Going to failure vs stopping short

YoungThor

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Do you go to failure on everything or leave a few reps in the tank? Why do you think whichever one you typically do is better than the other?
 
hairygrandpa

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Here what is true for me. I trained for about a year, going with every set to failure, always. After a year, all gains and progress stopped. Nowadays I have "light" and heavy "days", meaning, some are "pump" days for the same muscle group with only 80% effort.

My answer: Do both.
 
81dcs

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I would definitely listen to hairygrandpa he's one of the good guys....knows his stuff!!! I see your new here. Youll learn some good things from people on here...welcome!!!
 
hairygrandpa

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I would definitely listen to hairygrandpa he's one of the good guys....knows his stuff!!! I see your new here. Youll learn some good things from people on here...welcome!!!
Thank you -but always check what others say. I did change my mind on stuff fairly often here on AM and I'm not always right. You never stop learning!
 

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Personally, i go to failure most of the time and go through short periods of about an 80% workout. Typically right in tje middle of each period of low and high rep periods.
 
jtmass

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Here what is true for me. I trained for about a year, going with every set to failure, always. After a year, all gains and progress stopped. Nowadays I have "light" and heavy "days", meaning, some are "pump" days for the same muscle group with only 80% effort.

My answer: Do both.
^^^ I do both. Heavy days, I don't take it till failure. Hypertrophy days, I kick it up with failure on my last set. I do giant sets and supersets as well. I think, if you experiment a bit with a few techniques, you will know what your body responds to best.
 
John Smeton

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Do you go to failure on everything or leave a few reps in the tank? Why do you think whichever one you typically do is better than the other?
Not all the time, only certain times. Do it too much and youll get an injury. Ive gotten a lot of injuries going too heavy , forcing the weight using other muscles, than my targeted muscle.
 
YoungThor

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Thanks for The responses. The reason I ask is because I’ve been working out for 2.5 years now and I’ve pretty much taken every set to failure that entire time. I’ve seen a lot of progress from that (went from 160 lbs at 6’1 to 195 lbs, with 5-10 of those lbs being fat). But I was listening to Joe Rogan’s podcast and he mentioned talking to a guy who’s a renowned strength and conditioning coach and this guy taught Rogan that going to failure is not a good idea. He says the human body is not designed to push itself to its absolute limits over and over again and this practice can become counterproductive and just pretty much drain you. So now I’m wondering if I should chill out a bit and take it to failure way less often so my recovery will be easier and faster. One last interesting thing he talked about is break time between sets. He mentioned taking several minute breaks between sets so that way you enter every set 100% recovered. I guess he views this as the best way to get stronger, and getting stronger will lead the muscles to grow. Just some interesting stuff to think about. I’ll have to watch the video and find out the coach’s name.
 
BennyMagoo79

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Progresive overload dude. This means working to failure every 4 weeks at first, then as training age increases every 3 months. Research the term "progressive overload".
 

Ase_james

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Progresive overload dude. This means working to failure every 4 weeks at first, then as training age increases every 3 months. Research the term "progressive overload".
So working each body pert to failure once every 3 months?
I havnt read that, so im not arguing with it. But I'm not sure I'd gain much doing it that way, at least not on volume workouts.
 
hairygrandpa

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Thanks for The responses. The reason I ask is because I’ve been working out for 2.5 years now and I’ve pretty much taken every set to failure that entire time. I’ve seen a lot of progress from that (went from 160 lbs at 6’1 to 195 lbs, with 5-10 of those lbs being fat). But I was listening to Joe Rogan’s podcast and he mentioned talking to a guy who’s a renowned strength and conditioning coach and this guy taught Rogan that going to failure is not a good idea. He says the human body is not designed to push itself to its absolute limits over and over again and this practice can become counterproductive and just pretty much drain you. So now I’m wondering if I should chill out a bit and take it to failure way less often so my recovery will be easier and faster. One last interesting thing he talked about is break time between sets. He mentioned taking several minute breaks between sets so that way you enter every set 100% recovered. I guess he views this as the best way to get stronger, and getting stronger will lead the muscles to grow. Just some interesting stuff to think about. I’ll have to watch the video and find out the coach’s name.
Joe Rogan is right.
Its not entirely true that you have to be stronger (by upping weights/progressive overload) to grow. Look at a gymnasts body. You go constantly heavier, while I go either slower with the same weights -and/or do more reps over time (with the same weights). I up the weight when I can control it at TUT 4.1.1 for 10+ reps.
As long as you are young, keep doing what you want. Injuries heal fast and your body will forgive the torture, LOL. For me old fugger, going heavy is not the way. I may already look like I bench 500lbs, the truth is, I do push-ups instead of benching (but very slow, elevated and nipples touching floor).

