I’m rather surprised by the responses here. Perhaps I’ve had it pounded into my head too much that failure = bad (by many of the articles here in fact). I will need to revisit it in a few weeks when I’m done with my current program.
(But I always get within 1-2 reps of failure as it is; I generally have very little left in the tank so it’s not like I’m totally pussing out.)
[quote]Tyler23 wrote:
I’m rather surprised by the responses here. Perhaps I’ve had it pounded into my head too much that failure = bad (by many of the articles here in fact). I will need to revisit it in a few weeks when I’m done with my current program.[/quote]
I don’t think it should be a surprise if you look at the biggest guys in the gyms. They are either training to failure(or beyond) or very close to it more often than not. On their top work sets that is, not with 135 225 315 etc on the squat when they’ve got 465x9 in them.
[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:
I’ve got to admit, I seem to not be sure what everyone means by “training to failure.” Is there an agreed upon definition? Also, what is “positive failure”?
When I train, I normally try to pick a weight and rep range where I’ll be near failure on the last set. Often, I’ll rack it a rep or two early when I’m spent. If I’ve got a bit of energy at the end, I’ll do another rep or two.
Perhaps if I had a training partner or coach to spot, I’d go for that last rep or two when I think I’m spent, but I figure getting injured and being unable to lift for 6months is worse than not getting in that last rep or two. I’m not sure if this is “training to failure” or not.
[/quote]
Failure is momentary concentric muscular failure… you cannot lift it one more rep… so you try, and it stops before lockout, and you rack it - or it can also be classed as completing the last rep which was so hard you KNOW that anoher is not going to work… so you stop there. With these being failure, i fail on ALL sets.
Joe
[quote]jsbrook wrote:
Joe Joseph wrote:
Really? Not so for me… I do failure on every set, except MAYBE one where i will be able to finish the last rep but i know i would fail on the next.
The others i fail on or go past failure.
If i train not to this level of failure, i could train using 10+ sessions a week regularly. I already do 6-7 sessions a week with my “intensity” and that is my max, but recoverable at this time.
Plus for me, i dont build muscle at a slow steady pace, anabolics or not. I always have built in “spurts”! a month her… then some maintenance, then another month there… as i adapt and grow, then change and wait, then begin to adapt and grow… it really is much more sporadic for me. But i have decided that i do not have the greatest affinity to build muscle (although it will never stop me trying!)
I think you are lucky to be able to grow so well. 
Joe
10+ sessions a week? 7 as it is? What does your training look like? My growth is not always linear either. I just meant that I make steady progress and don’t train to failure every set to do so.[/quote]
Ya i do 5 days out of 7 with the 3rd week 6 days, and i do an extra chest and lat workout once or twice a week too… thats 6-7 workouts a week… If i could get results from not training to failure like i do on ALL sets, then i could easily do 1-2 sessions a day 5-7 days a week, and recover.
Joe
[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
so lemme guess you guys got into PT thinking you were going to just get guys who were like you and youd be able to have an awesome time getting guys big but in reality you have a bunch of whiny little bitches who are afraid of freeweights and make your day shitty?
well let me ask this, do you at least get enough punani from hot clients to make up for it?[/quote]
You got it!
I’ll bet a couple of my “whiny little bitches” would drop you just for saying that!
(oh, yeah… We don’t use machines, all we ever really use is freeweights)
Actually I “got into PT” to help normal, average people get healthier, stronger and better-looking in that order.
And my days are NEVER shitty. How 'bout you?
lmao!!
Depends on safety. If I have a spot, then to failure. If on a machine, yep, to failure. If I need to be able to control the weight for my safety, then as close to failure as I can.
What I have found is my sets do not keep getting harder, but the opposite. Sometimes in a 5X5 my second and third sets seem the hardest. By the fourth I am in a grove. The fifth I push as far as I can, past five if possible. That has taught me not to drop down in weight easily.
I think a good partner is invaluable here, letting you concentrate on moving the weight rather than your own safety.
[quote]Sagat wrote:
I found that what works best (for me) its not thinking about it, i just set a weight/rep goal (to beat my last workout numbers)and try my best do it. When i tried train “not to failure” my effort and intensity end up being too weak, when i tried go to failure it wasnt productive also, because my focus was on getting fatigued not having the job done.[/quote]
Yeah, focus on a performance goal, not fatigue. Especially when battling Ryu!
How is it possible to progress if you don’t go to failure at least on your last set ? If your trying to add weight every workout your eventually going to reach a point where you will have to go to failure to try to beat your previous weight.
From that workout on you obviously have to go to failure every time you train on at least the last one or two sets. If your going for 10 reps at a certain weight and you get to 8 or 9 but think oh shit, if i do the next one that will be failure, as if you wouldn’t try and push another rep out to get a PR. My last 1 or 2 sets are almost always a 100% effort.