Charles Poliquin says that he’s analyzed successful strength programs from all over the world (Bulgaria, Russia, Cuba, East Germany) and the one thing they all have in common is the fact that they train to momentary failure. He says the current trend toward avoiding failure is garbage.
Maybe you could argue that sprinters should avoid failure, since they have to balance strength training with high-intensity speed work, but if one is training purely for strength gain, is going to failure helpful and/or necessary?
I so enjoy these pearls of wisdom. first I learn about the secrets to my OWN program- now I learn about the secrets to Bulgaria, China, Russia, East Germany…
If he said this, then Poliquin is dead wrong. Olympic weightlifters rarely if ever train to failure and from a scientific standpoint there are no studies that conclude training to failure is the optimal way to build strength over the long term.
I know of several guys who can train to failure once, twice or even three times a week and still progress over a several week period in the gym. I also know of many who do not progress much if atall, myself included.
Even if your weights are increasing due to going to failure it may not be good practice since your track will possibly be suffering.
Fans of Mike Mentzer (I know there are a couple of you out there) will recognize the similarities between this type of training and Mike’s Heavy Duty training. Why do I recommend a Heavy Duty type protocol? Well, because it works…for the brief time it takes you to adapt to it, which is usually about 3 weeks.
Poliquin did mention on one of his audio CD’s that he recommends training to failure - but, I am not sure if he meant from a Hypertrophy point of view, rather, than from an athletic point of view.
With the Magical Reishi Mushrooms (henceforth referred to as MRMs) you can recovery from anything.
I remember Poliquin’s focus used to be on training, and now his focus seems to have turned towards esoteric and undocumented supplementation solutions.
Yes, grasshoppers, as “On the fringe”, theories get offered up, they get challenged, and before they can be discredited, new theories are presented-- and so on, and so on…
Spinoza, Ahhhh!!! Just when i thought that i escaped this guy when i go online. TL, i am not really too much of a fan of his. I was forced to read his convoluted book for a General Education Requirement. That was a painful read. (Especially considering that i am an engineering major)
TL, i am not really too much of a fan of his. I was forced to read his convoluted book for a General Education Requirement. That was a painful read. (Especially considering that i am an engineering major)