Training To Failure

Training to failure is essential for optimum muscle growth. It's the point when you can't do any more repetitions with proper form. This is due to a reduction in maximum force production in a muscle and marks the point at which your muscle has reached fatigue. The objective is to induce the most possible muscle growth by pumping maximum blood into the worked muscle.

Why would you want to train to failure? Many bodybuilders train to failure on each set of their workout, simply because of the amount of intensity it forces out of them. This method of training causes the muscles to respond incredibly well for amazing gains and increased muscle. As long as they are training with strict movements and good form, the risk of injury is minimised, while great strides in muscle mass and strength are gained.

Pushing it to the max means you can't get another rep in strict form. When you reach this point, you've trained to failure and you're done with that set. This is the point where it's critical to STOP. Pushing out reps after reaching this failure point can cause micro tears in the muscle fibres and add up to over-training and injuries. The goal with the Training to Failure principle is not to over-train, rather to train to the limit and then stop. This means don't go to 110% of failure or even 100% of failure. Aim for 90-95% muscle failure.

Your best guide is your form. Once your form starts slipping, diminishing into cheating or forced reps you are done, but as long as you can crank out another quality rep do it. After a period of recovery time (2-5 minutes), the body will be ready for your next set to be lifted in strict form to failure again.

Benefits of Training to Failure

There are several benefits of training to failure including:

- Greater strength gains
- Better muscle pumps
- Recruiting new and different muscle fibres
- Adds a different stimulus to shock your muscles into growth to help you overcome plateaus.
- Increase in muscular definition
- Muscular endurance may improve, as your body adapts to higher repetitions and greater force than it is used to.

Highly recommended supplements for ultimate results on the Training to Failure Program - The basics for both male and female:

You want your body to have available everything it needs to recover quickly and stay in an anabolic (muscle-building) state. Here are some highly recommended supplements for both male and female bodybuilders.

LA Whey Gold: Protein is essential to boost recovery, repair glycogen levels, repair muscle tissue as well as helping your muscles to grow.

Norateen Gold: A powerful testosterone booster providing the most fertile anabolic environment for optimum muscle growth. Works especially well when the muscles are under increased exertion.

Nuclear Creatine: This is brilliant for increasing physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise to help you reach your limit during workouts.

Repo: The ultimate post workout recovery drink, it contains, BCAAs, Glutamine, Citrulline and Beta Alanine to ensure maximum recovery and muscle growth.