Bodyweight Exercises

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Bodyweight Exercises

Hey Josh,

Got a question.

Why do people recommend on going to failure on body weight exercises like pull-ups and push-ups when they say to stop at least 1 or 2 reps before failure on big barbell exercises?

Thanks

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Bodyweight Exercises

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Failure on Body Weight Exercises
by: Josh -- Author WLC System

Well... it really depends on the overall weight training program -- meaning the mix of volume, frequency, and intensity.

The best results on ANY program would be high volume, high frequency, and high intensity BUT the human body can't handle tons of sets, tons of exercises, every day, to complete failure.

If you have a copy of the WLC Workouts Manual, you'll see that I include weight lifting workouts for 9 different styles of weight training.

1. Full Body Strength Specific Training
2. Full Body Size Specific Training
3. Strength Specific Split Training
4. Low Recovery Split Training
5. High Intensity Split Training
6. Increased Volume Split Training
7. Maximum Volume Split Training
8. Pulsating 3 Factor Training
9. Advanced Beyond Failure Training

Within each of those weight training styles, I give tons of workout programs with guidelines on intensity (going to failure, staying away from failure, etc).

You have to find out what your body can handle and that amount changes as you become more conditioned. You have to find the perfect balance for your body and that's what the WLC Workouts Manual helps you to do.

So... to get back to your question:

Some programs tell you to stay away from failure on the big compound exercises and tell you to go to failure on the body weight exercises because most people can easily handle a few sets to failure with the body weight exercises.

I do that myself on some weight lifting programs to help a beginner get accustomed to some sets to failure. It helps them learn how to apply higher intensity. And they can easily handle it since the other high stress exercises stay away from failure.

So... you have to learn how to find the perfect mix if volume, frequency, and intensity for YOUR body. Everyone is different.

When you find that perfect mix for your body, results are maximized without overtraining.

Hope that fully answered your question about bodyweight exercises to failure.

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