This one is a tough one. I think it's akin to an argument between a Muslim and a Christian over who's god is right. The answer, is neither, and both. It all depends.
Here's what I believe to be true. Training to failure will produce myofibril breakdown, which stimulates hypertrophy. No doubt there. It also creates increased metabolic demands on the muscle -- there's some residual benefit to the bodybuilder there. But, there's also the risk of CNS over-stimulation. That's where I have a big problem.
You see, a muscle grows when you break it down and allow it to repair. The more often you repeat this process over the course of a year with a given muscle, the faster it will grow. Makes sense, doesn't it?
So, my ideal is to train just hard enough to create myofibril damage without over-doing it on the CNS. That way, I can get back in the gym and hit that same muscle again the next day, and the day after that, and so on. Repetitive work breeds adaptation.
If my theory were untrue, why do football teams have 3-a-day practices? Why do golfers go to a driving range every day to perfect a swing? Why does a baseball batter hit a batting cage twice a day every day to hone his swing and develop speed and power? The answer is simple -- the more often you use the muscle, the more it grows.
To grow, you must feed it. We all know that. However, if you work your CNS too hard, you burn out. And this burn out prevents you from getting to the gym again and working that muscle group hard.
Let me draw an example for you, and maybe it'll illustrate my point (and I'm not asking you to agree with me. Plenty of folks won't. It's just what I believe to be true):
Here's a week's worth of chest work for me if I need to increase size and strength in this muscle:
Monday: 3 sets of 3 in the bench press
Tuesday: 3 sets of 3 in the bench press
Wednesday: 3 sets of 3 in the bench press
Thursday: 3 sets of 5 in the dumbell flye
Friday: 3 sets of 5 in the dumbell flye
Weekend: Off
Here's a week's worth of chest training for a guy who trains to failure:
Monday: 5 sets of 8 with the bench press. 3 sets of 8 with the incline press. 3 sets of 8 with the incline flye. 3 sets of 15 with dips.
Tuesday: Back
Wednesday: Delts
Thursday: Legs
Friday: Arms
Weekend: Off
Both guys do roughly the same number of sets.
I submit that because I am able to work my pec fibers with heavier weights, and am fresher each time I hit the gym (because I didn't lift to failure), that I will create more repetitive stimulus for better growth throughout the year. On my plan, theoretically, I get 260 mini chest workouts. The "failure" guy gets 52 per year.
Not to mention, how many guys never, ever, miss a single session throughout a year? Let's say you miss a three chest workouts this year. Your productivity has dropped by 6%. Your growth potential has dropped 6%. If I miss 3 workouts, my growth potential only drops by 1%.
You'd be surprised how easily training to failure all-out can burn you out. You're young, and you can hang with it. But it will catch up to you. You'll get colds faster and easier. You'll get hurt more easily. Your form will suffer in the gym more. You'll develop muscular imbalances more quickly.
I've yet to see the evidence proving me wrong. So with that said, because I like it and it works for me, I'll stick to "non-failure".
That said, I'd be a fool to say training to failure is useless. Yes, after that long post, I will admit: training to failure has its benefits. I've used it on numerous occasions. However, this method of training is not sustainable, and should only be used intermittently in planned spurts. Your coach can help you with that.
great post, as always!
I completely agree with you again
I knew that failure training taxed your CNS alot
but would a frequency like that allow for time to recover properly?
you would be exercising your whole body everyday with just a few sets I assume?
since you'e not going to failure, you stop 1 rep short of it?
my training program that I'm making for myself looks a lot like this
frequent training, low sets per bodypart, heavy ass weights
I can't wait to try it out in 3 weeks after Mr. Getbig
