Feedback on Strength Training Style

I would suggest you get on a proven resistance training progrsmmme that meets your goals. Training to failure has its role, but generally not recommended all the time .

Training to failure doesn't mean your training is a failure. It just means that you lift until you feel like you would fail if you tried one more rep. It is usually not recommended to train this way because it is difficult for your body to recover and there is more chance of injury.
When you don't count your reps, you run the risk of developing a muscular imbalance. This is why using a proven program is recommended.

There is a place for experimentation in any program, and what you enjoy, and are seeing progress with can be personal. There is also thousands of programs designed to meet specific needs, researched to death in an industry that is riddled with people looking for every minute advantage as possible.

I generally would stay away from beginning a workout with the heaviest you can lift for one or two reps...for me that would probably lead to injury, but I am older and lift pretty heavy with free weights so I need to be a bit more mindful. I prefer walking my way up to the heavier weights using the first few sets to warm my muscles up.

You definitely hit on some key points regarding form, and pace.. asking questions is a great way to get some advice.

On a final note, you will see results with virtually any program, especially if you are new to training. The body responds to resistance training rather quickly for those that have never really lifted before. It is quite common to change a lifting program every so often to require the muscles to adapt to different stimuli and stress to kind of mimic that effect. Once the body adapts to a particular stress, the gains are not as easy to be had.

Rotating your reps, and rest periods each week is a great way to keep training fresh. Unless you are in powerlifting preparation you should never do a particular rep range for longer than 4 weeks.

A sample program might be 4 sets of 12 with 1:00 rest for week 1. The load you lift is set by the rep range you are performing. 1 minute is not a long time after 12 reps and the fatigue factor will set in after 3-4 exercises. This loading does not stress the joints and connective tissue and is more of a hypertrophy and muscular endurance workout.

Week 2 you could do 4 sets of 6 reps with 2-2:30 rest between sets. This is a strength range and this is important to work on to raise the load you can lift for 12 reps.

Week 3 you can do 4 sets of 8 reps with a 1:30 to 1:40 rest. This mid range hits some strength development and some hypertrophy.

Week 4 you can do a modified compound set with about 1:30-1:45 rest in a 6,8,10,12 pattern. This mixes the loading. For instance if you do a machine chest press with 100 pounds for 6 reps then you would drop 15-20 pounds and do 75–80 pounds after rest for 8 reps. Then after rest you would drop again and do 10 reps and then rest and do 12 reps.

This rotation allows for the joints and connective tissue to not be stressed so much. Overuse and overloading leads to tendinitis and other issues. Variety in the strength room creates an environment for gains. Remember rest is just as Important as training and eating properly.

Another reason to use this varied approach is to keep the body guessing what is coming next. Your body will adapt over time to a training stress and eventually there is no response because it’s the same thing every day.

Good luck and keep charging forward!

Ed Ruscher
Former Dir. Strength and Conditioning
Univ. of Louisville