2009 Studies & Research Blog

Common sense, as well as scientific studies, have established that pre- and post-workout nutrition are essential components to a training program.  Supplying your body with the fuel and the nutrients it needs before any type of exercise allows you to perform at a higher level.  Likewise, re-fueling tired muscles, reversing catabolism and initiating anabolism with a post-workout feeding benefits the pursuit of muscle mass.

Recently, intra-workout supplementation has gained popularity in the bodybuilding community.  The consumption of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), as well as Citrulline Malate and even whey protein during lifting sessions is now commonplace.  However, it seems that intra-workout carbohydrate supplementation is less popular.  This is a shame, because carbohydrates can have beneficial effects when taken during training.

One study analzyed the performance of cyclists with or without the supplementation of carbohydrates.  The researchers found that cortisol levels were reduced, and time-trial performance improved, during trials with carbohydrate supplementation.  Interestingly, fat oxidation was significantly increased when carbohydrates and caffeine were supplemented together during the trials (1).

Critics of intra-workout carbohydrate supplementation argue that it reduces the body’s ability to burn fat during exercise.  However, research has shown that this is not necessarily the case.  Levels of fat oxidation were not significantly different and researchers concluded that during "moderate-intensity exercise," the feeding didn’t "suppress fat oxidation" (2).

Additionally, carbohydrates play a vital role when supplementing amino acids during exercise.  Researchers have noted that carbohydrates assist in "potentiating protein balance" and can help "meet the fuel needs of the working muscles."  Furthermore, carbohydrate consumption, with or without BCAA supplementation, "provides an effective strategy against both peripheral and central mechanisms of fatigue" (3).

Still, many critics will point out that the majority of the studies on this subject relate to endurance exercise.  However, research on carbohydrate supplementation has been tested in other athletic events, such as soccer, as well (3).

If you do choose to supplement carbohydrates during training, dosage is an important consideration.  Obviously, consuming too many calories during any kind of exercise will counteract the effects of the activity.  However, studies have indicated that 20 grams of carbohydrates can be oxidized in one hour of exercise.  While you may still be skeptical of carbohydrate ingestion for shorter workouts, researchers advised that during longer training sessions, there is "no doubt" that carbohydrates should be supplemented (4).

In the end, the decision whether or not to take in carbohydrates during training is up to you.  You should consider how these calories will fit into your overall fitness plan, and whether the duration and intensity of your training calls for additional nutrition.

SOURCES:

1. Slivka, Dustin, et al. Effects of Caffeine and Carbohydrate Use on Exercise Performance, Substrate Oxidation and Salivary Cortisol. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2008; 40(5): S361.

2. Civitarese, Anthony E., et al. Glucose ingestion during exercise blunts exercise-induced gene expression of skeletal muscle fat oxidative genes. American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2005; 289: E1023-E1029.

3. Burke, Louise M. Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) and Athletic Performance. International Sports Medicine Journal, 2001; 2(3): 1-7.

4. Dennis, S.C., et al. Nutritional strategies to minimize fatigue during prolonged exercise: Fluid, electrolyte and energy replacement. Journal of Sports Sciences, 1997; 15(3): 305-313.

One very common notion that many people have is that as they grow older, they will experience a slowed metabolism, thus making it harder and harder for them to maintain their body weight over time.  Many people blame ‘getting older’ for their increased body weight and chalk it up to nature taking its course – which they have no control over.

This, however, is incredibly incorrect.  To illustrate why, we look at a study that was performed by researchers out of the Center for Physical Activity at the University of Colorado.  They wanted to asses the age-related decline in RMR (metabolic rate) in physically active men in relation to total exercise volume as well as energy intake.

To perform the study, they looked at 137 healthy adult men who had been maintaining their weight for at least a time period of 6 months.  They looked at 32 younger subjects (26 years of age or less) and 34 older subjects (62 years of age or older) in a sedentary group to act as controls as well as 39 younger males and 32 older males who were of the physically active group (classified as the participation in regular endurance exercises).

The primary measurement to be taken was RMR, which was assessed through indirect calorimetry during an overnight fasting period as well as 24 hours after exercise.  Due to the fact that RMR is directly associated with fat free mass and the active subjects had more fat free mass than their sedentary counterparts on average, the readings for RMR were adjusted accordingly.

