Training to Failure

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hey,

  1. What’s the problem with training to failure all the time if volume is lowered to offset fatigue accumulated?
  2. I’ve watched your YT video about failure training where you say RPE precision isn’t necessary but consistency is. How can one expect the same results from a program if their perception of RPE 8 is actually 4RIR?
  3. If hypertrophy is driven by motor unit recruitment, why do you guys suggest volume over intensity?

I’ve run your templates for a few months now, having previously come from a train-to-failure background. I like your programming, but feel I suck at RPE and that’s why I’m not progressing at a decent rate. Training to failure seems to be the safest option from a gainz perspective since you know that every session you’re getting a good stimulus.

Thanks!

2

AJG6124,

  1. It doesn’t necessarily produce greater results in strength or hypertrophy and can cost more fatigue than doing more volume (and certainly the same volume).
  2. That’s close enough to drive strength and hypertrophy results. Some exposure to higher intensity work, as programmed in nearly all of our templates, is likely to be beneficial at times.
  3. Motor unit recruitment doesn’t increase with greater weight once you’re working with ~ 50-60% 1RM, maybe less.

Our podcasts and template texts on programming explain a lot of this in greater detail. From the template PDFs:

"A common mistake lifters make with this tool is obsess over “perfect” accuracy. However, it is much more important to use it consistently (e.g. precision) than it is to have perfect accuracy from the very start.
We understand that introducing this concept to guide loading can be challenging or intimidating for the new Iifter; however, our experience and the current research suggests that most individuals can the hang of it within a few weeks to a reasonable level of accuracy. Again, it is critical to note that “perfect” accuracy is not required for this metric to be useful!"

You don’t need to go to failure to get a good training stimulus. In fact, we’d argue that if you are doing so, you’re probably getting a worse stimulus outside of isolation exercises…maybe.