Training to Failure, is it Best?

If you’ve spent any time in the gym, you’ve probably heard a gym bro say: “Go hard or go home.” Some people take this to heart, grinding out reps until their muscles refuse to move - that's usually me. Others swear by stopping just short of failure, keeping a few reps in the tank, or Reps in Reserve (RIR).

So, what actually works best? A recent study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences set out to answer this question by comparing training to failure - pushing every set until you are no longer able to lift the weight using proper form, versus leaving reps in reserve.

The results? Both methods led to similar muscle growth! But the way they impact fatigue, training volume, and overall effort might make you rethink how you approach your workouts.

Let’s break it down.

Muscle Growth

The study examined quadriceps hypertrophy (aka muscle growth in your legs) over eight weeks of resistance training. The researchers found that whether participants pushed the muscles to failure or stopped with RIR, they muscle growth was nearly the same.

This indicates that you probably don’t have to wreck yourself every session to get results. It leads us to believe that your muscles don’t necessarily grow more just because you pushed yourself to the brink of collapse. Instead, consistent, progressive overload (gradually increasing the weight or reps over time) is what really drives muscle growth.

So, if you’ve been feeling guilty about leaving a little gas in the tank, don’t be! Science says you’re still making gains.

But Consider This:

While these findings are solid, I have to question a few things as I don't think you should hold this study as the end all source of truth.

1. What is the effect on strength? Is strength increasing at a faster rate from training to failure so as to allow greater total volume or a faster progressive overload?

2. Is hyperplasia different between RIR and training to failure? If you don't know what hyperplasia is, it is not the growth of muscle fibers, but rather the increase in total number of fibers.

3. What are long-term effects? In 8 weeks it is extremely difficult to make massive gains without the use of illegal substances.

Training Volume: Why Not Going to Failure Might Be Smarter

Here’s where things get interesting.

The study showed that those who stopped with reps in reserve (RIR) were able to perform more total reps over the course of their training program.

Why? Because training to failure drains you fast—especially on big compound movements like squats or deadlifts. If you burn yourself out early in your workout, the rest of your session may see lower volume or intensity.

Think of it like a road trip. If you floor it at 120 mph from the start, you’re going to run out of gas way faster than if you cruise at a steady pace. Similarly, leaving a few reps in the tank can help you train harder overall by keeping fatigue under control.

So No Failure?

As the glutton for punishment that I am, I'm always in favor of pushing myself to the limits, so my takeaway here is that there may be benefit in leaving reps in the tank at the start of your workout, but strategically push to failure on some lifts toward the end. Or simply extend your rest time if you want to train to failure earlier on.

Effort & Recovery: How do you want to feel tomorrow?

Another big takeaway from this study is that the RIR group reported feeling less exhausted and had lower levels of perceived exertion compared to the failure group.

Translation: They worked hard, but they didn’t feel like they got hit by a truck after every workout. That being said, I think most seasoned lifters don't have much of an issue on the day after a workout. Nothing like a new lifter at least.

One thing to watch out for in training to failure is that if you do so too often you run the risk of increase muscle soreness, lengthen recovery time, and even increase injury risk. This is especially true if you’re lifting heavy weights or training frequently.

Sure, going all out hardcore, but if you’re so sore that you have to skip your next workout (or half-ass it because you’re still recovering), you’re actually slowing down your progress.

So… Should You Train to Failure or Not?

You don’t have to train to failure on every set to build muscle. Both failure and RIR approaches work for hypertrophy.

Leaving reps in reserve allows you to do more total work in the same amount of time and may help you train harder over time.

Failure training increases fatigue and can slow down recovery, especially if used too often on big lifts.

How to Apply This in Your Training

So how do you take this info and actually use it in the gym? Here’s a strategy to get the best of both worlds:

Big compound lifts (squats, deadlifts, presses, rows): Stop 1-3 reps short of failure (RIR method). This keeps you fresh for your next sets.

Smaller isolation exercises (bicep curls, triceps extensions, leg curls): Feel free to go to failure, since they don’t tax your central nervous system as much.

Final sets: On the last set of an exercise, push to failure if you’re feeling good. This gives you that extra challenge without overloading your system.

Final Thoughts: Train Smart, Not Just Hard

Lifting until you can’t move might look cool on Instagram, but science says you don’t need to punish yourself every set to make gains. Instead, a well-structured program that balances intensity, volume, and recovery will get you better results in the long run.

So, next time you’re in the gym, remember: failure isn’t mandatory—but smart training is. Never forget, the keys to growth are Quality, Volume, and Consistency.

Would you change how you train after reading this? Let me know in the comments! 💪🔥

📖 **Reference:** [Similar Muscle Hypertrophy Following Eight Weeks of Resistance Training with Different Proximity-to-Failure in the Quadriceps](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2024.2321021)