train to failure for a all-body workout

[ang_soo_do_guy]

hey

ive just started a weight-free workout

i thought id do 3 sets of 15 reps but when it camw to chinups i could only do 1 set

so i was thinking to ensure my body gets a good equal workout should i train to failure on each excercise

advive needed plz

thnx

[DragonMike]

Personally, I don't like to exercise to exhaustion. I think it breaks down more tisue than it builds-especially when done every time that you lift.

[fangshi]

there are lots of differing opinions on this topic but for myself when it comes to pull ups or chins I start by setting a # of reps . When my form becomes an issue (not controlled 100% ) I rest , not long (10 secs or so ) and continue . At the begining of a body weight program I always shoot for the reps that I set my goal at not the # of sets (that will come with time ) . So if you want 45 chins then do 45 chins and don't worry about how many sets . Eventually you will get to 3 sets and beyond . I would suggest adding the other postions to your workout as well .

[AikiGuy]

If you are just starting lifting for the first time, don't go to failure on many sets. Most people won't go to failure on any set for a while. I would recommend the latter to start with.

Firstly, the discomfort (and soreness later) is discouraging for most beginners. It is also unnecessary. Failure training is something experienced athletes do a lot to get past a plateau. Beginners generally don't gave this problem and grow easily without it. Secondly, it takes quite some time for your body to adjust to working out even at a light or moderate level. Going all out at first will get you injuries by the truckload. Muscles grown and strengthen faster than bones, ligaments, and tendons. So you may feel that you are gaining the muscle strength to keep up such a workout but other parts cannot handle it and will just snap or tear without notice.

If you feel soreness in the next 1-3 days, you are doing enough to get results. Don't do more than necessary or you will become very close to your doctor. A good beginning rule is to do reps and stop when you think (guess) you could force (straining) two or three more reps without breaking form. And don't start out with a number in mind. Just do reps until it becomes difficult. That will give you an idea of what level you're at.

As for the sets, decide how many sets for each body part separately. Some muscles have greater endurance and will last longer. For example, some people can do 1 set of 10 chinups and be tired afterwards. But most can do 5 sets of 10 quats and not even feel it. The point is that each muscle group has (and should have) a different strength level. For a few weeks, experiment with different numbers of reps and sets for each muscle and see how many gets you pretty spent by the end. You might do 8 chinups per set, 30 pushups per set, and 15 situps per set. That's pretty normal. There's also nothing wrong with only doing 2 sets if you get fatigued faster than you thought. The onset of fatigue is just as important (moreso in some workouts) than the number of sets/reps you do. After several months, you will be able to push it harder without as much chance of injury.

DISCLAIMER: Of course there is ALWAYS a chance of injury when you are really pushing it and sometimes even when going light depending on you body condition and health.

A good idea would be going to a gym that has a "free trial" workout and get one the trainers to evaluate you personally or have a physical by a doctor.

[Astrael]

Just wondering whether someone could answer a question in relation to "training to failure".

Say, you're on the x number of reps and you could barely do 2 more - that's failure. What if that person can do 4 more reps while taking "extremely limited pauses/breaks" such as doing benchpresses. Is doing the extra 3-4 reps a waste of time? e.g. a 3-0-1 rep, then with the final 3-4 reps he does something like pause for 3-6 seconds before doing another 3-0-1 rep until failure.

Or to simplify, once your pattern/motion becomes too inconsistent should you stop because your body has reached the limits to failure, even though you could push the body for an extra few reps with the help of time?