO, never training to failure can and will lead to mediocrity in results from the gym, with people just going through the motions and just moving the weight.

I don't ALWAYS train to failure, but don't NEVER train to failure either. On the heaviest sets meant to be low reps I do train to near failure. You have to find the right compromise and choose the right sets to train to failure, but don't avoid it like the plague.

[niceasey]

Originally Posted by _Dominik_

"I'm a HARDGAINER!"


You'll soon come to see how ridiculous the whole "hardgainer" excuse really is, just like in that comic strip.

I'm going to print that off and stick it on my gym wall!!

Every time I see "I'm a hard gainer" I read "my training/diet sucks"

[_Dominik_]

Originally Posted by niceasey

I'm going to print that off and stick it on my gym wall!!

Every time I see "I'm a hard gainer" I read "my training/diet sucks"

Good old Guido and Luigi. I swear the guy who does it must spend a lot of time hanging around these forums

More of "Philip" the hardgainer, aka "BIG_GUNZ666":
Internet programs
Online help
"5x5"
"Peter Parker"
BIG_GUNZ666
"HARDGAINER"
Latvian shoulder presses
Leg day

[ScrillaKeith]

What the hell is a hardgainer??

[bigfugatt]

So, have any of you who say hardgainers are just full of excuses ever even tried the Stuart McRobert's training splits?

[Big Arm Big Pay]

Originally Posted by ScrillaKeith

What the hell is a hardgainer??

A women lol

[tropo]

Originally Posted by _Dominik_

You'll soon come to see how ridiculous the whole "hardgainer" excuse really is, just like in that comic strip.

You come from Australia, surely you've seen Samoans or other Pacific Islanders (very heavy set and naturally muscular) who can merely look at a weight and gain size/strength. I grew up there too, and I've seen one of them bench over 300 lbs on his first day in the gym while still a teenager. 200 lbs was easy for many of them without training.

Being able to gain muscle easily is a genetic gift...there's no way around it. Some of us have it, some don't. Anabolic steroids are levelling the playing field somewhat, but they don't turn 90 lb weaklings into champions.

I'm a hard-gainer who has been struggling against bad genetics for 32 years in the gym so I know a thing or two about it.

There are hard-gainers, easy-gainers and every type in between.

Regarding failure. I don't believe it's good to fail on any set. I like to stop one rep before actual failure. Failure sets up a bad psychological state as Frank Zane stated.

Another problem with failure is that technique usually goes out the window when you're starting to fail on a rep leaving the person more prone to injury.

Having said that, of course a person will fail from time to time on a set even if that was not the intention. It's unavoidable if a person is training hard. I just don't believe we should plan to reach actual failure.

[LarryByrd]

Training to failure every ONCE in a while is a GOOD thing.

True story.