When Do YOU Terminate your sets?

simply put, i terminate my reps when i can barely move a muscle. or when my desired reps are up (after struggling through that one as well)

At age 70, the conventional wisdom seems to be that one should never take the workout so far that one hurts oneself, for it takes uch longer to recover han many yeras back. So I take each exercise to a rep level where I know the next 1-2-3 will be the last I can do, and stop there. The rep level I increase only when the body tells me theres a cushion available for a marginal increase of 1-2or3.
Am I doing it right?

I’m doing the same thing, as the “kid”.

I terminate my sets when i simply cannot finish it. For example, i was doing some military presses one day and i could finish all my sets. In a couple more days when i was suppose to do the military presses again, the second set, i could only go about 3/4 of the way, so i stopped. I rested a bit and did as many as i could until i just completely failed. I was very frustrated after that day, anyone know why i failed so fast?

I terminate my sets when I get muscle fatigue and I struggle to continue.

If I’m by myself, obviously I will stop when I can no longer complete another rep, or I will stop when my desired number of reps have been completed. If I work out with a friend, I will go at the most, one rep past failure. What do you think?

For me i would definetly stop if i am all alone, but i try to give my best shot, some times amusing noises comes out of my mouth that amazingly helps me getting there, but some times it doesnot, however i do feel that you should not train to failure all the time, once in two weeks you should do strenght training and than next week check for results that increases your chances for gaining strenght, testing it out and avoiding risk of injury

I keep a weight training log of each work out so each month that goes by I know what I have be lifting on each body part and how many reps each set as well. I do this so I know where my body is at with growth and strength its no good lifting the same weights you were lifting 3 months ago because it means your not going ahead build size or strength. I all way add weight to each set or do more reps same weight always trying to keep good form. If I can not get all reps out I stop drop back the weigth a little and press on.

I’m using a 5×5 routine full body routine so I will usually stop once required sets/reps are achieved. If I do not reach the target reps I usually stop on my first failed rep. Don’t see the point of continuing with bad form and more than likely injuring myself.

hi

what i usually do is bodywieght squats as i do not frequent the gym at all, i just work out at home with a chin up bar, a swing stepper, some dumbells and simply incorporate everything else around them and also alot of core work. What i usually do is start off by doing at least 100-150 body wieght squats or sometimes 250 in a row and then go onto the stepper for about 5 mins to keep the legs warm, then keep rotating 5 mins on 3 mins off doing something else. while on the stepper you can use dumbells then as you train so you get upper and lower at the same time.

i find the bodyweight squats give you alot more stamina, i usually incorporate about 75-100 then with dumbells just to give them a bit of toughness. as i am not really trying to build assloads of muscle, but burn fat.

i think people go straight for the chest and arms is because that is the first thing people will notice, and people go mad for the mid section, although it is the HARDEST place to it lose them fat from!! i’m still trying! and will be for a good while yet!

i just try and keep some way in shape because it gives you a good mental attitude – active body , active mind.

when i’ve beaten my the amount of reps i’ve done the previous week by 1-2 reps, i consider any additional reps to be a bonus and will continue pushing until i struggle (slightly) with the last one. Also depends which set i’m on, if it’s the last set of an exercise for one particular muscle i will sometimes go til positive failure orleave one in the bag.

As for the bench day, most routines online/in the mags are either monday with – chest and back, chest and tri, just chest, Push dominant, or bench day…. it’s no wonder everyones doing chest! :)

I terminate my sets when my targeted muscle group reaches complete failure, the way I have always trained, which my body in particular responds very well to, is to train like a freak no matter what exercise I’m doing :) for example if I’m training legs on a particular day and I can still walk outta the gym, I turn around and head back in.

I have the same number of reps per exercise (10-12 reps) in a circuit style. I do the same circuit every other day; so that’s 4 sessions in a week. I do this for about 4 weeks and then I change the circuit. I progress by either increasing the number of reps or add weights or do a more advance routine to keep it challenging enough. I never reach muscle failure because it would compromise form and it may result to injury.