Once the results were determined it was demonstrated that the RMR in the active men was most correlated with total exercise volume (with not as much regard to exercise intensity) as well as the estimated energy intake consumed by the subjects.

Interestingly, the RMR did not differ significantly between younger or older males who were performing similar total volumes of exercise, proving that the notion that RMR will automatically decline with age is false.  

So, the take home message here is that you shouldn’t be so quick to blame the process of aging for your weight gain.  What needs to be blamed is the fact that as you’ve grown older, you’ve become more sedentary or have reduced back on the volume of exercise you are able to maintain.  It is these changes that correlate more so to a decreased resting metabolic rate over the long term.

Reference:

Dinneno, FA. Et al. (2001) Age-related decline in RMR in physically active men; relation to exercise volume and energy intake. American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism. Sep; 281(3):E633-9.

Athletes can sweat up to 100 ounces of water per hour while training in a hot environment. Since the gut can absorb only 30-33 ounces of water per hour, athletes can dehydrate even though they drink plenty of water.

Here are 6 quick tips to help your gut absorb water faster:

• Have water in your gut when your start exercising (drink plenty before the practice, workout, or event).
• Drink a cold beverage (41 to 50° F)
• Drink a beverage that’s low in sugar and salt
• Add 60 grams of medium-chain carbohydrates (maltodextrin works best) to each 33 ounces of your beverage (if it’s water)
• Drink a little often
• Choose a beverage that you like

Also:

• Train to drink a lot. Your body can’t “adapt” to dehydration and you won’t increase the quantity of water your can drink without feeling ill if you don’t work at it.
• Drink plenty between workouts to recover faster. Also, salt your meals (or drinks) between workouts. This helps keep the water in and rehydrate faster. This, in turn, speeds up recovery.

Note that these tips apply to sports or cardiovascular exercise in a hot environment, where dehydration is an issue. If you just lift weights, you don’t sweat much during training, and your goal is to build muscle, I’d recommend you stick with a protein shake with some medium-chain carbohydrates added in a ratio of 2:1 (begin with 30 g carbs and 15 g protein; scale up until you experience discomfort).

References and additional reading

Horswill CA (1998) Effective fluid replacement. Int J Sport Nutr      8(2):175-95.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9637195

Convertino VA et al. (1996) American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc      28(1):i-vii.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9303999

Bio and free $50 book on building muscle

If you’re still reading, chances are, you want to know more about me. I (really) am passionate about weightlifting, and I enjoy reading (mostly on leadership and personal development), studying (currently at the Ph.D in Health Promotion), and spending quality time with friends. I also wrote a book to help people build muscle. I wrote it for intermediate lifters who hit a plateau after 2-3 months of serious training. If you haven’t been putting on muscle lately, you might want to check it out. It’s worth $50, but you can it free at www.buildingmuscleformula.com.

A favorite saying among many in my age group is, "growing old is inevitable; growing up is optional."  It’s a refreshing thought to be able to remain young at heart, even as your body grows older.  But what if the effects of aging could be put off as well?  Wouldn’t it be great to be able to retain your physique and keep the muscle of your youth?

For older athletes, the threat of sarcopenia, the "age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function," is a very real one.  Despite resistance training and other muscle-building efforts, age takes a toll on an individual’s muscular system.  And the process can begin sooner than you think - research has concluded sarcopenia can begin during your 40s (1).  Another factor working against athletes passing out of their primes is a lower rate of protein synthesis, which contributes to reduced amounts of muscle mass (2).

But that doesn’t mean adding muscle is impossible for those whose bodies have matured; recent research points to Alpha Linoleic Acid as a way to stave off the muscular degeneration that comes with age.

A study compared the effects of ALA on two groups of adults participating in an identical resistance training program.  Over the course of 12 weeks, the men supplementing with ALA experienced a reduction in concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), an inflammatory molecule that is related to muscle atrophy (3,4).  The researchers concluded that due to the reduction of inflammatory effects, ALA has the ability to "reduce the risk of musculoskeletal changes associated with aging."  Additionally, ALA "attenuated the increase in total body bone mineral density observed with a resistance training program" (3).

