sub failure training

[big_willy_williams]

I was just wondering has anyone has anyone gained significant strength by always training one or two reps short of failure. For years before HST ive trained one body part a week to failure and i always burned out pretty quickly regardless of the volume. I set new strength records on almost everything in my first HST cycle so i kinda figured sub failure training was the way to go.

However im not seeing strength increases cycle to cycle. I don't believe that in the long run ill get bigger unless i can move significantly more weight. Could you train three times a week stopping a rep or two short avoiding failure. What i mean by this is say when you get to your 10RM could you instead perform eight or nine reps and repeat this until you don't have to lift to failure to reach your 10RM. Then when you get to your 10RM increase the weight and perform short of failure again and repeat this for as long as it takes until you can comfortably perform the ten reps while avoiding failure and the subsequent CNS burnout

Thanks

 

[Totentanz]

If you aren't seeing any strength increases from cycle to cycle, you are probably doing something wrong. Assuming you aren't already squatting and deadlifting 500 lbs, that is. Once you get up to that level, it's tough to keep making strength gains.

 

[9to5lifter]

For an experienced lifter, strength increases are largely dependent on muscle mass increases. If your weight stays the same, strength increases can be very very slow. On the other hand, if you put on some muscle mass from cycle to cycle, you will inevitably get stronger too.

Cheers,
Dimitris

 

[faz]

you should be going to faliure on the last day of each 2wk cycle
so lets say for 15s squats you do this.
75,80,85,90,95,100faliure
then you would go to the 10s submax this gives you time to recover but still train.
that way you can push the envelope out every two weeks this should give you strength gains.
there is no problem going to faliure it provides muscle endurance just not all the time.

 

[Fausto]

I agree with Faz, however I must point out, thsi is hypertrophy-sepcific training...strength is a side effect of it...if you want strength all the time then you have to do Strength Specific Training.

Strength has a neural base (so the failure thing works as it is also neural), Hypertrophy on the other hand is caused by constant micro-damage to the muscle cells and because the failure aspect is kept at bay most of the time...the CNS is allowed to recover with the muscle.

Just my two cents...and I could be corrected, but I think I do enough science at work to bother going into it again

 

[liegelord]

I almost never go to failure, even when doing my RM. I think it's counterproductive and unnecessary for strength gains. I have been cutting and still making some decent strength gains using first the 3x5 and now 5x5. Most cannot train with a high frequency and still make gains.

I've trained 5-6 times a week using heavy weight and not hitting failure and made fairly good gains while cutting. Except for my bench.

 

[dkm1987]

First you may have to ID what is failure.

When the last rep slows to a certain speed?

When form begins to suffer?

All out fighting the weight until you sh*t yourself?

This can make a big difference. Not only in how your muscle and CNS respond but also how your wife or girlfriend responds when she does your laundry

 

[Lol]

<div>
(Dan Moore @ Jul. 29 2006,18:45)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">This can make a big difference. Not only in how your muscle and CNS respond but also how your wife or girlfriend responds when she does your laundry

</div>

 

[mara]

I am new to the forum and just finished my second cycle of 15's. I found myself failing on about 50% of my lifts mostly on my second set but some on my first set. What should I do when my 3rd cycle of 15's comes around (or any rep set if I continue to fail), redo the same weights or continue to increase as prescribed in HST?

 

[Totentanz]

Failing on the second set of the 15s doesn't matter. The second set in the 15s isn't terribly important. Keep increasing the loads and if you can't finish your second set, either rest longer between sets, cluster reps or just don't worry about finishing the second set in the 15s and let it just be however many reps you get.