Training to Failure Might Be Killing Your Facial Structure Gains (GH declining)

Süd

Süd

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If you're still convinced that "pushing to failure every set" is the key to aesthetics, think again.
Training to failure constantly is crushing your GH (growth hormone) — and if you understand anything about looksmaxx, you know GH is one of the few natural factors that can still improve your bone structure post-puberty.


GH = Bone-Based Aesthetics. No GH, No Real Progress.

Growth hormone is not just about fat loss and recovery. It plays a direct role in bone growth and facial structure:

Jaw width, maxilla projection, zygomatic density

Bone remodeling and postural development

IGF-1 stimulation for long-term skeletal aesthetics

Amplifies effects of mewing, hard chewing, posture correction


No GH = no visible progress even if you're doing everything else right.



Training to Failure = High Cortisol = Low GH

When you constantly push your body to failure, you create chronic physiological stress.
This raises cortisol, which is a direct inhibitor of GH.

What happens:

GH drops, even if your sleep and diet are solid

IGF-1 levels suppressed

Bone doesn't adapt or remodel

You stall or regress in facial aesthetics despite effort




Train Smart: 60% to 80% Is the Sweet Spot

If your goal is aesthetic optimization, not just ego-lifting, you need to train smarter.
Stick to 60% to 80% of your physical capacity — enough to stimulate growth and strength, but without chronically raising cortisol or burning out your CNS.
This range allows recovery, supports GH production, and keeps your nervous system in an anabolic state — the only way to truly enhance bone density and facial structure over time.


Keep Sessions Under Control: 45 to 75 Minutes Max

Another key factor is training duration.
Ideal session time is 45 to 75 minutes.
More than that, and cortisol starts rising, GH drops, and the whole point of your workout (structure gains, hormonal optimization) starts to backfire.

Under 45 minutes is fine if you're focused

45–60 minutes hits the sweet spot for most people

Over 75 minutes? Risk zone — GH suppression, CNS fatigue, and structural progress stalls


Train with quality, not just time. Short, intense (but submaximal) sessions beat long, draining ones every time.


Natural Lifters Must Be Strategic

If you’re natty, GH and testosterone are your entire hormonal arsenal.
Burning that by ego-lifting or chasing "hardcore" sets does more harm than good.
The irony is: the more you grind to look better, the more you fry the very hormone that actually improves your structure.




Harsh Truth: You Can’t Beat Genetics, But You Can Maximize Hormones

No one’s saying GH will turn you into a giga-chad — but it’s the only real route left to improve bone-based looks after puberty.
If you're under 25, there's still real potential for growth.
If you're over 25, GH can still aid in bone density, healing, and facial remodeling — but only if you stop suppressing it.

Training to failure = stress overload = GH tanked = no structural gains.




TL;DR:

GH is critical for facial and skeletal aesthetics

Training to failure chronically raises cortisol, lowering GH

Train at 60–80% of your capacity to support GH, avoid burnout, and build real structure

No GH = no remodeling, no improvement

If you’re natural and care about aesthetics, avoid killing GH unnecessarily





Scientific Sources:

Training to failure disrupts hormonal response
“Strength training with varying degrees of failure: hormonal and neuromuscular responses.”
Journal of Applied Physiology
→ Training to failure for 11 weeks increased baseline cortisol and disrupted anabolic hormone balance, including GH. The non-failure group had more favorable hormonal responses.


Cortisol inhibits GH secretion
“Stress and the somatotropic axis.”
→ Elevated cortisol from chronic stress or overtraining directly suppresses GH production and release.


GH and IGF-1 stimulate bone growth and remodeling
“Growth hormone and bone.”
→ GH and IGF-1 have direct anabolic effects on bone formation and density. Deficiency results in reduced bone mass and poor remodeling capacity.


Training duration and hormonal response
Tremblay MS, Copeland JL, Van Helder W. "Influence of exercise duration on post-exercise steroid hormone responses in trained males."
European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2005;94(5-6):505–513.
 
Last edited:
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Woops stress bros (cucks) got their dose of ropefuel. never ever stress boss.
 
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I think doing just 2 sets on each thing to failure (at least on your 2nd set) is a good strategy. You can get done in like an hour and not build up much cortisol. Studies are showing you don't get much extra from doing over 2 sets of an exercise.
 
