Training to complete failure every set?

[Maxlift315]

Whats better to do train to failure every set or not to? I was wondering what others do and what type of gains there training style brings them. I know of many powerlifters as well who rarely train to failure and have quit a bit of muscle mass to show for it.Bodybuilders on the other hand are famous for doing so and have quit a bit of muscle as well to show for it. What do you guys do?

 

[tri-terror]

I like to train to failure but in different rep ranges, and I do it "heavy duty" style as Arnold named it in his book. Meaning I start with a heavy weight not a light one. So say you are doing bench press, you do your warm ups then a heavy set to failure, then a medium set to failure and then a lighter one. This is all Phil Hernons by the way. I wouldn't have posted this in the open before but if you read his training threads from the last couple weeks he goes into it there.

I also had very good luck with Dorians style HIT where each exercise gets one work set. I would vary the poundage a little bit from week to week so I wasn't always in the 6-8 rep range.

A lot of the golden age guys talk about taking each set to failure(Arnold for instance), but I just don't see that as feasible for most of us. I you are doing 15 12 8 and 6 rep to failure sets by the time you get to your "heavy" set, it's not going to be very heavy and that to me is counter productive.

I do like the volume routines put out by Gironda and Nubret. They increased intensity by volume and shorter rest periods. Gironda especially was all about doing the same amount of work in less time. You get cumulative fatigue in the muscle not going to failure but by doing lots of sets and focusing on form.
This can also work very well IMHO.

Mountain Dog training is a high volume and can be heavy weight as well but it's not focused on going to failure each time. Sometimes you might but not every set every exercise.

I think doing alot of volume AND training to failure is a recipe for disaster. It may go ok for a couple weeks but then you are either going to be burned out or injured.

 

[CDJack]

I like to train to failure but in different rep ranges, and I do it "heavy duty" style as Arnold named it in his book. Meaning I start with a heavy weight not a light one. So say you are doing bench press, you do your warm ups then a heavy set to failure, then a medium set to failure and then a lighter one. This is all Phil Hernons by the way. I wouldn't have posted this in the open before but if you read his training threads from the last couple weeks he goes into it there.

I also had very good luck with Dorians style HIT where each exercise gets one work set. I would vary the poundage a little bit from week to week so I wasn't always in the 6-8 rep range.

A lot of the golden age guys talk about taking each set to failure(Arnold for instance), but I just don't see that as feasible for most of us. I you are doing 15 12 8 and 6 rep to failure sets by the time you get to your "heavy" set, it's not going to be very heavy and that to me is counter productive.

I do like the volume routines put out by Gironda and Nubret. They increased intensity by volume and shorter rest periods. Gironda especially was all about doing the same amount of work in less time. You get cumulative fatigue in the muscle not going to failure but by doing lots of sets and focusing on form.
This can also work very well IMHO.

Mountain Dog training is a high volume and can be heavy weight as well but it's not focused on going to failure each time. Sometimes you might but not every set every exercise.

I think doing alot of volume AND training to failure is a recipe for disaster. It may go ok for a couple weeks but then you are either going to be burned out or injured.

YES :lightbulb:

 

[IPGear]

Would love to know what guys who have been able to train to failure every set for long periods of time think? You clearly have to be 1st and foremost psychologically strong enough to do it and do it to true physiologic failure. Just never met to many guys and include myself whpo can do it.

Never seen really big volume guys.


IPG

 

[ajdos]

I try to hit faliure high volume or low volume, for me its psychological if I dont push it that far I feel like Im sandbagging the workout and it kills my drive.
Even if Im tired I still push to what I can do til failure...right or wrong its just my way of training.
I can see however after extended periods it can really burn you out.

 

[lntense]

It has its place but definitely not every set for me, I'd be broken lol.

 

[triathloncoach]

Would love to know what guys who have been able to train to failure every set for long periods of time think? You clearly have to be 1st and foremost psychologically strong enough to do it and do it to true physiologic failure. Just never met to many guys and include myself whpo can do it.

Never seen really big volume guys.


IPG

With a little help from IPG's Primbolan going to failure is still a warm up. :lightbulb:

 

[mchief101]

not every set no

 

[tkav1980]

It really depends on how you structure your training. If you the type that like very low volume but really high intensity then absolutely yes. With volume training definately not.

Bodybuilding is about recovery. With training to failure on every set you just cant recover from a high volume training session in what I would consider to be a reasonable time frame.

Personally that's why I like low volume, It gives me more frequency and I can still train to failure.

 

[destin]

I've learned from my own exp be it on off a cycle pushing each set to failure was a recipe for a disaster. Feeling burnt out, bad joints and whats not.

I now save last set for failure and a set or 2 shy by a rep or 2. I will take drop sets to failure too but the weight is low and reps high.

 

[tkav1980]

Would love to know what guys who have been able to train to failure every set for long periods of time think? You clearly have to be 1st and foremost psychologically strong enough to do it and do it to true physiologic failure. Just never met to many guys and include myself whpo can do it.

Never seen really big volume guys.


IPG

Not that it's been a really long time but since I joined this board Ive basically been doin either PHil's routine or DC. I just like it the best. For me it's just the most fun way to train. Your not doing 30 sets per bodypart either, It's really not that bad pushing through 3 sets per bodypart to failure.

 

[mas1derful]

I train to failure every set with rep range from 15-6. I only do three sets per exercise for a total of 12. I do one set of negatives per exercise also. Not hard mentally at all. I was a wrestler in a very strong high school and college program it wa all or nothing. Same with diet and utting weight. I never missed weight ever. Weighed 200 wrestled 177. All depends on your desire. If im tired i srl fo to failure with high reps 15-20. But every set is to failure

 

[Kaladryn]

You can't push as hard on 2 sets as you can on 1, it's impossible. I'm not advocating only 1 set, but I am making a valid point.

 

[tkav1980]

You can't push as hard on 2 sets as you can on 1, it's impossible. I'm not advocating only 1 set, but I am making a valid point.

Absolutely agree, subsequent sets following the first require a reduction in weight used when training to failure.

 

[ajdonutz]

Ive always gone to failure on my sets.. i dont feel like i dod anything if i dont. Its always been my mindset. Been doing it since i started training. Ive done higher volume in the past but i follow close to phils advice of low vol freq now. At the moment im doing medium volume and moderate frequency. 3 on 1 off, so every 4th day thd muscle gets hit again. Im liking it. But always to failure on all sets.. always

 

[football101]

Trial and error is the best way to determine what works for you and what doesnt evrey ones body is different.