Comments on: Training To Failure Roundtable Discussion

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 09:17:58 +0000

@Justin. At the end of his career he was recommending these protracted lay-offs. But in his peak I believe Mike was training every 48 hrs with a HIT full body workout.
No I don’t agree with Mentzer on his later advice. Anything beyond 7 days of rest and I begin to lose strength. The studies I include in my free THT book show that for a low-volume approach (1 or 2 sets per body part), recovery is complete within 36-48 hours. Plus you know you’ve fully recovered after 48 hours because you come back stronger. So it would just seem like a waste to leave it any longer.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 09:13:30 +0000

@Brad. What’s happening is that each successive set is causing an inroad into your strength meaning that in those later sets you are forced to work closer and closer to 100% intensity of effort (as you get weaker).
So those earlier sets are simply warm-ups. My point would be: Why not warm-up, then hit your first set with the heaviest weight you can do for 10 reps? This way you stimulate growth right from set 1.
If you’re not familiar with the THT warm-up and the reverse-pyramid style of training it utilizes, I’d encourage you to download the free book.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 09:08:35 +0000

@Liam. Great point.
@Gary. That’s a very typical experience of people that start training THT style. Glad you’re finally succeeding.

By: Thabo

Thabo — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 07:22:44 +0000

My questions answered. Thanks.

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 02:58:41 +0000

Hey Mark. Am I right in that Mike Mentzer used to train only once every 4-8 days meaning it would take 10-15 days for each body part to be worked? If this is true, given your program, what are your thoughts on the way Mike did things? I would imagine you both share the same view as far as intensity is concerned. Only training every 4-8 days is just something I can’t quite get my head around. Thanks again. Justin.

By: Brad

Brad — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 02:53:41 +0000

Very interesting topic!
I have found that I can get greater growth (in legs particularly) when I employ German Volume Training. This is where you do 10 sets of 10 reps with one compound movement… such as Squat or Deadlift.

The first 3 sets don’t really hurt and I stop before failure… but it gets ALOT harder afterwards. Does that mean I should go to failure on the first three? I don’t think so. I would consider them a warmup for the real ‘planned failure’ later on.

I find exhausting myself early on with heavier weight makes for a much shorter and therefore less volume workout.

Is it a mind game? Am I not pushing myself hard enough when I go heavy from the first set compared to something like GVT? Maybe!

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 00:32:30 +0000

Previously i only trained to the work out sheet ie 3 x 10 of each exercise after a year i had noted little improvement. After discussions with my son and reading Marks THT i now train to failure on each set increasing weights every 2 weeks and have already started to see improvements. At 53 and working all my life in an office i am finally getting somewhere.

By: Liam Winder

Liam Winder — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:33:25 +0000

Training to failure just makes sense. If the total volume theory held weight, then your typical house builder should be huge, he must be doing 1000’s of curls a day with those bricks! Just look at marathon runners vs sprinters, I know who I would rather look like.

In Wing Chun Kung Fu, we do drills that are meant to break own the bone in our forearm to strengthen the bone just like weight training does to muscle. The guys that do not fully strike and hold back, chatting while they do the drills, wince when they drill with the ones that go all out and give it their all. Their body’s just plateau and they make no progress.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 14:22:14 +0000

In reply to JaSoN. I like to say: Train to failure, anything less is a warm-up.

By: JaSoN

JaSoN — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 14:12:11 +0000

i HAVE TO TRAIN TO FAILURE ON EACH AND EVERY SET (NOT INCLUDING WARM UPS) I HAVE TRIED OTHERWISE BUT I SIMPLY CANT, IM HARD WIRED TO GIVE IT MY ALL. ANYTHING LESS AND I JUST WONT BOTHER TRAINING.

By: John A Davis

John A Davis — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 13:48:46 +0000

I like seeing blogs from you that re-enforce everything I learned from you. I think the 80% thing is for a day when you are sick. Maybe not even for that.
fail fail fail

By: Rik

Rik — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 13:00:47 +0000

As always Mark, an excellent article.

I mostly try to train to failure, and it definitely helps having my wife to spot me, but I have been a prescriber in the past to the stated reps for any one set theory. “Oh, I reached 10 reps, guess I must stop here…”

Nevermore! My next training session is tomorrow, and I am back on it like a car bonnet! I’m looking forward to training to failure through the whole session without further concern 😉

By: Trent

Trent — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 12:43:06 +0000

Great read! Really enjoyed the conversation. Thanks Mark.