Do you need to train to failure? Types of failure

Author: Mikhail Ziborov - author of the site makefitness.pro.
2021-04-23

There are 3 types of failure. To get ahead, I’ll say that yes, you need to train to failure. You should reach at least one of them. Each type of failure is characteristic of a specific physical quality. For example, when your muscles burn unbearably, this type of failure is typical for endurance training. More details below.

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What is failure in training?

Muscle failure is the maximum number of repetitions after which you cannot perform another repetition:

• without violating technique or proper repetitions;
• without losing execution tempo;
• due to the impossibility of performing (unable to lift the weight or unable to repeat due to burning or pain in the muscles).

Performing an exercise to failure means doing the maximum possible number of repetitions without losing tempo or technique.

Some of the best training programs for mass, strength, and endurance, whether at home or in the gym, can be found here.

Exercises for specific muscle groups or with specific equipment – barbells, dumbbells, resistance bands, or machines – can be found here.

Types of Muscle Failure

Muscle failure differs from one another and can be manifested and even felt in different ways.

1. Change in Tempo (Strength or Speed-Strength Qualities, Explosive Power). When the speed of the exercise execution significantly slows down – this is already considered failure. Performing a strength exercise at a fast tempo trains power and explosive strength. Slowing down the tempo does not train power and explosive strength. It trains endurance, yes. But not power.

Therefore, a slowdown in execution tempo is muscle failure if your goal is to train for power.

2. Change in Tolerance (Endurance). Pure endurance is usually trained by doing a large number of repetitions. In this case, failure is characterized by the onset of burning in the muscles. At some point, you simply won't be able to do another repetition. The reason for this type of failure is the accumulation of metabolic byproducts in the muscle tissue and the lack of nutrients (the contracted muscle effectively compresses blood vessels).

In simple terms, if you can no longer endure the burning and pain – that is muscle failure during endurance training.

By the way, when you are doing a plank, at some point you will also reach failure. This is the same type of failure related to endurance, only in a static (immobile) exercise.

3. Change in Technique (Strength and Muscle Growth). While performing an exercise, you may notice that you can still lift the working weight, but you are doing it with poor form. At those moments, the primary working muscle groups are already fatigued, and the load shifts to the synergist muscles (which assist in lifting the weight but do not bear the main load).

In simpler terms, if technique breaks down, then failure has already occurred in the primary muscle groups. You are no longer training strength or promoting growth in the target muscles, but instead, you are building strength in other muscles (the synergists).

Thus, it often makes no sense to perform an exercise with poor technique. Once you've reached failure in the primary muscles, stop. After resting, repeat.

Interestingly, it's possible to experience multiple types of failure in a single exercise! For example, in pull-ups. The back muscles are strong and enduring. At some point, the tempo of the exercise execution may slow down, even if the technique remains intact and no burning sensation occurs. What does this indicate?

It indicates that in explosive strength or power training, the back muscles have reached failure (the tempo has slowed, and power is no longer being trained), while in terms of strength and endurance, the back muscles have not yet reached failure (strength and endurance can still be trained).

By the way, did you know that while failure often significantly increases your progress, in certain cases it can hinder results? You might just stagnate. This is especially true for lean athletes. Why, and what to do about it, is covered in this video:

Should You Train to Failure?

Yes, failure sets should be included in your training, BUT! This doesn’t mean that you should reach failure in every set of every exercise. No. Such an approach may stimulate greater muscle hypertrophy, but it will also overfatigue your nervous system. This will reduce recovery, and you will essentially gain nothing.

How many failure sets should there be? Alexander Dobromil, in his video on the YouTube channel YourFit, recommends an average of 5 failure sets (give or take, depending on your training level):

- Do 3 failure sets in compound exercises (for example, on chest day, this would include bench press, dips, dumbbell bench press, etc.);

- Do 2 failure sets in isolation exercises (for example, on the same chest day, this would include French press, dumbbell flyes, tricep extensions on the cable machine, etc.).

Conclusion

Failure is a great tool for quickly achieving your goals: improving physical attributes or gaining mass. However, if you do not reach failure, it does not mean you will not see any results. There will be results, just not maximum ones as you would with failure.

Also, failure can be detrimental if overdone. The best way to understand whether you need failure workouts is to experiment. This way, you can determine how your body reacts better – to training with failure or without it. Just observe the growth in strength and mass after each type of training.

For your information! Without adequate nutrition, no training, whether with failure repetitions or not, will help. Because your muscles literally have no resources to build new muscle structures.

Not getting enough protein or vitamins with minerals? Or want to accelerate your progress? Sports nutrition and supplements can help you with that.