The Final Rep: Re-evaluating the Practice of "Training to Failure"

[Admin]

written by Charles I. Staley, B.Sc., MSS

The notion of "training to failure" is perhaps one of the most revered practices in the modern bodybuilder's toolbox. But interestingly, this training method seems unique to bodybuilding. In other iron sports, such as Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and throwing, athletes develop enormous levels of muscle mass without training to failure, at least not in the way that most bodybuilders would define it. This observation, coupled with the fact that many elite-level bodybuilders do not embrace this practice, warrants a second look at this concept.
Birth of a Paradigm

Many credit Arthur Jones (the inventor of Nautilus equipment) with developing and popularizing the one set to failure paradigm. Jones argued that bodybuilders should work to the point of momentary failure, using one set per exercise/per session, rather than using multiple sets of multiple exercises. But Jone's commercial success may been potentiated by a long-standing tradition among young trainees (particularly men) who, in the absence of qualified supervision, regularly trained to failure as an intuitive way of obtaining objective feedback about their progress. Whenever an additional rep could be performed with a given weight, the trainee was psychologically reinforced, which further entrenched this habit.
Unfortunately, it also reinforced poor exercise form and the tremendous frustration that set in when, after several months of monotonous training, the inevitable plateau set in. This frustration then paved the way for numerous ill-conceived commercialized training systems that emerged over the past several decades. The result is an endless cycle of unsupervised trainees switching from one miracle method to another, in an endless search for the "perfect program."
Before we criticize Jones or the authors of the many programs available today, it may be necessary to revise our expectations of what a training method should and shouldn't do. Remember that nearly any training method can be effective, at least temporarily, for the following reasons:
1) Beginners will make short-term progress with any training method, provided they aren't injured in the process.
2) Many people train in a very monotonous manner, rarely changing acute exercise variables such as choice of exercise, order of exercise, rest periods, and load (volume and intensity). When such a person changes programs, they will progress, at least temporarily.

http://www.timinvermont.com/fitness/failure.htm

 

[Fadi]

In other iron sports, such as Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and throwing, athletes develop enormous levels of muscle mass without training to failure. written by Charles I. Staley, B.Sc., MSS

Olympic weightlifters do not develop enormous levels of muscle mass relative to the training that they do. And the ones that do develop a higher level of mass than the norm (for a weightlifter), do so due to some additional training outside of what is needed by a weightlifter to become proficient in his two main lifts.

Yes, there are many Olympic weightlifters who admire the muscular physique of a bodybuilder (and train for it). Similarly (and much more so), the gyms are full of bodybuilders who admire the strength of strength athletes and end up making strength training the focus of their bodybuilding training!

Training to failure has its merits, but only if used as one of the many tools a bodybuilder has at his disposal. As is the case with any other training principle, over use it, and your body would adapt and plateau. Everything works but nothing works all of the time.



Fadi.

 

[0ni]

Maybe they get jacked because they find it helps them lift more weight
Coach Wu says the Chinese team do a lot of bodybuilding for the upper body, because their upper body is relatively weak compared to other races and they need to catch up on the Jerk. Is this not part of their regular training? Sure it is

 

[Fadi]

Maybe they get jacked because they find it helps them lift more weight
Coach Wu says the Chinese team do a lot of bodybuilding for the upper body, because their upper body is relatively weak compared to other races and they need to catch up on the Jerk. Is this not part of their regular training? Sure it is

You know best Oni!

 

[Goosey]

wasn't going to post, but needed to.

Traing to failure is not a tool, it is one of the fundemental elements to exercise.

the degree of failure (fatigue) you adopt is subjective, however, results are tangible.

 

[Goosey]

You know best Oni!

it's a discussion forum.

he has the privilege just like any other here

Fixed, [MENTION=895]Shrek[/MENTION];

 

[Shrek]

Posting on the forum is a privilege not a right.

 

[0ni]

Lets think of this logically
Why would a guy that competes in a weight class based sport carry extra muscle mass if it did not benefit them in lifting the weight

 

[Alpha Moth]

I can't tell if Fadi is being sarcastic or not, but I feel like he was agreeing? I can't tell lol


anyway a muscles strength is directly proportional to its cross sectional size, so it makes sense to be bigger?

 

[0ni]

Yes but apparently "bodybuilding training" isn't "weightlifting training" despite it making you better at weightlifting

 

[Fadi]

Coach Wu says the Chinese team do a lot of bodybuilding for the upper body,...

What is meant by the term "bodybuilding" here? Please be more specific. Barbell curls as far as I know is bodybuilding, ...are we to understand that the Chinese or any sane weightlifter would actually train their biceps with an isolation exercise such as a d/bell or b/bell curl?

...do a lot of bodybuilding for the upper body, because their upper body is relatively weak compared to other races and they need to catch up on the Jerk.

