Anyone doing One Set To Failure?

[afraidoftheend]

I'm interested in trying the w.o. of one set to failure for each exercise. Have any of you done this, and if so, what were your results?

I'm not starting from scratch. I am experienced with working out with weights and currently go 3x per week using a program that involves 3 sets with the 3rd set within 2 reps of failure.

 

[farmerdex]

@afraidoftheend Take a look at the 531 program. It essentially uses 1 main lift that has some warm up sets, then 1 set to failure then accessories. I've used it off and on for years and it works really well.

 

[afraidoftheend]

@farmerdex That sounds interesting. Thanks, I will check it out.

 

[sherryfl]

@afraidoftheend The stronger by science hypertrophy program is 3 sets then an amrap. If you drop your training max a bit it’s essentially 3 warm up sets into an amrap.

 

[hisangelonearth]

@afraidoftheend The nsuns program had me doing enough sets that a few of them were always to failure. Top set was always a grinder and so were the 8th/9th sets of the main lift.

 

[dmel2016]

@afraidoftheend I'm doing it. I just do now how many times a week should I work out. I have seen some do once or twice a week, but I would like to do 3x a week, but don't know if thats ok.

 

[afraidoftheend]

@dmel2016 When I go 2x -3x per week I progress. If I go only 1x I stay stabilized.

 

[mihailolt]

@afraidoftheend These types of programs are usually sold by gurus claiming to have found “body hacks”. (I’m looking at you, Tim Ferris) You can get bigger and stronger doing this (as long as you are progressively overloading yourself) , but volume is one of the main drivers of hypertrophy, and this limits volume heavily. There is a reason the biggest guys at the gym spend the most time there pumping out set after set.

I mean by all means, do what you want, but gains already come slow enough, I don’t see why one would want to slow that down even more.

 

[shirl]

@afraidoftheend I do it. I find it more mentally engaging because you don't have a bunch of half ass sets. It's just all effort all the time

 

[afraidoftheend]

@shirl I'm thinking it will be more efficient too, timewise.

 

[shirl]

@afraidoftheend Yes, efficiency is key for me. After I retired from the military and was no longer getting paid to workout, I didn't want to be spending a couple hours a day going to and from the gym with a family to raise, a new business, etc. I eventually discovered that I could go one day a week, do one set of every lift, and maintain the muscle mass I had.

 

[afraidoftheend]

@shirl I completed my 3rd w.o. of 1 set to failure, and I thought of another benefit. At the end of each exercise my heart is pounding and lungs exploding, then I take around 2 min before starting the next exercise. It's very similar to HITT done for cardiopulmonary improvement; 30-45 secs of high intensity followed by 2 min rest. So maybe I am improving cardio-pulmonary at the same time as strength and hypertrophy.

 

[shirl]

@afraidoftheend Oh yeah, sometimes I need to take a minute before driving home after because I'm afraid I'm going to crash my car

 

[afraidoftheend]

@shirl That reminds me of years ago I had been out of the gym for over a year and then rejoined and started where I left off, and pretty much went into full body exhaustion. On top of that I got the hiccups while driving home, which my remedy for is to hold my breath. When I did that I got tunnel vision and almost passed out while on the interstate.