Strength training
Should you take every set to failure?
The short answer
No. A meta-analysis found no significant difference in strength or muscle growth across all groups studied between training to failure and stopping short of failure.
How do you use this?
You do not need to judge a session by how many sets end in a failed rep. Choose challenging sets and keep your technique under control. Alongside weight and reps, note how hard a set felt.
The nuance
No significant average difference does not prove that both methods are identical under all circumstances. Training level, amount of work and how close you get to failure can play a role. So the study does not provide a universal rule on exactly how many reps you should leave in the tank.
