The literature is inconclusive. We have many trials comparing training to failure to leaving sy 2 reps in reserve, and meta analysis on top of that. I can for sure say the improvement, if it exists, is very small.
The upside for a beginner of not going to failure though, is that going to failure makes you much more likelly to use bad technique, hindering your hability to properly learn good technique. Every rep you do with bad technique is very counter productive.
My current model for people who already have very well established technique is: Failure maximizes growth per set, but total growth is maximized by doing more sets not to failure.
The literature is inconclusive. We have many trials comparing training to failure to leaving sy 2 reps in reserve, and meta analysis on top of that. I can for sure say the improvement, if it exists, is very small.
The upside for a beginner of not going to failure though, is that going to failure makes you much more likelly to use bad technique, hindering your hability to properly learn good technique. Every rep you do with bad technique is very counter productive.
My current model for people who already have very well established technique is: Failure maximizes growth per set, but total growth is maximized by doing more sets not to failure.