Should You Train To Failure?

If you’ve ever watched Pumping Iron, you’ve seen the hardcore, all-out training style that defined bodybuilding’s Golden Era. Legends like Serge Nubret were famous for pushing every set to absolute failure—no reps left in the tank. It was raw, intense, and inspiring. Even today, guys like Sam Sulek and David Goggins are bringing that same intensity into the spotlight with the message that failure training is the only way to make serious gains.

I get it. I’ve been there.

Like many people chasing progress, I believed that if I wasn’t training to failure, I wasn’t training hard enough. Every day, I pushed every session to the brink, thinking that was the key to growth. But here’s the truth: while training to failure has its place, doing it all the time can set you up for burnout, stalled progress, and, in some cases—like mine—serious consequences.

In this article, we’ll break down the benefits of training to failure, the downsides, and, most importantly, how to use failure training correctly. Because if you get it right, failure training can be one of the most powerful tools in your program.

What Is Training to Failure, Really?

Before we go any further, let’s get clear on what “training to failure” actually means. It’s not just feeling tired or getting a pump—it’s the point in a set where you physically can’t complete another rep with good form, no matter how hard you try. Your muscles hit their limit—total fatigue.

Some people confuse this with “technical failure,” which is when your form breaks down before your muscles truly give out. Pushing past that point can do more harm than good and increase the risk of injury. So, when we talk about failure, we’re referring to muscular failure with strict form still intact.

The Benefits of Training to Failure (When Used Right)

When used strategically, training to failure can be a powerful tool for building muscle and breaking through plateaus. The main benefit? Maximal muscle fibre recruitment. As you approach failure, your body is forced to tap into its largest, most stubborn muscle fibres—the ones responsible for serious growth. These fibres don’t fully engage until you push your muscles close to their limit.

Training to failure can also deliver a strong hypertrophic stimulus (muscle growth). Because you’re creating more mechanical tension and muscle damage (in a good way), it can accelerate muscle-building when combined with proper recovery.

Let’s not ignore the mental toughness factor. Occasionally, pushing yourself to the point where your body wants to quit, but your mind says, “One more rep,” can build grit and confidence. It teaches you where your real limits are and how often you’re holding back.

Coach Tip: these benefits only show up when failure is used intelligently, not recklessly.

The Downsides of Always Training to Failure

As effective as failure training can be, doing it all the time comes with serious drawbacks. The biggest issue? Recovery takes a hit. Training to failure creates a massive amount of fatigue—both muscular and neurological. If you’re constantly pushing every set to the edge, your body struggles to recover between workouts. Eventually, your progress stalls, or worse, you head straight toward overtraining.

I’ve learned this the hard way—three times, in fact, before I finally understood the importance of balancing intensity with recovery. Trust me… you don’t want to find out the way I did.

There’s also a much higher risk of injury, especially if your form breaks down chasing that last rep. Fatigue clouds your focus. Technique slips. That’s when injuries happen—whether it’s a strained muscle or something far more serious.

Another issue is the impact on training volume and consistency. If you’re grinding to failure on every set, you’ll often find you have nothing left for the rest of your workout—or for the next one. Progress in the gym isn’t about one brutal set; it’s about stringing together weeks and months of quality training.

And then there’s mental burnout. I’m not just talking about feeling tired after a tough session—I’m talking about the kind of deep exhaustion that builds up when you ignore your body’s signals, day after day. The message you hear from guys like David Goggins about pushing yourself beyond your limits has its place—but if you take that mindset into failure training every single day, it will eventually drain you. No matter how tough you are, it’s a grind your body and mind can’t sustain forever.

I know this firsthand.

At 19 years old, I was stuck in a relentless cycle of pushing to failure on every set, every workout. I ignored the warning signs—fatigue, burnout, and everything else. One night, driving home from yet another brutal session, my body gave out. I lost consciousness behind the wheel. What followed were 19 surgeries. And if it weren’t for an incredible team of surgeons, I wouldn’t be here sharing this with you.

The lesson? Training hard is important. But training smart keeps you in the game.

How to Use Failure Training the Right Way

So, should you train to failure? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no—it’s about when and how often. When used strategically, training to failure can accelerate your progress without wrecking your recovery.

1. Use Failure Sparingly, Not Constantly

Think of failure as a high-intensity tool, not your default setting. You don’t need to take every set to the edge. Most of your training should leave 1–3 reps “in the tank” (known as RIR, or Reps in Reserve). Save true failure efforts for the right moments, like the last set of an exercise or the final week of a training block when you’re testing limits.

2. Pick the Right Exercises for Failure

Reserve failure training for safe, stable movements—machines, cables, or bodyweight exercises—where the risk of injury is low if your form slips. Isolation exercises like bicep curls, leg extensions, or chest flyes are ideal candidates. Avoid taking heavy compound lifts (squats, deadlifts, bench press) to failure regularly. The risk-to-reward ratio just isn’t worth it.

3. Program Failure into Specific Phases

You don’t need to hit failure every workout or every week. Instead, use it during specific training phases. For example, in a hypertrophy block, you might push closer to failure on accessory work to maximise muscle growth. In a strength block, the focus shifts to performance—leaving reps in reserve helps you move heavier loads safely over time.

4. Monitor Recovery Like a Hawk

The more often you train to failure, the more dialled your recovery needs to be. Track your sleep, nutrition, and energy levels. If you start feeling run down, your performance drops, or your motivation tanks, DO NOT TRY TO BE MENTALLY TOUGH - it’s a sign to back off. Recovery isn’t optional—it’s the foundation for progress.

5. Earn the Right to Train to Failure

If you’re a beginner, don’t worry about training to failure yet. Focus on building solid technique, developing mind-muscle connections, and learning how to push close to your limits without crossing them. Failure training works best once you have experience, body awareness, and the ability to recover well.

To Finish

Training to failure isn’t good or bad—it’s a tool. Use it wisely; it can help you build muscle and mental toughness and break through plateaus. Abuse it, and it’ll break you instead.