5 Signs YOU Are Training Like A Wimp (Train HARDER!)

[@GVS]

Working hard is incredibly important. As with a lot of things in life, you get out of training what you put into it. However, HOW you apply that hard work is still crucial! The details still absolutely matter. For those looking to learn more, check out my books, they'll help steer you in the right direction. Book 1: SWEAT (beginners/intermediates) www.verityfit.com/product-page/sweat Book 2: Ring Training For Hypertrophy (ring enthusiasts) www.verityfit.com/product-page/ring-training-for-hypertrophy Book 3: Resurrecting Your Gains (intermediate/advanced lifters) www.verityfit.com/product-page/resurrecting-your-gains-finding-your-muscle-growth-formula Can check the site for full Tables Of Contents of each book. Appreciate the support!

[@CrazyChickenFarmer]

Hey GVS, thanks for this video! Do you reckon you could also make a video about 5 signs that you're training too hard?

[@fijian0811]

Hi Geoffrey! Does the failure rule still apply in cases like 5x full body? I tried that split a few times and found myself not able to grind out to full failure as opposed to a 4x upper lower. Thanks brotha.

[@GVS]

@@CrazyChickenFarmer maybe I can do a video on fatigue management or something like that. But "5 signs you're training too hard" almost seems like a silly title because the vast majority of people aren't.

[@GVS]

@@fijian0811 with 24 hours recovery time you'll have to be much more careful about it, yes. It's one of the reasons I don't do high frequency full body training anymore, it's just not suitable for my personality. It can work, you just have to tweak other parameters, proximity to failure being one of them for sure.

[@CrazyChickenFarmer]

@@GVS Yeah I totally get you, but knowing about fatigue management would be more than useful as well!

[@JeffNippard]

Me?!

[@BaldOmniMan]

That Greg Doucette“ he trains like a 🐱” moment was definitely a moment of all time.

[@dabualifts]

I think this is a personal attack Jeff! You should make call out video for sure!

[@GVS]

Haven't heard the "Jeff doesn't train hard" thing in a loooooong time!

[@sushiter]

Comment section is stacked

[@moredreamsmorecreams]

Jeff got the notifications on Nice

[@victorprokop9343]

1- you are not prolapsing mid set 2- women aren't getting scared 3- no blood 4- no high blood pressure conjuctive damage 5- healthy joints

[@BaldOmniMan]

Sign 6: you think someone isn’t Natty just because they’re dieting and getting lean

[@JNFitness2]

I’ve had accusations and I’m literally doing my first ever proper cut after 3 years of training. Imagine what they’ll think in another 3 years

[@goghvonjohann2924]

I am a fake non-natty. I claim to use PEDs but I'm actually natural.

[@avi_s0ncin0]

@@JNFitness2 well that’s probably why you’re getting accusations. A lot of dudes go on devious cuts after a year or less of training because they’re impatient to see results, which leads them to accuse people of hopping on, simply because that person waited for the right time to start cutting and thereby was able to retain more muscle mass after a cut than the impatient bro who cuts after 10 months of proper training.

[@aidaninsua]

Yep lol all the people thinking Geoff and Alex suddenly hopped on the sauce😂

[@Screenshot1015]

Real talk bro anyone who’s watched Geoffrey over the years gets it

[@leoerus]

Your advice to "commit to the rep" had me doing so many more reps than I thought possible I feel like I've not been pushing myself to my max and didn't even realize it until recently

[@Split_the_beer_atom]

I just recently started training my mom lol and she is getting taught what real failure is. We’ll do triceps with resistance bands and not only do i push her into grindy rep territory but then i make her do drop sets im so proud lol

[@knottedtwig3289]

@@Split_the_beer_atom how do you do it! My mother simply refuses to do hard reps

[@Christopher-ko9op]

Are these messages really happening!!

[@leoerus]

@@Christopher-ko9op hey man, just letting you know that this was 100% serious and I'm still doing this today within my training to push myself. It does work.

[@Christopher-ko9op]

@@leoerus oh not you. The getting mother to failure thing lol

[@symmetrydprk]

geoff's face while performing his sets are the absolut best in the whole fitness industry

[@arthurfleck629]

Yessss hahaha, him and Max Euceda make some of the greatest faces while nearing muscular failure in their sets.

[@AJ-di4df]

I take 90% of my sets to failure and people keep telling me I’m trying “too hard”. As long as my tendons aren’t feeling worn out and I feel confident in the safety of my form - FAILURE IS THE GAME

[@tonystephengrayson]

​@@mysteretsym 100% brother!