Alpha Linoleic Acid’s benefits aren’t just for older athletes, though. The polyunsaturated fatty acid was found to have "clinical significance in the prevention and reversal of insulin resistance," a condition that is associated with weight gain, fat storage, high blood sugar, and increased blood pressure (5).  Obviously, none of these consequences are conducive to a healthy lifestyle, so intake of ALA can benefit anyone.

In addition to supplements, ALA is found in soybeans, walnuts, flax, chia, rapeseed and their associated oils.

SOURCES:

1. Waters, D.L., R.N. Baumgartner & P.J. Garry. 2000. “Sarcopenia: Current Perspectives.” The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging 4(3):133-139.

2. Yarasheski, K.E. et al. 1999. “Resistance Exercise Training Increases Mixed Muscle Protein Synthesis Rate in Frail Women and Men.” American Journal of Physiology 277: 118-125

3. Cornish, Stephen M.; Chilibeck, Philip D. 2008. "Effects of Alpha-Linolenic Acid Supplementation on Cytokines During Resistance Training in Older Adults." Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 40(5): 402.

One problem that plagues many athletes, especially those who are participating in longer endurance running events is that of muscle cramping, particularly in the abdominal region.  Some people refer to these as ‘side stitches’ other simply call them cramps – whatever you want to call them though, one thing is certain and that is that they can severely debilitate your performance.  In most cases, they will actually cause you to cease movement and you may have to walk or just stand until the cramp goes away.

But, what causes these cramps in the first place? One common thought is that ingestion of fluids will increase your likelihood of developing stomach cramps, and because of this, many people find themselves staying away from drinking too much before they go out for a run. Is this necessary?

Researchers out of the Avondale Centre for Exercise Science in Australia had a look at this exact issue in a study they conducted that investigated the effect of ingested fluid composition on abdominal pain.

They had forty subjects who had previously complained about cramps during exercise complete four different treadmill exercise trials.  These trials consisted of a no-fluid trial, a flavoured water trial (no carbohydrate content, 48 mosmol/L, pH 3.3), a sports drink trial (6% carbohydrate, 295 mosmol/L, pH 3.3), and finally, fruit juice (10.4% total carbohydrate, 489 mosmol/L, pH 3.2).

After each beverage was taken and the corresponding exercise completed, the measures of gastrointestinal disturbances, with particular attention being paid to bloating were assessed.

The results indicated that the fruit juice had a much higher chance to cause muscular cramps in the abdominal region as well as bloating in comparison to the other three test trials, with no difference being seen between the no-fluid, flavoured water, or sports drink beverages.

These results then indicate that if you’re looking to avoid stomach cramping problems during exercise, it would be a smart idea to avoid fruit juices or other beverages that have a higher carbohydrate content and osmolality before you partake in physical exercise.

Reference:

Aragon-Vargas LF, et al. (2004). Effect of ingested fluid composition on exercise-related transient abdominal pain. Int Journal Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. April; 14(2):197-208.

Let’s face it - the fitness community is always on the lookout for the next big thing, whether it’s a revolutionary training technique or a magical detox diet.  Once a few people find success with something, it catches on like wildfire.  Lately, there has been a lot of talk about the power of antioxidants.  But what exactly are they, what do they do, and more importantly - do they even matter?

As you’re about to see, the answer to that last question is a resounding "yes!"  Antioxidants are chemical compounds that protect your body’s cells from the harmful effects of free radicals, the by-products of some metabolic processes as well as pollution and cigarette smoke.  Research has shown that antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E, selenium, and beta carotene may help prevent the diseases of aging, heart disease, and certain cancers (1).

However, recent research has suggested even more powerful effects of antioxidants.  A study in Taiwan indicated that antioxidant compounds could "inhibit the formation of fat formation from fat cells."  One compound in particular, rutin, was found to inhibit the activity of heart-disease causing triglycerides by up to 83 percent.  These profound effects led researchers to conclude that certain antioxidants could help prevent the formation of fat cells and could "be effective in improving the symptoms of metabolic syndrome," a condition causing obesity and hypertension and related to diabetes (2).

If this all sounds too good to be true, hang on, because it’s about to get even better.  The benefits of antioxidants aren’t just limited to those at risk for obesity or people who come into contact with smoke and polluted air.  The chemical compounds also have profound consequences for athletes.

