Mike Boyle & Proximity to Failure

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Off the end of your reply to Mike Boyle (which was excellent may I add), I have a question about proximity to failure:

For as long as I’ve been training, I’ve always been lead to believe that I must train extremely close to failure in order to make my time in the gym worthwhile. I’m talking 1RIR as the bare minimum.

Although it hasn’t affected my consistency, I don’t really enjoy this. I find myself having to prepare mentally before sessions (especially legs), and due to the gruelling efforts of each set, having to reduce volume otherwise I just won’t do them.

I’ve tried taking BBM’s advice and leaving more reps in the tank, but although I feel better and more fresh after sessions, I’ll fall back into old habits of maxing out because I believe what I’m doing isn’t enough to make progress.

Whether it be barbell, dumbbell, bodyweight, machine, single joint, do you think I’m leaving significant gains, WRT strength & hypertrophy, on the table if I keep all sets within 2-4 RIR? Save for specific testing situations.

My goals are very vague: I simply just want to enjoy training and continue building muscle/strength over many years.

Thanks,

SD

2 Likes
2

Howdy! Thanks for the kind words regarding my reply.

Regarding proximity to failure, I think I can distill things down like this:

  • Staying further away from failure is likely better for strength than going closer to failure
  • No difference in hypertrophy when staying further away from failure for compound lifts (assuming ~ 2-4 RIR or so)
  • Likely a benefit for isolation exercises going closer to failure for hypertrophy

Hopefully this is helpful.

-Jordan

3 Likes