[@soonerborn7603]

@@mysteretsym To paraphrase the great David Goggins, people like to say you’re just crazy or you’re wired different if you workout hard. It gives them a get-out-of-jail-free card! “I’m not crazy, I’m just not like you”!! Haha!

[@rockyevans1584]

As long as you're progressing

[@evernew23]

Yea you are, you don’t need to go to failure, watch dr Mike and you will know that 2 reps off real failure is fine.

[@nibba5692]

@@evernew23 never heard of her

[@dabualifts]

Where is following Athlean-X on the list?? Also RPE did not originate in powerlifting but came from a Swedish psychologist and is used for all kinds of stuff. If i remember correctly in the beginning it was mainly used for cardio stuff, and the range was not 1-10, but (heart rate)/10 , or something simmilar.

[@virginia4032]

Honorable mention

[@homeslice4551]

I'll do hard sets but rarely get DOMS. It's a trap to think "I gotta be sore to grow" but tricky to convince yourself it really isn't necessary. I do 4x12-14 Tricep extensions, go to failure, get pumped, triceps are fatigued, but never sore the following days. Lifts are going up and I'm looking bigger however

[@isaax961]

Yeah, those weeks where I was trying to bust my ass off just like Geoff and didn't feel soreness on my bicep, I felt like it didn't work. 2 inches of bicep growth in a year later proved me hell wrong

[@homeslice4551]

@@isaax961 Fuck yes my guy. Happy for you!

[@watsonkushmaster3067]

Thats weird, i got almost allways doms in triceps, but they are one of my worst bodyparts haha

[@Madchris8828]

Triceps for me only seem to get sore from pressing movements, or high ass volume with a ton of sets on extensions. Some muscles are weird. For my hamstrings however I barely do anything and they are so pumped and I feel they could fly off my body. 😂

[@DCJayhawk57]

Triceps are one of those body parts that are very hard to induce DOMS. Side delts are another. But I do 2 medium intensity sets of a split squats, and my glutes and adductors are sore for a week.

[@Diegoaub]

I think that the issue is that people need to go on journey of beginning training -> following strict ass form -> getting pissed and then progressing to a deranged lack of form -> training violently with shit form -> Slowly tweaking stuff until you end up violently training with better form. You gotta embrace the ego and then learn where it is appropriate, but no one wants to look bad.

[@aleksapiperski1170]

Hands down most insane looking natty , what is even more insane is the intensity that he brings each training session that he has. Very inspirational guy

[@krischanlive]

100% agree

[@Luraj7]

Chillest dude ever trains insanely hard, you love to see it

[@Esodum]

That makes me feel like he's actually sane for making the most he can out of each session and actually progressing right, while everyone else who doesn't is insane.

[@NDPFitness]

Id say Alex Leonidas imo, that man is on another level from everyone everywhere lol, GVS’s weakness is his lats, his back in general is great but lacking quite obviously compared to the rest of him.

[@columodonnell9202]

@@NDPFitness Alex Leonidas is a stocky short limbed midget, GVS is 10x more aesthetic and would mogg Alex.

[@connormcgrath7912]

One thing I've started to do, which is something you recommend, is to give myself a range of working sets rather than a fixed number. Basically, I train each exercise close to or to failure for as many sets as it takes for the muscles involved to feel sufficiently fatigued. The result of "feeling out" the fatigue resulted in a LOT more volume than I was doing before, and I've started to realize that what I thought "hard" training was before is wimp training to me now. Great video as always.

[@hunterk1575]

Glad you are pushing the idea of working to failure with a full range of motion. Too much information used by experienced lifters is backed by experiments on “newbie” lifters. The ability for the body to adapt to challenges over time is something that has significantly aided in my lifting journey and seems to be severely underrated.

[@robertwalker158]

I only have one year and a few months of training under my belt. But I just wanted to say thank you for all the advice because you've really helped me shift my mentality when it comes to training. Like you, I also have high aspirations and I try to remind myself of this whether I'm training or even when I am at work. Thanks, bro!

[@naughtiousmaximus7853]

How do people diminish your hard work over the years and call you genetically gifted, when I would never call you that if I saw your pre-lifting pictures? Its insane to me. You are obviously above average genetics wise but how could we know that if you didnt workout as hard as you did?

[@RR_9]

Exactly. You can't "test" your genes to see if you're above or below average, only years of hard work will tell. And if you're not looking to compete, does it really matter? Even if you did somehow find out that you're below average genetics-wise, does that mean you should never lift weights? I hope not!

