Your thoughts on positive failure

[blood_drinker]

Part of the Max OT principles
Contrary to what most have been led to believe, forced reps are counter productive to building muscle. They artificially fatigue the muscle, deplete muscle energy stores, and produce non-progressive overload just to name a few.

Ive always done forced reps. I believe I get much better pumps by going to complete failure and getting a tad bit of help on my lifts. Remember, some ppl spot differently. EG, in bench, some ppl , when seeing their partner fail, they lift the bar excessively - instead, you should do it in a controlled fashion slowly and let the lifter do the lifting. I think this works - but it might just be phsycological.
What are your thoughts on this statement?

 

[Jeremy21]

Training to Failure on a regular basis...

teaches you to fail... quite simply if you have it in your mind that you are not going to terminate a set til failure your subconscious will force your muscles to "fail" prematurely. You'll be pushing just as hard but your muscles will be contracting weaker. It violates the Hebbian rule. This is not to say never go to failure but do not use failure & forced reps as a main staple in your training.

 

[blood_drinker]

some good thoughts jeremy.....
Ne1 else?

 

[ballast]

I never go to absolute failure anymore.Pushing your muscles to fail also invites form breakdown, which opens the door for injuries.I terminate all sets when my form begins to get sloppy and/or my rep speed decreases to the point that the bar is just inching along.I have had almost no injuries and my poundages are frequently increasing since using this protocol.

 

[big4life]

I'll do them, but not on every workout, and only on the last set of an exercise. They give you that extra bit of pump that you might not get otherwise.

 

[Valdez]

I go to positive failure on every "working" set.

on a side note what is the "hebbian rule?!"

 

[Cackerot69]

LOL at the "hebbien rule"

That training to failure teaches your muscles to fail stuff is nonsense.

While I don't believe all sets should be taken to failure all of the time, you should generally take your sets to failure.

 

[gymtime]

Teaching your muscles to fail? By that logic, if you're quitting before failure and never really challenging them, how do you expect to see any gains?

I don't see going to failure every set. I'll do it on the last set only for most excercises.

 

[Fuel_90]

You guys make some really good points. I personally go to failure only on the last set of my compound lifts such as bench press.

However, an alternative to using inconsistent spotters that I incorporate into my routines every once in while is to rack the weight, rest for 10-15 seconds, then do one rep.

For example on bench, I have someone stand there to spot but don't let come near the bar unless it stops moving. I do as many as I can without a spot, rack the weight, count to 10 or 15, try one more rep.

Just an alternative.

 

[GenetiKing]

Yeah, forced reps are extremely harmful to your physique...as are negatives, partials, drop sets, and rest pauses.

IF YOU DO ANY OF THE ABOVE, STOP IMMEDIATELY!!!!

Also, avoid pain at all costs. Pain is outrageously catabolic and will send your physique spiraling into the depths of total disprortionality and pencil-necked geekdom.

While we're on the subject, don't do compound movements or use free weights either. They're too harsh on the nervous system and damage delicate joints.

Avoid pain and discomfort. Throw hard-nosed training techniques out the window. You don't want to hurt yourself, do you? Hell no! Just lie back and half-ass coast through life, great things will happen to you simply because you deserve them!

Since when does hard work equal success?

BTW, eat lots of ice cream and candy too. These foods really aren't detrimental to your bodybuilding goals. It's simply the propaganda of those with financial interests in selling high protein foods and supplements that want you to think their type of foods are required.

Hey, life is a party! Just eat, drink, and party like there's no tomorrow and you will reap the reards of a wonderful life and an outstanding body! Cheers!