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It’s due to cortisol and improper rest and nutrition

I think if you eat fine and have good deep sleep then you’re fine, growth hormone actually spikes if you workout

If it’s that bad then workout once a week
 
  • +1
Reactions: Balkanmogger1446, Süd and Lawton88
If you're still convinced that "pushing to failure every set" is the key to aesthetics, think again.
Training to failure constantly is crushing your GH (growth hormone) — and if you understand anything about looksmaxx, you know GH is one of the few natural factors that can still improve your bone structure post-puberty.


GH = Bone-Based Aesthetics. No GH, No Real Progress.

Growth hormone is not just about fat loss and recovery. It plays a direct role in bone growth and facial structure:

Jaw width, maxilla projection, zygomatic density

Bone remodeling and postural development

IGF-1 stimulation for long-term skeletal aesthetics

Amplifies effects of mewing, hard chewing, posture correction


No GH = no visible progress even if you're doing everything else right.



Training to Failure = High Cortisol = Low GH

When you constantly push your body to failure, you create chronic physiological stress.
This raises cortisol, which is a direct inhibitor of GH.

What happens:

GH drops, even if your sleep and diet are solid

IGF-1 levels suppressed

Bone doesn't adapt or remodel

You stall or regress in facial aesthetics despite effort




Train Smart: 60% to 80% Is the Sweet Spot

If your goal is aesthetic optimization, not just ego-lifting, you need to train smarter.
Stick to 60% to 80% of your physical capacity — enough to stimulate growth and strength, but without chronically raising cortisol or burning out your CNS.
This range allows recovery, supports GH production, and keeps your nervous system in an anabolic state — the only way to truly enhance bone density and facial structure over time.




Natural Lifters Must Be Strategic

If you’re natty, GH and testosterone are your entire hormonal arsenal.
Burning that by ego-lifting or chasing "hardcore" sets does more harm than good.
The irony is: the more you grind to look better, the more you fry the very hormone that actually improves your structure.




Harsh Truth: You Can’t Beat Genetics, But You Can Maximize Hormones

No one’s saying GH will turn you into a giga-chad — but it’s the only real route left to improve bone-based looks after puberty.
If you're under 25, there's still real potential for growth.
If you're over 25, GH can still aid in bone density, healing, and facial remodeling — but only if you stop suppressing it.

Training to failure = stress overload = GH tanked = no structural gains.




TL;DR:

GH is critical for facial and skeletal aesthetics

Training to failure chronically raises cortisol, lowering GH

Train at 60–80% of your capacity to support GH, avoid burnout, and build real structure

No GH = no remodeling, no improvement

If you’re natural and care about aesthetics, avoid killing GH unnecessarily





Scientific Sources:

Training to failure disrupts hormonal response
“Strength training with varying degrees of failure: hormonal and neuromuscular responses.”
Journal of Applied Physiology
→ Training to failure for 11 weeks increased baseline cortisol and disrupted anabolic hormone balance, including GH. The non-failure group had more favorable hormonal responses.


Cortisol inhibits GH secretion
“Stress and the somatotropic axis.”
→ Elevated cortisol from chronic stress or overtraining directly suppresses GH production and release.


GH and IGF-1 stimulate bone growth and remodeling
“Growth hormone and bone.”
→ GH and IGF-1 have direct anabolic effects on bone formation and density. Deficiency results in reduced bone mass and poor remodeling capacity.
dnr blast hgh
 
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Reactions: Balkanmogger1446, Michelangelo and Süd
I think doing just 2 sets on each thing to failure (at least on your 2nd set) is a good strategy. You can get done in like an hour and not build up much cortisol. Studies are showing you don't get much extra from doing over 2 sets of an exercise.
That’s a fair point — keeping volume low helps, no doubt.

But even with just 2 sets, going to failure can still spike cortisol significantly, especially if done consistently. The issue is less about total sets and more about intensity and central fatigue, which directly affect GH levels.

If the focus is long-term aesthetics and bone remodeling, it might be smarter to train at 60–80% of your capacity, avoiding failure while still getting effective stimulation. GH responds better to controlled, submaximal training without chronic stress.

Also, recent studies suggest failure isn't necessary for hypertrophy, so it's possible to get great results while keeping your hormones opti
mized.
 
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Reactions: iabsolvejordan and Balkanmogger1446
It’s due to cortisol and improper rest and nutrition

I think if you eat fine and have good deep sleep then you’re fine, growth hormone actually spikes if you workout

If it’s that bad then workout once a week
Sleep and diet help, sure — but they don’t cancel out cortisol from overtraining.

GH spikes with smart training, not failure and burnout.
Too much intensity = chronic stress = GH suppression, even with good recovery.
 
