One training method that I have completely abandoned over the years is the concept of training to failure. I’ve done this for a couple of reasons, which I will outline below.

  1. If you train to failure, you will often break down the muscle to the point where you will be in a massive amount of discomfort if you try to train again in the near future. I’m talking about the employment of forced reps, drop sets, and the like, rather than simply making maximum efforts and missing the lift. As one of the keystone tenets of ChAoS and PAIN is that you train like a fucking Bulgarian, getting after it six days a week, there’s no way you can really work drop sets and failure training into your workouts and keep up the same frequency of training.
  2. Because I hate cardio (and it’s unnecessary), and see little reason for it, the ability to train ultra-frequently is imperative. Thus, because of the soreness that these methods cause, I would rather pass.
  3. You compete the way you train. If you fail frequently in training, you’ll come to accept it as a matter of course, and will not have the same motivation in competition to succeed.
  4. I train without a training partner. When you do so, it makes no sense to try to push yourself past your absolute limit.

Alternatives to failure training are important, if you really want to kick up your intensity. Some that I use are:

  1. Partials. I love em, and you should too. They allow you to thicken and strengthen your tendons, in addition to training your mind and CNS to handle MUCH heavier loads. Thus, if you want to pile on the fucking weight at some point, busting out some partials on lifts like squats and bench press will help you immeasurably. I’m a massive fan of partial squats in particular, which I think are a fucking man-maker, in addition to just being awesome for the fact that you can be a spectacle in the gym.

    Spare us the gloves and pussy pad, please

  2. Increased training frequency. Adding in some bodyweight sessions, even on the same day as heavy training, will add to your total training volume without overly taxing your CNS or musculature.
  3. GPP. General Physical Preparation consists of strongman-style exercises like sled and chain drags, and are designed to add to your total volume while (like bodyweight exercises) taking it easy on your CNS. These exercises also typically double as cardio, for which reason I loathe them.

Now go lift something heavy. Repeatedly. But not to failure.

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