What ACTUALLY causes you to hit FAILURE in a set....
Dec 8, 2023
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Exploring the concept of failure in workout sets and understanding the different fatigue mechanisms during exercise. Discussing the significance of controlled and slow eccentric lowering in weightlifting and the importance of grasping fundamental concepts in muscle physiology and hypertrophy. Debunking misconceptions about failure and different types of failure during a set, emphasizing the impact of task failure. Exploring the benefits of standardizing movements, isometric and eccentric exercises, and cautioning against back-to-back tasks to failure.
Fatigue mechanisms play a significant role in reaching task failure during a workout.
Fatigue during a workout is not caused by a depletion of ATP, but rather by fatigue mechanisms preventing its efficient utilization.
Individuals can adapt to better tolerate fatigue mechanisms through consistent training, but heavy loads still provide superior motoneuron recruitment for muscle growth and performance.
Task failure occurs when an individual reaches their maximum tolerable perception of effort, not when the muscle is incapable of producing force.
Different fatigue mechanisms can contribute to reaching task failure, but the underlying reason is always the maximum tolerable perception of effort.
Deep dives
The Role of Fatigue Mechanisms in Task Failure
Fatigue mechanisms play a significant role in reaching task failure during a workout. These mechanisms include metabolite-related fatigue, such as phosphates and acidosis, as well as calcium ion-related fatigue. These mechanisms prevent the muscle from using ATP efficiently, leading to a reduced ability to produce force. However, it's important to note that task failure is not caused by the muscle's inability to lift the weight, but rather by reaching the maximum tolerable perception of effort.
The ATP Energy Crisis Hypothesis
Contrary to popular belief, fatigue during a workout is not caused by a depletion of ATP. In fact, ATP levels remain stable within muscle fibers during both aerobic and strength training exercises. The idea that ATP runs out and causes fatigue is a misconception. Fatigue mechanisms, such as phosphate accumulation, actually prevent the utilization of ATP, ensuring that the muscle functions properly.
Adapting to Fatigue Mechanisms and Increasing Effort
Through consistent training, individuals can adapt to better tolerate fatigue mechanisms. This includes building a higher pain threshold, improving cardiorespiratory fitness, and increasing motoneuron recruitment. However, the degree of adaptation varies among individuals, and there are limits to these adaptations. While it is possible to become more accustomed to high repetition sets, heavier loads still elicit better motoneuron recruitment, making them more effective for optimizing muscle growth and performance.
Defining Task Failure
Task failure is reached when an individual reaches their maximum tolerable perception of effort, not when the muscle is incapable of producing force. This occurs because the brain establishes a safety margin, leaving a voluntary activation deficit, meaning not all muscle fibers are fully activated. While adaptations can increase this threshold over time, heavy loads still provide superior motoneuron recruitment compared to lighter loads, giving better results in terms of muscle growth and overall performance.
Main concept 1: Task failure is the only type of failure
Task failure is the only type of failure that exists, as it is the point where one can no longer continue performing the specified task due to reaching the maximum tolerable perception of effort.
Main concept 2: Different fatigue mechanisms contribute to task failure
Different fatigue mechanisms, such as cardiovascular fatigue or local muscle fatigue, can contribute to reaching task failure, but the underlying reason for failure is always the same: the maximum tolerable perception of effort has been reached.
Main concept 3: Different types of failure terminologies are not valid
Terms like mechanical failure, true muscular failure, and others are not valid distinctions of failure. They often refer to different fatigue mechanisms or specific fatigue characteristics, but all ultimately lead to task failure.
Main concept 4: Understanding the role of fatigue mechanisms is crucial
To fully comprehend hypertrophy and task failure, it is important to have a clear understanding of fatigue mechanisms such as motor unit recruitment, force-velocity relationship, and link-sertension relationship, as they play significant roles in determining the point of task failure.
Task Failure and Changing the Task
Task failure occurs when you can no longer complete a specific task within your maximum tolerable perception of effort. The task can be any exercise, such as barbell curls, and it is considered a failure when you cannot perform a full range of motion. Changing the task, such as switching to a machine preacher curl or doing partials, creates a new task that is typically easier than the previous one. This change allows you to continue working within your maximum tolerable perception of effort and sometimes involves techniques like drop sets.
Failure and Fatigue Mechanisms
True muscular failure should be understood as reaching task failure with minimal interference from fatigue mechanisms, such as cardiovascular sensations or burning sensations in the muscles. The term 'mechanical failure' is often used to refer to the same concept as true muscular failure. However, it can be misleading and lacks a clear definition. Other types of failure, like cardiovascular failure and eccentric failure, also contribute to reaching task failure. These different types of failures involve shifts in fatigue mechanisms and may affect the recruitment of motor units in different ways.
