If you're lifting weights and want to see real gains, pushing yourself to failure only works if you're using heavy weights and doing enough sets and reps. If the weight or volume is too low, it probably won't help much.

If you don’t push yourself to the absolute limit during weight training, you might actually get stronger faster—because you can do more total lifts overall.

If you lift weights until you can't do another rep, your body feels like you worked harder than if you stopped before failure—even if you did the same total number of reps and sets.

If you lift weights without pushing yourself to total exhaustion, you might get stronger faster—especially if you end up doing more total lifts overall compared to people who do go all the way to failure.

If you lift weights until you can't do another rep or stop a little earlier—but do the same total amount of work—your muscles will grow and get just as strong either way. So you don’t have to push to absolute failure to see results.

You can build muscle just as well lifting light weights as heavy ones — as long as you push yourself until you can’t do another rep.