Re-evaluating
the Practice of "Training to Failure"
The notion of
"training to failure" is perhaps one of the most revered practices in
the modern bodybuilder's "toolbox." But interestingly, this training
method seems unique to bodybuilding.
In other iron
sports, such as Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and throwing,
athletes develop enormous levels of muscle mass without training to
failure, at least not in the way that most bodybuilders would define it.
This observation,
coupled with the fact that many elite-level bodybuilders do not embrace
this practice, warrants a second look at this concept.
Birth of a Paradigm
Many credit Arthur
Jones (the inventor of Nautilus equipment) with developing and
popularizing the "one set to failure" paradigm. Jones argued that
bodybuilders should work to the point of momentary failure, using one
set per exercise/per session, rather than using multiple sets of
multiple exercises.
But Jone's
commercial success may been potentiated by a long-standing tradition
among young trainees (particularly men) who, in the absence of qualified
supervision, regularly trained to failure as an intuitive way of
obtaining objective feedback about their progress. Whenever an
additional rep could be performed with a given weight, the trainee was
psychologically reinforced, which further entrenched this "habit."
Unfortunately, it
also reinforced poor exercise form and the tremendous frustration that
set in when, after several months of monotonous training, the inevitable
plateau set in. This frustration then paved the way for numerous
ill-conceived commercialized training "systems" that emerged over the
past several decades. The result is an endless cycle of unsupervised
trainees switching from one miracle method to another, in an endless
search for the "perfect program."
Before we
criticize Jones or the authors of the many programs available today, it
may be necessary to revise our expectations of what a training method
should and shouldn't do. Remember that nearly any training method can be
effective, at least temporarily, for the following reasons:
1) Beginners will
make short-term progress with any training method, provided they aren't
injured in the process.
2) Many people
train in a very monotonous manner, rarely changing acute exercise
variables such as choice of exercise, order of exercise, rest periods,
and load (volume and intensity). When such a person changes programs,
they will progress, at least temporarily.
Conversely, NO
training program is perfect because:
1) Everyone is
different. No two people respond exactly the same to a given program.
2) The body will eventually accommodate to any program, and when it
does, you hit a plateau.
The conclusion
that might be drawn from these points is that all methods can be viewed
as "tools" which have a certain degree of utility when used in the
proper proportion and in the right context. The problem is when a
proclamation is made that "This is the perfect program for all people
all of the time!"
DEFINITIONS
A significant
impediment to discussing this issue is the lack of consistent
working definitions for several terms which are germane to the
discussion at
hand:
What is "Training to Failure”?
The very
definition of "training to failure" needs considerable clarification.
Does it mean concentric failure? Eccentric failure? Inability to
complete another repetition in good form? (and what is "good form?")
Inability to maintain the desired tempo (speed of execution)? Are we
referring to failure of the cellular, or neural system? Failure of the
stabilizers, or prime movers?
For the purposes
of this discussion, "training to failure" describes training in a manner
where each set is continued to the point where further concentric
repetitions "in good form" cannot be completed under the lifter's own
volition. Second, the notion of failure is inexorably linked to the
magnitude of effort and ability to withstand pain and fatigue— both of
which are subjective qualities.
What is "Good Form?"
While the amount
of resistance, number of sets and reps, etc., constitute the
quantitative element of training, good form (or exercise technique) can
be seen as the qualitative element. Exercise technique includes range of
motion, tempo, and control over the resistance being lifted. For the
sake of variation, bodybuilders should plan for regular variations in
tempo and range of motion. Such variations help to break through
strength and hypertrophy plateaus.
Control, however,
should never be sacrificed, especially for the purpose of "eeking out"
another repetition. For the sake of this discussion, "good form" will be
defined as "exercise performance which is consistent with pre-determined
objectives concerning range of motion, tempo, and control of the
resistance."
Using this
definition, it is not considered bad form to lift a weight through a
partial range of motion, as long as you pre-determined that the
repetitions would be performed in that manner. On the other hand, if you
planned to do parallel squats, and start losing depth due to fatigue,
this would be considered bad form. Similarly, if you plan for a certain
tempo (duration of each repetition) or even rest period, it would be
considered bad form to alter these parameters in the middle of a
workout.
