When strength training, failure can have two meanings.

First, failure is when you literally can’t lift the bar. For instance, if you take the bar down to your chest and can’t budge it an inch off your chest—that’s it, you’ve failed.

Second, failure can mean the point at which your form breaks down during a set. This is usually called “technical failure.” An example of this would be when you’re training deadlifts and pull 315 pounds for five reps with picture-perfect form. However, you then go on to perform two more reps, but your form goes out the window and you look like a scared cat on reps six and seven. Here, technical failure occurred on rep six.

I try to avoid failure of either kind when training because it’s not necessary to fail in order to get stronger.

If you abide by the principle of always leaving a rep in the tank, you won’t go wrong.

If you avoid this advice and instead train to failure, the following may become your reality:

• Your technique will worsen due to all the poor reps you’re now doing past the point of technical failure.
  
  

• Overtraining...It’s my observation that the guys I train with who regularly fail during training are those who have the most problems with recovery and need the most back-off weeks.
  
  

• Injuries...training to failure is dangerous and invites injury. Save absolute grinders for the meets. If you don’t compete or compete in another sport, avoid failure entirely in your strength training.