Does going super tired make muscles grow more?
Is repetition failure critical for the development of muscle hypertrophy and strength?
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Training to failure provided no extra benefit in strength, size, or activation despite higher repetition volume.
Most fitness programs assume that training to failure maximizes hypertrophy and strength — this study directly contradicts that assumption under these conditions.
Practical Takeaways
You can stop sets 1–2 reps before failure and still achieve significant strength and muscle gains.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Training to failure provided no extra benefit in strength, size, or activation despite higher repetition volume.
Most fitness programs assume that training to failure maximizes hypertrophy and strength — this study directly contradicts that assumption under these conditions.
Practical Takeaways
You can stop sets 1–2 reps before failure and still achieve significant strength and muscle gains.
Publication
Journal
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
Year
2016
Authors
John A Sampson, Herbert Groeller
Related Content
Claims (4)
Depending on how fast you lower weights during strength training, your muscles might work together differently — some fast techniques make opposing muscles activate more, others make them activate less.
If you're lifting weights at about 85% of your max for 12 weeks, going until your muscles can't do another rep doesn't make you stronger or bigger than stopping just before exhaustion — you'll still get great results without hitting failure.
If healthy guys train one arm with heavy weights three times a week for three months—whether they push to total muscle exhaustion or not—they’ll get stronger, their muscles will grow, and their brains will activate those muscles better.
If you lift weights until your muscles can't do another rep, it helps scientists measure muscle growth in a consistent way over time.