While physical exercise has many positives, it does have at least one negative - the exertion generates free radicals in the body.  However, antioxidant supplementation can help mitigate these effects, and it has been suggested that antioxidants can "provide insurance against a suboptimal diet and/or the elevated demands of physical activity" (3).

And while such effects may not seem as impressive because they aren’t really visible, the combination of antioxidants and exercise is a potent one and has some visually detectable results, too.  One study in particular investigated the effects of resistance training and antioxidant supplementation by tracking four groups - one control, one group that performed resistance training only, one that supplemented with antioxidants only, and one that performed resistance training and supplemented with antioxidants.

The results of the study eliminated all doubts in the dynamic duo: the fourth group experienced significantly greater gains in fat-free mass and muscle mass, as well as greater reductions in fat mass than each of the other three groups (4).

Perhaps the best thing about antioxidants is how easily they are obtained; top sources include blueberries, kidney beans, cranberries, artichokes, apples, strawberries and potatoes.

SOURCES:

1. Mitchell, Susan. “Antioxidants.” Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z. 2008.

2. C.-L. Hsu, G.-C. Yen. “Effects of Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids on the Inhibition of Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2007; (55):8404-8410

3. Kanter, Mitchell. “Free Radicals, Exercise and Antioxidant Supplementation.” Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 1998; (57):9-13

4. Labonté, Mélissa, et al. “Effects of Antioxidant Supplements combined with Resistance Exercise on Gains in Fat-Free Mass in Health Elderly Subjects.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2008; (56): 1766-1768

With all the many different training methods available, there are plenty of options with regards to how you can go about designing your training program.  Depending on your individual goals, certain exercises will be much more beneficial than others, so it’s always vital to look at programs within the context of your goals.

If your goal happens to be speed-strength or sprint oriented one technique that is starting to gain some attention as a training mechanism is whole body vibration training.  Recently, researchers out of the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences in Auckland, New Zealand looked at whether vibration training could enhance strength, power, or speed of athletes using it.

In their study, they noted that the vibration training did cause an increase in the g-forces acting on the muscles, which increased the loading parameters of the exercise.  Due to this increased loading, they concluded that this should also help to increase the total muscle hypertrophy and could possibly even increase neuromuscular potentiation.

One thing the authors of the study did notice though was that the vibration training did not seem to do a great deal for the speed of the athletes, so the effects seen were more noticed with regards to maximal speed and power.

Another previous study that looked at whole body vibration training was published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine back in 2005. During this study, twenty experienced sprint trained athletes were randomly assigned to a whole body vibration training group or a control group during a 5 week training period.  All the athletes kept up with their regular workout programs however the vibration training group also underwent a three times a week vibration training protocol, consisting of unloaded static and dynamic leg exercises on a vibration platform.

The vibration training consisted of unloaded static and dynamic leg exercises on a vibration platform along with pre and post isometric and dynamic knee extensor and flexor exercises on a motor-driven dynamometer.  

The results of this study were not quite the same in that no differences in vertical jump or sprint running velocity were seen.  

Therefore, the take home message for you is that you may want to look into trying different training methods to augment your goals such as whole body vibration training, but the most significant progress with results is still likely going to come from more traditional training techniques that have been proved time and time again to increase strength, speed, and jumping ability.

References:

Harris, N. et al. (2009) Vibration training: could it enhance the strength, power, or speed of athletes? J Strength Conditioning Research. Auckland, New Zealand. Mar; 23(2):593-603.

A recent double blind placebo controlled study compared creatine ethyl ester(CEE) to creatine monohydrate. The study lasted seven weeks and included thirty men who underwent a resistance training protocol, while receiving one of the three treatments. Subjects took 20g/day of either creatine monohydrate, CEE or placebo for the first five days and then took 5g/day for the remaining 42 days. Some of the key take home points of this study are as follows:

1. Creatine monohydrate showed statistically higher blood serum creatine concentrations compared to CEE,  certainly a good thing in favor of creatine monohydrate over CEE  and goes directly against the marketing tactics of CEE’s supposed superiority of bioavailability over creatine monohydrate. A definite strike against CEE’s efficacy.

2. When creatine is metabolized, it is broken down into a waste product called creatinine, which our body excretes. The researchers found that CEE actually increased creatinine levels 3x greater than creatine monohydrate, again not a good thing. Another strike two against CEE.

