Hello again! Carly here again.
Today I want to chat about a long-debated concept in the training industry — whether or not you should train to failure.
For those of you who do not know what I mean by this, training to failure means when you hit the maximum capacity of reps that your body can perform at a given weight, and you can no longer complete the next rep; you have “failed” that rep.
I personally do not advocate for training to failure, and I believe it should be avoided. Training to failure is not mandatory for strength building, muscle building, or power training, in fact, it can be detrimental.
Here are 4 reasons to NOT train to failure:
1. Training to failure can increase your risk of injury
By literally forcing yourself to “fail,” your form can cause you to compromise on your technique, as you suffer from muscle fatigue. This can lead to long term injury that can limit your ability to train in the future.
2. Training to failure can be exhausting
This type of training can be both physically and mentally exhausting, which can lead to burnout, loss of enjoyment, and lack of excitement in the lifter’s program. Training to failure can lead to someone dreading their workout, and mentally exhausted all day after.
3. Training to failure can lead to overtraining.
Overtraining occurs when the volume and intensity of exercise exceeds a person’s recovery capacity. Some symptoms or results of overtraining include:
– persistent muscle soreness
– elevated resting heart rate
– increased susceptibility to infections
– increased incidence of injuries
– irritability
– depression
– loss of motivation
– insomnia
– decreased appetite
– weight loss
4. Training to failure can limit your progress
This type of training can take many more days to recover from. This can result in taking more rest days, thus resulting in ending up with fewer high quality workout sessions compared to someone who took a more moderate approach to their gym progress.
All in all, I want you to remember that fitness is for life, and there is no rush to get as strong or as muscular as possible. Don’t let your ego get you injured! Strength and muscle building are both slow processes and should be enjoyed as safely as possible.
If you aren’t already a member of Inspire Personal Fitness, text us at 828-845-4953 to start your one-week free trial! We love helping our members to get stronger!
Until next time,
Carly Leasure, CPT, CNC, WLS
