What to do if you reach failure on set?

M

mswanson

New Member
Just a simple question. If for what ever reason (too high of a starting weight, too large increments, etc), you reach failure in a set of a workout before the end of your training block, what actions should I take?

Should I recalculate the remaining workouts in the block to get up to the failure weight?

Should I continue the remaining sets at that "miscalculated" weight that is truely my RM?

Thank you.
 
I would cluster the "miscalculated" weight so you get the reps you want in the block. By cluster (if you dont already know) I mean put the weight back before failure take a 45 second break and do it again until you reach the desired rep scheme.

Lowering the weight might not help, because remember we are looking for increasing load here...

Joe G
 
This is most likely to occur if you have guessed your maxes. Whatever the case, though, I think Joe's plan is a good one.

So, if you were after 10 reps at a particular weight but felt you were going to fail on the 9th rep, stop at 8. Call that your first set. Do as many as you can on your next set but stop before failure. Keep that up until you get your desired number of reps.

What you are more likely to find (esp. if bulking) is that you will be stronger as you reach your RMs than you were when you found them so you will get your reps without reaching failure!
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I'd be interested to know if this has actually happened to you or if it is just a hypothetical question?
 
On both my curls and bench I fell short on my 15's (2 sets) so I did a 3rd set, but only the remainder of reps.

For instance, on my curls yesterday, I did the 1st set of 15 reps. 2nd set I was only able to do 9 reps, so I did a 3rd set of 6 reps to complete the 15 reps (total).

I know I did not mis-calculate my max's since I tested all of them, but I did get of the CEE and am doing 2 sets of everything where as I only did 1 set when finding my max's.


Dave
 
I was just checking ahead of time what to do.

Actually, in the past, I have done exactly what FaintReality has done. Make up reps.

But more specificly, for the next workout I should keep the weight the same and try to get to the cycle's number of reps, correct? It would seem that increasing the weight when I haven't even reached the targeted number of reps doesn't make too much sense.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"> 2nd set I was only able to do 9 reps. ... I am doing 2 sets of everything where as I only did 1 set when finding my max's</div>

Ah, yes, that's much more likely than not making your reps in the first set, esp. in the 15s. So far I have only done a single set in the 15s. I just do 1 set and go for the burn (that might mean 25 reps for the first w/o, reducing to 15 or so as I approach my 15RM). I can quite believe that getting two sets of 15 reps out at near your 15RMs would be asking a lot.
 
Mswanson

Ah...ah - an interesting question, and well answered so far.

Both Joe and LOL are on the money.

Here's my take - if you fail on the first set of 15's before halfway, you are to re-do your maxes and start again.

if you did more than half, like 10 or so, maybe your nutrition is not quite right (top up with carbs before training - High GI complex type) or your maxes were guesstimated with a fairly high degree of imagination
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(attention this is for all newbies) - not saying that is your case Ms..... - so don't worry!

In any case let us carry on.....

15's can be a real bitch to accomplish but I personally feel that they should be used!

first set - if you complete your reps here but not on second or third set whatever the rep scheme you're on, then make no big deal about it and just cluster to get the right number (after all getting enough volume is important)

if you don't, then cluster still but on the next cycle review your maxes.

However If this happens throughout the cycle, something's not right with your maxes
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Hope this guidelines help a bit
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If you hit failure on a set or two, it's probably no big deal. I would just keep using the weight for that lift next workout, instead of increasing the weight.
You can hit failure once in a while without any real problems. The problems come when you are hitting failure many times per workout session, which quickly leads to CNS burnout.
 
Ok, thanks guys.

It seems like the bottom line is:  If you calcuated your RM fairly precisely, then you should fail too far out from the end of your cycle.  If you fail, it's not the end of the world, just keep working at it.  Make note of your increment and new RM for next cycle...

Hope I summarized that correctly. ;)
 
<div>
(Lol @ Mar. 09 2006,17:58)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">What you are more likely to find (esp. if bulking) is that you will be stronger as you reach your RMs than you were when you found them so you will get your reps without reaching failure!
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</div>
This happens to me quite a bit for the 10s &amp; 5s, but not so much for the 15s. After a few cycles, my 10 &amp; 5 RMs have gone up much more than my 15s. Not sure why . . .
 
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