Key takeaways:
- Training to failure or stopping a few reps short can produce similar muscle growth.
- High-quality studies on training to failure have focused on the quads, a muscle group that is tough to train to failure.
- Combining both failure and non-failure training in a program could have benefits.
- Training to failure may be more manageable for smaller muscles trained with isolation exercises.
- The type of exercise and muscle group being trained can influence the effectiveness of training to failure.
Similar Muscle Growth from Training to Failure vs. Stopping Short
A new study has shown that training to failure or stopping a few reps short can produce similar muscle growth[1][5]. This finding is supported by other high-quality studies that have found no significant difference in muscle hypertrophy, strength, or muscle architecture parameters between training to failure and not training to failure[2].
Considerations for Training to Failure
The majority of high-quality studies on training to failure have focused on the quads, a muscle group that is tough to train to failure[2][5]. However, combining both failure and non-failure training in a program could have benefits, such as keeping you accustomed to how failure feels and improving your accuracy when leaving reps in reserve[5].
Training to Failure for Smaller Muscles
For smaller muscles trained with isolation exercises, training to failure may be more manageable and even superior in some cases[5]. For example, one study found that training to failure with a barbell biceps curl was superior to leaving around three or four reps in reserve, while another found that leaving one or two reps in reserve was similar to failure[5].
Type of Exercise and Muscle Group
The type of exercise and muscle group being trained can influence the effectiveness of training to failure[5]. For example, training the quads is tougher to train to failure compared to isolation exercises that train smaller muscles[5]. Therefore, it is essential to consider these factors when deciding whether to train to failure or not.
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