Effects of resistance training performed to repetition non-failure on exercise performance in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 42410632 · doi:10.1186/s13102-026-01861-z
What was done
A systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials identified from PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and MEDLINE. The authors compared resistance training performed to non-failure versus failure on muscular strength (dynamic and isometric), hypertrophy, endurance, and power in healthy adults, reporting standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).
What was found
Across 20 studies with 556 participants, non-failure resistance training produced significantly greater improvements in dynamic strength compared to training to failure (pooled SMD = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.42, p = 0.01). No significant differences were detected between non-failure and failure training for isometric strength, muscular hypertrophy, muscular endurance, or muscular power (no numerical estimates or p-values provided in the abstract for these null outcomes). Subgroup analyses indicated that participant characteristics, training volume, training method, and duration moderated the training effects.
Why it matters
This review indicates that lifting to complete muscular failure is unnecessary for maximizing muscle hypertrophy, endurance, or power, and avoiding failure may yield slightly superior dynamic strength gains.
Limits
The total sample size was modest (556 participants across 20 trials, averaging ~28 participants per study). The abstract omits effect sizes, confidence intervals, and test statistics for non-significant outcomes (hypertrophy, endurance, power, isometric strength). Long-term physiological adaptations and differences across specific athletic populations remain to be clarified.
Cited by
- supports Studies demonstrate that resistance training without reaching failure yields superior strength gains compared to training to failure.