  • +1
Reactions: iabsolvejordan and Balkanmogger1446
If you're still convinced that "pushing to failure every set" is the key to aesthetics, think again.
Training to failure constantly is crushing your GH (growth hormone) — and if you understand anything about looksmaxx, you know GH is one of the few natural factors that can still improve your bone structure post-puberty.


GH = Bone-Based Aesthetics. No GH, No Real Progress.

Growth hormone is not just about fat loss and recovery. It plays a direct role in bone growth and facial structure:

Jaw width, maxilla projection, zygomatic density

Bone remodeling and postural development

IGF-1 stimulation for long-term skeletal aesthetics

Amplifies effects of mewing, hard chewing, posture correction


No GH = no visible progress even if you're doing everything else right.



Training to Failure = High Cortisol = Low GH

When you constantly push your body to failure, you create chronic physiological stress.
This raises cortisol, which is a direct inhibitor of GH.

What happens:

GH drops, even if your sleep and diet are solid

IGF-1 levels suppressed

Bone doesn't adapt or remodel

You stall or regress in facial aesthetics despite effort




Train Smart: 60% to 80% Is the Sweet Spot

If your goal is aesthetic optimization, not just ego-lifting, you need to train smarter.
Stick to 60% to 80% of your physical capacity — enough to stimulate growth and strength, but without chronically raising cortisol or burning out your CNS.
This range allows recovery, supports GH production, and keeps your nervous system in an anabolic state — the only way to truly enhance bone density and facial structure over time.


Keep Sessions Under Control: 45 to 75 Minutes Max

Another key factor is training duration.
Ideal session time is 45 to 75 minutes.
More than that, and cortisol starts rising, GH drops, and the whole point of your workout (structure gains, hormonal optimization) starts to backfire.

Under 45 minutes is fine if you're focused

45–60 minutes hits the sweet spot for most people

Over 75 minutes? Risk zone — GH suppression, CNS fatigue, and structural progress stalls


Train with quality, not just time. Short, intense (but submaximal) sessions beat long, draining ones every time.


Natural Lifters Must Be Strategic

If you’re natty, GH and testosterone are your entire hormonal arsenal.
Burning that by ego-lifting or chasing "hardcore" sets does more harm than good.
The irony is: the more you grind to look better, the more you fry the very hormone that actually improves your structure.




Harsh Truth: You Can’t Beat Genetics, But You Can Maximize Hormones

No one’s saying GH will turn you into a giga-chad — but it’s the only real route left to improve bone-based looks after puberty.
If you're under 25, there's still real potential for growth.
If you're over 25, GH can still aid in bone density, healing, and facial remodeling — but only if you stop suppressing it.

Training to failure = stress overload = GH tanked = no structural gains.




TL;DR:

GH is critical for facial and skeletal aesthetics

Training to failure chronically raises cortisol, lowering GH

Train at 60–80% of your capacity to support GH, avoid burnout, and build real structure

No GH = no remodeling, no improvement

If you’re natural and care about aesthetics, avoid killing GH unnecessarily





Scientific Sources:

Training to failure disrupts hormonal response
“Strength training with varying degrees of failure: hormonal and neuromuscular responses.”
Journal of Applied Physiology
→ Training to failure for 11 weeks increased baseline cortisol and disrupted anabolic hormone balance, including GH. The non-failure group had more favorable hormonal responses.


Cortisol inhibits GH secretion
“Stress and the somatotropic axis.”
→ Elevated cortisol from chronic stress or overtraining directly suppresses GH production and release.


GH and IGF-1 stimulate bone growth and remodeling
“Growth hormone and bone.”
→ GH and IGF-1 have direct anabolic effects on bone formation and density. Deficiency results in reduced bone mass and poor remodeling capacity.


Training duration and hormonal response
Tremblay MS, Copeland JL, Van Helder W. "Influence of exercise duration on post-exercise steroid hormone responses in trained males."
European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2005;94(5-6):505–513.
Would the ideal not be first set 2 RIR second set to failure
 
  • +1
Reactions: Balkanmogger1446
If you're still convinced that "pushing to failure every set" is the key to aesthetics, think again.
Training to failure constantly is crushing your GH (growth hormone) — and if you understand anything about looksmaxx, you know GH is one of the few natural factors that can still improve your bone structure post-puberty.


GH = Bone-Based Aesthetics. No GH, No Real Progress.

