# Lifting past failure



## AnaSCI (Jan 22, 2004)

Forced reps
Train to failure, then get a spot to assist you in lifting a few more reps out, but keep your form strict. 

Drop sets
This is where you train to failure with a weight, then immediately use a lighter weight. Typically triple-drops are used, but there's no reason not to go all out sometimes and drop until hardly any weight is being lifted, going to failure on each weight. 

Negative reps
Positive failure is where it is no longer possible to lift the weight. This is reached before negative failure, which is where it is no longer possible to control the negative movement of the weight. Here, after you have reached positive failure, your training partner will lift the weight, and you have to control it on the way down for a few reps. 

Negative resistance reps
This is where, after positive failure, your training partner lifts the positive part of the movement and then pushes the weight down lightly and you have to try to resist the force. For example, in biceps curls, do a set until positive failure, then your partner lifts the weight up to your shoulders; he then applies some downward pressure while you attempt to keep the weight in the curled position. Be careful with these as they can cause injury - keep your form strict, only do 2-3 reps like this and only do them occasionally. 

Cheat reps
Obviously, cheating should be discouraged, and try to keep perfect form on all exercises to minimise risk of injury and maximise isolation effort on the muscle. However, if you have reached failure with perfect form, cheat reps performed carefully can help you squeeze an extra few reps out and go past failure. 

Rest-pause
I don't see many trainers using this method, but it's very simple and effective. Simply train a set to failure, put the weight down, shake off the pain, then pick the same weight up and go again, 2-3 times. 

Half reps
When you cannot do another full rep, do a few more with just half the movement; as this is still stimulating the muscle. 

Supersets
Two or more different exercises may be performed in succession with no rest in between. This may be two exercises for the same muscle group, or 2 for antagonistic muscles (I feel the latter is not very effective, as you cannot give your all for the second muscle after training the first set to failure). 

Pre-exhaust
In a workout, to maximise exertion on a muscle, try performing isolation exercises before compound movements. This will ensure that the muscle in question will be well worked from the isolation movement, so during the compound movement it will tire before other muscles, so is maximally worked. This principle is more appropriate for bodybuilders and not strength trainers. 

Different ways of training past failure can be incorporated together in the same set. For example in bench pressing: Train to positive failure, followed by 2-3 forced reps with your training partner; put the weight down, and strip some weight off and go again with the same principle as a triple drop; after the last drop try banging out 10 half reps. Precede bench press by dumbbell flyes, so the isolation movement is first


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## Nate (Jan 23, 2004)

when i train biceps i do a triple drop set on my last two sets.....my last rep on each arm i take a 10 second squeez/ flex.... and have my partner make me release real slow....hurts like hell but man do you shred the bi.


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## Nate (Jan 23, 2004)

also, pr exhaust works great before squats,  i hit the leg extension for 6 sets, the last 2 go like this.

Double leg extension for 10
drop set  with half that weight to fail
drop half weight alternating single extension to fail
double extension with that weight to fail (usually only 4-6 reps)


talk about blood engourged quads...


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