Mark Ottobre argues that copying Dorian Yates' 2-set-to-failure approach doesn't work for most lifters. Ultra-low volume prevents you from practicing proper form, which builds bad habits and injury risk. You need years of higher-volume work first to earn the skill of training to true failure with perfect technique.
Low volume for 99% of people do not work because you do not give them the opportunity to practice the movement enough, and most people's movements suck. Recently, a lot of what I've seen on social media is 2 sets to failure, 8 reps, that's it, that's the whole workout done. Stop and think about who you're actually copying. You've seen it— Dorian Yates, Mike Mentzer, guys who do 2, maybe 3 sets doing absolute failure and building freak physiques doing it. It's called high-intensity training, and it can definitely work. But here's what the clips don't show you. It took them years to earn the right to train that way. Training to true failure only works if your form doesn't fall apart getting there. For an advanced lifter, rep 10 looks the same as rep 1. For the most people, form breaks down at rep 4, and that's exactly why it's not working. They're actually building bad patterns under fatigue, setting themselves up for an injury. The vast majority of people, they need more sets, they need more reps to build the pattern that's going to lead them to building muscle. So before you copy a 2 sets approach to failure, ask yourself the question, have you earned the right? Build the pattern, train the volume. The intensity comes once it's earned. If you enjoyed this video, make sure you follow for more.
