5 ways to get the most out of the Failure Training Technique
Training to failure has long been a staple in the bodybuilding world. Muscular failure is when you can no longer repeat another rep through the concentric phase of an exercise. There are several things we need to consider inducing muscular hypertrophy. It is the volume which has been shown in research to be the most crucial part of muscle growth. Volume is the number of reps multiplied by the number of sets multiplied by the weight on a given exercise or V= (R)eps X (S)its X (W)eight.
Ok, I bet you are wondering why I’m bringing up all this stuff about volume when talking about training to failure. The first question, is training to failure required for muscle growth? No, it is not. Now, is training to failure useful? The simple answer is Yes.
We must be careful how we use failure and how often we use it, if you use it too much, it can hurt performance and training volume. So, how can we use this intensity technique to reap the benefits of getting enough volume and training to failure?
Here are five tips that will help you when implementing this intensity modifier to your training protocol:
- Instead of going balls to the wall on each set, and either having to go down in reps or drastically drop the weight, do the first three sets of the weight 7-8 reps and take the very last set to failure. John Meadows refers to his intensity of each set as an RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) I find this very helpful. If used correctly, this can be a great tool especially for trainers working with clients. For example, if you do the first 3-4 sets of an exercise at an RPE level of 8, then the last set should be done at an RPE of 10+ if you are using the failure training technique.
a. Fairly easy like a warm-up weight @ 6.0
b. You can do 4-6 more reps @ 7.0
c. You can do 2-3 more reps @ 8.0
d. You have two more reps left in the tank @ 8.5
e. You have one more rep left in the tank @ 9.0
f. Went to failure at perfect form @ 10
g. Went to failure with loose form after perfect reps completed @ 11
h. Used a high-intensity technique to push beyond failure @ 12
i. Used multiple high-intensity techniques/go apeshit set! @ 13
- I recommend not training to failure more than six weeks in a row without taking a week break of training to failure. Still, training should be hard, but don’t go into actual failure. Failure training can be taxing on the body and the CNS. Stop a couple of reps shy of failure and utilize other intensity modifiers like supersets, giant sets, or 1 ½ rep at an RPE level of 9 or below to increase intensity without overtraining for at least one week before going back to failure training.
- Stay hydrated and focus on recovery. Recovery is crucial to getting the most out of any training technique, but it is especially important when training to failure. Consider using an intra-workout drink with a combination of BCAA’s, EAAs, and a cluster Dextrin. The Granite Recovery Factor would be a useful choice here, or you could use something like the MPA Platinum Pharmgrade with a cluster Dextrin carb powder like Metabolic Glycoload. I prefer keeping the Cluster Dextrin only to back and leg days personally.
- Stay hydrated and focus on recovery. Recovery is crucial to getting the most out of any training technique, but it is especially important when training to failure. Consider using an intra-workout drink with a combination of BCAA’s, EAAs, and a cluster Dextrin. The Granite Recovery Factor would be a useful choice here, or you could use something like the MPA Platinum Pharmgrade with a cluster Dextrin carb powder like Metabolic Glycoload. I prefer keeping the Cluster Dextrin only to back and leg days personally.
- Last but not least, know when to back off. If you are genuinely pushing multiple sets to failure day in and day out without taking any rest days, you are bound to end up getting yourself into an overtrained state eventually. Don’t be afraid to take a day to rest if you know it is needed. I know many of us love to be in the gym training but sometimes a day off will have more benefits than training. Remember this; training is what we do to tear down the muscles, but to build them back up; we need rest, recovery, and proper nutrition.
Bottom line, if you don’t use the failure training technique correctly, it can ruin your training effectiveness and lead to an increased chance of injuries or setbacks.
Written by Mod Giachetti and Trevor Benko
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