I’ve been doing this for a period of 2 months. So far, I notice more definition in my abs but still have a long way to go in getting rid of belly fat.

I don’t know if I’m maximizing my efforts in losing belly fat with this kind of routine. I am open to any suggestions in what is the best workout routine would be. I realize that resistance training and interval training is only 10% of what one must do to lose weight and that 90% is the food choices that I make.

It depends, if I had a draining day at work and I’m training alone then I would terminate my set as soon as I can’t complete my last rep on my own. If I’m training with a spotter I would push for one more after muscle failure even if it means doing more reps than I planned.

As for training chest and arms on a Monday, those are the two most important muscles for me and if I train on a Monday it gives me an opportunity to train those muscles again in the same week.

im new to working with weights and am still in the trial and error stage. I recently had acl reconstruction from a rugby injury and am using the time to get a better body. I was trying 3 sets of 10 adding 2.5 kilos after every set on every exercise, increasing my start weight when i succeeded in 2 sets and failed the third. i now mix with alternating higher reps on lighter weights and lower reps heavier weights on different training days. as for mondays i tend to do 2 days training then a day off when i do just cardio (rowing and punch bag, as the knee wont let me run yet). i have to train solo and am getting some good results(good to me anyway) im 35yrs 5’9 and 84 kilos. i use a powertec leverage bench. i also do legs as much as possible for the sport i love and the fact i hate seing people all arms and chest and scrawny legs.
regards lee

Good topic to discuss. I never noticed the Monday chest day but now that I’m thinking about it you are right. Monday is “chest” day through out all gyms..anyway after a lot of reading and learning from some experts I am not one to train with a spotter as a spotter sometimes hurts you more than anything and let’s face it…90% of the people don’t know how to spot…so when I work out I do every rep as if it were my last…no matter the exercise I use weights were if my goal is 5 x 5 I make sure I finish so I use weights where I use 80%-90% ..but I also make sure my 5th rep on each set is the one I feel I give it my all and have no more energy for the 6th.

Resting for the correct amount of time is also key as if you rest too long you lose the entire effect of what you are trying to accomplish and you will fail quicker…I found if you keep your rest short (30-60 seconds) and time yourself (I always have a stop watch) you will experience more gain and strength and you will notice the difference….

I usually try to do 4-5 sets. If I have a problem and can’t get it up or finish the set I will stop and re-look at it to see where I went wrong. To me it is important to do the set in good form. Maybe even leaving one in the tank

My question is this: Has the Nautilus -popularized principle of Momentary Muscular Failure and the “expert” bodybuilders featured in the magazines with their various philosophies messed with our heads?

Why would a person only 6 months into training get the idea that he has to gut out reps past failure? Seems like he might have received little or no coaching when he joined this gym.

Soapbox aside, as a 52 year old martial artist, I focus on body weight and dumbbell training with little rest between sets. Consequently, I find I cannot go to complete failure or I will never get through the entire workout.

The number of reps per set differs depending on what program I am on at the time. (5×5, GVT, HIT, ect.) However, I never train to failure. I always try to leave at least one or two reps in the bank, even on my last set of the day. I learned this from reading the work of guys like Mike Mahler and Pavel. I train primarily with kettlebells, and most of my workouts are based on models designed by Mike Mahler, and I honestly can not remember the last time I trained to all out failure.

With weights I usually have a predetermined total # of reps in mind, say, 20. My focus is to complete all 20 at a consistently fast speed and good form. When one or the other breaks down, that set is over. Lets say I shoot for 4 sets of 5 reps, but during the last set my form breaks down on the 3rd rep-I stop the set, rest then do a 5th set with the remaining 2 reps (maybe throw a 3rd in just because).

With BW excercises like chins, I’ll use the same strategy, but weighing in at 240, I can’t depend on getting 5 reps every set, so I do as many as possible before my form or speed break down.