Why you should work your muscles to failure if you want to lose weight fast

Let us take a moment to pray for Cpl. Nathan Cirillo who lost his life in a cowardly act while serving Canada, also for the tens of Egyptian officers who die monthly maintaining law & order in the country and every other heroic figure who died while protecting others. RIP.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Do you want the number one secret for losing weight (fat) very fast? Because I'm about to give it to you. Working your muscles to failure is a fancy way of saying “working your muscles really hard” and is also commonly referred to as “exhausting your muscles”. Most trainers hand out this piece of advice to friends/clients without addressing crucial points. Ideally, unless you are very experienced in the art of resistance/weight training (yes it is an art), then this technique is best done under the supervision of knowledgeable trainers. In this article I will discuss why and how you should work your muscles to failure on your own in a safe and effective way as part of your weight loss tools. First off, I would not recommend this type of training for those who are new to resistance (weight) training. I will explain how you can work your way to being able to adapt to this type of training. Please read carefully and ask questions if confused we can avoid injury.

What does “working muscles to failure mean”?

This exercise ideology means that when you perform a set of resistance exercise (squat, biceps curls, chest press etc) you complete the set only when the targeted muscle fails on the last repetition. Meaning you would be unable to complete any more repetitions using proper form. This type of training takes a lot of dedication and focus. If you commonly struggle with progress in the gym and with seeing results, this is the number one reason why (in my opinion). You should incorporate this type of training with resistance exercises you are familiar with, have been doing for a while and with absolute correct form.

How can working my muscles to failure help me lose weight?

There are two main benefits of working your muscles to failure:

1. You cause an “after-burn” effect: let’s get this clear! During resistance/weight training you breakdown muscles, your body responds by rebuilding them stronger when you rest and get proper nutrition in. In simple words “you breakdown muscles in that 1 hour per day in the gym, your body responds by rebuilding them in the 23 other hours” of the day. This can help you lose weight because your body can use your fat stores to rebuild and upkeep your muscles. In other words, science shows increased metabolism for up to 48 hours post strenuous resistance training (this effect is not as strong from cardio training).
2. When you work your muscles to failure, your metabolism will increase: Working your muscles to failure will force your body to rebuild them stronger and bigger. More muscle mass means a higher metabolism and that is because the body needs more energy to maintain that higher muscle mass. This means you will burn more fat throughout the day just by simply doing nothing extra. I often get the question “how can I increase my metabolism?” well this is the undisputed #1 one method to do it. Ladies, do not worry about getting bulky, unless you use steroids, it won’t happen. Building muscle for you coupled with fat loss means an overall tighter and well-figured body.

New to resistance training? Tips & steps on how to exercise to failure:

1. Start by familiarizing yourself with the exercise until you are 100% sure your form is spot on correct. You can always ask your gym trainer to watch your form to help you improve it.
2. Once you are comfortable and familiar with the exercise, start by using a weight or resistance level you can easily complete 12-15 slow and controlled repetitions of. Brace your core and clench your glutes. Now complete your set only when you fail on the last repetition. 
3. Rest no longer than 80-120 seconds between sets, repeat 3-4 times per exercise. 
4. Once you hit your target of 15 repetitions, increase the weight by 3-5% the next time you work that specific muscle. Keeping a journal will help.
5. It is crucial that the last repetition look exactly like the first repetition in terms of tempo and form. You are highly unlikely to hurt yourself that way.
6. Control your breathing: deep breath in while you lift, breath out when you lower. Never hold your breath!
7. Find a spotter who will help spot you on dangerous exercises like squats, chest press etc where you might risk dropping the weight.
8. Feeling sore towards the end is fine

Watch for those indicators of bad technique:

1. Your form is off midway or towards the end: Reduce the weight if that’s the case
2. You start pulling acrobatic moves and bending backwards/forwards to complete repetitions: Stop short of doing that, your muscles have already failed if you are at that point.
3. Your tempo (speed) increases towards the end: speed is not the focus here, if the first repetition takes you 6 seconds to complete then the last one should take you the same time.
4. Stop immediately at any sign of sharp sudden pain (not to be mistaken with general muscle soreness)
5. Building a very strong core and lower back will help prevent injuries

This post is dedicated to Cpl. Nathan Cirillo who died serving his country

 Rest In Peace

Love it, or use fitness & nutrition to change it.

Mohamed