Do you train to failure?

Seeker

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there is no training to failure in powerlifting. Not in any of the popular programs I've followed
 

dk8594

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there is no training to failure in powerlifting. Not in any of the popular programs I've followed

I have always wondered that. Can you expand on why not?
 

Seeker

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one reason I can say is that powerlifting is using heavy loads of weights, focused 3 main compound lifts. Volume and intensity dont neccesarily go well together. fatigue can settle in pretty quickly.
 
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snake

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Volume and intensity dont neccesarily go well together. fatigue can settle in pretty quickly.
Absolutely .That's the reason right there that only one set was to failure in what I what I did.
 

gymrat827

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i do & i dont...

depending on lots of diff things....I go to 90/95% of failure and stop there. Once get good muscle breakdown ill stop
 

HollyWoodCole

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Working to failure is a young man's game.

I'm too old and won't risk the injury, plus I always work out alone. I can go to failure on bench etc. due to obvious safety issues.
 

BRICKS

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Technical = form breaks down, can no longer perform rep

True failure = form breaks, rep fails, other methods are used to continue (drop sets, etc).

I take every working set to technical failure, not true failure.

This is typically how I train. Say 4 working sets. Three will be to technical failure, 4th will be a drop set.
 

HollyWoodCole

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This is typically how I train. Say 4 working sets. Three will be to technical failure, 4th will be a drop set.
It was five sets on squats last night but same exact thing.

The young man that came with me asked if I was going to failure....I asked him if putting yourself in a position to where your legs can't move and you have 400lbs+ on your back is a good idea....he got it.
 
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TRUE failure means you fail in all three phases of the movement - not just concentric, but static and eccentric as well. Very few people do this and it is extremely difficult to truly achieve without a training partner, IMO.

I also think you can maintain form while doing this, given that you are not using momentum to begin with. Controlled concentric, pause for a static hold, controlled eccentric. If your form breaks, practice the movement yo build your engrams so that your form stays tight.
 

Texan69

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You can train like my girl and stop as soon as it gets heavy lol.

but I mix it up sometimes I will train to failure or even utilize a spotter and get some forced reps in. Or utilize drop sets, rest pauses and on the rare occasion a chest rep once I hit technical failure. I notice the best results when I do one set to technical failure per exercise (3-4 per muscle group for large and 2-3 for smaller) the other sets are difficult but not necessarily to failure. I have a tendency to overtrain.
 

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Depends on what muscle group and what my goal is for that muscle group.

Take chest. When I was trying to grow it fast and increase my max absolutely. Assisted reps past failure for sure helped me achieve my goals.

I'm doing lighter weight at the moment and I think 4 second negatives with a good strong positive on with a tight back contraction while bending the bar seems to be far more effective at overall pec growth than heavy weight and training to failure.

I don't often go to failure on deadlifts because I think it is counterproductive.

Muscles like the forearms, biceps and calves that already get used a lot in the day to day I think require training to failure for growth. One of my favorites for biceps is cheat curls and lining up the dumbbells and running the rack pyramid style.

That said I did experience growth using the 8x8 program and doing body drag and wall curls Vince Gironda style.

Perhaps the sum of my wisdom on the matter is a lot of shit works and doing the same thing over and over will have diminishing positive results.
 
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tinymk

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I generally do not train to failure and if I do it will be on 1 set out of several
of the day.
 
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Honestly I don't know there seems to be so much diversity in how people train and all techniques get you bigger.
Now the smartest way in my opinion is to not go all out like Ronnie Coleman for example his body is falling to peices.
My advice
do it till your form breaks down with a weight that's not comfortable
anyone disagree with me
 

CJ

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My advice
do it till your form breaks down with a weight that's not comfortable
anyone disagree with me

I wouldn't want to do a Squat or Deadlift with my form broken down.

I'd say the safety of the movement has a lot to do with it. Squats.. Stay away from failure/form break down. Leg Press.. Get close, maybe hit failure. Knee Extensions... Go until your quads are going to explode, you'll be fine.
 

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Resurrecting an old thread…

I wonder how much is too much on failure… like how many sets to failure for a body part in one session. I always set out to do one set to failure per exercise, and do 4 different exercises for the body part I’m hitting. I’ll do a few warm up/pump sets. But I end up doing more failure sets because I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished anything unless I’m smoked.

Failure to me is last rep I can do with good form, then employ drop set or rest pause.

Stimulate don’t annihilate is hard for me to comprehend. Especially with my arms, because I’m trying so hard to get them to grow…
 

CJ

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Resurrecting an old thread…

I wonder how much is too much on failure… like how many sets to failure for a body part in one session. I always set out to do one set to failure per exercise, and do 4 different exercises for the body part I’m hitting. I’ll do a few warm up/pump sets. But I end up doing more failure sets because I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished anything unless I’m smoked.

Failure to me is last rep I can do with good form, then reply drop set or rest pause.

Stimulate don’t annihilate is hard for me to comprehend. Especially with my arms, because I’m trying so hard to get them to grow…
Are you able to match, or exceed what you did in the prior workout, either by adding weight and/or reps most sessions?

If not, probably too much, try backing off a bit.

If so, keep on going until you need a rest, then take a light week or week off. You just don't want to have to do this too frequently.
 

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