There’s a theory in weightlifting that training to failure is necessary for seeing results.
Training to failure is where you run so hard that you can’t take another step, or you work a specific muscle in good form repeatedly to the point where you couldn’t do one more rep even if you wanted to. This is the point where the muscle fibers break down. They rip apart and tear at a microscopic level. Within 24 hours, your body will start to hurt while it repairs itself.
You’ll know you worked out right if you feel like your legs are made of jello and you walk funny. Or if you worked your arms so hard that you can’t lift them to wash your own hair without swinging them back and fourth in the shower to get some momentum. And if you forgot to grab some shampoo first, good luck starting all over. Working out to failure is a lot more fun than it sounds.
But that’s when an amazing thing happens. If you worked out in good form, if you worked your muscles to the point of failure, and if you fed your body plenty of protein, your muscles will grow. You’ll get leaner. You’ll walk by the mirror and will notice the change. You may start wearing v-necks. If you repeat this process, and stay committed, you can completely transform your body.
This can only happen if you work out to failure. Muscles don’t grow bigger and get leaner if they’re just worked a little. If you drop and do five push-ups, I can guarantee you won’t see any results.
How many reps does it take to reach failure? It depends on the person and their level of fitness. But the key is that it’s only during extreme pressure where we have the potential for growth.
I had a hard week. You probably did, too. Things seem to get more complicated every day. At times, I felt like I was being stretched to the limit. Even to the point of failure. But what I’m realizing is this: it’s in our failures where we have the opportunity to grow into a better version of ourselves.
Just like our muscles that will never grow unless they reach their breaking point through repeated training, you and I can’t grow if we’re never stretched to our limit, either. We like to play it safe. We like to avoid reaching the breaking point. It’s scary because we don’t know how we’ll get through it.
But it’s not something to fear. It’s something to expect. We’re in training to become better people.
When we recognize that we’re close to our breaking point, push through to the other side.
That’s where we’ll find our breakthrough.