Training to Failure Is a MUST for Hypertrophy (Or Is It?)

00:00 Intro
0:31 Failure vs Stopping Short of Failure
5:17 Wait, What About Research in Trained Individuals?
7:47 Mechanical Tension & Motor Units (Probably) Explains These Research Findings
13:54 Closing Thoughts

Is training to failure needed for muscle hypertrophy? In this video, we explore the scientific research comparing training to failure versus stopping short of failure (leaving reps in reserve) for muscle growth.

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[jetnowhte]

I love these videos, they are trurly very informative. You obviously put a lot of effort in them, collecting several different studies, comparing them and applying your own rational logic on them.
Would love to see a video on how different training styles could have different hormonal responses and their effects on hyperthrophy. Keep it up!

[HouseofHypertrophy]

What's up all, hope the video was helpful or informative in some way. I hate to be one of those YouTubers, but liking the video, dropping a comment, or sharing can significantly help out the channel. I appreciate you all!

00:00 Intro
0:31 Failure vs Stopping Short of Failure
5:17 Wait, What About Research in Trained Individuals?
7:47 Mechanical Tension & Motor Units (Probably) Explains These Research Findings
13:54 Closing Thoughts

[robertspence]

Another great video with a roll up of studies and simplified graphics that are far more effective to consumers of this information than overly fancy, distracting, and complex graphics. As a teacher I notice that you are nailing what is most effective.

Also glad to see your channel subscriptions are growing.

Good job.

[Gengh]

Thanks for the video, I wasn't aware of the muscle fibers recruitment pattern. It definitely seems to offer a good possible explanation of why it is not needed nor optimal to train to failure for maximum hypertrophy.

[toni-kristianpuska]

Definitely the Best youtube channel for trainer. ❤️

[ogdreamgirl]

I am so grateful for this channel, my absolute favorite

[joaofd]

Clicked on this video.. never knowing it would be this good!!!! Amazing work!!!

[nickbyrne]

As a upcoming PT... thank you so much for all this information - absolute gold!! I wish more people knew about this instead of all the crazy half truths on other channels!

[gonzayare]

This content is pure gold, this kind of studies are the holly Grail in the subject of muscle hypertrophy but people still go for influencers and opinions from their charismatic weight lifter.
Thanks for summarizing all this valuable information for us.

[cv]

great video - good explanation of mechanical tension and motor unit reruitment which is the reason I have been going to failure following Chris Beardsley's research and what Paul Carter says

[iiJDSii]

Great vids, love the straightforward presentation. I think the studies on untrained individuals (first 3) really need to be taken with a grain of salt, as pretty much any stimulus will create reasonable hypertrophy for the first few months (and none of the studies lasted over 3-4 months).

In the 4th study with experienced lifters, I worry the failure group was doing way too many sets, and therefore couldn't possibly be hitting total muscle failure the way a "one set is all you need" type advocate would do. So to me this looks like it's is studying something completely different - given that you're doing tons (10+) sets of something per week, should you try to failure or 1-3 reps in reserve? Because the volume is so high, I reckon both sides end up averaging out the same intensity on all the sets.

[adamoto]

Nice vid man, I'd like to ask if you have any information comparing using longer rest periods or even spacing out training throughout the day to accumulate more volume Vs less volume but pushed close to failure like say with a few drop sets for better hypertrophy. I've been curious to know if doing a higher number of push ups throughout the day would be better for muscle growth compared to doing a number of sets close to failure in a short amount of time, what would be enough to recruit the high threshold motor units? (with push ups) Thanks

[vvlaunay]

They are doing 12+ sets per muscle group per week in those studies. So even if you stop short of failure you have plenty of high intensity repetitions. If they were doing only 1-5 sets per week then training short to failure would probably be less effective. If there are 3 effective reps in a set to failure and you are doing 12 sets per week, that’s 36 effective reps. If you stop each set 1-2 reps short of failure that’s still 12-24 effective reps. Probably that over 15-20 effective reps per muscle group per week are too much. It would be very interesting to see a study with low volume and non failure training…

[lessismorefitness]

Thanks for the video, look forward to the next two to come. With regards to the study that had subjects train with a 30% 1RM load to failure, how many reps constituted failure?

[jaimemendez]

Great content 👍. Do you think this training approach applies to isometric exercises (exercise to failure or few secs to failure)?

[teegees]

This is what I was looking for, thank you 🙏
What does the body of research out there say about training to failure or almost failure, using high load (70%+ 1RM), vs medium load (40-60% 1RM), vs low load (10-30% 1RM)? Which results in more Hypertrophy?

[danielwehbe]

Do you or will you start doing videos about nutrition? I’m obsessed w this channel thanks for the content

[wagggy]

Excellent video. What does this mean for rest pause sets, are they pointless? And therefore counter productive, due to unnecessary extra fatigue before the next proper sets? I've been taking each set to failure, followed by a rest pause set to failure, which now looks to have been unnecessary.

[noahm]

Now knowing that as you get closer to failure, central fatigue exponentially rises. If I were to train to failure to more accurately measure progress and then progressively overload. Would this be considerably worse than train shy of failure and progressively overloading in a slower fashion?

[Eternalvision]

Do one on isometric vs isotonic for hypertrophy