What 'training to failure' means and how to incorporate it into your workout

No pain, no gain, as the old exercise adage goes. But just how much pain do you have to endure to benefit from weight training? That depends on what y...

No pain, no gain, as the old exercise adage goes. But just how much pain do you have to endure to benefit from weight training? That depends on what you’re trying to accomplish, fitness experts say.

For years, some trainers have instructed gym-goers that to get the best results, they need to train "until failure,” meaning until you cannot physically do one more repetition or exercise. Some recent studies, however, suggest this extreme regimen, when applied to weight training, may only benefit certain people.

"If somebody wants to increase muscle mass as much as they possibly can, then training to failure is something to consider,” said Michael Zourdos, chair of exercise science and health promotion at Florida Atlantic University, who co-authored a review of 55 research papers on the subject in the journal, Sports Medicine.

Zourdos and colleagues found that lifting weights "until failure” may build bigger muscles, but isn’t needed to increase strength. He said people who work out hard, but don’t push themselves to exhaustion, will still likely improve their health and fitness. "There is a difference between training for health and training for elite performance benefits,” he said.

For the average person simply looking to increase their fitness levels, Zourdos said it’s much easier to get results. He said people who work out regularly would benefit from an intense session that comes within five to 10 repetitions of failure, rather than training to complete exhaustion.