What failure means
A set reaches failure when the next rep would not be completed with your technique. Some lifters stop just before that point and some go past it. Either way, failure is a useful label because it tells you how hard a set was.
Why people use it, and its risks
Taking a set to failure is one way to make sure the effort was high. It is also tiring, it can make form worse, and on some lifts, such as a heavy squat or bench press, it needs safety arms or a spotter. Many lifters keep failure for safer movements such as machines and cable work.
How a failed set is recorded
If you got 8 reps and failed the ninth, the set is recorded as 8 reps with the failure rep at 9. The set scores only the reps you completed, so the failed attempt never inflates an estimate or the volume load.
Failure and effort scales
Failure is one end of a scale. RPE, for rate of perceived exertion, describes the same effort in less extreme terms, and a routine target can be set in RPE.
Reading your log afterwards
A set marked to failure is a fixed point to compare against. If the same weight takes you to failure at 8 reps this month and 10 reps next month, that is clear progress even though the bar has not changed. Without the mark, a set of 8 could have been easy or all you had.
In One Fitness Hub
- Under each set, a one-tap Failure toggle marks a set taken to failure. It reads "Got 8, failed the next rep".
- The mark is shown on every set list, in the session, in History and in "Last time".
- Scoring uses the reps before the failed one for e1RM and volume load.
Common questions
Should every set go to failure?
Not necessarily. It is a tool for chosen sets, and the right amount depends on the person, the lift and the program.
Does a failed set score less?
The set scores the reps you completed. The failed attempt itself is not counted.
What is the difference between Failure and Belt?
Failure marks that a set reached failure. Belt marks that a lifting belt was worn. Both are labels you can add to a set.
Related terms
- Belt reps: A belt set, sometimes called belt reps, is a set performed while wearing a lifting belt around the waist.
- E1RM: E1RM, short for estimated one-rep max, is the heaviest weight you could lift for one repetition, worked out from a set you actually did rather than a maximal single.
- Volume load: Volume load is the total weight you moved: for each set, multiply the reps by the weight, then add up the sets.
- Rest interval: A rest interval is the time you wait between the end of one set and the start of the next.
Keep reading
General education and fitness estimates, not medical or dietary advice. Figures from the app are informational and are not reviewed by a certified personal trainer.