going to failure sets you up for failure?

[powerlifting USA]

whats everyones take on this...

its amazing to think that most good powerlifters dont go to failure too often in training. only a few sets a week if that...and how often drug free and avg gentics folks go to failure and "beyond" pretty much every single work and every single lift...

it really takes a lot of discipline to sometimes not do so...out of habit...

 

[epimetheus]

It doesn't look like the rest of my team goes untill failure, but If I do the same Reps and sets as them (well, try), It is pretty much till failure. Then again, I am just weak.

 

[spatts]

I feel it has more to do with goal. A BB's goal is to get big. When you rip the muscle fibers to oblivion and then let them heal, they heal larger eveytime you rip them. As a PL, size isn't as important as stength. So recruiting and conditioning the muscle that support a lift is essential. I don't think a PL generally AIMS for failure, but if you're lifting heavy enough, you probably will, intended or not.

 

[ZZuluZ]

Even as a bodybuilder I wouldn't lift too failure.

-Zulu

 

[benchmonster]

I go to failure at most on two lifts per week. Usually only one, and often zero sets to failure. If I am doing a max effort that is truly all I have in the tank, I stop there. Sometimes I overshoot what I am capable of, or get out of the groove, but I never purposefully go to failure.

As heavy and as often as I train, going to failure all the time would be a recipe for disaster.

B.

 

[Doktor Bollix]

It's true. When you train to failure, because of something called the Hebbian mechanisms, you train yourself to fail. My experience of training this way was that I gained lbm but no strength at all.

 

[Hannibal]

I go to failure at most on two lifts per week. Usually only one, and often zero sets to failure. If I am doing a max effort that is truly all I have in the tank, I stop there. Sometimes I overshoot what I am capable of, or get out of the groove, but I never purposefully go to failure.

As heavy and as often as I train, going to failure all the time would be a recipe for disaster.

B.

Always leave a few reps in the tank. Like you said, as often and as heavy as I train I would burn out really quickly if I was going to failure.

Now ME day....that is a different animal all together. I never plan to miss....but I am not afraid to miss either. Just not something that I want to become a habit.

 

[b fold the truth]

There are tons of ways to stimulate the body to make it grow...tons of factors.

super sets, giant sets, stimulate time, time under tension, less rest, more rest, failure, negatives, forced negatives, etc...

Powerlifting/strength training adds a few other elements to the growth process...lots of CNS stimulation, bands, chains, boards, shirts, speed work, maximum effort work, etc...

B True

 

[GRIMMER]

I read an article on this by someone( can't remember) and if you are refering to that article they did make great claims to backing tht statement up. If you think about it you are training your body to fail by failing on every set of every bodypart. I can't explain it very well but its like PL train there CNS and mind to deal with exceptionally heavy weight it would be like training the mind and the CNS to not be able to push those heavy weights. I don't know , i don't fail on much if anything in the gym i always leave a rep or two in the tank.

 

[CytoMel]

Its good to leave a rep in you most of the time but training to failure once in a while is ok but if you do it to often then it is tough to recover.

 

[panerai]

The theory that if you train to failure will train your mind to fail is absurd.
First, you get your mind set, then you train. Training to failure and maxing out to failure is FAR from being the same.
If you don't train to failure, at least, often enough, how are you going to overload the system? How are you going to make your body grow stronger? It simply will not do so, if it's not challenged often enough.

 

[IrishPower]

i think the people posting against going to failure are not backing their statement up with facts.

fact:

those following the westside principals closely are constantly going to failure on max effort day whether they realize it or not.

louie says always try for a PR unless you KNOW you are not going to make it before the lift. sometimes you will get it, sometimes you wont, but the important thing is to keep pushing. well this IS definitely to failure folks. it just took one rep to get there, not 15-20. if you never went to failure, you never really tested your max did you?

fact:

regarding bodybuilders tearing things up really badly making them bigger, this is untrue. if you 'tear' something, it will NOT heal in time for the next workout nor will it make you bigger. that is called an injury.


opinion

I think injury is caused in powerlifting not because of going to failure via the repetition method, but because of the types of weights employed while using this method.

Consider this scenario. A 500 lb bencher could probably do a zillion sets of 135 lbs. In fact, he can train to failure using 135 and doing 50+ reps. Is it going to injure him that day??? I doubt it. 135 is not enough weight to do this, no matter how many reps he does.

However, now lets take that 500 lb bencher and have him sling 315 around for sets to failure. He has a much more likely chance of injury if he continues to failure set after set. Why? Well, every set his form will get sloppier. Sloppier form at 135 is probably not going to do any damage. Sloppier form at 315 can (and probably will do damage), especially if repeated often.

So what are my points?

Going to failure is NOT just a tool to get bigger.

Going to failure with low reps is often employed successfully by powerlifters to get stronger and bigger.

Tons of reps with heavier weights is probably a bad idea because you sacrifice form and are more likely to induce injury, especially over time, and especially in the compound lifts.

Going to failure with lighter weights and using the repetition method is also a valid training tool for a powerlifter. It is another way to stimulate growth.

/irish

 

[Screwball]

The most dangerous rep in any set is the very first rep. Why? On the first rep of any set the body is at its strongest and the ability to injure itself is the greatest. More trainers are injured on the first rep of a set or a maximal attempt then any other rep following in a set. The only exception to the rule is when reps are performed in a set and form is sacrificed for more reps. Sloppy technique will get you hurt! Don't ever sacrifice your form to get a few more reps as you increase your chances for injury. When the form goes the set should be ended. IMHO.