......Should you be going to failure on each set?

Thanks

This is my own subjective reply, but yes, I think you should take all "working sets" to failure. By "working set" I mean a set that you have already warmed up for. Personally, I don't see the point in doing a working set that doesn't go to failure. I typically do 2 sets per exercise and push through them as hard as I can to failure each time. If you haven't nailed it in the first two sets, you're not going to nail it in 3 or 4 sets either. I try to shoot for 16-20 sets per workout, so at 2 sets per exercise, that would give you 8-10 exercises which is plenty to do a complete full body workout.

Assuming you are using proper form, I would have to say yes. Of course you want to try mixing things up by doing heavier weights for a while(6-8 reps) and then a few months later lighter weights(10-12 reps)

Jason

......Should you be going to failure on each set?
Do you feel you need to do it for more than one set? It depends on how many sets you do. HIT is famous for doing the exercise to failure, but they resrict the sets to 12 or less sets, no more than 3 times a week. So when you go to failure in a BB curl, you only do it for 3 sets a week with at least 48 hours between sets of those curls. They believe in working hard, but not long.

I was actually going to begin with what rtestes had suggested on this (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=11246&page=1&pp=20) thread.


Do you feel you need to do it for more than one set? It depends on how many sets you do. HIT is famous for doing the exercise to failure, but they resrict the sets to 12 or less sets, no more than 3 times a week. So when you go to failure in a BB curl, you only do it for 3 sets a week with at least 48 hours between sets of those curls. They believe in working hard, but not long.

I dont think HIT would be possible as I workout at home and dont have a power rack.

I was actually going to begin with what rtestes had suggested. I dont think HIT would be possible as I workout at home and dont have a power rack.

HIT doesn't require a rack, It or a good bench would allow you to work in safety on a few exercises. Squats and bench press would be two I would be concerned about. You should be able to do them with your body solid half rack and bench. But you could substitute exercises for these two until you obtain the capability.

Thanks rtestes I'll give it a try. Any suggestions on how to get started?
I was thinking of lifting a weight that I can fail with 1 set on 8 reps on Mon, Wed keep same weight and reach the latter rep range and finally Fri increase weight. Is that a good plan?
I think the bench press will be do-able with my half rack. But thought of subbing squats for deadlifts until I get a rack.

I was thinking of lifting a weight that I can fail with 1 set on 8 reps on Mon, Wed keep same weight and reach the latter rep range and finally Fri increase weight. Is that a good plan?
I think the bench press will be do-able with my half rack. But thought of subbing squats for deadlifts until I get a rack.
Try to start with a weight that you would not be able to complete the 8th rep under good form. Always try to do as many reps as you can, until failure. When you can do 12 or more increase weight 5-10%. Do one set of following or a sub:

Squat or Hack Squat
Deadlift
Calf raise
bent-over row
lateral raise
standing press
flies
Bench Press
BB curl
Tricep extension or tricep dip
Crunch
Reverse Crunch

Dr. Ellington Darden has published many books on HIT.

Thanks for your help rtestes, much appreciated! I'll definately get a Dr. Ellington Darden book to increase my knowledge about Hit.
I'm gonna go hit the weights now and get started on this new routine.

If you are doing a full body workout and you go to failure on each and every exercise everytime week in week out you are definitely headed for problems. Have you ever heard of Periodisation?? Look it up if you will.....If you are working out three times per week I would incorporate a fluctuating regimen in terms of weight load. You don't grow in the gym.......you grow between workouts. If you leave the workout area feeling like you just dragged a bus up Mount Everest three times a week, what's the good in that?? You want some energy left over to do other things in life other than just sitting on the couch trying to get in a good position so nothing hurts. Most of the hulksters you see on the covers of iron mags have been doing it for YEARS.......it amazes me how so many bodybuilders think they're going to go from doing nothing for ten years to an Arnold clone in the space of six weeks. :gl:

.it amazes me how so many bodybuilders think they're going to go from doing nothing for ten years to an Arnold clone in the space of six weeks. :gl:

Yeh, I have been lifting for 50 years and I don't look like arnold. I go to failure on all sets three days a week. I feel better after my workouts.

