Beyond failure: five weider principles that allow you to train past failure, increase workout intensity and accelerate muscle gains

Flex, May, 2002 by Greg Merritt

The other four techniques discussed in this feature can all be performed alone, but to incorporate the Weider Forced Reps Training Principle, you'll need the services of at least one spotter. Returning to our set of barbell curls, once you've reached failure doing full reps on your own, your partner should step in, place his fingers under the bar and give only minimum assistance.

The key to these "forced reps" is that your spotter helps you out only enouqh to keep the bar moving through a full range of motion. He may only need to barely touch the bar for the first two forced reps. You'll be doing most of the work. For subsequent reps, your spotter will invariably have to help you more and more, but he should never do more work than you. If you truly reached failure on your own, your strength should drop off quickly when expanding a set, so three or four forced reps should suffice.

Best movements for using this principle: bench presses, shoulder presses, barbell curls and machine exercises

Don't use this principle for these exercises: compound movements such as squats, deadlifts and barbell rows