Growth hormone is not just about fat loss and recovery. It plays a direct role in bone growth and facial structure:

Jaw width, maxilla projection, zygomatic density

Bone remodeling and postural development

IGF-1 stimulation for long-term skeletal aesthetics

Amplifies effects of mewing, hard chewing, posture correction


No GH = no visible progress even if you're doing everything else right.



Training to Failure = High Cortisol = Low GH

When you constantly push your body to failure, you create chronic physiological stress.
This raises cortisol, which is a direct inhibitor of GH.

What happens:

GH drops, even if your sleep and diet are solid

IGF-1 levels suppressed

Bone doesn't adapt or remodel

You stall or regress in facial aesthetics despite effort




Train Smart: 60% to 80% Is the Sweet Spot

If your goal is aesthetic optimization, not just ego-lifting, you need to train smarter.
Stick to 60% to 80% of your physical capacity — enough to stimulate growth and strength, but without chronically raising cortisol or burning out your CNS.
This range allows recovery, supports GH production, and keeps your nervous system in an anabolic state — the only way to truly enhance bone density and facial structure over time.


Keep Sessions Under Control: 45 to 75 Minutes Max

Another key factor is training duration.
Ideal session time is 45 to 75 minutes.
More than that, and cortisol starts rising, GH drops, and the whole point of your workout (structure gains, hormonal optimization) starts to backfire.

Under 45 minutes is fine if you're focused

45–60 minutes hits the sweet spot for most people

Over 75 minutes? Risk zone — GH suppression, CNS fatigue, and structural progress stalls


Train with quality, not just time. Short, intense (but submaximal) sessions beat long, draining ones every time.


Natural Lifters Must Be Strategic

If you’re natty, GH and testosterone are your entire hormonal arsenal.
Burning that by ego-lifting or chasing "hardcore" sets does more harm than good.
The irony is: the more you grind to look better, the more you fry the very hormone that actually improves your structure.




Harsh Truth: You Can’t Beat Genetics, But You Can Maximize Hormones

No one’s saying GH will turn you into a giga-chad — but it’s the only real route left to improve bone-based looks after puberty.
If you're under 25, there's still real potential for growth.
If you're over 25, GH can still aid in bone density, healing, and facial remodeling — but only if you stop suppressing it.

Training to failure = stress overload = GH tanked = no structural gains.




TL;DR:

GH is critical for facial and skeletal aesthetics

Training to failure chronically raises cortisol, lowering GH

Train at 60–80% of your capacity to support GH, avoid burnout, and build real structure

No GH = no remodeling, no improvement

If you’re natural and care about aesthetics, avoid killing GH unnecessarily





Scientific Sources:

Training to failure disrupts hormonal response
“Strength training with varying degrees of failure: hormonal and neuromuscular responses.”
Journal of Applied Physiology
→ Training to failure for 11 weeks increased baseline cortisol and disrupted anabolic hormone balance, including GH. The non-failure group had more favorable hormonal responses.


Cortisol inhibits GH secretion
“Stress and the somatotropic axis.”
→ Elevated cortisol from chronic stress or overtraining directly suppresses GH production and release.


GH and IGF-1 stimulate bone growth and remodeling
“Growth hormone and bone.”
→ GH and IGF-1 have direct anabolic effects on bone formation and density. Deficiency results in reduced bone mass and poor remodeling capacity.


Training duration and hormonal response
Tremblay MS, Copeland JL, Van Helder W. "Influence of exercise duration on post-exercise steroid hormone responses in trained males."
European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2005;94(5-6):505–513.
Ngl this sounds cope 0-1 RIR is superior
 
  • +1
Reactions: Balkanmogger1446
If you're still convinced that "pushing to failure every set" is the key to aesthetics, think again.
Training to failure constantly is crushing your GH (growth hormone) — and if you understand anything about looksmaxx, you know GH is one of the few natural factors that can still improve your bone structure post-puberty.


GH = Bone-Based Aesthetics. No GH, No Real Progress.

Growth hormone is not just about fat loss and recovery. It plays a direct role in bone growth and facial structure:

Jaw width, maxilla projection, zygomatic density

Bone remodeling and postural development

IGF-1 stimulation for long-term skeletal aesthetics

Amplifies effects of mewing, hard chewing, posture correction


No GH = no visible progress even if you're doing everything else right.



Training to Failure = High Cortisol = Low GH

When you constantly push your body to failure, you create chronic physiological stress.
This raises cortisol, which is a direct inhibitor of GH.

