Train To Failure?

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33634102

If Mike Mentzer (pictured at left), the champion of "heavy duty" training to failure, was still around, he’d probably not be pleased about this study. Abstract:

This study investigated the effects of a 10-week resistance training to failure on neuromuscular adaptations in young women. Eighty-nine active young women were randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) repetitions to failure (RF; three sets of repetitions to failure); 2) repetitions not to failure with equalized volume (RNFV; four sets of 7 repetitions); and 3) repetitions not to failure (RNF; three sets of 7 repetitions). All groups performed the elbow flexor exercise (bilateral biceps curl) and trained 2 days per week using 70% of 1RM. There were significant increases (p<0.05) in muscle strength after 5 (15.9% for RF, 18.4% for RNF, and 19.9% for RNFV) and 10 (28.3% for RF, 26.8% for RNF, and 28.3% for RNFV) weeks of training, with no significant differences between groups. Additionally, muscular endurance increased after 5 and 10 weeks, with no differences between groups. However, peak torque (PT) increased significantly at 180°.s-1 in the RNFV (13.7%) and RNF (4.1%) groups (p<0.05), whereas no changes were observed in the RF group (-0.5%). Muscle thickness increased significantly (p<0.05) in the RF and RNFV groups after 5 (RF: 8.4% and RNFV: 2.3%) and 10 weeks of training (RF: 17.5%, and RNFV: 8.5%), whereas no significant changes were observed in the RNF group (3.9 and 2.1% after 5 and 10 weeks, respectively). These data suggest that short-term training of repetitions to failure do not yield additional overall neuromuscular improvements in young women.

Of course, there are caveats.  Does this apply only to young women?  The women were labeled as “active” – but one can argue that more advanced bodybuilders, as opposed to beginners, would require “training to failure” for optimum muscle growth.  Of course, many people, including top bodybuilders, grow muscle without training to failure, but some are these are genetically gifted people and some may be utilizing anabolic drugs. And who knows if they would have made more progress training differently.  Or, maybe not. Essentially, the “jury is still out” on this question.  I give no recommendations here.  Do what works best for you, and we will await further studies.