When aiming to build muscle, reaching the point of muscle failure during your sets is crucial. This means performing reps until you cannot complete another with proper form. If you find that after completing your sets you could still do 8 to 10 more reps, your workout isn't intense enough to stimulate muscle growth. Your muscles adapt and strengthen only when they are pushed beyond their usual limits. In my own experience, incorporating the concept of reaching failure transformed my upper body workouts. Initially, I used to perform 3 sets of 15 reps with moderate weights, but never saw much improvement. Once I started adjusting the weights to ensure that I could only complete about 8 to 10 reps per set, pushing myself to the point of failure on the last rep, my strength and muscle size improved significantly. It's important to note that muscle failure doesn't mean reckless lifting that risks injury. Safe progression is key — increase your weight, adjust your reps, or change exercises gradually while maintaining good form. Using techniques like progressive overload alongside reaching failure can maximize muscle adaptation. Additionally, focusing on different upper body muscles such as the chest, back, shoulders, and arms with varied exercises helps to avoid plateaus. Listening to your body is important; adequate rest and nutrition complement your training to support muscle recovery and growth. Remember, the journey to muscle growth is about challenging your limits safely and consistently. If your workouts feel easy, it's time to level up — gradually increasing intensity, pushing towards controlled failure, and letting your muscles know they need to adapt and grow.