What happens:

GH drops, even if your sleep and diet are solid

IGF-1 levels suppressed

Bone doesn't adapt or remodel

You stall or regress in facial aesthetics despite effort




Train Smart: 60% to 80% Is the Sweet Spot

If your goal is aesthetic optimization, not just ego-lifting, you need to train smarter.
Stick to 60% to 80% of your physical capacity — enough to stimulate growth and strength, but without chronically raising cortisol or burning out your CNS.
This range allows recovery, supports GH production, and keeps your nervous system in an anabolic state — the only way to truly enhance bone density and facial structure over time.


Keep Sessions Under Control: 45 to 75 Minutes Max

Another key factor is training duration.
Ideal session time is 45 to 75 minutes.
More than that, and cortisol starts rising, GH drops, and the whole point of your workout (structure gains, hormonal optimization) starts to backfire.

Under 45 minutes is fine if you're focused

45–60 minutes hits the sweet spot for most people

Over 75 minutes? Risk zone — GH suppression, CNS fatigue, and structural progress stalls


Train with quality, not just time. Short, intense (but submaximal) sessions beat long, draining ones every time.


Natural Lifters Must Be Strategic

If you’re natty, GH and testosterone are your entire hormonal arsenal.
Burning that by ego-lifting or chasing "hardcore" sets does more harm than good.
The irony is: the more you grind to look better, the more you fry the very hormone that actually improves your structure.




Harsh Truth: You Can’t Beat Genetics, But You Can Maximize Hormones

No one’s saying GH will turn you into a giga-chad — but it’s the only real route left to improve bone-based looks after puberty.
If you're under 25, there's still real potential for growth.
If you're over 25, GH can still aid in bone density, healing, and facial remodeling — but only if you stop suppressing it.

Training to failure = stress overload = GH tanked = no structural gains.




TL;DR:

GH is critical for facial and skeletal aesthetics

Training to failure chronically raises cortisol, lowering GH

Train at 60–80% of your capacity to support GH, avoid burnout, and build real structure

No GH = no remodeling, no improvement

If you’re natural and care about aesthetics, avoid killing GH unnecessarily





Scientific Sources:

Training to failure disrupts hormonal response
“Strength training with varying degrees of failure: hormonal and neuromuscular responses.”
Journal of Applied Physiology
→ Training to failure for 11 weeks increased baseline cortisol and disrupted anabolic hormone balance, including GH. The non-failure group had more favorable hormonal responses.


Cortisol inhibits GH secretion
“Stress and the somatotropic axis.”
→ Elevated cortisol from chronic stress or overtraining directly suppresses GH production and release.


GH and IGF-1 stimulate bone growth and remodeling
“Growth hormone and bone.”
→ GH and IGF-1 have direct anabolic effects on bone formation and density. Deficiency results in reduced bone mass and poor remodeling capacity.


Training duration and hormonal response
Tremblay MS, Copeland JL, Van Helder W. "Influence of exercise duration on post-exercise steroid hormone responses in trained males."
European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2005;94(5-6):505–513.
Maybe in retarded but are you implying that jaw bones can even grow after puberty and before 25 years old with enough GH?

what do you think about extended fasting btw, doesnt it increase GH by a lot?
 
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Maybe in retarded but are you implying that jaw bones can even grow after puberty and before 25 years old with enough GH?

what do you think about extended fasting btw, doesnt it increase GH by a lot?
Yes, jaw bones can still remodel and slightly grow in shape and definition until around 25, especially the mandible. GH supports bone remodeling, not linear growth after pubert, but with high enough natural GH, proper nutrition, and mechanical stimulus (like chewing, mewing, jaw training), you can enhance jaw structure to some extent.

Extended fasting does increase GH a lot, 24-72h fasts can boost GH up to 5–10x. But GH alone doesn’t build anything unless you refeed with enough nutrients after. It’s a tool, not magic.
 
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jfl at all the cope in this thread

pin test pin hgh and fuarking destroy chest brah
 
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stoopid ass
 
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youre retarded

what this guy said
claims test and gh matter for natties. transient fluctuations within the physiological range won’t do shit for hypertrophy let alone affect bone structure lmao.

hormones only matter if clinically deficient or pinning amounts that go several times beyond physiological levels.

failure every set is indeed a detriment but it has nothing to do with “tanking test and gh”. if you’re that concerned just buy some jfl
 
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claims test and gh matter for natties. transient fluctuations within the physiological range won’t do shit for hypertrophy let alone affect bone structure lmao.
thank you, these mfers act like their test going from 500 to 600 is gonna give them an inch of chin growth jfl
 
claims test and gh matter for natties. transient fluctuations within the physiological range won’t do shit for hypertrophy let alone affect bone structure lmao.

hormones only matter if clinically deficient or pinning amounts that go several times beyond physiological levels.

failure every set is indeed a detriment but it has nothing to do with “tanking test and gh”. if you’re that concerned just buy some jfl
Yeah, transient hormone spikes won’t magically grow bones or muscles.
But frying your system with cortisol from failure every set definitely won’t help either.