In short: You can look strong -but not lift heavyazz weights.
 
dds

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Main work I will leave 1-2 in the tank, supp work will get a burn out set most days
 
BennyMagoo79

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So working each body pert to failure once every 3 months?
I havnt read that, so im not arguing with it. But I'm not sure I'd gain much doing it that way, at least not on volume workouts.
Basically, you are always working to percentages based on your max. Starting at a level which you can easily complete, for 3 or 4 weeks, each week, you incrementally increase the resistance then deload for a week before starting the cycle over again but this time at a higher percentage. This way, eventually, you will naturally be working above your max and subsequently you re test and reset the values.

Example 5x5 protocol for Benchpress 5rm (5 repition max) =200Ib:
1st mesocycle
W1 5x5 with 175Ib
W2 5x5 with 180Ib
W3 5x5 with 185Ib
W4 5x5 with 190Ib
W5 Deload 5x3reps with 100Ib
2nd mesocycle
W6 5x5 with 180Ib
W7 5x5 with 185Ib
W8 5x5 with 190Ib
W9 5x5 with 195Ib
W10 Deload 5x3 with 105Ib
3rd meso
W11 5x5 with 185Ib
W12 5x5 with 190Ib
W13 5x5 with 195Ib
W14 5x5 with 200Ib (you've just hit your 5rm for 5sets, deload then retest, then start again)

The example above may not be realistic for someone who has been benching for 3 or 4 yrs, and would probably need to start off at a lower percentage and then sharply increase in the final meso.


The idea of progressive loading at sub max effort is to induce physiological adaptation whilst mitigating CNS fatigue. By increasing the total volume (ie. Mass x frequency)each week you are conditioning your body to adapt (build muscle, increase motoneuron density, and increase glycogen storage).
 
Whisky

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Lots of good info above.....

Also worth defining failure. Most people on most exercises can perform at least one or two reps extra with bad form (for example, i have a strong lower back and with long femurs my hips will start to come up first on heavy squats, that allows me to use my back more and get the weight up, however, my legs which are the target arent getting any more from that so i stop as soon as that starts to show itself). I personally just go to technical failure as opposed to complete failure.......
 
Cgkone

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Basically, you are always working to percentages based on your max. Starting at a level which you can easily complete, for 3 or 4 weeks, each week, you incrementally increase the resistance then deload for a week before starting the cycle over again but this time at a higher percentage. This way, eventually, you will naturally be working above your max and subsequently you re test and reset the values.

Example 5x5 protocol for Benchpress 5rm (5 repition max) =200Ib:
1st mesocycle
W1 5x5 with 175Ib
W2 5x5 with 180Ib
W3 5x5 with 185Ib
W4 5x5 with 190Ib
W5 Deload 5x3reps with 100Ib
2nd mesocycle
W6 5x5 with 180Ib
W7 5x5 with 185Ib
W8 5x5 with 190Ib
W9 5x5 with 195Ib
W10 Deload 5x3 with 105Ib
3rd meso
W11 5x5 with 185Ib
W12 5x5 with 190Ib
W13 5x5 with 195Ib
W14 5x5 with 200Ib (you've just hit your 5rm for 5sets, deload then retest, then start again)

The example above may not be realistic for someone who has been benching for 3 or 4 yrs, and would probably need to start off at a lower percentage and then sharply increase in the final meso.


The idea of progressive loading at sub max effort is to induce physiological adaptation whilst mitigating CNS fatigue. By increasing the total volume (ie. Mass x frequency)each week you are conditioning your body to adapt (build muscle, increase motoneuron density, and increase glycogen storage).
Aaaaaah
Music to my ears.
That's a nice linear plan.
A lot of people would get so much stronger but ego takes over.
They don't want to leave some in the tank.
But leavi g some in the tank for 10 weeks is how you get that new max.
 

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