:gl:

Well...you said it yourself...you've been lifting for 50 years and you DON'T look like Arnold and yes, you go to failure every exercise every set 3 times a week. I rest my case. :whistle:

Well...you said it yourself...you've been lifting for 50 years and you DON'T look like Arnold and yes, you go to failure every exercise every set 3 times a week. I rest my case. :whistle:

You are quite a case. :nod:

Well look at what it did for Casey Viator

Well...you said it yourself...you've been lifting for 50 years and you DON'T look like Arnold and yes, you go to failure every exercise every set 3 times a week. I rest my case. :whistle:

Well...you said it yourself...you've been lifting for 50 years and you DON'T look like Arnold and yes, you go to failure every exercise every set 3 times a week. I rest my case. :whistle:

If your goal is not to look like arnold then you wont, it is possible to train intensely without packing on huge size, also genetics are the biggest factor in looking like arnold.
So you have no case to rest yet.... :lol:

Generalisations and "wunderkind" aside, I would refer you to the work of Tudor Bompa. This is the man that was foremost in training Eastern Bloc athletes starting way back in the seventies when those athletes (especially weightlifters) were dominating their divisions.Since then the western world has applied his research with stunning results. If you never read another publication on muscle recovery,effect of reps,training methods etc. you should read his. Sure, you can workout full body all week with greater or lesser results but if you want to maximize your input I implore you to peruse his research. Muscle has memory, as stated by many of the greats. Arnold himself said you have to shock and trick your muscles. If you do your sets and reps the same way every workout, your body will figure that out and get very comfortable with it. Also, On some of the workout plans I've seen on the net the exercises themselves are the same every workout e.g.: Monday--------benchpress,strict barbell curl,seated triceps curl, bent-over row,military press, squat, deadlift. Then they advise you to do 2 or 3 sets going to failure on the last set and repeat the whole thing on Wednesday and Friday. For me that never worked effectively. There are certain ex's that should be done every workout like benchpress and squat but even the squat type should be varied...e.g: Monday-----bar-behind the head , Wednesday------hack, Friday-------dumbell squat. Shoulder ex's same idea.....Monday----bent,side,forward lateral raises Wednesday-----upright rowing,forward raise. Friday-----standing barbell press,side lateral raise. Biceps:------Monday---chin-ups, palm facing toward you Wednesday-----EZ curl bar, preacher Friday-----chinups, palm towards you, seated supinated curls. etc.etc. A few years back after a forced total layoff for about a year I started back in as follows....bench was 100lbs.. Monday.......warm-up/10 reps at 50lbs...8reps/80lbs....6reps/100lbs Wednesday....8reps/50lbs..6reps/80lbs...8reps/100lbs. Friday...8reps/50lbs..6reps/80lbs....go almost to failure on 1 continual set at 100lbs. AS progressing increase max weight by 5lb.increments and adjust lesser weight reps accordingly. As I work at home without a spotter and safety bars, its a very fine line between going to failure and having enough gas left to get the bar back on the rack. I don't know how many guys I've seen on America's Funniest Videos that couldn't get the bar back up after they maxed. I've had it happen once or twice and it isn't all that funny. I like to continually trick my muscles by changing sets,rep lengths, amount of weight and the AMOUNT OF REST TIME BETWEEN SETS. On certain ex's, the speed at which they're performed also..for instance after I've finished the benchpress routine I like to do one continual set of floor pushups as fast as I can until i feel muscle fatigue.I might do that on Monday and avoid it on Wednesday and then do 65 percent of it on Friday. After maybe 8 weeks of this I change to a "cut" routine for a week or two....which involves longer reps at faster speeds WITHOUT maxing out. I would also caution that if you're doing faster reps make damn sure you're warmed up first thoroughly!! :gl:

Weightaminute, you follow one training philosophy -- there are many.

Look at Skip La Cour and the other Max-OT bodybuilders. They train to failure year round. I don't think any sensible person could make the claim that their failure and overload principles don't work.

Both ways (and hundreds of others) work if you use them properly. Rtestes proscribes to a training philosophy that works great for him for his goals. I'm sure there are "real" bodybuilders that follow HIT principles as sure as their are Max-OT bodybuilders and as sure as there are bodybuilders that follow your training philosophy.

I believe you've also switched from citing Arnold -- a bodybuilder -- and talking about training in regards to bodybuilding to citing Easten Block weight-lifters -- athletes not concerned with aesthetics but rather strength: a type of powerlifters. There is a huge difference in how many bodybuilders and powerlifters train.

Basically, I'm just offering the following advice: be mindful that there are many different training philosophies for many different goals and no one philosophy is right -- not even yours.

Clever nick, BTW. ;)

yes.......he who ceases to be a student has never been one. :bow:

Rtestes............after reading many of you're posts I can see you are a man who "does the math".............wasn't trying to "diss" you.......may the force be with ya! :tu: