Do Less and Get a Better Result

Should I go to failure each workout? This is a question we are ask frequently? And it's a very good question. After all you want results and isn't pushing out every single last rep a great way to get fast results. It's good reasoning to think this, but the answer is no. 

If you train to failure every set, every day you are actually hurting your progress. While you need to get that extra push every once in a while, doing it every workout is a bad idea. Yes, I will admit that this strategy will result in the amount of weight you are able to lift to increase rapidly, but that is a short-term outcome over time this will not continue to be the result.

To understand why we need to look at how your body actually gets stronger and makes muscular gains. Many people believe that they get bigger and stronger during their workouts because theirs muscles look bigger in the mirror while lifting. But, this is a mirage. If you were to look at your muscle tissue under a microscope you would see that during your workout you have actually decreased your muscle tissue and created small tears in the muscle. The only reason you look and feel bigger is because of the blood that has been pumped into your muscles. So how do your muscles get bigger and stronger? Through rest, they get bigger during the time not spent working out. (This is why post-workout nutrition is so important, but that another topic for another day.) It is during this time that your muscles recover and repair themselves. They adapt to the stress and build larger muscle fibers so that the next time you workout they will not breakdown as much. A result of this recovery process you gain strength and muscle size overtime.

So how does this all relate to pushing yourself to failure every workout? Well, if you push to failure each workout your body will not be able to recover fast enough and repair the damage created from the last session. So while at first you will experience gains is strength, which by the way is neurological and not a result of the muscle tissues getting stronger, you will eventually hit a wall and begin to notice a decrease in your strength. At first this is usually dismissed at a bad day and you just push through it. Then that bad day turns into a bad week, and this is the point where it can spiral out of control. Unless you back off and allow your body to recover.

As a general rule you should train to failure more than once every four weeks. Outside of those four weeks select a weight that is challenging, hit your reps with good form and then rack the weights. It's a good thing if you feel that you could have done 1-2 more reps. If you feel this you will see greater long-term progress than if you go and bang out those extra reps or add more weight. Now, if you feel like you could 3 or more reps then the weight is too light and you need to increase.

I know this advice sounds like the opposite of what you should do if you want to get bigger and stronger, but trust me I've tried many times pushing myself to the limit every workout and it has always lead down the same road of stagnant results, injuries, and burnout.   

Live Fit,

Josh

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MUSCLE MILK PACKETS ARE HERE!!

We now have muscle milk in packets that can be mixed with water or milk. They come in three flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, and Cookies & Cream. Try one after your next workout to help your body recovery .