[@rishi323]

Pushing harder feels so rewarding, only realised this end of last and beginning of this year. Grew way more

[@DCJayhawk57]

If there's one thing my brief stint in Crossfit helped me learn, it was pushing past my limits and training hard. The Crossfit mindset is much better applied to bodybuilding movements rather than, let's say, technically difficult Olympic lifts.

[@Angel_Ripoff]

I believe 90% of training hard is the mentality/mindset. If you can get your mind right and focus on blasting your muscles, your body will do whatever your brain says. Training your mindset has the added benefit of carrying over into other parts of your life.

[@TheGreektrojan]

In regards to SFR, I think what many people miss is that you should be roughly as fatigued with good vs. bad SFR session, just that you were able to do more productive volume and/or recover quicker for your next one. The old adage 'there's no free lunch' continues to apply.

[@GVS]

Great point. Use SFR to get MORE STIMULUS not LESS FATIGUE. That's a very simple and elegant way of looking at it.

[@TheGreektrojan]

@@GVS A better and more succinct phrasing. Well put.

[@paavoilves3062]

@@GVS That's exactly why we even care about SFR, it's just become too much of a thing with "optimal" bros and now they chase low fatigue instead of high stimulus.

[@nunobettencourt1429]

Good point. Now try to prove the average gym bro that a set where you lift 70-75% your 1 rep max with more than 10 reps is a lot harder than a set at 95% with 3-4 reps and it actually has a higher SFR?

[@QuitterKiller]

Isolations always to failure. Compounds to 1-2 RIR is my motto.

[@vanillabatcave5677]

yeah, I stop when I feel I won't make the next one.

[@aubame-bloodclut-zette6745]

Bro you look insane lately you legit look like you’re in gear. Good shit

[@yummy2318]

For me the results of training hard aren’t just the muscular gains but also the willpower gains

[@powerliftingpremedcrafter473]

Yes!!!

[@andyjcoop]

​@@powerliftingpremedcrafter473 am intrigued by your KZbin name lol

[@trulydipps246]

Confidence gains too from doing the big basic movements with Barbells as a beginner. I was shying away from the barbell backsquat for weeks thinking my balance could go or potentially painful bar placement on the traps. Started doing them recently and it was the best feeling squat I've done, better than dumbbells too.

[@rockyevans1584]

I think that's bullshit. Pushing to failure or beyond doesn't build willpower, it doesn't fix mental issues, and doesn't build character. I hate these commonly cheerleaded tropes, it's all nonsense. Work harder if you want to change, and don't forget that no one cares

[@yummy2318]

@@rockyevans1584 I love claims which aren’t held together by any logical continuity! What you claim is neither my experience nor is the experience of many bad ass motherfuckers like David Goggins who straight up tell us every time we do something difficult we build willpower. It doesn’t matter if it’s squatting, running, or even getting up in the morning. Doing what you don’t want to do builds character, fixes mental issues and builds willpower.

[@velkozgames4822]

FIRST worthy sponsor of the channel! glad to see that!!

[@Alisson99999]

10:02 "well, you deadlift two plates!" HAHAHAHA this one cracked me up

[@santiagoperalta2038]

Great tips. You and Alex Leonidas have always talked about straining. Straining is a skill, and very valuable one for both strength and hypertrophy - given technique is conserved

[@FitAfter50]

Excellent video. I have been posting here for a while, since the time you had 5k subs. I've mentioned before that I was a good endurance athlete(triathlon) and I was always know to put in the best effort training and racing. That is what got me the results I got. No real other talent. It took me some time to realize that my talent was the effort is was able to put down in training and racing. All that went away a few years back however. During a race, I started to walk. I convinced myself that I did not want to be in pain anymore. Still tried racing a bit after that race, but it was never the same. About 2 years ago. I started to lift. I am almost 50 then now and just wanted to build strength and some muscle. Endurance sports was out. I still biked and ran but it is purely recreational. I was sure that I would be able to put in the identical effort into lifting as I did to SBR previously. Lifting was something new and exciting to me. I thought the effort part would come easily because of that. I was wrong. While I was making progress as I was new to lifting the progress was slow. It is only until about the last 6 months or so I really started to see a difference in the way I look. I attribute it to the effort I started to put into my workouts. Not much else has changed. Effort is something that does not come easily to everyone, but it is something that can be learned over time. It takes practice to learn ones limits, to get over that mental block. Back in my triathlon days it took me years to put in real effort in the pool as I was afraid of drowning. One day it clicked. If I did not make it to the wall, I could just stand up and walk the rest of the way or doggie paddle :) If you are struggling with the max effort because it hurts, its ok to hurt. Avoid injury by trying a machine first. Give it all. See how it feels. Especially if you are a a beginner. It is not the programming that is stalling your progress it is effort. Good luck. Thanks Geoff.

