What it means to ‘train to failure’ and how to incorporate it into your training

LONDON (AP) — No pain, no gain, as the old fitness adage goes. But how much pain do you have to endure to get the most out of weight training? That depends on what you’re trying to achieve, fitness experts say.

For years, some trainers have told gym goers that in order to get the best results, they should train “until they fail,” meaning until you can’t. repetition or practice. However, some recent research suggests that this extreme approach, when used in weight training, may only benefit certain people.

“If a person wants to increase muscle mass as much as possible, then failure training is something to consider,” said Michael Zourdos, chair of exercise science and health promotion. At Florida Atlantic University, who wrote a research review of 55. papers on this topic in the journal, Sports Medicine.

Zourdos and colleagues found that lifting weights “to failure” can build muscle mass, but not necessarily increase strength. He said that people who work hard, but do not force themselves to get tired, can still improve their health and live well. “There is a difference between training for health and training for high performance benefits,” he said.

For the average person looking to increase their fitness levels, Zourdos said it’s very easy to get results. He said that people who practice regularly will benefit from a strong lesson that comes with five to 10 times of failure, rather than training to exhaustion.

He also said that “training to failure” often comes at a cost, as people who work out that way may be so tired and sore that they skip their next workout or two. .

In very rare cases, using too much of it can be dangerous, leading to a potentially fatal condition called rhabdomyolysis, where damaged muscle begins to break down, possibly causing kidney damage.

James Fisher, a sports scientist and consultant in Southampton, England, said the idea of ​​working out to the point of exhaustion can turn many people off.

“What we’re really talking about is how hard you have to work when you go to the gym,” he said, adding that it should be interpreted to mean that people can spend less time in the gym. — when they work hard.

“If you have a short time, you can put in more effort, and you don’t have to train as long,” he said.

Fisher explained that to build strength, it’s important to push your muscles to a certain limit.

“If you lift a weight you can lift 10 times or more, you’re never working hard enough,” he said. “Now, if we increase the weight so that on the ninth and 10th reps, you feel tight, it will benefit your muscles.”

However, Fisher said that the best exercise is ultimately “the one that people will do,” no matter how hard they push themselves. He said that for improving overall health, strength training is probably the single best thing people can do for their health, quality of life and longevity.

Regardless of your fitness goals, Fisher said the concept of exercise can be incorporated into your workout routine. People should rest the muscle group they trained for about two days, he said.

For people with more experience, experts recommend saving training to failure for other exercises, or in the last group of exercises during your training.

“It’s not designed for everyone, every time they work out,” Fisher said. “This is a tough workout.”

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. AP is solely responsible for all content.