Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below ok im putting this up here to hopefully see some sort of constructive debate, over at www.teenbodybuilding.com the forum a really smart member that really knows his shit said that you will make better strength gains if you train to PRE-failure because training to failure hampers the central nervous system's recovery time, this seems to make sense to me as how much you lift is not based on muscle size but CNS response. so what do u guys think about this statement?
you will make better strength gains if you do NOT train to failure
- Thread starter 110%
- Start date
brianmincher
New member
There definately is some truth to what he says. Especially if you train the same exercises every week (very bad idea if trying to get stronger). Training at 90 percent or above for over 3 weeks will cause a negative response from your CNS and you will get weaker. This is a fact. If you don' t beleive me, go max out on the bench, then max out again for the next 4 weeks and see what happens. After the 2nd or 3rd week, you will start going backwards.
If you really want to get stronger, and not just prettier, you have to train like a strength athlete, and not like a bodybuilder. They are two different sports. Bodybuilding is all about hypertrophy, which is fine if that is what you are after, but be aware, you are not going to make the best strength gains possible with that approach. Train with the conjugate method for the best strenght gains. You can find info about this at elitefts.com
B.
If you really want to get stronger, and not just prettier, you have to train like a strength athlete, and not like a bodybuilder. They are two different sports. Bodybuilding is all about hypertrophy, which is fine if that is what you are after, but be aware, you are not going to make the best strength gains possible with that approach. Train with the conjugate method for the best strenght gains. You can find info about this at elitefts.com
B.
Remember that both of our sports are based on Progressive Resistance Training.
I do believe that you will get stronger if you limit your sets of failure. I rarely go to failure...but come darn near close though...
B True
I do believe that you will get stronger if you limit your sets of failure. I rarely go to failure...but come darn near close though...
B True
BlkWS6
New member
I have gone just shy of failure for almost a month now, and my strength has gone up tremendously. I used to train to failure all the time, and although it may have helped w/ muscle hypertrophy, like stated earlier after about 3wks my strength went down the tubes. I recommend staying just shy of complete failure, get that last rep by yourself.
coolcolj
New member
Maybe you guys are over training?
Anyway don't knock super slow training I got really good results for strength gain using it in my younger days. 3 times a week, 1 set per exercise 4 second up, 6 seconds down to failure. 8-10 reps, once I could reach 10 reps I added 5% weight for the next workout. Poundages went up week after week like clockwork while dieting down at certain points of the training...if that's not strength gain I don't know what is.
Weighted chins with 80Lbs attached done super slow style, when you consider I struggled with just my own bodyweight when I started doing it super slow and then trained with 80lbs attached after 4months or so is freaking awesome, and 100% natural too, and so for the rest of my life. That tells me I gained strength - lots of it
In fact I gained more strength than size and bodyweight. But I remeber guys at the gym were saying I must have been doing pushups outisde the gym before I can in, because I seem to be geting bigger everytime I turned up. Ahh progress seems to be an alien concept to some people....
Anyway don't knock super slow training I got really good results for strength gain using it in my younger days. 3 times a week, 1 set per exercise 4 second up, 6 seconds down to failure. 8-10 reps, once I could reach 10 reps I added 5% weight for the next workout. Poundages went up week after week like clockwork while dieting down at certain points of the training...if that's not strength gain I don't know what is.
Weighted chins with 80Lbs attached done super slow style, when you consider I struggled with just my own bodyweight when I started doing it super slow and then trained with 80lbs attached after 4months or so is freaking awesome, and 100% natural too, and so for the rest of my life. That tells me I gained strength - lots of it
In fact I gained more strength than size and bodyweight. But I remeber guys at the gym were saying I must have been doing pushups outisde the gym before I can in, because I seem to be geting bigger everytime I turned up. Ahh progress seems to be an alien concept to some people....
FitnessFrk
New member
training to failure also depletes ATP stores to a higher extent. depending on the diet and supplementation of the person it can take from 48-72 for ATP stores to be at 100% after a hard training session (ex. back or legs). ATP is the biological energy source for all anabolic and catabolic functions. If ATP is not at or close to 100% restored, the body can not be in it's highest anabolic state.
I agree that STRENGTH gains come better without training to failure. For my last powerlifting meet I followed a Hatfield routine that had me working at various percentages of my max for set reps/ I just followed the program and the strength came
brianmincher
New member
Slow reps for strength? Bad mojo, IMHO. The faster you are moving the bar, the quicker you get the lift over, and the better chance you have of getting through the sticking point.
Weight multiplied by the rate of acceleration is the key. Ever watch an olympic lifter? Think they could clean and jerk double bodyweight plus by moving the bar slow? No way. To increase strength optimally, you must increase speed. To increase muscles size, time under tension is key, but strength is about moving a barbell from beginning of the rep to end of the rep. Lockout to chest to lockout for example on the bench.
The best powerlifters and olympic lifters are the ones who move the bar the fastest. This is fact. And before people ask, I am a powerlifter, not a bodybuilder, but the question is regarding strength gains, and I am a double bodyweight plus bencher.
B.
Weight multiplied by the rate of acceleration is the key. Ever watch an olympic lifter? Think they could clean and jerk double bodyweight plus by moving the bar slow? No way. To increase strength optimally, you must increase speed. To increase muscles size, time under tension is key, but strength is about moving a barbell from beginning of the rep to end of the rep. Lockout to chest to lockout for example on the bench.
The best powerlifters and olympic lifters are the ones who move the bar the fastest. This is fact. And before people ask, I am a powerlifter, not a bodybuilder, but the question is regarding strength gains, and I am a double bodyweight plus bencher.
B.
Similar threads
