30 Seconds SummaryHow close to failure should you train?
- Training close to failure (between 5 to 30 reps per set) is generally effective for muscle growth, debunking the traditional 6-12 rep hypertrophy zone.
- The Effective Reps Model suggests the last five reps of a set (to failure) are the only ones that count towards muscle growth.
- Critiques of the Effective Reps Model argue it lacks supportive evidence, suggesting the model oversimplifies muscle fiber recruitment and does not align with broader research findings.
- Recent meta-analyses show contradictory results on the necessity of training to failure, with some suggesting it benefits muscle growth by increasing volume (reps) and others indicating limited or no additional benefits.
- For strength training, proximity to failure is less crucial than maintaining explosive movements and high muscle activation without complete failure to avoid neuromuscular fatigue.
- Current analyses conclude that volume (total reps) matters more than simply training to failure; strategies vary between prioritizing time efficiency (fewer sets to failure) and reducing fatigue (more sets, less failure).
