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Kyle Hunt / July 7, 2020

Why Training to Failure Is Not the Best Way to Build Muscle and Gain Strength

When I bring other guests on the Absolute Strength Podcast, one of my favorite questions to ask them is, “What have you changed your mind about lately?” This question is interesting because it digs into a fundamental aspect of science: New discoveries are happening, fast. If you’re still doing everything the same as you were a few years ago, chances are those methods are already outdated. One area where research has changed over the last few years is the concept of training to failure.

When performing resistance training, going until you cannot complete any more repetitions (reps) is referred to as “training to failure.” It was once thought that training to failure was essential to building muscle and gaining strength. Old-school lifters would even go as far as to say the only reps that matter are the last couple before you reach complete failure. But that’s not necessarily the case. Over the past few years, research has shown there’s not much of a difference between training to failure and stopping just shy of failure…

In today’s podcast, we dig into all aspects of training to failure. How effective is it, what are some of the pros/cons, and is it something we should incorporate into our workouts? I wanted to cover this in the last episode, but we ran out of time. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

If you like this episode and want to get notified when a new one goes live, head over to Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube, or Google Play and subscribe.

Pre order a copy of my new book, Strength Training for Beginners.

Link==> Strength Training For Beginners on Amazon

Hire Kyle as your coach: https://kylehuntfitness.com/services/

Connect with Kyle: 

Instagram: @huntfitness

YouTube: @HuntFitnessTV

The Previous 10 Absolute Strength Episodes:

Episode 265: The Code – A Philosophy to Guide Training and Nutrition

Episode 266: A Brief History of the USDA Food Guide | Why It Hasn’t Worked and What to Do About It

Episode 267: RPE vs RIR, Supplements for Health, and Can You Build Muscle with Conditioning Equipment

Episode 268: The History and Efficacy of Caffeine on Physical Performance 

Episode 269: Chasing Olympic Gold in Women’s Wrestling with Victoria Anthony

Episode 270: How to Become a World Class Athlete | Development from Youth to Pro

Episode 271: How Much Volume is Too Much, Fixing Hip Shift, and The Future of the Supplement Industry

Episode 272: Myo Reps | The Secret Norwegian Method to Build More Muscle in Less Time

Episode 273: 5 Mistakes I Made Early In My Fitness Journey For You To Avoid 

Episode 274: Strength Training For Beginners | 8 Myths Still Alive in 2020




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Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: failure, training, training to failure

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