[@carnagemaximum2959]

Geoffrey, I can't stress enough how good your programs are on boostcamp. Thank you for making them available for free! Do you think a complete begginer can run rampage? Asking because I've had a few people ask me what I've been doing different and want to have them try your program out

[@GVS]

Rampage is totally fine for a beginner, yes. Just make sure to focus on form and control first, then progression, then can start to incorporate more advanced ideas like training closer to failure and such.

[@Hunterfury_44]

i trained 'too' hard as a begginer, training everything to failure, eventually injuring myself in this process, being fatigued all the time, literal advance training i was doing, i started training rpe6-8 and saw better gains, as a novice or later novice, things are different for you. Every 'you're not training as hard as you think' videos should include this.

[@JamesNalacar]

Let's be real here, 90% of the beginners are simply not training hard enough. Sure you're the exception but not everyone has the willpower to go to proper failure in their exercises, and they need to be made aware about it

[@xodaraps2053]

Instant like before I even see the video because GVS drops that knowledge every time. Good shit.

[@Fellandrose]

Personally, I developed my work capacity and did high volume for 2 years or so, but it didn't work out as well for me. I did not feel like it, but I was clearly under recovering. Now I do low volume (1 set seems kinda ridiculous though) reaching maybe 8-12 weekly sets per body part and it's helped a ton in gains and progression. I typically do 2 sets for 2 exercises (example a bench press and a Pec Dec). My hypothesis is that there is also a genetic component to recovery in the sense that some take longer to grow/recover even if they can push through and train often. My sleep, food and stress were probably even better before lol (+2 kids now) so I doubt it has to do with that. My struggle is now to control my urge to train more and more often lol.

[@Soccasteve]

8-12 sets really isn't low volume though, that's pretty moderate. I think most people over estimate just how much volume you need to grow. I think most people will gain just fine doing 2 exercises per body part for 3 sets twice a week (which is 12 sets).

[@PhiyackYuh]

Nah man. Its your cardio holding you back. Weak cardio because you think it will affect your gains which is opposite of that. Go work on your weak cardio so you can improve. Thats your limiter.

[@abdallahhesham87]

nice vid just came back from training hard

[@deivis2034]

Damn, that bar speed tip is actually a great cue. Good stuff, man.

[@chezzington918]

I've noticed most people are stronger than they think and or their mental fortitude is weak for many reasons. I know myself I strained my wrists on bench and dreaded the movement even though on paper it would be an easy lift for me to do that day. "The body is willing, but the spirit is spongy and bruised"

[@Consistent30]

Man those faces get me every time🤣 but big ups bro your training philosophy is great

[@ronstanley9873]

thanks for the information, I got more out of this video than watching all the other you tube fitness gurus on here, thank you Geoffrey, and by the way I am 67 years old, slim to medium build. I am retired, and have free gym membership at several gyms in the St Johns county Fla area due to the silver sneakers program.I work out 5 to 6 days a week.

[@maxmaximum-sh4bx]

Geoffrey can you please make a video on the ab/oblique training? You have improved in that area, & I would love to know your thoughts on this topic & know what have been your experience after you’ve added some of the weighted ab/oblique training. Thanks again Geoffrey! 🤠 Have a good night & May God have mercy on you & I pray that you have a genuine encounter with Jesus Christ. 😎

[@ew-zd1th]

Good idea

[@fatmunch6318]

Machines are perfect for going beyond failure without injury so many things can go wrong when combining fatigue and free weights

[@DEUltra82]

I've looked into HIT lately, and Geoff is absolutely right, it's very cultish. A lot of HIT enthusiasts can't even really agree on what HIT is. Is it 1 working set? Is it 3-5 "warm up" sets and then 1 working set to all out failure? Saw one dude tell another to do 3-4 warm up sets and 1 all out set of leg press, and that it would cover everything for legs. No need to isolate hams or glutes😂

[@Soccasteve]

HIT is a joke and doesn't produce results

[@n7Andy]

5:40 - My guy looking like he's trying to decapitate a bear with his... bare hands... That's what you call a working set 😂💪🏼

[@Kaiserdstn]

Really liked the advice here. Found ravage through boostcamp. Just started my 2nd round. Been training 5 years since i turned 40. Been some ups and downs and much hopping but really enjoyed the program and your videos make such sense ive just bought the ebook.

