Should You Go All the Way Tired When Lifting Weights?
The application of training to failure in periodized multiple-set resistance exercise programs.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Some strong people think you need to lift until your muscles are totally tired to grow stronger, but this paper says you don’t have to. Doing it once in a while might help really strong lifters get past stuck points.
Surprising Findings
Training to failure is not necessary for muscle growth, contradicting the 'effective reps' model.
Popular belief in fitness circles holds that only the last 5 reps before failure truly 'count' for growth. This editorial directly challenges that strict interpretation.
Practical Takeaways
Use training to failure only occasionally, such as in short 2–4 week phases, especially if you're an advanced lifter hitting a plateau.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Some strong people think you need to lift until your muscles are totally tired to grow stronger, but this paper says you don’t have to. Doing it once in a while might help really strong lifters get past stuck points.
Surprising Findings
Training to failure is not necessary for muscle growth, contradicting the 'effective reps' model.
Popular belief in fitness circles holds that only the last 5 reps before failure truly 'count' for growth. This editorial directly challenges that strict interpretation.
Practical Takeaways
Use training to failure only occasionally, such as in short 2–4 week phases, especially if you're an advanced lifter hitting a plateau.
Publication
Journal
Journal of strength and conditioning research
Year
2007
Authors
J. Willardson
Related Content
Claims (4)
You can still build muscle even if you don't push your sets to within five reps of total failure, which goes against the idea that only the last few tough reps really matter for growth.
If you're an experienced lifter trying to get stronger, building more muscle—like by sometimes pushing your sets to the max—can help boost your strength over time.
If you're an experienced lifter stuck in a plateau, doing some sets until you can't lift anymore might help you break through — but only if you do it once in a while. Doing it too much could lead to burnout or overtraining.
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.