How many sets to you train to absolute failure each day in the gym?

[pumpster]

I've never really said to myself, this is an isolation movement so don't go to failure, it's just that's the way I'm doing it at the moment.  An example would be chest day, I go to failure on my last sets of inclines, db presses, and dips.  Then I go to 12-15 reps on flyes to get a load of blood into the muscle.  Every now and then I'll do a drop set instead.  It kinda depends on how I feel.

I probably should have been clearer in my first post.   

That makes sense, but i suggest that you sometimes go to failure on any good exercise, either by changing the order, for example flyes first, or keeping them at the end but going to failure there instead of or in addition to the earlier exercises.

[leonp1981]

That makes sense, but i suggest that you sometimes go to failure on any good exercise, either by changing the order, for example flyes first, or keeping them at the end but going to failure there instead of or in addition to the earlier exercises.

I'll bear it in mind next time I'm changing things round.  I sit down every couple of months and make a new workout schedule.  I always try to include things I've never tried before.

[jpm101]

One of the draw backs of going to failure in every workout, besides limiting muscle recovery time (CNS), is much more stress on the joints themselves. One of the reasons that PL'ers  approach the point of failure only a few times a month. The point is to check their progress only. Funny thing is is that Pumpster is always so concerned with the stress and danger on the joints. Yet he encourages going to failure.

If Pumpster can provide the envelope that Dillet and Wheeler did not push, I wish he would send it out to everyone. Seeing as how Dillon and Wheeler only did "pussy" waste of time workouts and were not that much concerned with hitting failure. Seems Pumpster knows best and could have made those two guys even greater. Interesting to see if Pumpster could go through a complete workout doing their "pussy" stuff. Or match a pair of 20"-21" guns.

Arnold and Oliva (worked 1 or 2 sets at the most when with Jones, a short period,..going to failure was the point but just for those 1 or 2 sets) are always Pumpsters main examples. All time greats, to be sure, but  that was 40 years ago.  Some new slants on serious training have developed since than to help BB'ers to reach their own potential. Can combine some of the old training ideas with the current stuff of course .Pumpster may want to step outside the box and broaden his thinking towards modern BB'ing. Or have a more open mind when it comes to training and advancement. Good Luck.

[pumpster]

One of the draw backs of going to failure in every workout, besides limiting muscle recovery time (CNS), is much more stress on the joints themselves. One of the reasons that PL'ers  approach the point of failure only a few times a month. The point is to check their progress only. Funny thing is is that Pumpster is always so concerned with the stress and danger on the joints. Yet he encourages going to failure.

Jpm's assumption as almost always the case, is flawed. The stress on the joints has nothing to do with failure if the diet's good and drugs are not exerting excessive loads while using heavy weight and low reps that are too hard on the system. The cause is repetitive chronic stress from rep one onwards. It's just like repetitive stress from typing on a computer keyboard, again having nothing to do with going to failure and everything to do with repetition. I'd also add that using excessively heavy weight also factors in, nothing to do with failure once again.

If Pumpster can provide the envelope that Dillet and Wheeler did not push, I wish he would send it out to everyone. Seeing as how Dillon and Wheeler only did "pussy" waste of time workouts and were not that much concerned with hitting failure. Seems Pumpster knows best and could have made those two guys even greater. Interesting to see if Pumpster could go through a complete workout doing their "pussy" stuff. Or match a pair of 20"-21" guns.

Jpm striking out once again. Dillet's lack of work ethic and unrealized potential is very well known, so much so that Arnold said that if he could train Dillet properly for a time he'd have been the greatest physique ever.

Arnold and Oliva (worked 1 or 2 sets at the most when with Jones, a short period,..going to failure was the point but just for those 1 or 2 sets) are always Pumpsters main examples. All time greats, to be sure, but  that was 40 years ago.

40 years ago's irrelevant actually because the example i used in terms of Oliva's biggest improvements was actually using methods that are currently in vogue now in "modern BB" LOL he was already using the "new slants" referred to.


Priceless logic on display from the old timer "jpm".