What is Intensity?
Sports scientists
and bodybuilders often assign two very different meanings to this term.
In the sports sciences, intensity is usually defined as the difficulty
of the work performed, expressed as a percentage of 1RM (One repetition
maximum), or an athlete's maximum poundage for a single repetition for
any given lift. Using this definition, if an athlete has a 1RM of 400
pounds in the leg press, a set performed with 350 pounds is more
"intense" than a lift performed with 300 pounds, regardless of how many
reps were performed, how close the set came to failure, or how much
mental effort was applied.
Most bodybuilders,
on the other hand, define intensity as the magnitude of effort applied
to a task. Using this definition, a leg press of 300 pounds might be
more intense than a set with 350 pounds, if a greater effort was applied
to that set.
For our purposes
then,we will distinguish between "extrinsic" intensity (or, the
magnitude of the external load) and "intrinsic" intensity (or, the
magnitude of effort applied against that load). It's important to
recognize that extrinsic intensity is objective, and intrinsic intensity
is subjective. In other words, we can measure the weight on the bar as a
percentage of maximum, but when someone claims that they "went to
failure," we have to take his or her word for it.
Objectives and Methods of Training
For bodybuilders,
the object of training is muscular hypertrophy. The methods used to
accomplish this objective are dictated by various training principles,
most notably the principle of progressive overload. Fatigue, and
occasionally failure, are unavoidable by-products of these methods.
Viewing fatigue and/or failure as an objective of training (as many
bodybuilders do) is masochistic and counterproductive.
The hallmarks of
successful training are long-term consistency and progression. But
progression must be gradual— very gradual— if it is to be consistent.
Many athletes insist on always taking a set to utter failure, even if
it's not necessary to achieve a new personal record. But these same
athletes neglect to project these gains into the future, which reveals
the impossibility of continuing these gains.
As an example, if
you manage to put 5 pounds a week on your squat, this equates to 20
pounds a month, and 240 pounds a year. If this could be continued for
even three years, you would be a national level powerlifter, with size
to go along with it! A better approach is to achieve very small
increases in load on a regular basis, even though you won't reach
failure. These smaller increases are easier for the body to adapt to,
and recuperate from. Taking each and every set to complete failure is
like trying to run a marathon at sprint speed— after a very short period
of sprinting, you'll have to slow down considerably, if you expect to
finish the race.
The Downside of One Set to Failure
As stated earlier,
few training practices or techniques are good or bad in the absolute
sense. Most often, it's a matter of application and context. Performing
all sets to failure (or, trying to) is particularly problematic, for the
following reasons:
1) Insufficient
training volume for hypertrophy development
Many studies have
confirmed that metabolic changes associated with muscular hypertrophy
are best instigated through loading by high volumes, whereas neural
adaptations are best brought about through high intensity loads.
Training volume is calculated in pounds lifted per unit of time. If you
plan to lift a certain weight for 5 sets of 5 reps, only the last set
would approach concentric failure— if you went to failure on the first
set, the subsequent sets would have to be performed with significantly
less weight.
This decreases
volume, which can negatively impact muscular hypertrophy. International
strength coach Charles Poliquin observes that for any two athletes on
the same basic program, the athlete who uses a higher volume will have
greater hypertrophy [1]. This observation may be due in part to
increased levels of anabolic hormones which are associated with
multi-set (as opposed to single set) training [2].
A second factor to
consider with respect to the training load is that there is a limit to
how long you can achieve progressions in intensity, but increases in
volume can be achieved for a much longer period. For example, after
about 9-10 years of solid training experience, you'll arrive at (or very
close to) your maximum lifts (1RM's). Past this point, it becomes nearly
impossible to increase the training load through increases in intensity.
It's much more feasible at this point to increase training volume (by
adding reps and/or sets). In this way, you can continue to make gains in
muscle mass.
2) Injury
potential, both acute and chronic, increases
Noted exercise
scientist Paul Ward warns that training to failure results in ischemic
reperfusion, or oxygen deprivation, followed by oxygen perfusion. This
results in massive free-radical damage to DNA and cell membranes.
