"To Failure" Is Probably Not What You Think it Is

Because Duh.

This is an extension of :

Because you need to understand recovery and “to failure” - otherwise sharing the actual sets, reps, split, etc will be useless to you.

So get caught up above.

Ready?

Cool.

“To Failure”

This is, specifically, in the context of lifting weights to build muscle and “triggering” the mechanism that leads to overcompensation. Again, read the article above if that doesn’t make sense to you.

So what is “training to failure” in the context I am using it?

Let’s start with what it’s not. Here’s the obvious ones:

• If you reach failure because you’re winded or out of breathe, you did not train the muscle to failure.

• If you reach failure because the lactic acid build up burns so bad you have to stop, you did not train the muscle to failure.

In both of those cases, your endurance was the limit - not the size and/or strength of the muscle. So it would be silly, in my opinion, to expect the bodies adaption to be…grow bigger or stronger muscles. lol.

And the less obvious ones:

If you train to the point that you cannot do another full rep or contraction… you have not trained the muscle to failure. You have trained it to concentric failure, which is step 1 of 3:

1. Concentric: Moving the weight against resistance (Lifting it)

2. Static: Holding the weight static again resistance (Holding it)

3. Eccentric: Slowing the weight down against resistance (Lowering it)

Step 1: Train to concentric failure - you cannot possibly do another full rep. This also needs to be done with enough weight and rep range that makes sense. If you’re doing 25 reps, your endurance is more likely to be the limit than the muscle - so guess what’s going to adapt the most?

Step 2: Train to static failure - since you cannot do another rep, cheat or have someone help you get into the contracted position and hold it there as long as you possibly can.

Step 3: Train to eccentric failure - When you absolutely cannot hold it any longer, allow it to lower with as much control and as slow as possible.

You can lower more than you have hold static. You can hold more static than you can lift.

If you only train to concentric failure, you’re leaving a lot on the table. As in… MOST of it on the table.

If you understand my stance on recovery and on failure, the workout structure will make sense. If you don’t, it won’t.

Either way,

Find out what works for you and ride it.

Nic