Was that a joke or have I missed something here. I'd like to believe that coach Wu's comment was made for the general public's consumption and nothing else. Just like when an Olympic weightlifting coach would say to the media that his weightlifters do not partake in performance enhancing drugs!!

seriously now, are we to conclude that the jerk movement is somewhat dependent on some upper body strength, and that what is usually performed by weightlifters world wide in the form of overhead presses and jerks etc. is not enough so as to include bodybuilding style of training to a weightlifter's training regime! Again, I'm seriously asking for some specific exercises that the Chinese weightlifters would do (based on their race) that other world weightlifters do not do!



Fadi.

 

[Fadi]

...anyway a muscles strength is directly proportional to its cross sectional size, so it makes sense to be bigger?

I'm not arguing the point that bigger is stronger, but please understand that here I'm comparing weightlifters with weightlifters, and not bodybuilders. There's more to this ...



Fadi.

 

[Fadi]

Sorry Graeme, I seem to have digressed from your main OP on going to failure mate.



Fadi.

 

[0ni]

Here you go Fadi
http://www.allthingsgym.com/chinese-weightlifting-training-methods/

Bench presses, dips, lateral raises, weighted push-ups, arms work are common in videos of these lifters

 

[oldcorollas]

Here you go Fadi
http://www.allthingsgym.com/chinese-weightlifting-training-methods/

Bench presses, dips, lateral raises, weighted push-ups, arms work are common in videos of these lifters

that says nothing about

Coach Wu says the Chinese team do a lot of bodybuilding for the upper body,...

did you link the wrong article from your google search?

 

[Darkoz]

Here you go Fadi
http://www.allthingsgym.com/chinese-weightlifting-training-methods/

Bench presses, dips, lateral raises, weighted push-ups, arms work are common in videos of these lifters

There is absolutely nothing in there that supports what you said 0ni

 

[0ni]

There is loads about, just simple searching shows it
I'll post more as I find it

http://www.allthingsgym.com/chinese-weightlifting-experience/

http://www.allthingsgym.com/larrys-chinese-weightlifting-experience-part-1-snatches-squats/

 

[oldcorollas]

this is what the same guy (from Lifthard) had to say about Coach Wu and chinese training methods

maybe you read it wrong?
http://firstpull.net/2013/09/15/interview-with-the-man-behind-lifthard/

JP: Many countries have used different plyometrics drills or jump in the training of weightlifters. Chinese athletes seem to be known mainly for the bodybuilding accessory stuff they do. Are plyometrics and jump an integral part of their training?
K: Let’s put the concept of “Thought linking” that we use here.

Concept 1: Chinese people are tricky.

Concept 2: They need sport to build the nation in more ways than one.

Concept 3: Their training methods gets them the gold medals.

Concept 4: Would you give out a map to your gold mine, for free?

Concept 5: So what would a tricky person give you when you ask for his map?

Bodybuilding is one of the components. Of course jump training is very important. In fact, I’d like to give credit to the creator of this idea, Yuri Verkoshansky by calling it “Shock method”. The man who created it, must be credited.

The Chinese are tricky. I’ll tell you that. Speaking to numerous Chinese coaches, I can tell you one thing. They all have a little advantage that they keep from each other. Some can view movement better, some are better programmers, some are better in psychology. They use that to get ahead from the competition which is perfectly fair.

so while they may be "known" for "bodybuilding" accessory work.. maybe that's the decoy

 

[Fadi]

Here you go Fadi
http://www.allthingsgym.com/chinese-weightlifting-training-methods/

Bench presses, dips, lateral raises, weighted push-ups, arms work are common in videos of these lifters

Here's what I got from the article you have posted:

Remember that the “Chinese” weightlifting methodology is actually “Weakness correction”

I can understand that because that's logic in any coach's book. But still, I'd love to see a Chines weightlifter, a Russian, or even an Australian weightlifter perform some side laterals, when weightlifters have a myriad of above head exercises that are functional in their purpose as opposed to adding something for nothing.

Functional exercises I can accept, ...where is the functionality in side laterals, when a weightlifter has the mighty military press (seated and standing), the jerk, the jerk balance, the push press, the power jerk, the jerk dip,...!!



Fadi.

 

[Fadi]

this is what the same guy (from Lifthard) had to say about Coach Wu and chinese training methods

maybe you read it wrong?
http://firstpull.net/2013/09/15/interview-with-the-man-behind-lifthard/


so while they may be "known" for "bodybuilding" accessory work.. maybe that's the decoy

That's what I've been saying since day one, bravo Sir! If you dislike someone, or want to maintain some sort of advantage, ...simply give the wrong advice, ...but, but make it sound so damn convincing so as to make the irrational somewhat believable!



Fadi.