whaddya do?

[SquatPukeSquat]

i started a squat to failure thread a little while ago, and the results from that got me thinking about another inquiry: how many sets do you guys typically do, with how many reps, and how often do you take those sets to failure? i know people on here are always writing what they do, but the info is scattered everywhere, and i just wanted to see how everyone trains in a condensed post. i myself follow a dorian yates approach, albeit with 2 working sets to failure per exercise, with three exercises per bodypart (except for tris and bis, which i do only 3 sets total for). i don't train abs either, 'cause heavy deads and squats hit mine fairly well. so, whaddya do?

 

[majutsu]

well . . . I know it's hard to get a response, but everyone's methods are so different it's sometimes hard to communicate even. See, I do Westside, so every box squat on heavy days is one rep max to failure, so I fail at least once every time I squat, often more (in fact, that's when that part of the workout is over). That day also work hams, low back, and abs. The other day of squats per week is speed squats (you can think of as high rep work sort of).

 

[bignate73]

even following WSB i dont squat to failure. i usually hit a PR, but not a major one. since i dont have a power rack, im a bit more cautious.

i dont see the need to go to failure. all failure is with squats is your weak point giving out. not your entire structure. it depends what your goal is with squatting. quad size? ham size/strength. there are more simple movements you can take to failure to focus on that bodypart.

 

[Dave949]

I generally do 5 working sets with my squats. 2 sets are front squats and 3 sets are back squats. Both moves are done pyramiding the weight and reps. Fronts would be 10 / 6 reps. Back: 10 / 8 / 5 or 4 reps. I train to form failure only. The only time I go to absolute failure is once and sometimes twice a year I will go a month or so doing 20 rep super squats and form failure goes out the window. Other than that its form failure. I never do one rep max`s. Too risky for my blood (and age) and I don`t have the need to know my ORM nor is it a priority for me. Triples or fours are as low as I go.

Pump on .....

 

[BOOEY]

I never go to failure simply b/c I don't trust anyone at my gym.

 

[casualbb]

HST: 3 sets, 3x/week, never to failure.

 

[supreme]

I like to train for "success" not failure . I pick a goal wegiht / rep scheme - what ever is my current training parameters i.e 5 X 5, 5,4,3,2,1 , pyramids, wave loading etc. and work toward that.

Failure can be good occassionaly but it can lead to rapid overtraining and also more injuries occur at the end of the set when fatigue has set in and form begins to lapse.

S

 

[SquatPukeSquat]

I'm getting intrigued now, because I've never not trained to failure. my strength is good for my size, but my size is pretty small (190 at 5'11). For those of you who don't train to failure, how close to failure do you come? If your goal is 10 reps, could you do 15, 12, 20, if you pushed it? thanks.