Reps that matter most for hypertrophy: Redefining "Failure"

I find myself constantly reframing what training to failure is, especially with my powerlifting athletes. Many people think training to literal failure is what they are supposed to do, but I will argue that is way to far and many are taking this phrase too literally. I can help explain what failure really is, and how close to literal failure you need to be training.

Many people hear me talking about low rep sets for hypertrophy and it IMMEDIATELY makes sense to them.  Because we all know, the reps that matter most are the ones near failure.  Or is that only somewhat true?  With a traditional 3 sets of 10 reps, you’re doing 30 reps.  But only 9-12 of those reps are “near failure” so what about the other 18-21 reps?? With a low rep set model where you’re doing 10 sets of 3, you’re also doing 30 total reps AND you’re using heavier weight making ALL 30 reps “near failure”.  

What’s so special about the reps near failure??  It’s the effort required and the intent of trying to continue to move an object with the involuntary slowing or decrease in the speed of which you are moving it.  This is indicative that you have recruited as many motor units as you could as well as maximized mechanical tension, which is vital for maximizing hypertrophy.  I would also argue those reps near failure are moving at appropriate speeds you need for mechanical tension. More motor unit recruitment and mechanical tension can lead to more muscle hypertrophy. I’d like to redefine a failure and offer a new way of thinking. 

It’s not about the “reps near failure” more than it is about the reps that meet this criteria:

1. The reps need to be done with full effort to create as much force output as you can

2. The weight is heavy enough to allow you to create as much force as you can, but the bar doesn’t move faster than .75m/s or slower than .5m/s.  That is the ideal speed range for appropriate mechanical tension that is required for muscle hypertrophy. Faster than .75m/s and there’s too much momentum and you lose tension through the full range of motion, and slower than .5m/s is far too much tension and too much fatigue. You’ll never be able to accumulate the total volume or tonnage needed for hypertrophy using a weight that is slower than .5m/s. Good for strength, not for hypertrophy so the sweet spot is .5-.75m/s

To check both boxes, you have to use the low rep set model, that’s why it is so appealing.

Fatigue Fact Sheet

Higher rep sets of 10 reps generally cause more fatigue than a set of 3 reps.  This may be backwards than some think but the duration of effort plays a big role.  A set of 10 involves more time under tension and energy expenditure, leading to greater accumulation of metabolic byproducts that contribute to fatigue.  Also by the end of a set of 10, especially at high intensity, more motor units are recruited over time to maintain force as initial units fatigue.  By the end of the sets, more motor units will be fatigued when compared to a set of 3.  A set of 10 is also going to deplete more energy systems such as ATP and glycogen.  

The high rep set crowd may make a case that a set of 3 using 95% could fatigue motor units more than a set of 10 due to recruitment of high threshold motor units early on, but we aren’t using 95%.  95% is likely slower than the speed recommended below of .5-.75m/s and we would be using a % more like 80-85% for these sets. I’ll provide examples of an effective set below.

What is Failure?

Failure is not literally reaching a point where you can’t do another rep.  That is WAY too far. Think about a sprint.  Have you ever in your life run a sprint until you literally can’t run anymore? And if you did, could you run an effective sprint after that?  Absolutely not and it’s the same exact thing with lifting.  

So if I were to define failure, it’s simply the point at which you begin to fail.  Think of your bench press, and you start a set of 5, with the intent to move the bar as fast as you can.  Once the bar starts to move slower, the next rep is slower, and the next one even slower etc.  The point at which the bar starts to slow, that’s failure.  Now the question becomes how much failure is enough to ensure you recruited high threshold motor units, and how much failure is too far.  I’ll identify 4 examples below.

Example 1: We will use a set of 3 reps for all examples.  Refer back to the top, we need these reps to be done with full effort to produce as much force against the bar as you can, and you need the speed of that bar to be between .5-.75m/s.  In this example, all reps are in range.  The first rep is quick, the second rep is even faster, but the 3rd rep it begins to slow.  This is an ideal set especially for early sets assuming you’re doing 8-12 total sets.  There would be very little fatigue from a set with 1/3 of the reps containing failure.  

Example 2: Using a set of 3 again, all 3 reps are in the desired range of .5-.75m/s.  But in this example, the first rep is the fastest rep, second rep slower and the last rep slowest.  This is still great, but you’ll be able to repeat this less than you would the first example.  As long as you time it right, these types of sets are perfectly fine.

Example 3: The first 2 reps are in the .5-.75m/s range but the 3rd rep is slower than .5m/s.  The first rep again is the fastest, the second rep slower and that last rep fell off the recommended range.  This still isn’t bad, you just have to know a set like this is tougher to repeat and you may want to use a set like this towards the end of your sets for the day.  If this happens on accident you can take a little longer rest period and sometimes that ensures you can continue to repeat OR change the sets of 3 to sets of 2 and continue towards your total rep goal.