International Sports Sciences Association co-founder Dr. Sal Arria
cautions that many soft tissue injuries occur when failure terminates a
repetition in mid-stroke. "When the weight on the bar exceeds the
muscle's ability to lift it, something has to give and usually, it's the
musculotendinous junction" One of the most important functions of a
spotter is to stay alert and keep the bar moving in order to avoid such
injuries, according to Arria.
According, to
powerlifting legend Fred Hatfield, if fatigue is so great that
stabilizers and synergists (which typically tire faster than the prime
movers) become too fatigued to allow maintenance of proper form, you're
asking for trouble.
3) Potential
for overtraining increases
Louie Simmons,
well-known coach to many elite-level powerlifters finds that taking sets
to failure "has an ill-effect on the central nervous system," which
delays recovery. Simmons is noted for producing scores of high-ranked
lifters with relatively low-intensity training
4) Regular
failed attempts lead to a reduction in a lowering of the Golgi Tendon
Organ (GTO) excitation threshold [3].
Successful lifts
which are above what the body is used to will raise the excitation
threshold of the Golgi Tendon Organ, while failed attempts tend to lower
it. What this means in bodybuilding parlance is that the more often you
miss a lift, the more likely it is that you'll miss it again in the
future.
Is Training to Failure Necessary?
Clearly, it is
not. The overriding concept is that, like all training methods, training
to failure is a tool. No tool should be used all the time for all
applications. But used judiciously, it can be a useful training method.
Any training program which plans for progressive resistance,
consistency, and variation is likely to produce success.
Recommendations
1) Plan and
document your training. If your best effort in the bench press is 225
for five sets of five repetitions, your goal should be to surpass that
effort— either by getting five more pounds for 5x5, or by getting a
greater volume with the same weight. When you do, you'll progress, even
if you don't go to failure on each and every set. Keeping a training log
is a must in order to know what barriers you're trying to surpass. Use
one!
2) Use and apply
strictly defined technique parameters for yourself. Cheating (by
utilizing co-contraction from non-targeted muscles) only encourages
inefficient movement patterns, poor posture, and potentially, injuries.
Your technique on the last rep should be identical to the technique you
use on the first repetition.
3) Progress is a
function of gradually increasing your training load over time—not how
"trashed" you feel after a workout.
4) Careful
attention to acute program variables can have a big impact on how much
volume you can comfortably tolerate. Here are two examples:
a) Muscles can be
worked more thoroughly by first training in an unstable environment (i.e,
free weights) which challenge the stabilizers, and then moving to a
stable environment (i.e, machines) [4]. To test this for yourself, first
do a set of dumbbell bench presses to fatigue. Next, load a barbell with
the same weight, and immediately do a set.
You will find that
you can lift this weight, despite failure on the DB bench. Next, go to a
machine bench press, load it with the same weight, and you'll find that
you can continue even further. This phenomenon is an example of
"stabilizer failure," meaning that the motor cortex will limit neural
drive to the prime movers when it senses that the body is unable to
stabilize a load. This phenomenon has vast implications for the majority
of trainees who primarily work prime movers through machine exercises
only.
b) Because fatigue
is specific [5], greater workloads are possible if sets of contrasting
exercises are performed back to back, as opposed to finishing all sets
for a particular exercise before proceeding to the next. As an example,
if you plan to perform bench presses and lat pulldowns in the same
session, sets 1,3,5, etc., would be bench presses, and sets 2,4,6, etc.,
would be lat pulldowns.
The more distant
the two muscle groups are from one another, the greater the reduction in
residual fatigue. Still another method of reducing fatigue is to
alternate between low repetition sets, which fatigue primarily the
nervous system, with high repetition sets, which fatigue primarily the
metabolic system. The low repetition sets facilitate greater neural
drive, which carries over to the high repetition set, allowing a greater
overall workload to be performed.
c) Except for
beginners, a linear progressions of training load, where the athlete
attempts to add resistance each and every workout, result in early
stagnation and loss of improvement. A more productive approach is a
"three steps up, one step down approach" [6] which allows for periodic
regeneration and continued improvement.