[@L33622]

I find that I can do difficult sets but I find doing higher volumes and having longer workout durations to be more mentally difficult, especially if the movements are more technical and I need to concentrate. People always go on about how much weight a person can lift in one set but I find it equally impressive how much people can exert effort across several sets (e.g. Geoff, Hersovyac) despite using heavy weights

[@Christopher-ko9op]

Geoffrey, I did Bulgarian Split Squats today till I couldn't get back up, I had to get on the floor and pull myself back up 😂 and I loved it! I loaded them 50% more than before and I think I was being conservative. I did this because you said you've done split squats till you fall over and you said people don't load them adequately. So I did!

[@catedoge3206]

at times, especially when i'm in a groove for multiple weeks on end, i think that i grow fast and easy. the truth is that my baseline training is far more intense than most people's end range of their training intensity and that's the reason. i'm a masochist. the progress is a means to an end. what i'm after is pain. i train to not kill myself. the feeling of pain is what i live for. the only thing i can feel. and so this too shall be the reason why I will be a world champ someday. i have this unrelenting behemoth of a driving energy within me telling me to kill myself from exhaustion. my job now is to reign that in and be patient. patience is key.

[@alexandermendez4653]

You good bro?

[@catedoge3206]

@@alexandermendez4653 I will be.

[@aaronjosephs2560]

I do pretty low volume because I know for me right now, it works best for my lifestyle/schedule/recovery capacity/etc to do 1-2 sets to or past failure on most movements. When I only worked part time I did much higher volumes because I could spend as long as I wanted in the gym, but right now I opt for low volume--better than that risking skipping workouts

[@travishowrish4711]

One set is plenty. Research has clearly shown you’re getting around 60% of the gains from the first set. After 2-3 sets you’ve pretty much maxed out, doing more isn’t going to make any meaningful difference.

[@EDIIIZ]

Yeah with work doing ppl was to fatiguing for me. Switched to the not so "optimal" bro split and finally seeing some progress and being able to overload every other workout.

[@Bzilla]

What’s wrong with training like a wimp GVS 😡 training hard is natty cope

[@onetwothreefourfive12345]

Very true info from my fav fitness youtuber as usual.

[@DavidSomersHarris]

Loved the irony of that outro

[@hypertrophydisciple]

Geoff is the CEO of training hard at this point.

[@j1233191]

The title did remind me of AX's practices, I have to admit. It's a good thing your videos usually have substance and are put out with integrity in spite of that

[@ruckerbrady8342]

This video doesn't apply to me simply because I never had a problem training hard. My fatigue is always high to be honest though. I have a good handle on training hard for many years now. I'm actually working on dialing DOWN the intensity to minimize fatigue.

[@xavierayayaell546]

Bro I have been training 5 months at age 46 and I do full body every other day. My fatigue is insane but I keep going. Have dialled down my routine over and over again but it doesn't feel right if I'm not destroyed by the end of every session. On top of this I've been cutting this whole 5 months to different degrees, lost 3 stone, down to 12.5 stone... I feel like I'm making myself ill to be honest, BUT I LOVE IT.

[@aidenhowell9324]

I use to be a bit of a bitch in the gym, your videos have 100% helped turn that around. Repping out those last couple of partials beyond failure gives you a fucking burn like no other but now its something I look forward.

[@jakebeckmann9372]

I never went through the initial stage of ego-lifting that a lot of people go through, so therefore I never got the easy newbie strength gains a lot of people get from trying weight that isn't really optimal for them. I focused purely on form and doing the movements as strictly as possible for the first two years but never really upped the weight past 20 lb dumbbells or a 100lb bench press. I recently started loading more weights and got heavier dumbbells, and with a 2-5 rep range I'm making some serious god damn gains! If it's hard for you to reach failure, up the weight and you will be super surprised! Don't be afraid to lift heavy is what im tryna say.

[@spurzo-thespiralspacewolf8916]

I take every set of every exercise to that grid point and I know I can’t get another rep at all. Love training to that point. Even on squats and deadlifts

[@papaspaulding]

Failure should be failure. ie not to the point where you know you cant get another rep, but to the point where you keep going until you literally fail to get another rep whilst struggling to do so, ie "cant get another rep" but you try to anyway with everything you've got mentally and physically (unless on compounds such as squat or bench without a training partner of course)

[@acidbaron]

Great advice as usual, 2 weeks in your 3 day program and liking it so far

[@HerculesFit]

Effort > Perfection 💪

[@MrEsPlace]

Seeing a GVS and House of Hypertrophy collaborative video would be really cool

[@GodlessPhilosopher]

I’m gonna check out your 3x week Boostcamp program right now!

