I've been training with Apple Fitness+ at home for over two years. Without destroying myself, without extreme sessions, just improve from week to week and do my best with my Apple Watch. The result: 10 kilos of muscle gained sustainably. I know it could be more, but I've been clear that the goal is to change my lifestyle and not arrive at summer in better or worse shape.
They say that to really gain muscle, you must reach what is called muscle failure. That moment when you can't lift the weight or practically move the muscle itself, even without weight. However, a scientific study confirms what Apple's platform has been teaching us for some time: it is not necessary to reach muscle failure to obtain results.
It is possible to gain muscle without failing
The research is recent and focuses on muscle hypertrophy. shed light on the issue. And it's not that training for muscle failure doesn't give results. Of course he has them. However, maybe it's not worth it reaching this point of “suffering” to make only slightly greater progress.
The studio is staffed by several renowned authors, including Brad Schoenfeld and Milo Wolf. People participated:
- With one year of training experience.
- In a fullbody routine of 9 exercises.
- Two weekly sessions.
- And with only one series per exercise at each session.
The main difference between the two groups was that one group trained to total muscle failure, while the other left two repetitions in reserve. The result? Amazing: Both groups gained virtually the same muscle mass. While it is true that the group that trained to failure gained slightly more, the difference was not statistically significant.
Muscular performance: in pink until failure and in green with two repetitions in reserve
The keys to training without muscle failure
The explanation behind the study provides several keys. First of all, a series with two reps in reserve provide three effective repswhich, although less than the five that a set provides in case of failure, seems sufficient to exceed the minimum threshold necessary to generate hypertrophy in most people.
On the other hand, the last repetitions to failure can cause excessive muscle damage which is counterproductive. When this happens, some of the protein synthesis that could contribute to muscle growth must be diverted toward repairing the damage. Actually, reaching failure is not necessary in most situations because staying with reps in reserve can provide all the benefits of high intensity without the drawbacks of muscle failure.
The study also reveals significant correlations between training intensity, volume and frequency. If you want to work at very high intensities, you must necessarily reduce the training volume. Likewise, training more frequently can be beneficial, but only if we are able to recover properly, which becomes more complicated when we bring each set to failure.
This research invites us to reconsider our approach to training. It may not be necessary to push each set to the absolute limit to achieve optimal results. A gentler approach can not only be just as effective, but also allows us to train more frequently and recover better, which, in the long term, could translate into better results.
How to know if I'm training really hard with Apple Watch
The Apple Watch can be our best ally. Since watchOS 11, the Exercise Load function allows us objectively monitor our efforts and see if we are maintaining adequate progress. The process is simple:
- Start your strength training on Apple Watch
- When you are finished, rate from 0 to 10 how you felt during the session.
- Check the exercise load in the Fitness app on your iPhone to see if your intensity is increasing, holding steady, or decreasing.
This measurement is particularly useful because it helps us find the point between training enough to progress and failure. If you notice that your exercise load maintains a gradual upward trend, you you are on the right track.
After the evidence that this study shows us, the key is in feel the muscle workingbut always with the feeling that “we could do a little more”. It's not about destroying yourself, but rather maintaining the feeling that the muscle is being put to the test while maintaining total control of the movement.
A good rule of thumb is: the last repetitions should be expensive, but without ever compromising the technique. If you start “cheating” or compensating with other muscles, you're probably overdoing it. And as we are always reminded at Apple Fitness+: the goal is not to be perfect, but to be consistent. And now science confirms it: to build muscle and stay in shape, it's better train smart and moderate than looking for muscle failure at each session.
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