It’s not about chasing GH like a clown, it’s about not wrecking your recovery like an idiot.
 
I started my training with low reps, like 4 sets of 3 followed by medium reps 4 sets of 10

And had the best gains this way compared to doing sets with lots of reps

And yeah your body produces lots of cortisol during high rep till failure I dont think its bad at allunless youre not recovering well
 
I started my training with low reps, like 4 sets of 3 followed by medium reps 4 sets of 10

And had the best gains this way compared to doing sets with lots of reps

And yeah your body produces lots of cortisol during high rep till failure I dont think its bad at allunless youre not recovering well
Low reps + moderate reps = smart setup.
High-rep failure marathons just spike cortisol for no reason if recovery isn't perfect.
 
  • +1
Reactions: iabsolvejordan and R@m@
If you're still convinced that "pushing to failure every set" is the key to aesthetics, think again.
Training to failure constantly is crushing your GH (growth hormone) — and if you understand anything about looksmaxx, you know GH is one of the few natural factors that can still improve your bone structure post-puberty.


GH = Bone-Based Aesthetics. No GH, No Real Progress.

Growth hormone is not just about fat loss and recovery. It plays a direct role in bone growth and facial structure:

Jaw width, maxilla projection, zygomatic density

Bone remodeling and postural development

IGF-1 stimulation for long-term skeletal aesthetics

Amplifies effects of mewing, hard chewing, posture correction


No GH = no visible progress even if you're doing everything else right.



Training to Failure = High Cortisol = Low GH

When you constantly push your body to failure, you create chronic physiological stress.
This raises cortisol, which is a direct inhibitor of GH.

What happens:

GH drops, even if your sleep and diet are solid

IGF-1 levels suppressed

Bone doesn't adapt or remodel

You stall or regress in facial aesthetics despite effort




Train Smart: 60% to 80% Is the Sweet Spot

If your goal is aesthetic optimization, not just ego-lifting, you need to train smarter.
Stick to 60% to 80% of your physical capacity — enough to stimulate growth and strength, but without chronically raising cortisol or burning out your CNS.
This range allows recovery, supports GH production, and keeps your nervous system in an anabolic state — the only way to truly enhance bone density and facial structure over time.


Keep Sessions Under Control: 45 to 75 Minutes Max

Another key factor is training duration.
Ideal session time is 45 to 75 minutes.
More than that, and cortisol starts rising, GH drops, and the whole point of your workout (structure gains, hormonal optimization) starts to backfire.

Under 45 minutes is fine if you're focused

45–60 minutes hits the sweet spot for most people

Over 75 minutes? Risk zone — GH suppression, CNS fatigue, and structural progress stalls


Train with quality, not just time. Short, intense (but submaximal) sessions beat long, draining ones every time.


Natural Lifters Must Be Strategic

If you’re natty, GH and testosterone are your entire hormonal arsenal.
Burning that by ego-lifting or chasing "hardcore" sets does more harm than good.
The irony is: the more you grind to look better, the more you fry the very hormone that actually improves your structure.




Harsh Truth: You Can’t Beat Genetics, But You Can Maximize Hormones

No one’s saying GH will turn you into a giga-chad — but it’s the only real route left to improve bone-based looks after puberty.
If you're under 25, there's still real potential for growth.
If you're over 25, GH can still aid in bone density, healing, and facial remodeling — but only if you stop suppressing it.

Training to failure = stress overload = GH tanked = no structural gains.




TL;DR:

GH is critical for facial and skeletal aesthetics

Training to failure chronically raises cortisol, lowering GH

Train at 60–80% of your capacity to support GH, avoid burnout, and build real structure

No GH = no remodeling, no improvement

If you’re natural and care about aesthetics, avoid killing GH unnecessarily





Scientific Sources:

Training to failure disrupts hormonal response
“Strength training with varying degrees of failure: hormonal and neuromuscular responses.”
Journal of Applied Physiology
→ Training to failure for 11 weeks increased baseline cortisol and disrupted anabolic hormone balance, including GH. The non-failure group had more favorable hormonal responses.