[@thewingedone1172]

Very happy about work capacity video coming up soon, mine is absolute shit

[@Isaaclifts11]

About to be hitting every set like my family is being held hostage

[@miroslavnovara1929]

Dude, you are pure gold

[@iamcorneliu1097]

3:47 that light is godly

[@kh-wg9bt]

My new approach is 2 full body sessions per week. And having ample energy to go balls to wall twice per week is serving me well. Plus I'm restricting these days for high caffeine intake and either having zero or reduced caffeine on cardio days. I think most people would be better off doing this than 5 days per week half arsed

[@Freedomfortruth90]

I train 3-4 times per week and have for the last 12 months or so started training to safe failure and I've had better results in a year then I had over many years.

[@joaolopes3029]

My favourite part of the day! Another great video!

[@nicholash3849]

defo kicked it up a notch or two since watching you. i was probably calling rpe9 rpe 7, now im just going past the pain threshold and into gains territory

[@gmelliot19]

Here's a BRUTAL pullup circuit i like to do every 1-2 weeks. It only requires a pullup bar and set of dumbbells: exercise 1: pullup exercise 2: shoulder press exercise 3: chinups exercise 4: shrugs, lateral raise, or overhead tricep extensions (I just cycle between these) exercise 5: shrugs, lateral raise, or overhead tricep extensions (I just cycle between these) Each circuit should take ~5 minutes. I start with a 6 RPE on pullups/chinups and rest just enough between circuits to keep my reps/set from falling. Each circuit I have to go to increasingly close to failure to hit the same reps/set. If I fail to hit the same reps/set I rest for 2 minutes and start that circuit over. 2 minutes might not seem like enough rest but the pulling muscles are already recovery while you perform the antagonist exercises. I stop when I fail to hit the reps twice in a row. That method usually lets me get in 4-5 circuits and 8-10 total sets of pullups/chinups. You can also go for total reps and stop once you hit a certain rep goal (ideally somewhere between 50-100 total pullups/chinups). For the other exercises I don't count the reps and just focus on effort. These exercises (ohp, shrugs, lateral raises, tricep extensions) minimally interfere with the pullups/chinups while letting you utilize the rest periods to get in extra sets and maintain a high work rate. If you repeat this 8-10 times with 1-2 minutes rest between each circuit it will take about an hour and you will be performing exercise 70-80% of the time, making it very demanding cardiovascularly. I challenge you to try this with a timer and heart rate monitor.

[@HOORAY4BOOTAY5]

I remember doing 45 reps on the leg press, jeez I couldn't even stand up properly or so. I also did 35 squats I actually got physically nauseous, so I had to reduce the intensity, I did them non-stop.

[@Ethan-el6gl]

Geoff you are looking absolutely insane!

[@FranckBellet]

Liked before I watched.

[@Luraj7]

Need more content creators saying this

[@ok4738]

5th point is interesting because there a lot of complex variables (e.g amount of time training, genetics, volume etc). I am only a couple years into training (not including the first year where I knew fuck all about progressive overload). In the first year or so I trained legs with multiple sets to failure, and I found that my CNS was burning out a lot due to stupidly training like an intermediate/advanced lifter as a novice. At this point my thighs were about 23 inches (at least according to notes I found, I was probably rounding it up for all I knew). I then gave HIT a try with an open mind and within under a year my legs went up to 25 inches (this time making sure the measurements were right). However, at this time I also started taking adductor training seriously so that could have been a factor as well. I'm curious if maybe it worked because of the increased recovery & bulk I was doing or if HIT actually worked. Something also worth noting is some muscle groups I still train HIT (e.g legs & some back [barbell rows]). I still see growth in these areas, although I think I have above average back genetics so who can tell. For other groups such as arms & shoulders I have gone back to multiple working sets to 1-0RIR as they don't respond to HIT as well. I think different muscle groups respond differently to different training stimuli but again its probably just me. I might try multiple working sets for legs again to see if it is any different this time.

[@BasedChadman]

Very glad you touch on the failure aspect. The most insane physiques I see are those who really commit to the grind, even those who are enhanced. Regardless of the untrained hypertrophy data, there's also data to suggest full motor unit recruitment leads to greater gains in those who are both untrained and trained. Athlean X isn't right about a lot, but calling RPE a "really poor excuse" on the majority of lifts actually checks out in reality most of the time.

