How to Tell If You’re Actually Training Hard Enough
Pushing to Failure… or Just Guessing?
When I first started lifting, I had no idea what training to failure really meant. I thought I was pushing hard, but the truth? Most of the time, I had way more in the tank than I realised.
It’s tricky as a beginner. If you’ve never taken a set anywhere near failure, it’s almost impossible to judge how close you actually are. And right now, deep into prep, 23 days out from stepping on stage - I’ve learned more about my limits than ever.
So, here are the cues I use now to know whether I’m genuinely pushing close to my limit… or just lying to myself.
1. Bar Speed Tells the Truth
If the weight flies up as fast on your last rep as it did on your first, you’ve got plenty left. Once the bar starts slowing - even slightly - you’re getting close to real failure. That’s usually around 1–3 reps in reserve (RIR) for most people and that’s where you want to live if your goal is muscle growth.
2. Breathing Becomes a Fight
When you’re truly pushing close to failure, your breathing pattern changes:
Early reps? Controlled, smooth, easy.
Last reps? You’re grinding, stabilising, bracing harder and it feels like WORK. If your breathing stays effortless from start to finish, chances are you didn’t go hard enough.
3. Form Breakdown = False PRs
This one’s brutal but necessary.
If you’re cutting depth, bouncing the weight or using momentum just to hit a “target rep number,” you’re not testing strength or stimulating muscle with the highest degree of effectiveness. You’re just gaming the set. For real progress, keep form consistent across sessions.
4. Test Yourself on Purpose
Every few weeks, I deliberately push a set all the way to technical failure just to recalibrate my sense of effort. Most people underestimate how far they are from true failure - sometimes by 4, 5, even 6 reps!!
By intentionally taking one or two sets to the absolute limit, you’ll learn what real effort feels like… and how much harder you can actually push.
Final Takeaway
Training hard doesn’t always mean training to failure. If you can learn to spot the signs of being 1-2 reps away from your true limit, you’ll open yourself up to make better gains and greater recovery.
