How much weight? Part III

The question now becomes whether or not to choose a weight that allows you to go to failure?

Failure being a point where your muscles shut down and you can’t move the weight.
The only clients I allow to train to failure are my body builders, figure competitors and competitive athletes, outside of those rare scenarios; you should never lift to failure. With that said I watch these freaks very carefully and make sure I am in position to provide the right amount of support.

For the rest of us out there who are just trying to get in great shape, you should never go the total muscular failure on any set of any exercise. The scenarios mentioned above require that extra stress to recruit even more muscle fibers and proprioreceptors. The average person should simply go to the last rep they can do with good form and stop there.

If you do not think you can finish the next repetition, don’t start it.