Example 4:  The first rep is in the effective rep range but the last 2 are too slow.  Or all the reps are too slow.  This still isn’t bad.  I refuse to call any set “bad”, it’ just needs to be on the last set.  You’re likely not going to be very effective after a slow grinding set, much like the sprint example we used earlier.  But this is exactly what you’re looking for in your last set or top set of the day.  

So each day you would likely experience all the above examples, and I think it can be a good goal to have as you do need to reach that point of fatigue but you’re going to do it in a timely manner.  But if you thought the low rep model is going to grind you into the ground, I would say it does the exact opposite of that.

When are higher rep sets good?

I truly don’t think higher reps are bad, I simply think they have a shorter runway and are limited to building muscle tissue in the long run.  I think the higher rep sets simply come with too much fatigue, and I think they can fit into training perfectly fine, after you leverage the low rep sets first.  I don’t believe you should have to pick one or the other, in fact all I would suggest is to simply add the low rep model to your training and not necessarily take anything you’re already doing out.  It’s more of an addition and not so much a subtraction.  I think what you’ll find is, you will be able to do less of the junk volume after low rep sets and I think you will feel like you’re accomplishing your goal each session with the need to do less exercises.

How close to failure is close enough?

If you do your research the internet will say within 3 reps is the magic number.  That seems to be in favor of the traditional view of failure being literally not being able to do another rep.  IMO it’s not about the reps near failure, it’s about the nature of the reps.  And if you think logically, why are those the reps most important???  I would argue because as you near literal rep failure, by default you are now checking the 2 boxes that I made earlier which are 1) perform the reps with full effort.  When you get closer to failure you have to increase effort as you experience fatigue. 2) The speed of these reps 1-3 reps from failure are likely moving in the recommended speed of .5-.75m/s.  So if you believe that it’s not really about the “reps in proximity to failure” and it is more about checking those 2 boxes, then it becomes even easier to let go of some of those traditional views on hypertrophy and it makes even more sense to use a low rep model. The advantage of the low rep model is you are able to check those 2 boxes with all reps with far less fatigue per set.

So reconsider how you are leveraging reps that matter most.  Skip the wasted reps and improve your training efficiency.  I have a low rep program available called Super Sets, but it’s not for everyone.  It’s a much more aggressive and more advanced way of training.  I now have a brand new low rep set program for anyone new to this type of training called Swole Method.  Swole Method is the use of low rep sets to build myofibril hypertrophy.  This is the kind of hypertrophy that doesn’t wash off in the shower.  This is a 4x per week training program using an upper lower split.  The split is as follows:

Day 1: Lower Push/Lower Pull

Day 2: Upper Push/Upper Pull

Day 3: Lower Pull/Lower Push

Day 4: Upper Pull/ Upper Push

Here is the template you can expect to train each day: Goal is 60-75 minutes for each training session

Warm Up Block: (10-12 minutes) You will use 2-3 isolation exercises that will target the main muscles you will be using each day

Primary Block: (20-25 minutes max) This will be your primary exercise each day using low rep sets.  These will always be a barbell exercise. You only see low rep sets here using 1-3 reps per set.

Secondary Block: (10-15 minutes) This will be one exercise that is a simple variation of the primary exercise using higher rep sets of 4-8 reps per set. Example, you may do 8x3 on back squats for the primary block, and then secondary block could be 5x6 on a leg press.

Accessories: (10-15) minutes)You will have 2 more exercises that target the opposing muscle group using the traditional 8-12 reps per set.  Example, on a bench press day, your accessories here could be a lat pull down, bent over rows etc all for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.  Don’t worry, the 2nd upper body day this flip flops.

Isolation Block: (10-12 minutes) You’ll lean on cables, machines and maybe some free weights here for single joint body building exercises to isolate the muscles you used this day.  All these sets will be 12-15 reps per set to near actual failure

The program will guide you with weight selections using percentage suggestions for your barbell and low rep sets, and it uses RIR (reps in reserve) to make sure you’re getting the right amount of intensity each set.  Reps in reserve is simply a number 1-5 that tells you how close you should be to literally failing a rep.  Example, for bicep curls doing sets of 10 with an RIR 3, that means you need to choose a weight that allows you to do 13-14 reps but you’re only doing 10 reps and leaving 3 reps in the tank.  Early on in this session you may see RIR 3 and later on you would see RIR 1-2 so you can expect the guidance to help you manage fatigue each day.

You will be able to track your weights and see your previous weeks easily on the daily layout pages.  In fact you can print this program out and take it with you to the gym for tracking your progress.  Oh and it’s only $12 for 12 weeks of programming. Click below to buy it now!

$12 Buy Swole Method