Hello I,ve just got starded weight lifting and I have had people tell me that the only way to gain mass and strenth is to lift as heavy as you can untill failure. IS this right? I want to gain strenth and mass as fast as possible but I dont want to hurt my sealf in the process. what do you guys think on the subject? any tips would be grate..

I've just started weight training too and I've noticed that it wasn't until I pushed myself to my failure point that I saw any benefit. You have to cause the muscles to break down if you expect them to rebuild and get bigger. I understand not wanting to injure yourself, but I think you won't gain strength or mass until you push yourself to your breaking point. But keep in mind I'm only a beginner. After only two week of doing this, I've seen my strength definitely increase. Weight that I struggled with 2 weeks ago I'm now able to lift fairly easily.

Thanx for the info. how many reps do you think i should be able to do befor I reach the failure point?

A good rule of thumb is 4 - 8 reps for mass. If you can do 8 6 4 (in 3 sets) easily than that is an indication to up your weight. As for going to failure and the safety factor, it would be best if you had a workout buddy that can spot you. If you don't than most people at the gym who aren't 1 timers will usually give you a spot if you ask them. I would advise that you don't risk injury with certain exercises. Not having some sort of safety mechanism when doing squats or bench press for example can lead to bad bad things....good luck.

Failure is very good. Train hard and get big - if only it were that simple. Eating is just as important as training. "BUT I EAT PROTEIN" - Protein is the most important nutrient, yes, but without enough carbohydrates, calories, and real FAT, you won't see those "big guns" you are hoping for. I suggest reading up on some muscle sites..there's quite a few out there. No doubt you'll learn a lot there is to know about bodybuilding. Bye now.