Cortisol inhibits GH secretion
“Stress and the somatotropic axis.”
→ Elevated cortisol from chronic stress or overtraining directly suppresses GH production and release.


GH and IGF-1 stimulate bone growth and remodeling
“Growth hormone and bone.”
→ GH and IGF-1 have direct anabolic effects on bone formation and density. Deficiency results in reduced bone mass and poor remodeling capacity.


Training duration and hormonal response
Tremblay MS, Copeland JL, Van Helder W. "Influence of exercise duration on post-exercise steroid hormone responses in trained males."
European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2005;94(5-6):505–513.
Yeah this is just cope
 
“The goatis cortisol will ruin your life and test and like face mentality” is just flawed because bro life is stressful. Do you really think giga mogger Hunter gatherer looking as dudes Don’t have the high cortisol cause of life style? Vasily stepanov tried killing himself despite being 6’4 chad.

Training to failure will not affect your stress and test significantly to inhibit growth. I’d argue that the effects of training till failure are better than not doing so. Training to failure → boosts MPS (muscle protein synthesis) → small, temporary boost in testosterone → doesn’t reshape your face, but improves appearance of face (leaner face, higher androgen response) training to failure will give a slight boost in bone mass and make your face look leaner
 
  • +1
Reactions: marcroca
If you're still convinced that "pushing to failure every set" is the key to aesthetics, think again.
Training to failure constantly is crushing your GH (growth hormone) — and if you understand anything about looksmaxx, you know GH is one of the few natural factors that can still improve your bone structure post-puberty.


GH = Bone-Based Aesthetics. No GH, No Real Progress.

Growth hormone is not just about fat loss and recovery. It plays a direct role in bone growth and facial structure:

Jaw width, maxilla projection, zygomatic density

Bone remodeling and postural development

IGF-1 stimulation for long-term skeletal aesthetics

Amplifies effects of mewing, hard chewing, posture correction


No GH = no visible progress even if you're doing everything else right.



Training to Failure = High Cortisol = Low GH

When you constantly push your body to failure, you create chronic physiological stress.
This raises cortisol, which is a direct inhibitor of GH.

What happens:

GH drops, even if your sleep and diet are solid

IGF-1 levels suppressed

Bone doesn't adapt or remodel

You stall or regress in facial aesthetics despite effort




Train Smart: 60% to 80% Is the Sweet Spot

If your goal is aesthetic optimization, not just ego-lifting, you need to train smarter.
Stick to 60% to 80% of your physical capacity — enough to stimulate growth and strength, but without chronically raising cortisol or burning out your CNS.
This range allows recovery, supports GH production, and keeps your nervous system in an anabolic state — the only way to truly enhance bone density and facial structure over time.


Keep Sessions Under Control: 45 to 75 Minutes Max

Another key factor is training duration.
Ideal session time is 45 to 75 minutes.
More than that, and cortisol starts rising, GH drops, and the whole point of your workout (structure gains, hormonal optimization) starts to backfire.

Under 45 minutes is fine if you're focused

45–60 minutes hits the sweet spot for most people

Over 75 minutes? Risk zone — GH suppression, CNS fatigue, and structural progress stalls


Train with quality, not just time. Short, intense (but submaximal) sessions beat long, draining ones every time.


Natural Lifters Must Be Strategic

If you’re natty, GH and testosterone are your entire hormonal arsenal.
Burning that by ego-lifting or chasing "hardcore" sets does more harm than good.
The irony is: the more you grind to look better, the more you fry the very hormone that actually improves your structure.




Harsh Truth: You Can’t Beat Genetics, But You Can Maximize Hormones

No one’s saying GH will turn you into a giga-chad — but it’s the only real route left to improve bone-based looks after puberty.
If you're under 25, there's still real potential for growth.
If you're over 25, GH can still aid in bone density, healing, and facial remodeling — but only if you stop suppressing it.

Training to failure = stress overload = GH tanked = no structural gains.




TL;DR:

GH is critical for facial and skeletal aesthetics

Training to failure chronically raises cortisol, lowering GH

Train at 60–80% of your capacity to support GH, avoid burnout, and build real structure

No GH = no remodeling, no improvement

If you’re natural and care about aesthetics, avoid killing GH unnecessarily





Scientific Sources:

Training to failure disrupts hormonal response
“Strength training with varying degrees of failure: hormonal and neuromuscular responses.”
Journal of Applied Physiology
→ Training to failure for 11 weeks increased baseline cortisol and disrupted anabolic hormone balance, including GH. The non-failure group had more favorable hormonal responses.