3. Very importantly, muscle creatine levels with creatine monohydrate where significantly higher than CEE. And creatine monohydrate showed increases in muscle creatine levels at day 6, while it took CEE 27 days to show a similar increase. This should come as no surprise, as a previous study(Tallon) showed much of CEE gets converted in the stomach acid into the waste product creatinine. So by the time it reached the blood serum, there would be less available to be transported into skeletal muscle and raise muscle creatine concentrations. Another strike against CEE and again this data goes directly the marketing claims from CEE containing products, that CEE works faster than creatine monohydrate.

4. Lastly, extracellular water(bloat) was increased greatest in the CEE group, again go directly against the marketing claims put forth by CEE products, that CEE causes less water retention(bloat) compared to creatine monohydrate.

Mike Spillane1, Ryan Schoch4, Matt Cooke1, Travis Harvey5, Mike Greenwood1, Richard Kreider3 and Darryn S Willoughby
The effects of creatine ethyl ester supplementation combined with heavy resistance training on body composition, muscle
performance, and serum and muscle creatine levels. Journal of the international society of sports nutrition 2009, 6:6

By: ATHLETIC EDGE NUTRITION

Dairy farmers have been saying it for years - milk does a body good.  The seemingly innocuous beverage, though, has touched off heated controversy in the bodybuilding community, with some swearing by it and others demonizing the drink.  While the average non-athlete may depend on milk for a boost of protein in perhaps a less than ideal diet, most bodybuilders consume more than enough protein on a daily basis to satisfy their needs.  So what’s the big deal with dairy?

According to recent research, there’s a lot at stake - specifically, improved performance and an accelerated metabolism.  Given these scientific results, it seems foolish not to incorporate some milk into your diet.

The main complaint with many studies, specifically those involving protein intake, is that they don’t relate to weight lifting or athletic performance in general.  This research is different.  The first study, published in [i]Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism[/i], dealt with the consumption of milk-based proteins in the post-workout period.  The participants were all athletes and divided into four groups.  All groups completed a bout of exercise and then were given one of four possible drinks: water, low-fat milk, a chocolate milkshake drink, or a sports beverage consisting of maltodextrin and glucose (similar to Gatorade).

Unsurprisingly, the groups that consumed the chocolate milkshake drink and the low-fat milk showed significantly higher levels of peak torque and total work capacity within 48 hours after exercise.  Interestingly, though, the protein content alone wasn’t the deciding factor of the effectiveness of the recovery beverage.  The chocolate milkshake, with 33 grams of protein, 118 grams of carbohydrates and 16 grams of fat, provided better recovery than the low-fat milk, which contained 34 grams of protein, 49 grams of carbohydrates and 17 grams of fat.  Also worth noting is that both drinks had significant levels of fat, which is usually frowned upon during the post-workout period.  Despite the fat content, peak torque and total work capacity did not suffer dramatically(1).

But milk’s positive effects aren’t merely limited to recovery.  Another study compared the effects of two diets with differing amounts of casein protein in them.  Casein has gained popularity in the bodybuilding community for being a slow-digesting protein source and is easily derived from milk.  But even though it digests slowly, casein appeared to play a role in speeding up subject’s metabolisms, as the study found that the group consuming 25% of their calories from casein had a greater energy expenditures, sleeping metabolism rates and feelings of satiety (2).  This indicates that milk can play a valuable role in dieting.

Whether one is trying to pack on muscle or shed fat, milk can be a very valuable, and cost-effective, supplement.  Bottoms up!

SOURCES:

1. Cockburn, Emma et al. Acute Milk-Based Protein-CHO Supplementation Attenuates Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage. [i]Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism[/i]. 33: 775-783 (2008)

2. Hochstenbach-Waelen, Ananda et al. Comparison of Two Diets with either 25% or 10% Energy as Casein on Energy Expenditure, Substrate Balance, and Apetite Profile. [i]American Journal of Clinical Nutrition[/i]. 89: 1-8 (2009)

For many people out there looking for fat loss, the low carb diet offers many promising benefits.  They experience decreased hunger, steadier levels of energy throughout the day, and often have a much easier time bringing their calories lower, hence they can see faster success while on the diet.

