To Failure or Not to Failure???!!!!

[hopkins]

just wondering, to all those guys who go to failure - every set.

Just say you have Bicep curls - 4 sets of 8
After warming up, if you go to failure on your first set ( if 8 reps is failure ) then how can you possibly do 8 reps on your fourth set.
If I worked to failure on my first set , say I just managed to squeez out 8 reps ( proper failure ) then had 1 - 2 minutes break between sets I would go like this
1st set 8
2nd set 7
3rd set 5
4 set 4
In other words if you fail completely finishing your set, you simply cant recover fast enough to be as effective in your consecutive sets. Just like doing maxes, you can't go all day doing the same weight, your muscles just wont do it.
Perhaps some of you guys do a lesser No. of reps each set, then of course I can understand how you work to failure every set. If not can someone please explain.

 

[rj4860]

I think thats the point. You don't need four sets if you are going to failure. If you don't go to failure, you need more sets to get the same amount of work. I think this varies for different body parts. On bench press, one set to failure is all I can do without lowering weight or reps, but I can go to failure on pull-downs and crank out multiple sets with the same weight.

just wondering, to all those guys who go to failure - every set.

Just say you have Bicep curls - 4 sets of 8
After warming up, if you go to failure on your first set ( if 8 reps is failure ) then how can you possibly do 8 reps on your fourth set.
If I worked to failure on my first set , say I just managed to squeez out 8 reps ( proper failure ) then had 1 - 2 minutes break between sets I would go like this
1st set 8
2nd set 7
3rd set 5
4 set 4
In other words if you fail completely finishing your set, you simply cant recover fast enough to be as effective in your consecutive sets. Just like doing maxes, you can't go all day doing the same weight, your muscles just wont do it.
Perhaps some of you guys do a lesser No. of reps each set, then of course I can understand how you work to failure every set. If not can someone please explain.

 

[hopkins]

You will actually lift more total weight, as it's a combination of reps x sets, if you dont go to failure your first set.
Once your muscles completely fail, added sets are often pointless IMO. Thats why I always go to failure on my last set though, total exhaustion at some point is neccesary.

 

[Jason]

You will actually lift more total weight, as it's a combination of reps x sets, if you dont go to failure your first set.
Once your muscles completely fail, added sets are often pointless IMO. Thats why I always go to failure on my last set though, total exhaustion at some point is neccesary.

I agree with this

 

[rexxer]

All interesting and helpful opinons and ideas,the bottom line is what really works for each of us and that difference does not lie when looking in the mirror.

 

[gandhisays]

Ok, I was doing a training program in which I did about 12 sets per muscle (3 exercises) , 3 of those sets were to complete failure. I was told by someone to do two light warm ups and 2 heavy to failure per exercise. What do you guys think works best??????? I have also read that by going to failure on every set that somehow your cns can not recover from workout to workout. Can some explain this a little further and give my the best method of training, I'm a little confused???
Thanks,
Jason

I always train til failure on every exercise, on every set for every body part! ALways worked best for me!

 

[Presser]

Always to failure!