Should every set go to failure or just the last one? Also, do I add weight when I reach the upper range of reps on all sets or just the first set if doing 8 - 12? Thank you for your attention to this matter.

>>76365776 (OP)
It kind of doesn't matter! Optimization is the enemy of accomplishment.

You're asking the right questions — this is crucial for hypertrophy and strength progression. Let’s address both parts of your question clearly and practically.


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1. Should every set go to failure, or just the last one?

Best practice:

Take your final set to (or near) failure, and leave the earlier sets a bit shy — around 1–2 reps in reserve (RIR).

Why?

Going to failure on every set can:

Cause excessive fatigue

Impair recovery

Reduce performance on later sets

Increase injury risk (especially on compound lifts)


Saving energy early lets you:

Maintain form and rep quality

Accumulate effective volume

Push hard when it counts (last set)
> Think of it like this: train hard, but smart. You don’t need to max out every set to grow — you just need to get enough close-to-failure reps over the course of your session.
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2. When should I add weight if I’m doing 8–12 reps per set?

Add weight when you hit the upper rep range on all sets with good form.

Here’s how to approach it:

Condition What to do

You hit 12 reps on all 3 sets (or whatever # you're doing) Increase weight next time
You hit 12 on set 1, but 10 and 9 after Stay at current weight until all sets are solid
You’re stuck at 11–12 on set 1, 8 on set 3 Keep building endurance or drop RIR


This ensures progressive overload without ego lifting.


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Extra Tip: Use Double Progression

If doing 3 sets of 8–12:

Start at a weight where you can do 8–10 reps/set

Add reps until you can do 12/12/12

Then increase weight by 5–10%, and start back at 8s
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TL;DR:

Question Answer

Should every set go to failure? No — just the last set, others should stop ~1–2 reps short
When do I add weight on 8–12 sets? When you hit 12 reps on all sets with good form
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Let me know if you want a full progression template or help designing a program with

>>76365776 (OP)
Tell people to go to failure so they go 80% of the way to failure 65% of the time

>>76365776 (OP)
If you're advanced, sure. If not, no.

If it's an isolation life, sure. If it's deads or squats, no.

I've seen an increase in gains since doing two sets to failure, but I'm intermediate at this point.

>>76365787
Thanks grok!

>>76365776 (OP)
i actually can’t tell on what routine i made the most gains or progression because sometimes those 3 or even 5 set of 10s will lay the foundation for strength work later
that said i think the least injured and the strongest have been with very little volume and low reps and sets
like work out 2-3 times a week
ppl and focus on getting stronger at key lifts with some volume work for accessory lifts
if you don’t feel fit rather add a day of active recovery

the most enjoyable i think is to pyramid up as warmup sets
don’t go near failure and keep it light
and than do a reverse pyramid with a 3-5, a 6-8 and a 9-12

and tried out and tested are just boring 5x5 or 3x5 at 80% and work them up slowly with some singles at the end of a cycle to test out your new one rep max and recovery week followed by your new 80%

all in all it doesn’t matter that much if you are constant and eat well
if you want to be great get a coach or roid or both

>>76365787
i think this is wrong
weight progression is far easier to just add a small amount of weight and get the same reps and keep adding until you can’t reach the rep range anymore

grinding out 3 or 5 sets of 10-12
will be way harder until you arrive at a point of 5clean sets of 12

>>76365776 (OP)
What part of single set to failure don't you understand?

>>76365870
Like 2.5 lb or 5 lb plates? Been thinking about systematically doing this.

There’s not shame in using the same weight/reps for several workouts. When it starts to feel easy, add some weight.

>>76365943
I go up in weight when i stop getting doms

>>76365947
I never get doms. Maybe I need to train harder

>>76365967
No even when upping weight?

Idk some people tell me i must not be training hard enough to get doms. But basically ill stop getting them and figure out a way to get them again.

It may or may not be a sign of progress.

>>76365776 (OP)
the way this question is worded makes it sound like you have no idea what a set even is

>>76365967
Switch up your training routine and you will, once ive done the same routine for 3 weeks straight its no more doms for me

Some research says there is no difference between failure and 1-2 rir

Personally I don't like to take everything to failure all the time because then my later lifts that day are a lot worse due to me being more fatigued. Usually I try to take one, maybe two set to failure, otherwise its hard to know if I'm doing 1-2 rir or 4 rir and being a pussy thinking I've got no more in me.

