Is Training to Failure Better For Hypertrophy?

A Journal of Sports Sciences suggests leaving one to 2 repetitions within the tank might optimize muscle gains.

A central bodybuilding debate revolves around training to mechanical failure (where form starts to interrupt attributable to fatigue) for muscle growth. Proponents of coaching to failure argue it’s vital to stimulate hypertrophy, while others imagine it could possibly result in overtraining and increase injury risk.

Dr. Layne Norton (Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences) published a video on his YouTube channel dissecting a January 2024 study within the investigating the muscle-building effects of coaching to momentary muscular failure versus training with repetitions in reserve (RIR). (1) Check out the video below:

This studyinvolved 20 experienced weightlifters (minimum of three years of coaching, three sessions per week). Half of the themes had previously competed in bodybuilding or powerlifting competitions.

The eight-week study involved two training groups. One group trained their legs to failure; the opposite stopped one to 2 reps shy of failure.

The results showed no significant difference in muscle growth between the 2 groups, suggesting training to failure is unnecessary for maximizing muscle growth. In fact, the study found that training to failure may even be counterproductive.

The group that trained to failure performed fewer total reps in comparison with the group that stopped one to 2 reps shy of failure. This is probably going because training to failure can result in more neuromuscular fatigue, which might hinder your performance on subsequent sets.

Norton highlights that training to mechanical failure could be acceptable, especially for lifters who enjoy pushing themselves to the limit. This approach negates the negative performance impact on the next sets.

If you train to failure, leave it to your final set.

To maximize muscle growth, you might be higher off specializing in progressive overload, which involves steadily increasing the load, reps, or sets over time while leaving one to 2 repetitions in reserve.

Key Takeaways:

• Training to failure will not be vital for muscle growth.
• Hitting mechanical failure often induces excessive neuromuscular fatigue, potentially hindering your performance on subsequent sets.
• Stopping one to 2 RIR will help get more high-quality sets with higher movement patterns.

Training to mechanical failure will not be the magic bullet for muscle growth that some people imagine it to be. Stopping one to 2 reps shy of failure to advertise hypertrophy ensures higher movement mechanics and reduces injury risk.

References

1. Refalo, M. C., Helms, E. R., Robinson, Z. P., Hamilton, D. L., & Fyfe, J. J. (2024). Similar muscle hypertrophy following eight weeks of resistance training to momentary muscular failure or with repetitions-in-reserve in resistance-trained individuals. Journal of sports sciences, 42(1), 85–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2024.2321021

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