Avoid training to failure???

[Longhorn85]

According to this article in Mens Health, (I know consider the source), it is more beneficial to do more reps at a managable weight than to keep adding weight and reach muscular failure. The article says to build fast twitch muscle fiber it is best to NOT reach failure.

Any thoughts on this?



http://aol.menshealth.com/fitness2/ironedout.shtml

 

[Thaibox]

I believe its CoolcolJ that has a lot to say about this topic. Bump for him.

Of their own accord....nice sig

 

[gettinlarger]

I dunno if Mens Health is such a reputable source.

 

[louden_swain]

I train to failure on most exercises and I have had good results.

 

[RusPA81]

I also train to failure on most exercises. Its when you start to train past failure to often and do to many forced reps when you overtrain and get into trouble.

 

[coolcolj]

well going to failure overtaxes the CNS more than the muscle - relatively speaking. Bad for recovery purposes

How many people do you see have perfect form when they hit failure or get close? nuff said

Look at how slow you lift the bar when you get near failure - low power output

ok if your BB'ing without any consequence for explosion, power and strength, then it won't matter much apart from recovery - but if you want to be an explosive and strong mofo - going to failure is the wrong way to go about it.

 

[backlash79]

mens health.....aka Shape for dudes....aka maxim with a few "workout" tips thrown in lol

 

[Lord_Suston]

it is true that going top failure will make you slower than training to subfailure with explosive speed. I do this routinely to gain speed while keeping on mass and adding strength, actually I am doing right now....

 

[Intenceman]

What a load of hooey. I only get gains anymore (I've been training 15 years) When I go beyond the status quo, which usually means going beyond failure. Just increasing weight a bit here and there and/or doing an extra rep or two doesn't provide enough of a shock to force adaptation- ie increased muscle size.
I don't agree that you have to train "explosively" -we aren't bombs, we are humans. That is possibly applicable to powerlifting and more so O lifting, but for building size, you can build it more safely by moving in a controlled manner. Can't build strength this way? Ridiculous- I have worked up to Squats with 515 for reps (615 for 4 half Squats) close grip pulldowns with 360 for reps, 315 smith machine inclines, 225 overheads, Hammer leg extensions with 470 for a few reps, etc. That's fairly strong, I would say.
Having said that, some people who don't tolerate high intensity stress as well - ie., those with poorer recovery ability, might benefit from doing say 3 subfailure sets as opposed to 1 or 2 to failure or post failure sets.

 

[thriller]

i wouldnt call it to failer what i do but i stop when im not going up as fast as the first rep. id be able to hit a couple more reps just not explosively