IYO...What's Better For Muscle Development...Burnout On Every Set Vs. No Burnout?

[((ReFleX))]

ever since i've been working out(year and a half) i've burned out on every single set. i've had really good muscle development, but i'm not nearly as ripped as i had hoped. so this past week i decided to not burnout. usually i do 4-5 sets, and start out at 12 reps. on the next set i can only get 10...and by the 4th or 5th i'm all the way down to 6. it's cause i'm tiring my muscles out so much with the burnouts that i can't keep up the reps. so now i'm just doin 10 reps on first set no matter if i can do more or not. by the 4th or 5th set i'm usually at 8 reps. and i've been gettin really good muscle bulking while i'm workin out...a nice ripped look too. and i seem to be a little more sore than usual too. i might even lower the weight a little more and up to 12 reps on first set, and try and keep every set over 10 reps.


so what yall think?...i know lots of people don't burn out on every set, so i'm tryin to hear yall opinion on this. what yall think is better for muscle development?

[swordsman123]

It sounds like you are looking for better definition. If thats the case, then lower the weights and do more reps. And nah, I wouldnt use the burn-out method.

[gotti capone]

lighter wieghts and more sets. the only downfall too that is you are sitting at one machine far too long.

[Big H]

Going to failure induces Hypertrophy in the recovery phase much more efficiently as opposed to using a strict rep scheme. Hypertrophy is the muscle actually expanding and growing, this is what we want.

Bottom line is this; if your aiming for muscle growth/strength then you want to reach positive failure on each set. This doesn't mean burning out, but it means going to the point where you have to really have to fight to get the weight up.

This can be done with light-moderate weight, but is not intended for heavy lifting. Sticking to a strict rep routine, like a 5x5 routine for example, is for when you hit a plateau and need to go with the heavy weight/low reps scheme.

Until you stop seeing gains from going to failure on each set, keep doing it. But remember to use a weight you can bail out of easily if you go overboard with the reps and miss your positive failure point; to avoid this on Bench Press just dump the Barbell Bench Press and stick with Dumbbell Bench Press.

[((ReFleX))]

Going to failure induces Hypertrophy in the recovery phase much more efficiently as opposed to using a strict rep scheme. Hypertrophy is the muscle actually expanding and growing, this is what we want.

Bottom line is this; if your aiming for muscle growth/strength then you want to reach positive failure on each set. This doesn't mean burning out, but it means going to the point where you have to really have to fight to get the weight up.

This can be done with light-moderate weight, but is not intended for heavy lifting. Sticking to a strict rep routine, like a 5x5 routine for example, is for when you hit a plateau and need to go with the heavy weight/low reps scheme.

Until you stop seeing gains from going to failure on each set, keep doing it. But remember to use a weight you can bail out of easily if you go overboard with the reps and miss your positive failure point; to avoid this on Bench Press just dump the Barbell Bench Press and stick with Dumbbell Bench Press.
props. very helpful

[fudgegruck]

you should reach positive failure only on the last set or last couple sets if you want to see real strength gains. if you're working to failure on each set, you're tiring your muscles out and by the time you get to the real heavy weight you won't perform as well as if you conserved your energy.

work to failure each set if you want to get toned up, but if you want to get stronger you need to make it count with the heavy set, not with the warm up sets you do before that.


example: if i'm looking to gain strength i'll do warm up reps of 8/6/4/2 or 7/5/3/1, all with increasing weights that i know i can handle, and then i'll bump the weight up even more and rep it 4-6 times.

the idea is that the set of 2 or 1 that i do while warming up is only there to psych myself up. i hit that last one HARD, to tell myself this weight is nothing and that i can handle bumping **** up and repping harder. it is the set i do after that, the set of 4 to 6 reps, that matters. i wouldn't be able to work with that weight the way i do if i repped to failure before that. i go into it fresh and with a spotter and that is the weight i rep to failure at.

after that, depending on how i do, i either walk away and heal up for next week or toss on some more weight and shoot for 3 reps for a set or two.

it's your choice. if you want to get toned up, underwear model style, work each set to failure and you'll get cut up. if you want strength though, remember that the secret is one or two sets per exercise where you work with serious weight. stuff you can rep less than 6 times. the sets before these serious ones are just to get your mind right.

try this **** out and if you're eating right and sleeping you'll be stronger each time you hit the gym.

[Nkredible]

i rep the same weight on every set...i dont add more weight or drop more weight....and i've gained the most muscle and definition doin this

for example...on bench press i rep with 225 the whole way through (cept my warmup before everything is with 135). 4 sets and go to failure on each set.

[((ReFleX))]

you should reach positive failure only on the last set or last couple sets if you want to see real strength gains. if you're working to failure on each set, you're tiring your muscles out and by the time you get to the real heavy weight you won't perform as well as if you conserved your energy.

work to failure each set if you want to get toned up, but if you want to get stronger you need to make it count with the heavy set, not with the warm up sets you do before that.


example: if i'm looking to gain strength i'll do warm up reps of 8/6/4/2 or 7/5/3/1, all with increasing weights that i know i can handle, and then i'll bump the weight up even more and rep it 4-6 times.

the idea is that the set of 2 or 1 that i do while warming up is only there to psych myself up. i hit that last one HARD, to tell myself this weight is nothing and that i can handle bumping **** up and repping harder. it is the set i do after that, the set of 4 to 6 reps, that matters. i wouldn't be able to work with that weight the way i do if i repped to failure before that. i go into it fresh and with a spotter and that is the weight i rep to failure at.

after that, depending on how i do, i either walk away and heal up for next week or toss on some more weight and shoot for 3 reps for a set or two.

it's your choice. if you want to get toned up, underwear model style, work each set to failure and you'll get cut up. if you want strength though, remember that the secret is one or two sets per exercise where you work with serious weight. stuff you can rep less than 6 times. the sets before these serious ones are just to get your mind right.

try this **** out and if you're eating right and sleeping you'll be stronger each time you hit the gym.
major props on this..appreciate it. for the first 6 months lifting, i was hittin from 4-6 reps on each set. the next 6 months i went up to 6-10 reps. now i think i'ma try and keep it from 10-12 reps. my goal was never to get too bulky or too lean & ripped. wanted to have a little of both. and right now it seems to be working great. got a pretty big build, with a nice toned figure. and i'm now only hittin to absolute failure on the last set like you mentioned. i'm feelin a lot better about my workouts and my body ever since i switched up my workout routine.

[((ReFleX))]

i rep the same weight on every set...i dont add more weight or drop more weight....and i've gained the most muscle and definition doin this
for example...on bench press i rep with 225 the whole way through (cept my warmup before everything is with 135). 4 sets and go to failure on each set.
yeah, this exactly how i do it. ever since i worked out i've kept the weight the same for every set. only upped weight during warm up.