[@jakezaragoza6091]

I like taking isolation movements to failure especially doing arms 💪🏽

[@Sparksnorthern]

Another great video and looking forward to the work capacity video as I'm adding volume to some lifts this week

[@madhusudan]

I took my sets to failure today just to verify my intuitive sense of usually stopping at 1 maybe 2 RIR. Turns out I was in the right ballpark as I was only able to grind out 1 more clean rep and then another half upon which I'd fail. Thanks for helping me confirm I'm not training like a pu-....I mean wimp.

[@jricknuts8067]

John Meadows always preached partial reps, 5-6, after you lose the ability for a proper rep. I have tried implementing this the last six months or so on many different exercises(mostly delts and arms) and I definitely get something out of it. I could care less if people look at me finishing a set doing partials. It works and you know you are going to failure when you bang out six partials after being done with proper form because you no longer can

[@koolmc8786]

Lmao bro ur editing gets me every time I love ur sense of humour

[@JV-py3lg]

Locked in focus is easy when you’re train from home 💪

[@TemplarDrakova]

I think I am training pretty hard and I am hitting PRs. The one thing I hate is the god damn music at my gym. I don't want to listen to songs about chilling out and doing drugs. Or some Taylor Swift relationship song. It is such an awful buzz kill. Sometimes I get fantasies to attack the person who made the play list so I can keep my focus. Shit is so loud I can hear it through head phones too.

[@cody9133]

I have found high-intensity/heavy duty training very helpful as an accessory to strength training. I lift 3 times a week with full body strength portion and then follow that up with a high-intensity for a specific body part. The idea is that the strength portion is training neurological adaptation with some hypertrophy carryover and the high-intensity is providing the stimulus needed for further myofibrillar hypertrophy. That way on the next session I have more muscle fibers for the neuros to find and recruit. This makes me strong, which in turn helps me lift more weight in the high intensity portion. In this symbiotic relationship, the strength feeds into high intensity and high intensity feeds into the strength. For example, Monday would be a 5x5 of Squat, Bench, Bent-Over Rows followed by one high-intensity super set of chest flys and incline press followed by another super set of straight arm pulldowns and underhand pull downs. Could I do 2 super sets? Yeah, I have the capacity for it. But right now I'm making the progress I want so no need to push it (more weight every week on the strength side and more weight or reps every session on the high intensity side). If/when progress stalls, then it's time to start upping the volume. But fatigue should also be managed. Training for strength will always be the most beneficial for the beginning/intermediate. That's the meat and potatoes. Everything else is just fun dessert.

[@adampark1104]

@6:19 ... possibly the scariest facial next to Mariusz Pudzianowski deadlifting

[@maxmaximum-sh4bx]

Great video Geoffrey. Thanks for the good training information that you uploading on KZbin.

[@ninjanik2095]

im sure my tennis elbow is gonna love this video. fawk! Getting impatient ova' here

[@HenriqueGdeC]

2 first sets to "fake failure" where the muscle feels tired and you feel you want to stop and then 2 sets all the way to magikarp splash

[@akumm2k]

Hi, I believe you mentioned training **despite** fatigue. Please correct me if I am wrong or miss something here. From what I have heard from the likes of Dr. Huberman, and Derek from "More plate more dates" and experienced personally, I believe that sleep and rest is the biggest factor in growing and ultimately progressively overloading. With fatigue, I simply perform worse, given I am truly failing -- doing the next rep to save someone stuck on a railway track. For clarification, by fatigue, I simply mean tiredness. I also believe that in fact you can use "worse performance" as a litmus test for fatigue, GIVEN your diet and lifestyle outside the gym have not changed. So, I don't fully understand your take on training **despite** fatigue in order to grow. Could you please elaborate? You also mention that "maximizing fatigue", which to me is not a very concrete concept. What do you mean exactly? How do you maximize fatigue? I think it is a consequence of a conglomerate of things -- diet, workload, stress, hormones at the very least. There have been occasions when I worked out real hard, maxed out my stats, and still was able to go on with my day feeling energetic. You also mention that stimulus and fatigue go hand in hand. This is not true. My grandpa is always fatigued, but unfortunately he's not growing by the day. This is a corner case counter-example, however, it would be great if you could please elaborate on how to actually make fatigue and stimulus go hand in hand. Thank you :)

[@bmmaia81]

all good, but the two times I consistently train for failure, I ended up injured and had to stop. My training now, is graduallly approach failure every week, and never got injured again. Example: week3 - 2 reps from failure, week 4 - 1 rep from failure; week 5 train for failure. week6 deload and repeat.

