Quote Originally Posted by Mike T View Post
I can recall reading that we get the most benefit from the first 2 sets to failure of any resistance exercise - the sets after that do little or nothing in terms of increasing power and strength. But - but - those who did more sets regularly were better at doing more sets! So it depends how the results are measured.

One longstanding rule is to lift what you can lift between 8 and 12 times - if you can't lift a given weight 8 times, lower the weight; if you can lift it more than 12 times, increase the weight. Weight, or difficulty. Doing press-ups from the ground is rather more difficult than press-ups from 6 inches or so above the ground, as are press-ups done using hanging hoops.

My 2 sets of press-ups to failure last week: 42, then 36. Today: 41, then 41. I need to increase the difficulty - I will start with doing them from the ground.
That's pretty much what I'd heard too Mike, except that I thought it was 20 - 30 reps to failure, but I'll try 8 to 12 as that makes sense. I don't do them from chest flat on the ground, but do nose tip on the floor(ensuring my body/head are in straight alignment and resisting the temptation of lowering my face towards the floor). However, I wonder if starting each rep from chest on the floor, if that's what you meant, while recruiting a further set of muscles and range of movement, doesn't undermine the isometric aspect of hovering just above the floor, even if holding the 'hover' only momentarily.

I'd also heard that if you are doing press-ups to pass, say a military selection test, where speed and number are important, you should of course train for speed and number. For example, it used to be that the RM selection day asked candidates to do at least 64 press-ups (proper form) in 2 minutes.

I believe it may be true generally, for strength training, that it's usually the last few reps before failure (ensuring correct form) that build the strength/muscle as these are the ones that cause the beneficial micro-tears. All the previous reps are doing is just providing a means of getting you to the point of near failure However, there must be a lot more to the physiology (stating the obvious!!!) if fewer than 8 reps is insufficient for efficient strength building.