Lifting to Failure

[Joelseph]

I've heard many opinions on this, why it's good, and why it's bad. I did a search on the forums here and couldn't find too much about it.

I'm looking for pro's and cons, whether it be for strength, hypertrophy or endurance.

So....Discuss

[Maveaider]

It can be for strength, hypertrophy, and endurance, but more specifically the first two.

Lifting to failure exhausts the muscle and ensures that it is properly exercised, but it must be done in the correct context, ideally under supervision, because most people can't complete a single rep before failure with good form and the risk of injury is high. To avoid over-training it is imperative not to go to town on this "lifting to failure" business; everything is best in moderation, as the saying goes.

Mave

[the_quiet_guy]

You want to stress to failure but not beyond it or far enough to result in injury or bad form. I think some say stop when they are 90-95% of the way there. Constantly pushing to failure can result in overtraining and more microdamage to your muscle. Training to failure can make for good strength gains. The question here I suppose would be one of balance. Which is pretty much what MaveAider said.

[Doughboy]

Originally Posted by the_quiet_guy

You want to stress to failure but not beyond it or far enough to result in injury or bad form.

Exactly

[scavern]

agreed. i'm no expert, but i believe when you start losing form it's all over.

[Adonis]

but never train to failure during a total body workout. Only do it with a muscle split approach, and usually for the last set of each exercise

I do not reccomened training to failure,unless you understand how to acceleraterecovery from a wokrout.