[@richiec2264]

Thank you for this video! and i love the memes! they're hilarious!

[@Dram1984]

I like point number one. I ground out an OHP today that felt like it took about 10 minutes to get up. lol I almost died.

[@g.thandi824]

Excellent video brother. Kind of related to my comment I posted previously on you sharing your mindset for hard work and pushing yourself - you did kind of touch on that in this piece, but the video was more focused on the “what” - becoming aware of identifying lack of hard work vs the “how” to actually work hard. I wonder, is this the “set-up” for the HOW in a future video? Lately my strategy has been to just become you on my going to failure sets. Literally imagine I am you. They say, sometimes for behaviour change, a strategy is to be someone else until you truly develop the skills you’re intending to. Sometimes a strategy is imagining horrible things if I do not push it past failure. I know, the how may sound obvious - and everyone has their own answers inside - but still would be valuable to describe you explain your how.

[@renatorossit4314]

You are a legend

[@surreshk]

Thank you bro

[@DJcs187]

11:25 Damn, never thought of it this way. I really am making sure to train hard enough, particularly when it comes to effort, but it's definitely possible that I've been holding back in regards to total volume because of trying to not feel too tired or fatigued in general.

[@iiJDSii]

Solid vid, my results got better when my sets started looking more like yours. HIT is definitely a cult... you should go into this more lol.

[@robertbene5115]

I started working out every 3-4day, full body with super high intensity, 1 set to failure or beyond, and honestly, i am making the best gains of my life, with only a 30-35m workout. I am not sure how the general population is doing on very low volume, but for me its seems to work really good.

[@bmledoux]

Counterpoint… thinking an exercise that is harder is therefore better could be a sign you do not know as much as you think. If your goal is getting close to optimal movements youre probably best served to evaluate movements based on how they actually work a given muscle vs how hard/easy they appear. It’s a mindset shift for sure and wholly dependent on your individual goals

[@Soccasteve]

You missed the point

[@bmledoux]

@@Soccasteve def didnt. He has good content for certain people for sure though depending on their goals, respect to him!

[@Soccasteve]

@@bmledoux All he was saying was not to neglect basic movements especially if you're less experienced. Basic movements will always carry over to easier (meaning easier to execute, less of a learning curve) movements and will drive your progress over the long haul. There's nothing wrong with easier movements you just have to use them in conjunction with the basics. A perfect example is someone using a cable chest press over a regular incline barbell bench. The cable chest press may "target" the muscle better, but the overload potential is tiny compared to something like a barbell incline bench.

[@TRoninYT]

I know I contribute to your dm mess, but I appreciate the responses even if it's just a ❤ Watch Alex and you train, really pushing for those reps, has really been a good influence for me. For most of my isolation work, I try to make failure the default and possibly additional work after (rest/pause, forced reps, baby reps, etc) with each set. Even pushing safe compounds (bench with support) I found some "0 rir" sets WOULD have been 1 rir sets if I didn't try for that last one. Also meant I have footage of me NOT completing said rep... it also means I have footage of reps that take several seconds to finish and maybe freeze a bit before I get there. Oh, and those nasty effort faces to. Actually, my effort faces and final slow, grindy high effort reps are the main way I'm "progressively overloading". Trying hard to get more out of the same volume. Effort man. It's hard.

[@Taylor.....]

I feel called out watching him do lateral raises on that machine damn i wish my gym had one i always feel like as i get tired with dumbells weird back muscles start getting involved and the traps not even sure i feel shoulders at the end

[@snowmonkeyambassador]

True facts, even into your 40s

[@joaomatos8286]

"Not a lot of people can do max effort without faces", that's so true....meanwhile when I see Jeff Alberts training he doesn't even seem to flinch!

[@GVS]

He's the guy I was thinking of who trains hard but doesn't show much (if any?) emotion. Generally if someone looks that way they're sandbagging but I'd never accuse him of that.

[@CigEconomy]

Problem is most lifters have never experienced true pain and fatigue before so they don't have anything to compare their workouts to. This is why former endurance athletes do so well in lifting. My hardest lifting workouts still hardly come close to a medium day on the track yet most people don't even have the pain tolerance for that. Can't say I blame people though. If you never did a tough sport in high school or college it's extremely difficult to develop the mental toughness necessary to push through extremely difficult workouts by yourself. It does help to get a workout partner or coach though.

[@daltonrector1440]

I used to work out by myself in my back yard when I was younger. I had little to no equipment. So, not only did I appreciate working out at a gym when I started , but I already had a base of pushing myself.