To develop greater muscle mass, it’s essential to apply the right stimuli to your muscles. This includes reaching muscle failure and even going beyond it, especially as you gain more experience. However, it’s crucial to use these techniques occasionally, as overuse can quickly lead to overtraining, which would hinder your progress.
When you finish a set to failure or near failure, there are some alternatives you can use to keep stimulating your muscles. Below are several options you can incorporate into your workout routine:
1. Switch to an easier version of the same exercise
After reaching failure in an exercise, you can switch to a more accessible version of the same movement or perform an alternative exercise that targets the same muscles. For example, if you’re doing push-ups with your feet elevated on a table, once you reach failure, lower your feet to the ground and continue doing reps until you can’t go any further. Another option would be to start with your hands on the ground, and after reaching failure, place your hands on a higher surface, like a window ledge.
2. Extend the negative phase of a full-range movement
A technique I often recommend is extending the negative or eccentric phase of exercises. For example, if you’ve just completed a set of push-ups to muscle failure, try lowering your body as slowly as possible. Control the movement throughout the descent. If needed, you can “cheat” on the way back to the starting position by placing your knees on the floor to help push yourself back up. Once you’re at the top, repeat the super-slow negative phase. Try to make it last up to 30 seconds!
3. Add reps with slow negatives
Another option is to add a few more reps, using negative phases that last between 3 and 5 seconds. In this case, you can use the same “cheating” technique to return to the fully extended position of the exercise, but make sure that every negative phase is controlled and slow.
4. Hold the contraction or extension position
A great challenge is to hold the full extension or contraction position for as long as possible. This technique helps improve muscle endurance and deeply works the muscle fibers.
5. Strategic pauses in the hardest part of the movement
An excellent way to overcome the toughest points of an exercise and build more strength is to deliberately pause for 3 seconds at the most difficult part of the movement. This point is usually in the middle of the repetition. For example, when doing push-ups or pull-ups, stop with your arms at 90 degrees for a few seconds before continuing.
6. Add partial reps
After reaching muscle failure, you can add a few partial reps to push your muscles to work a bit more. These partial reps are an excellent way to finish off an exercise.
7. Combination of techniques
If you’re looking for an extra challenge, you can combine several of the above techniques in one set. For example, you could do reps with strategic pauses and then add a prolonged negative phase or some partial reps.
Summary
- Switch to an easier version of the same exercise after failure.
- Extend the negative phase to maximize time under tension.
- Add slow negatives to increase muscle strain.
- Hold the contraction or extension position as long as possible.
- Use strategic pauses at the hardest part of the movement.
- Add partial reps after reaching failure.
- Use these advanced techniques sparingly to avoid overtraining.
- Balance intensity with adequate rest and recovery.
- Your training progress depends on how well you manage energy and effort.
It’s important to remember that while these techniques are highly effective, they should be used in moderation. Constantly pushing your muscles too hard can lead to overtraining, which will negatively affect your performance and hinder recovery. Incorporate them at key moments in your training to take it to the next level, but ensure you maintain a balance between effort and rest.
Progress in training doesn’t only depend on intensity but also on how well you distribute and manage your energy. Follow these recommendations and take your workout to the maximum without compromising your recovery!
