How many sets do u take to failure for each muscle?

delcapone · Jul 3, 2012

On the last set of each exercise for me. but I'm 50 yrs. old

Vectork39 · Jul 3, 2012

depends if you are a bodybuilder or a powerlifter...

for BB its a great way to get every last bit of blood into the muscles

for PL its not a good idea since it breaks down your body and central nervous system and takes longer to recover, they may get close to failure but often times the heaviest they will go is on competition day, not at the gym in the prior weeks since it breaks them down too much

buffone77 · Jul 3, 2012

2-3 for me

Tomgrass · Jun 19, 2019

1 set only I was huge fan of J Peters but after reading of Big A decided to implement his routine and love it.

Biggerp73 · Jun 20, 2019

Usually never do any to failure but today my heaviest set of bench was basically to failure because I struggled to get it up and experienced a pause half way through that I had to power through.

Cable fly warm ups 3 sets

Flat bench:
135lbs x 3 warm up sets
225lbs - 3 sets of 10 reps
315lbs - 1 set 3 reps
315lbs - 2 sets 4 reps
365lbs - 1 set of 1 rep

Cable fly 3 pump sets

Cool down incline bench 3 sets (135lbs)

need4tren · Jun 20, 2019

I’ll do maybe 4-6 different exercises for bigger body parts and do 2 work my way up to a max weight sets then one all out till failure.

Except arms. Biceps I do strict form all to failure but maybe 3 exercise of 2 sets each , triceps I’ll do 2 heavy exercises till failure then a couple pump sets

concreter · Jun 22, 2019

After Warmups....All", or your just Playing w- Yourself!!!

HONGOGRIMES · Jun 23, 2019

https://youtu.be/gZ6o4a8srKo

xpoc · Jul 7, 2019

concreter said:
After Warmups....All", or your just Playing w- Yourself!!!

I have been training at some hardcore SoCal gyms for 30+ years now and I can count a handful of times I have seen a guy actually hit "failure" on squats, leg press, lunges, RDL's etc. I guess it depends on how you define "failure." I have seen guys MISS on a 1 rep max on the squat for example, but I have never seen a guy rep out 405 on the squat for a dozen or so and then completely crash at the bottom, on his 13th rep. I am not talking having a spotter help him a bit...that happens all the time. I am talking complete failure where the weight comes crashing off your back and you crumble like sand castle. If you truly failed in that fashion you would do be able to do one set TOTAL and be done...and likely be injured a lot.

I think there is a safe "in between" where you reach technical failure. That is where your form breaks down so much that you have to cheat or risk injury to complete the rep. But, even that is not truly failure. It is just "safe" failure.

concreter · Jul 7, 2019

Your Talking Past Failure!
When you fail to complete the Rep and get at Most a Partial your at Failure.
Only an Idiot would do that on Free Squats!
They make Machines that don't break your Ribs or Neck when you completely Fail>
And your Probably Right! One set is enough but I am a Pump Junky who loves the Feeling of Blown Muscle bellies even if its Overtraining!

xpoc · Jul 7, 2019

concreter said:
Your Talking Past Failure!
When you fail to complete the Rep and get at Most a Partial your at Failure.
Only an Idiot would do that on Free Squats!
They make Machines that don't break your Ribs or Neck when you completely Fail>
And your Probably Right! One set is enough but I am a Pump Junky who loves the Feeling of Blown Muscle bellies even if its Overtraining!

Phil Hernon used to claim he would hit total failure on free bar squats and "finish" the rep at the bottom. I have never seen that, but I am assuming he was in a cage and would leave the bar on the bottom pins. Whatever the case, I think that is way to risky for me.

livinlean · Jul 7, 2019

Right now Im on a high intensity plan so almost everything is done to failure.

I hit my warm up, usually 2 sets of 15-20.

Followed by a heavy compound movement of 4 sets of 8-12. Till failure each set. I obviously work my way up in weight so the first 2-3 sets I do an exaggerated eccentric motion of 5-6 seconds and always do at least 3 second negatives.

Then i'll hit 3 different super sets. First exercise being 8-10 rep range and second being 12-15 range.

Followed by a 3 x 30 rep finisher.

First exercise is my heaviest so I take 60s breaks. Everything else is 40s tops.

To clarify, nothing is done past failure (I train alone). I just go until I can't go anymore. I rest until my heart stops pounding which is usually 30-40s and go again.

livinlean · Jul 7, 2019

xpoc said:
Phil Hernon used to claim he would hit total failure on free bar squats and "finish" the rep at the bottom. I have never seen that, but I am assuming he was in a cage and would leave the bar on the bottom pins. Whatever the case, I think that is way to risky for me.

I've tried this with 405 squats. Literally going till you cant anymore. This is what helped me get past my 455 PR and finally hit 495. Only problem with this is that it's not possible to do ATG. Or maybe it is possible but im just not willing to risk it.

maldorf · Jul 10, 2019

xpoc said:
Phil Hernon used to claim he would hit total failure on free bar squats and "finish" the rep at the bottom. I have never seen that, but I am assuming he was in a cage and would leave the bar on the bottom pins. Whatever the case, I think that is way to risky for me.

You're better off having someone spot you and then hit failure somewhere mid rep, have him help you get the weight up to finish the rep. Ive done that before and it is truly hitting failure and it is safer and easier on the body/less risk of injury I think than getting stuck at the bottom.

KTT · Jul 11, 2019

xpoc said:
Phil Hernon used to claim he would hit total failure on free bar squats and "finish" the rep at the bottom. I have never seen that, but I am assuming he was in a cage and would leave the bar on the bottom pins. Whatever the case, I think that is way to risky for me.

I wonder if his current health problems (see other threat) come from this workouts, every day every bodypart to total failure.

okko · Jul 11, 2019

Smith machine squatting allows you to go until you fail getting out of the hole... Usually I may rebound from down position and be caught slightly above parallel
Leave plenty of time to rack the wzight
Happened to me usually when I am changing my workout routine because when I am doing squats on very regular and consistent basis I would usually manage to get up engaging my back a little and would not try a last suicide rep....

Sent from my EML-L29 using Professional Muscle mobile app

Equalizer · Jul 15, 2019

xpoc said:
Phil Hernon used to claim he would hit total failure on free bar squats and "finish" the rep at the bottom. I have never seen that, but I am assuming he was in a cage and would leave the bar on the bottom pins. Whatever the case, I think that is way to risky for me.

Phil does it in this video on his 3rd set of squats. It look like to me he quit a little early and could have completed another rep or two. But being that he was only resting 1 minute between sets that's not an easy task when starting with high reps.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5CxkBior1k"]Phil Hernon - Training - YouTube[/ame]