Also if I take a set that's not the last to failure, my next one will suck ass and it feels like overall I did less than I could have.

>>76365983
You shouldn't be getting doms ever after a week or two of a new routine.

Training to actual failure is a meme. I used to follow a program that would have my top set be amrap... I learned that if I pushed that top set to actual failure (until the last rep is an extreme grind or ending the set on the safeties) my CNS is absolutely tried the rest of the workout.

If you can trust yourself to know how hard you're training is personaly leave 1 rep or 2 in reserve. Generally when squatting I'll grind out a rep, then grind out another and my form starts to break then I call it there. Pushing past that point results in my sets afterwards being failed after one rep or my body just refusing to go down and shaking even after 5 minutes of rest.

>>76365776 (OP)
On the last set
If you're doing 3x10 curls, the first 2 sets you should have 1/2/3 reps left in the tank, then go all out on the last set. If you do it easily increase the weight next time.
Its not complicated, just lift progressively heavier weights.

You COULD go to failure on every single set but then you'll find your progress is a little bit harder to measure because you will have to use less weight on your 2nd and 3rd set.

So you would end up doing
20kg curl x 10 on your first set to failure
20kg x 7 on your second set - uh oh that was hard, better drop the weight
17.5 x 8 on your third set.

Now you just have a lot of numbers that is harder to keep track of.
Its easier to just do
20kg 3x8 i.e. don't go to failure on your first set and complete 3 sets with the same weight.

>>76365776 (OP)
1.Depends on the amount of sets
2.Yes, but you might want to give your tissues other than muscle some more time to adapt (tendons take months to adapt to new weights), but you can always regress if you feel weird

>>76365787
Switch to gemini. It's more accurate and spends less tokens sucking up to you than chatgpt.

>>76365776 (OP)
I look like that and I’m natural

>>76365776 (OP)
Every
First

I tried low reps
didn't make any gains
there just wasn't enough for my muscles they'd basically heal right after
so now i do 10-12reps with lower weights and add 2.5lbs to each side every set

>>76367768
Are you gaining muscle mass?

>>76365780
This. I stopped going to failure and now my workouts are more enjoyable, more frequent, and more productive.

>>76365983
For me to get doms i have to do like 4 or 5 3-set exercises on one muscle group in a single gym session, so its not really something i get anymore

Let's say you do 4 sets.
The first set you can do 12 reps.
The second set you can do 10, then you do 2 negative reps until you get 12, just like the previous one, so 10/12.
1st set is 12
2nd set is 10 and 2 negative reps
3rd set you did 8 reps, you do 2 negative reps to get to 10
4th set is 7 reps, so 1 negative rep until 8

1st set - 12
2nd set - 10/12
3rd set 8/10
4th set 7/8

>>76365776 (OP)
You go to failure with your life why not do it with the weights as well

>>76369082

>>76365776 (OP)
Should Every Set Go to Failure?

No — not every set needs to go to failure.

Training to failure means lifting until you physically can’t complete another rep in good form.

It’s a great tool for pushing muscle growth (hypertrophy), but it’s also very taxing on your nervous system and recovery.

A good rule of thumb:

On most sets, stop 1–2 reps short of failure.

Take only your last set (or occasionally the last couple) to true failure if you want to maximize intensity.

This helps stimulate growth while avoiding excessive fatigue and risk of injury.

When Should You Add Weight?

When you’re working in a rep range (e.g. 8–12 reps):

Aim for progressive overload — either more reps or more weight over time.

Don’t wait until all your sets hit the top rep range before adding weight.

A practical approach:

Once your first set hits the upper end (e.g. 12 reps) in good form, try adding a small amount of weight next time.

Your reps may drop on the next sets — that’s normal. Keep building them back up over time.

The key is gradually increasing either reps or load while maintaining good technique.

In short:

Save failure mostly for the last set.

Add weight when your first set consistently reaches the top of your target rep range.

>>76369120
Thanks. This is very helpful

>>76369013
>negative reps
uhm doing high reps gave me gains from august to february, then I tried to cheat by starting with the weight I can do six times from april to july have made no gains, so I went back down 10lbs just to make sure I get like 3 sets of 8-10 and the last set I do like 5lbs lighter and do 7, there just isn't enough fatigue with low reps, its almost like your body is MEANT to do low reps, the high rep ranges seem to be what tears the most amount of muscles without risk of injury

>>76369892
sorry 5lbs lighter than my set were I can only do 6 reps