But, with low carb diets, one thing you need to be aware of is the fact that there are implications when it comes to exercise performance.  Since the body is primarily going to run on carbohydrates during exercise (stored muscle glycogen and glucose in the blood stream), when these are brought down very low, high intensity exercise is going to be harder to maintain, so measures need to be taken to adjust the workout program.

On top of that, there are also hormonal changes that will take place while on a lower carb diet, so making yourself aware of these will be important too.

Researchers out of the Department of Applied Physiology in Warsaw, Poland conducted a study where they assessed what types of implications occurred when a severely carbohydrate restricted diet was introduced with respects to exercise intensity as well as the hormonal response to exercise itself.

The researchers set out to study the changes in plasma adrenaline, noradrenaline, growth hormone, testosterone, and blood lactate levels while the subjects were to perform incremental exercise until exhaustion for three days in a row.  During this time, they followed either a very low carbohydrate diet, consisting of less than 5% of total energy coming from carbohydrates, or else followed an isocaloric mixed diet.  

The results of the study indicated that in the subjects following the L-CHO diet, the basal plasma adrenaline, noradrenaline, and growth hormone concentrations were increased, but testosterone and blood lactate levels were decreased.

During the exercise session all the hormones were increased, but the pattern of hormone changes in the body were not altered by the low carb diet apart from noradrenaline, which was decreased.

So, the overall results of the study indicated that low-carbohydrate diets are mostly going to exert their effects on decreasing the noradrenaline threshold, which will cause an increase in the sensitivity of the sympathetic nervous system when exercising.  This then could potentially alter the basal and exercise levels of hormones that determine whether the body is in a catabolic or anabolic state.

Therefore, the take home message for you is that while low carbohydrate diets may pose to be a good idea when trying to lose fat, for muscle building, you should likely reconsider.

Reference:
Kaciuba-Uscilko, H. et al. (2001). The effect of low-carbohydrate diet on the pattern of hormonal changes during incremental, graded exercise in young men.  International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. Jun;11(2):248-57.

In the pursuit of muscle, body builders are constantly on the lookout for new ways to increase the intensity of their workouts.  After all, pushing the limits of what the body is capable of is what this sport is all about.  As a result of this mindset, performing exercises until failure is a popular way attempt to maximize mass.  Some studies have shown, though, that this method is not appropriate in all circumstances.  When used effectively though, it can help you propel your physique to the next level.

As the name implies, training until failure is an exhausting undertaking.  So if you’re going to make use of it, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the most out of it.  It’s important to note that short-term failure training is not always preferable.  This discovery was made during an 11-week study of a group of men, each with at least four years of recreational lifting experience.  The subjects were divided into two groups, with a "Failure" group performing three sets of the leg curl, leg extension and squat until failure, while the "Nonfailure" group performed four sets of these exercises, never reaching failure.

The results were somewhat surprising.  While both groups experienced significant increases in strength throughout the study, there were no differences between the groups in terms of 15-repetition max or total work performed.  The researchers noted that the "total volume of training" appeared more important in regard to muscular endurance than "whether workout sets are performed to failure."  Moreover, they concluded that "when intensity and volume are equated, failure or nonfailure training results in similar gains (1)."

But training to failure is far from useless.  In fact, the lead author of the aforementioned study suggested that such training protocol could be very effective in programs "structured for increases in strength and hypertrophy."  He noted that failure training could be the key to breaking through plateaus. This conclusion was based upon research in which failure training was incorporated occasionally.

When the technique was adopted as part of a six-week cycle, it "resulted in superior increases in strength and hypertrophy in both untrained subjects and elite athletes."  The success of failure training lies in its ability to induce greater stimulation in the highest threshold fast-twitch muscle fibers.  It should be noted that in contrast, the "highest threshold motor units may never be fully recruited" through non-failure training (2).

Obviously, training to failure is very strenuous on the body and should not implemented all of the time.  When used sparingly, and strategically, though, this technique can promote growth unlike any other.

SOURCES:

1. Willardson, Jeffrey M., et al. Effect of Short-Term Failure Versus Nonfailure Training on Lower Body Muscular Endurance. International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance: Sep 2008, Vol. 3 Issue 3: p279.

2. Willardson, Jeffrey M. The Application of Training To Failure in Periodized Multiple-Set Resistance Exercise Programs. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: May 2007, Vol. 21 Issue 2: p628.