Do I Have To Reach Failure?
Aug 22, 2018You’ve seen the grizzlies at the gym who are growling as they pump iron before they let out a war cry and drop their weights.
They are training to failure – doing as many reps as possible until their muscles reach total exhaustion.
If you’ve considered this method for yourself, there are some things you should know before getting started!
SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
Fitness gurus across the industry differ on the subject of training to failure. Some believe it is quite literally no more than a set up for failure and asking for a wrecked body. Others swear by its hypertrophy rewards. Ultimately, there’s validity to both.
THE PROS
- Overcome plateaus
- Increase strength
- Stimulate muscle growth
THE CONS
- Increased chance of injury
- Depleted nervous system
- Difficult recovery
CAVEAT – you must be properly trained and correctly execute failure in order to see true results and avoid the cons.
IT ALL DEPENDS
As with many things in the fitness world, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. You need to analyze whether or not training to failure is the best approach for your body and your goals.
Things to consider:
What are you trying to accomplish? Body building tends to focus on isolation exercise versus all out power lifting, so controlled repetition is much easier to achieve.
What’s your experience? Beginner, intermediate or advanced? If you are a novice to fitness, still learning your body’s needs and determining what you want, training to failure is most likely NOT your best starting point.
What motivates you? If training to failure will result in frustration and a sense of mental failure, it isn’t for you. If however, you love the challenge, and feel pushed toward new goals, you’ll have incentive to continue, and therefore reap the best results.
PROCEED WITH CAUTION
There is major wisdom in listening to your body. Of course, you must push yourself to an extent to experience growth – that’s the whole point of working out, is it not? As the old saying goes – no pain, no gain. However, there’s a difference between a body that is in need of healthy challenge, and a body screaming out a warning.
When good form is sacrificed for output, injury is almost guaranteed. STOP the MOMENT you feel your technique falter.
DO IT RIGHT
If you are going to train to failure, do it properly! Incorporate these pointers into your routine if you decide to train to failure:
- ADD MORE WEIGHT to your lifts each week. This effectively increases endurance and you’ll eventually fail at more weight, instead of more reps at the same weight.
- GIVE YOURSELF A REST. Try this method for a month at most, and then take a break to focus on a different aspect of strength and do normal sets for a while. Add it back when you’re ready.
- STICK TO THE BASICS. Failure is not the time to experiment with complex moves, as they require more technique and can increase risk of injury.
- DON’T SLACK ON INTENSITY. Do each set with full commitment. There’s no benefit in failing after 100 reps of something that wasn’t remotely challenging for you.
- HAVE A SPOTTER when bench pressing. This really is a no-nonsense, no brainer to protect yourself.
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