Today I'd like to talk about one of the most popular concepts when it comes to strength training, Training to Failure. I believe it is very important to understand what training to failure means, the two "types of failure" we can aim for and when to use them or avoid them in our training.
Training to failure is a popular concept in strength training. It involves performing an exercise until you cannot complete another repetition.
This technique has been shown in multiple studies to promote greater muscle growth than stopping when you have a lot more reps in the tank, however, knowing when to use it appropriately can significantly impact your progress and injury risk.
There are two types of failure to consider: technical failure and muscular failure.
Technical Failure vs. Muscular Failure
Technical Failure: This occurs when you can no longer perform an exercise with the correct form or technique. At this point, your muscles might still have some strength left, but continuing would mean compromising your form, which increases the risk of injury.
Muscular Failure: This is the point at which your muscles are physically incapable of completing another repetition, even with poor form. You simply cannot move the weight anymore because your muscles are completely fatigued.
Why Should We Avoid Technical Failure?
For most people, training to technical failure is not recommended as a regular practice. Here’s why:
Increased Injury Risk: When you reach technical failure, your form deteriorates. Lifting with poor form, especially under heavy loads, significantly increases the risk of injury.
Reinforcement of Poor Technique: Continuously training to the point of technical failure can reinforce bad habits. This can lead to poor movement patterns becoming ingrained, which are hard to correct and may hinder long-term progress.
Fatigue Management: Training to failure, induces high levels of fatigue. This can impair recovery and negatively affect subsequent training sessions, leading to overtraining and burnout.
When to Use Technical Failure
Training to technical failure can have its place in a well-structured program:
Occasional Testing: Periodically pushing to technical failure can help gauge progress and set new benchmarks. This should be done sparingly and under supervision to minimise risk.
Advanced Training Programs: Experienced lifters with a solid foundation in proper technique might incorporate technical failure strategically for specific goals, such as breaking through plateaus by providing a novel stimulus to the muscles to elicit new growth.
Take Away on Technical Failure
While training to technical failure can be beneficial for muscle and strength gains, it is important to consider the risk/reward ratios and we recommend to only use it when you have perfected your technique and on specific blocks of training or to test your maxes.
Benefits and Risks of Muscular Failure
Many studies show that training to muscular failure can enhance muscle growth and strength. However, many recent meta analysis showed minimal differences and the trade-offs often outweigh the benefits for most people for several reasons:
Maximal Effort with Poor Technique: To reach muscular failure, your technique often suffers as you push beyond technical failure. This can lead to injuries and reinforce poor movement patterns.
Fatigue vs. Benefit Ratio: The physical and mental fatigue from consistently training to muscular failure can hinder overall performance and recovery. For most people, the additional gains do not justify the increased fatigue and risk of injury.
Practical Recommendations
Train Smart: Focus on maintaining proper form and technique throughout your workouts. Stop a set when your form begins to break down, even if you can push a few more reps. This will ensure your intensity is still high enough to elicit adaptations but minimise the risk of injury, allowing you to train more frequently, consistently and ensure longevity in your lifting journey.
Be safe: Depending on the exercises, having a trainer parter or "spotter" is a good idea to minimise risk of injury. Consider asking for help if you plan to take a set of squats or bench press to failure.
Sustainable Progress: Moderate intensity and volume, stopping short of muscular failure, can still elicit significant strength and hypertrophy gains while minimising fatigue and injury risk. This approach is more sustainable long-term and supports consistent progress.
Use Failure Strategically: Incorporate training to technical or muscular failure occasionally and strategically, based on your specific goals and training program. This might be more appropriate for advanced lifters under guided supervision.
Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to signs of excessive fatigue and adjust your training intensity and volume accordingly to prevent overtraining and injury.
By understanding the differences between technical and muscular failure and knowing when and how to use them, you can optimise your training for better results and longevity. Prioritise technique and sustainable progress to achieve your fitness goals safely.
Until next time!
Jose
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