[Daisy Boo]

I was reading a magazine last night and a particular article on ab work. The trainer was talking about doing 3 of the exercises to maximum reps and 3 to failure. What is the difference?

The only thing I can tell is that maximum reps is until your muscles are fatigued, but you could still do another one, where failure is not able to do another one at all.

Is this right?

[northernbelle]

Right: near failure is within one or two reps of outright failure, when your muscle gives out.

Working to failure all the time, no matter what muscle, can lead to overtraining and risk of injury. It also fatigues your muscles so that you stop progressing. Working to near failure avoids these risks.

It's better to periodize your overall plan so that you work mostly to near failure, then to failure every few weeks or so. I wouldn't do both in one workout.

Actually, you build muscle and strength better in working to near failure, than in working to failure.

Working to maximum reps means building endurance in that particular muscle. I usually have a goal for each workout and it's one or the other, not both.

Hope this helps...

[Daisy Boo]

ah, thank you. I haven't really thought about training to failure until recently but want to push myself harder and i might work it in to my routine.

it all makes a little more sense now.

[Sugar Cube]

Failure?? Maximum Reps?? At this Point I need to get to the gym and do anything.