Is training to muscular failure beneficial?

From the Guidelines

Training to failure is not necessary for every workout and should be incorporated selectively, with a focus on proper technique and adequate recovery time. When considering the benefits and risks of training to failure, it's essential to prioritize morbidity, mortality, and quality of life as outcomes. According to the most recent and highest quality study, training to failure can be beneficial in moderation, but it's crucial to limit it to 1-2 sets per muscle group and no more than 1-2 times per week 1. This approach can maximize muscle fiber recruitment and stimulate greater strength and hypertrophy gains by fully exhausting the target muscles. However, it significantly increases recovery time and can lead to overtraining, joint strain, and injury if done too frequently.

Some key points to consider when incorporating training to failure into a workout routine include:

• Starting with lower intensities and progressively increasing the load as the individual adapts
• Focusing on proper technique and form, even when fatigued
• Allowing adequate recovery time between failure-training sessions to prevent overtraining and injury
• Incorporating training to failure selectively, rather than making it a staple of every workout
• Considering alternative approaches, such as staying 1-2 reps shy of failure, particularly for beginners or those with certain health conditions

It's also important to note that the ideal exercise modalities for strength training, including the use of training to failure, may vary depending on the individual and their specific health status. For example, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may benefit from a combination of resistance training and interval endurance training, with a focus on targeting local muscular exhaustion within the range of six to 12 repetitions 1. Similarly, patients with heart failure may benefit from a low-intensity, high-repetition paradigm, with an intensity of 50-70% of 1-repetition maximum 1. Ultimately, the decision to incorporate training to failure into a workout routine should be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the individual's unique needs, health status, and goals.

From the Research

Training to Failure: Effectiveness and Considerations

• Training to failure may be beneficial for advanced lifters to break through training plateaus, as it can lead to greater activation of motor units and secretion of growth-promoting hormones 2.
• However, training to failure is not essential for increases in muscular characteristics such as strength and hypertrophy, and it should not be performed repeatedly over long periods due to the high potential for overtraining and overuse injuries 2.
• A study comparing resistance training to failure vs. not to failure found that the failure protocol resulted in higher velocity loss, peripheral fatigue, and muscle damage, while central fatigue was comparable between the two protocols 3.

Injury Prevention and Mortality Risk

• Strength training has been shown to reduce sports injuries to less than 1/3 and overuse injuries could be almost halved 4.
• A systematic review and meta-analysis found that resistance training is associated with reduced risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer-specific mortality, with a maximum risk reduction of 27% observed at around 60 minutes per week of resistance training 5.
• Physical fitness, including strength and muscular endurance, is important for injury prevention, as it allows individuals to perform physical activity at a lower percentage of their maximal capability, fatigue less rapidly, and recover faster 6.

Key Considerations

• The decision to incorporate training to failure into a resistance exercise program should be guided by the training status and goals of the lifter 2.
• It is important to balance the potential benefits of training to failure with the risks of overtraining and overuse injuries, and to incorporate it periodically into short-term microcycles 2.
• Resistance training, in general, can have numerous benefits, including reduced mortality risk and improved physical fitness, which can help prevent injuries 4, 5, 6.