Drop Sets – Why, How & When To Use Them?

where Drop sets, also called as Descending sets, is a way in weight training, you perform a set variety of reps with a given weight, to concentric failure; quickly reduce the burden, lift again to concentric failure, and proceed so on.

The amount of weight reduction generally ranges from 10-30% of the initial load, in every drop. Though this is just not a strict percentage as there are not any guidelines to employ drop sets.

You will notice that in each subsequent drop, you won’t give you the chance to perform a variety of reps, despite of the indisputable fact that weight is reduced. This is due to the cumulative fatigue through the movement.

Muscular failure will be operationally defined as “”. However, muscles aren’t completely fatigued at the purpose of concentric muscular failure as they’re still capable of manufacturing force at lower loads. Therefore, drop sets, could also be an efficient technique to more fully fatigue the musculature and, in turn, enhance muscular adaptations.

Drop sets are great technique to save lots of time, because it allows continuous high muscle fiber recruitment even during lower loads, which in normal cases will need way more reps, at that exact weight.

Bodybuilders and a few fitness enthusiasts use the sort of training to extend muscle hypertrophy, however it may end in gains in local muscular endurance. Although not advisable for beginners, drop sets will be utilized by seasoned strength athletes and weightlifters to beat training plateaus.

Also, drop sets performed properly, are extremely fatiguing. They shouldn’t be used day in time out in every workout. Once every week is good enough for a selected muscle group muscle group.

The better part about drop-sets is that they engage your complete spectrum of muscle fibers. Starting from fast twitch muscle fibers within the initial sets, to slow twitch muscle fibers within the last sets. Because of this, the quantity of pump which the person feels post a drop set is phenomenal.

Drop sets will be performed on each free weights and machines, either by shedding the plates or by adjusting the pin along the burden stack in a machine. Someone using the dumbbell can even follow the identical pattern, but might be using lighter dumbbells in every subsequent set.

For e.g. if we’re doing a dumbbell bench press. The aim is to first reach the burden to a comparatively heavier one. Let’s say, we do first set with 25kg for 12 reps, 35kg for 10, and 40kg for 8 reps.  Now, your drop set will start from the ultimate and heaviest weight i.e. 40kg.

During the drop set, you’ll perform 8 reps or more with 40kg, which is until concentric failure. Now, you drop the burden by 10kg to 30kg, and push as many reps as possible, till the purpose of concentric failure. And last you drop the burden by 5-10kg more, and again push out maximum reps till failure.

Between each reduction or drop in weight, there is no such thing as a rest. You need to constantly perform subsequent sets within the drop sets, till the last set.

Also, since the you might be pushing every set in a drop-set to level of failure, the burn is extreme. Therefore, you need to have a spotter, each time you might be using free weights in your drop set. They will aid you in reducing the weights, without you getting up out of your position, and in addition help spot any imbalance in weight, during failure.

Make sure, you might be performing the drop sets at the top of the workout, because the pump & cumulative fatigue is incredibly high to place in maximal effort in any subsequent exercise for that body part.

Are drop sets higher than traditional sets? Let’s see what the studies need to say:

• A studydetermined the effect of drop sets on muscle strength and endurance of trunk extensors amongst 30 trained men. Participants were assigned into two groups; experimental group that underwent drop sets and control group submitted to high load resistance training.

The results indicated that participants in drop-set group attained statistically significantly greater gains in muscle strength and muscular endurance of trunk extensors, in comparison with high load training.

• A studyinvestigated the consequences of two strength training protocols, equated in volume, on the elbow flexor muscle thickness (MT) in women. Twenty-seven women were divided in three experimental groups: a drop-set (DS), a standard (TR), and a control group (CG). The CG maintained regular strength training without perform any upper body exercises.

The participants performed a dumbbell biceps curl for 2 days per week for 12 weeks 4 sets of three blocks of 10 repetitions at 75%, 55%, and 35% of their 1 Repetition Maximum (RM) for the DS group, and eight sets of 11 repetitions at 75% of the 1RM for the TR protocol.

There was a major increase in all muscle thickness for the training groups. In addition, significantly higher values of muscle thickness were present in the training groups in comparison with the control group. No significant differences were found between training the groups for MT. Thus, the 2 strength training protocols (DS and TR), equated in volume, are equally effective in increasing the muscle thickness of elbow flexors muscles in women.

• A studyinvestigated the consequences of two different resistance training (RT) protocols on muscle hypertrophy and strength. The first group performed a single drop set and the second group performed 3 sets of conventional RT (normal set).

The results showed significant increases of triceps CSA in each groups, but the rise rate of the drop set group was markedly larger than that of the conventional set group. Metabolic and perceived stress markers were significantly higher within the drop set group than in the conventional set group, which could result in superior anabolic responses in comparison with normal set training.

• A studyinvestigated the consequences of a single high-load (80% of 1 repetition maximum [1RM]) set with additional drop sets descending to a low-load (30% 1RM) without recovery intervals on muscle strength, endurance, and size in untrained young men. Nine untrained young men performed dumbbell curls to concentric failure 2-3 days per week for 8 weeks.

The study found that, a drop set resistance training program can concurrently increase muscle size, strength, and endurance in untrained young men, even with lower training time in comparison with typical resistance exercise protocols using only high- or low-loads.

• A study, compared the consequences of drop set resistance training (RT) versus traditional RT on markers of maximal muscle strength and regional hypertrophy of the quadriceps femoris, in 16 men, who performed unilateral seated leg extensions for eight weeks.

Study found that, drop sets elicited superior hypertrophy of the rectus femoris muscle, whereas the hypertrophy of the vastus lateralis was similar between conditions. In addition, drop set didn’t appear to boost strength-related adaptations in comparison with tradition training.

• A studycompared the consequences of pyramid and drop-set systems with traditional resistance training. Study found that, Pyramid and Drop-set systems don’t promote greater strength gains, muscle hypertrophy and changes in muscle architecture compared with resistance training traditionally performed with constant intensities and volumes.

• A studyconsidered 36 female and male participants divided into 3 groups: breakdown set (drop set), heavy-load breakdown, and traditional, performing full-body resistance training programs 2 times per week for 12 weeks.

No significant differences were identified for change in absolute muscular endurance or for body composition, among the many groups. Thus, the usage of advanced training techniques stimulates no greater muscular adaptations when put next with performing more simplified resistance training protocols to momentary muscular failure.

• A meta-analysis study, assessed the consequences of drop set training vs. traditional training on measures of muscle strength and hypertrophy. the study showed that, overall, drop sets are prone to produce similar effects on muscular strength and hypertrophy as traditional training.