5) For hypertrophy
development, remember that muscles consist of more than just contractile
fibers. Use a variety of repetition ranges to stimulate all elements of
the muscle cell— including sarcoplasmic volume, capillary density, and
mitochondria proliferation. (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy)
6) It is
especially important to recognize the qualitative components of a good
set— elements such as the feel, control, and overall mastery of the
movement. Over-reliance on achieving the maximum number of repetitions
at any cost is an invitation to injury and long-standing technique
errors. A useful guideline is "Once you find yourself cheating, you're
already beyond failure!"
7) Stick to
conventional or "basic" training methods until they no longer yield
results. If your neuromuscular system experiences every strength
training method known to science in your first year of training, what
will you do when you hit a plateau? Save "advanced" methods, such as
partial repetitions, eccentric training, and ballistic methods for
later, when you're advanced.
Training to Failure: Traditional and Revised Definitions
The majority of
trainees define training to failure as continuing a set of repetitions
(including both the concentric and eccentric portions of the rep) until
no further repetitions are possible without a considerable erosion of
form, or assistance from a partner, or both. Frequently, after
concentric failure is reached, the trainee will continue the set, either
by cheating (utilizing co-contraction from additional muscle groups), or
with the help of a partner by either 1) completing a certain number of
eccentric-emphasized reps, 2) performing "forced reps" (ie., utilizing
help on both the concentric and eccentric portions of the reps), or
performing "strip sets," meaning, the partner continues to reduce the
weight on the bar until no further repetitions can be completed.
Other authors have
rightly pointed out the fact that failure is specific to fiber type. As
an example, you may select a heavy weight, and reach failure after
performing 3 repetitions. While no further repetitions are possible with
this weight, it would still be possible to lower the weight (as in a
strip-set) and continue even further.
Olympic lifters
terminate their sets when the ideal tempo and/or coordination erodes
beyond acceptable parameters. For this reason, Olympic lifters rarely if
ever utilize spotters, even on their heaviest maximum attempts, since
(at least in theory) the worst thing that can happen is that the last
rep will be slower than desired.
Is One Set Really Enough?
Many proponents of
the "one set to failure" method justify their claims by suggesting that
one set is sufficient to recruit a maximal number of motor units. While
this may be true (although there is little solid data to support this
statement), this approach assumes that simply recruiting a motor unit
once is sufficient to fatigue it, which is a prerequisite to
hypertrophic adaptations.
For beginning
trainees, it may be that single exposures to a training stimulus are
sufficient to provoke an adaptation. But athletes with even moderate
experience are likely to require multiple exposures (sets) in order to
fatigue the target motor units9. Hypertrophy of other biological tissues
is accomplished not by stressing the tissue close to its limits, but by
applying a stress which is slightly beyond what it normally encounters.
Bone, as an example, hypertrophies when a force equaling approximately
one-tenth it's breaking point is applied. This example supports the
contention that gradual progression is the ideal method for achieving
muscular growth.
References:
1) Personal
Communication, February, 1996.
2) "Growth Hormone Release Following Single Versus Multiple Sets of Back
Squats". Bruce W Craig and Ho-Youl Kang at the Human Performance
Laboratory, Ball State University. Journal of Strength and Conditioning
Research, 1994, 8(4), 270-275
3) Personal communication with Dr. Fred Hatfield, January, 1996.
4) Program Design Video Series, Paul Chek Center for Health &
Performance, LaJolla, CA, 1996.
5) Zatsiorsky, V. M., Science and Practice of Strength Training, p.p.
111, Human Kinetics, Champaign, 1995.
6) Bompa, T.O., Periodization of Strength, Toronto, Veritas Publishing,
1993, p.p. 53.
7) Telle, J., Beyond 2001: New Approaches to Scientific Training for the
Advanced Bodybuilder, EDICT, Denver, 1995.
8) Hatfield, F.C., Fitness: The Complete Guide, ISSA Publications, Santa
Barbara, 1995.
9) Fleck, S.J., & Kraemer, W.J., Designing Resistance Training Programs,
Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, 1987, p.p. 58.
10) Baechle, T.R., (Ed.) Essentials of Strength and Conditioning, Human
Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, 1994.