Cortisol inhibits GH secretion
“Stress and the somatotropic axis.”
→ Elevated cortisol from chronic stress or overtraining directly suppresses GH production and release.


GH and IGF-1 stimulate bone growth and remodeling
“Growth hormone and bone.”
→ GH and IGF-1 have direct anabolic effects on bone formation and density. Deficiency results in reduced bone mass and poor remodeling capacity.


Training duration and hormonal response
Tremblay MS, Copeland JL, Van Helder W. "Influence of exercise duration on post-exercise steroid hormone responses in trained males."
European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2005;94(5-6):505–513.
I only do 1 set per exercise. And its like max 4 exercises. I get results without ever getting fatiged the next day bc I take reocvery very seriously
 
“The goatis cortisol will ruin your life and test and like face mentality” is just flawed because bro life is stressful. Do you really think giga mogger Hunter gatherer looking as dudes Don’t have the high cortisol cause of life style? Vasily stepanov tried killing himself despite being 6’4 chad.

Training to failure will not affect your stress and test significantly to inhibit growth. I’d argue that the effects of training till failure are better than not doing so. Training to failure → boosts MPS (muscle protein synthesis) → small, temporary boost in testosterone → doesn’t reshape your face, but improves appearance of face (leaner face, higher androgen response) training to failure will give a slight boost in bone mass and make your face look leaner
You're confusing life stress with training stress. They’re not the same.
Daily life stress raises cortisol temporarily and your body handles it.
Chronic training stress, like hitting failure every set without smart management, leads to systemic fatigue, poor recovery, and suppressed hormones.

Hunter-gatherers had physical stress too, but it was varied, lower intensity, and not constant max-effort lifting in gyms. They didn’t grind to failure on squats five times a week under fluorescent lights.

Vasily Stepanov’s case has nothing to do with cortisol, growth, or training. That's about mental health.

Training to failure sometimes can boost MPS, sure. But the tiny MPS boost doesn’t outweigh the chronic recovery damage if you’re nuking yourself every session.
It’s not about fearing cortisol, it’s about avoiding chronic suppression that kills gains and recovery.

Getting a leaner face comes from lower fat percentage and healthy hormones, not from frying your CNS with endless failure sets.

In the end, you should train hard but smart. Chronic cortisol hurts long-term growth. Stop coping and lift intelligently.
 
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You're confusing life stress with training stress. They’re not the same.
Daily life stress raises cortisol temporarily and your body handles it.
Chronic training stress, like hitting failure every set without smart management, leads to systemic fatigue, poor recovery, and suppressed hormones.

Hunter-gatherers had physical stress too, but it was varied, lower intensity, and not constant max-effort lifting in gyms. They didn’t grind to failure on squats five times a week under fluorescent lights.

Vasily Stepanov’s case has nothing to do with cortisol, growth, or training. That's about mental health.

Training to failure sometimes can boost MPS, sure. But the tiny MPS boost doesn’t outweigh the chronic recovery damage if you’re nuking yourself every session.
It’s not about fearing cortisol, it’s about avoiding chronic suppression that kills gains and recovery.

Getting a leaner face comes from lower fat percentage and healthy hormones, not from frying your CNS with endless failure sets.

In the end, you should train hard but smart. Chronic cortisol hurts long-term growth. Stop coping and lift intelligently.
There’s nothing chronic about training for under an hour 6 days a week 2 sets to failure on 5 exercises per session. And yes, Vasily wanting to kill himself has a lot to do with stress and it didn’t descend him at all. He just just doesn’t have long hair or a tan anymore. U get more stress from family issues and work pressure. Being in fear that training will nuke ur test is retarded
 
There’s nothing chronic about training for under an hour 6 days a week 2 sets to failure on 5 exercises per session. And yes, Vasily wanting to kill himself has a lot to do with stress and it didn’t descend him at all. He just just doesn’t have long hair or a tan anymore. U get more stress from family issues and work pressure. Being in fear that training will nuke ur test is retarded
every day while pretending life stress and training stress are identical.
Next you'll say sleeping 4 hours and living on white monster is "ancestral behavior" too.

Nobody’s scared of a workout nuking your test.
The point is frying your recovery day after day like a brainlet is what holds people back.
But hey, keep coping. Maybe your family drama will give you bigger biceps too.
 

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