Why going all-out in squats makes you jump worse longer
Acute effects of equated volume-load resistance training leading to muscular failure versus non-failure on neuromuscular performance
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Training to failure caused more fatigue than non-failure training even when total volume, intensity, and rest were perfectly equalized.
Most people assume fatigue is directly tied to total work done — but this study proves that the *strategy* of pushing to failure, not the volume, is the main driver of acute fatigue.
Practical Takeaways
If you train for sports, power, or multiple workouts per day, avoid training to failure on compound lifts like squats or deadlifts — stop 1–3 reps short to preserve performance for the next session.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Training to failure caused more fatigue than non-failure training even when total volume, intensity, and rest were perfectly equalized.
Most people assume fatigue is directly tied to total work done — but this study proves that the *strategy* of pushing to failure, not the volume, is the main driver of acute fatigue.
Practical Takeaways
If you train for sports, power, or multiple workouts per day, avoid training to failure on compound lifts like squats or deadlifts — stop 1–3 reps short to preserve performance for the next session.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness
Year
2020
Authors
F. Fonseca, Bruna Costa, M. E. C. Ferreira, S. Paes, Dalton de Lima-Júnior, Witalo Kassiano, E. Cyrino, Petrus Gantois, L. Fortes
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Claims (6)
If you push your muscles until they can't do another rep, you create more force per set—which can help if you're not doing many sets, but might hurt your progress if you're already doing a lot of work.
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 until you can't do another rep during squats, you'll feel more tired and jump lower afterward than if you stopped before reaching failure—even if you did the same total amount of lifting. This drop in performance can last up to half an hour.
If you lift weights until you can’t do another rep versus stopping before failure—while doing the same total amount of work—you’ll feel more tired and more worn out during the workout, especially if you’re a regular gym-goer.
After a regular workout that doesn’t push you to exhaustion, your jumping power bounces back in just 10 minutes—but if you push yourself until you can’t do another rep, it takes at least half an hour to recover.