Training to Failure

[VeggieLifterGal]

I have a friend who swears that it is impossible to get to failure in under 45 minutes of lifting. He says if he lifts for less than 45 mins (this is per bodypart), the workout is useless.

I disagree completely - I feel that if it takes an hour, your weight is too light and you aren't being efficient. I lift heavy, and I can get to failure in 20 minutes per body part, no problem.

I told him I'd post a thread about it to hear what you all think.

;)

[Aurora]

Oh yeah, I totally agree with you.

[Ripped1]

need more info on your friend, what is his stage of development? is he on gear? if the answer to these quetions is yes, he could train longer and harder and still be efficient, but otherwise I would have to assume that his intensity is to low, long rest periods, not enough weight, etc... also he may not be aware that after about 30-40 mins. of "intense" training there is a release of the catabolic hormone cortisol, depleted muscle glycogen stores etc... at which point the benefits begin to decrease. hope this helps.

[Stonecold54]

Re: Training to Failure

Originally posted by VeggieLifterGal
I have a friend who swears that it is impossible to get to failure in under 45 minutes of lifting. He says if he lifts for less than 45 mins (this is per bodypart), the workout is useless.

I disagree completely - I feel that if it takes an hour, your weight is too light and you aren't being efficient. I lift heavy, and I can get to failure in 20 minutes per body part, no problem.

I told him I'd post a thread about it to hear what you all think.

;)

your definition of failure is wrong. the term "failure" is used on individual set not the workout itself. I do believe it is impossible to compeletly take a muscle itself to failure. atp regeneration happens within 10 secs to about 50% strength. Training to failure means you take a set to momentary and volitional failure where your muscles and your mind can't move the weight another inch. if your workout did reach the point where your muscle couldn't move you would be so overtrained that you would have regress rather than progress.

[SUBKING]

I agree, you can take any body part to failure in 45 minutes if you lift heavy and strict enough and have a high enough intensity.

[speedracer59]

I like what SC54 said.I can go to "failure" on the first set If I want. Failure is when you fail to perform the last rep. I can fail with 135 lbs if I do enough reps. I choose a weight that I can do ten times fairly easy and start with it. I go up in weight and only go with a weight that cause me to fail at 6-8 reps on the last set. That is what you should shoot for IMO. Use wieght that causes you to fail on your last 1 set of each excercise. If you can go over 10 time move up in weight. Dont go until failure( alot of reps) make it come to you so to speak. (more weight). After all that is why weights work, resistance. If it were reps you could use soup cans and just rep out. I hope I didnt get off track too bad.

[Stonecold54]

Originally posted by SUBKING
I agree, you can take any body part to failure in 45 minutes if you lift heavy and strict enough and have a high enough intensity.

read my above post it is impossible to take a muscle to failure at any time unless you are dead. you can only take sets to failure.

[G-S]

The object of training is to take your body to "muscle failure", not "fatigue failure".

Your friend is talking about the latter, and that isn't condusive to promoting muscle growth. Just take a look at all the guys/ gals that spend 2 hours in your gym everday. They aren't any bigger than they were last year.

[SUBKING]

Originally posted by stonecold54
read my above post it is impossible to take a muscle to failure at any time unless you are dead. you can only take sets to failure.

I read what you said bro and I agree but you are taking things too far with that comment, no one in the world takes there muscles to that level of failure but you still have guys collapsing in the gym as they're legs cannot take their weight after an intence leg session.

I'm talking about failure to the point you cannot walk properly and can lift a fraction of the weight you could if training fresh, not training until you are dead!! :D

[G-S]

Originally posted by stonecold54
read my above post it is impossible to take a muscle to failure at any time unless you are dead. you can only take sets to failure.

LOL

When a muscle fails on a set, let's call it muscle failure. Don't get too technical here, you might confuse someone.

The muscle DID fail, with the particular weight you were using.