Going to failure during each and every set of every workout can add lots of stress and fatigue to your body. I can tell you right now, and you’ll soon learn, that you do not need to go to failure to build muscle.
As a beginner, you should focus on learning your body and its ability to recover from weight lifting workouts. In order to do so, you should stay away from complete failure as a beginner by
stopping each set when the rep speed slows. If you need to push it a little more on a set every now and then to hit X number of reps, you should do so.
As you’ll see, you are not required to go to failure on most sets of my workout programs. There is one advanced workout program with WLC that you really push the limits by going to failure every set – that workout program should only be done once you are an advanced weight lifter.
You will test your tolerance and recovery abilities during each and every workout program that you do. As the weight increases throughout the weeks, you will most likely begin to reach failure during certain workouts and certain exercises.
Learn more about your body as you progress through each workout phase. If you are recovering and making good progress, you know the level of intensity you’ve been using works for you. Try lightly increasing that intensity and make note of your results.
You always know if you are recovering properly through the monitoring of your strength gains.
If you can’t increase the weight for more than 3 consecutive workouts, you may not be recovering properly.
You’ll be tracking your results very well while using the WLC System, so you’ll know if something works or doesn’t work. If a certain level of intensity proves to be too much for you, simply lower it the following week. Learn as much as you can about your body throughout each program, and you’ll know what to adjust and when to adjust when the time comes.
