What are drop sets: technique and training programs

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“Science has proven – quality strength training that includes mechanical stress and metabolic stress is necessary for muscle growth. To get that stress, athletes use different techniques and methods to maximize the effectiveness of the exercise. For example, drop sets, supersets, trisets, rest-pause, forced reps, negative reps, partial reps, pre-fatigue, chipping, and more. Let’s break down the effectiveness of the drop-sets methodology.”

Drop sets or pyramid sets are a method of training by dropping weight when you reach failure in an exercise. They can be performed with barbells, dumbbells, and machines. You start an approach with a certain weight and do it until you can perform the movement with strict technique without cheating. Then you reduce the weight and do the set again until failure. And so several times within one long set.

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What is the right way to do drop sets?

Muscles grow due to the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis, so you need to give such a load that will trigger this process, but not too much. During intense physical activity, our muscles accumulate lactic acid, or lactate as it is also known. We feel a burning sensation in our muscles.

When we use drop sets, this feeling is most pronounced. It is important that it is optimal, because excessive lactic acid accumulation in the body can slow down muscle recovery after training, impair performance and lead to decreased endurance and strength.

Use drop sets intelligently and carefully. For small muscle groups such as biceps or triceps, reduce the weight between 5% and 20%, and for larger muscle groups, reduce the weight between 20% and 30%.

Use minimal pauses between approaches. The weight should be changed in 4 to 5 seconds, so train with a partner. He will help you to change disks on the bar and provide support during the exercise. In practice, the time taken to reduce the weight may be longer. This is not a mistake – variants where the interval reaches 15-20 seconds are acceptable and effective.

Do the last approach until failure, but with proper technique. For example, you have performed three sets of horizontal bench press. Do the first two sets in the classic way – 8-12 reps and rest for two minutes between sets. In the last approach add a drop set, in which the weight on the bar is reduced by 20% and the number of repetitions is increased by two.

Prepare your equipment in advance. Put several pairs of 8, 10, and 12-pound dumbbells near you so you don’t have to run around the gym looking for the right weights during an approach.

Use the drop-sets technique no more than once every 2-3 weeks. Regular use of this exercise pattern can lead to the development of overtraining.

Select the correct weight of the apparatus. The load in the first approach of a drop set should be such that you have muscle failure on the 12th repetition.

What do scientists and coaches say?

In 2018, the scientific journal Strength and Conditioning Journal published an article on whether training with drop sets can accelerate muscle growth. Scientists concluded that it’s a great way to reduce exercise time without sacrificing muscle growth, but we can’t yet say anything about any advantage in muscle growth over the classic training method.

The researchers suggest using drop sets for single-joint exercises. For example, biceps flexion with dumbbells or triceps extension from behind the head with dumbbells. Drop sets can also be used on multi-joint exercises such as squats and bench presses. However, there is a risk that you could be crushed by the barbell in the event of muscle failure, as well as a greater chance of breaking the technique of the exercise and getting injured.

Coach Spencer Davy, who specializes in strength, muscle mass and endurance training, in his article recommends using drop sets if your progress in gaining muscle has stopped. Beginners should practice the classic method and only after a while use drop sets.

Varieties of drop sets

Variant #1. Assumes a decrease in weight from 20% to 30% with each approach and an increase in the number of repetitions. For example, lifting a dumbbell on the biceps 10 kg for 8 times, 8 kg for 10 times and 6 kg for 12 times.

Option #2. It involves reducing the weight from 20% to 30% with each approach at a fixed number of repetitions. For example, lifting a dumbbell on the biceps 10 kg for 10 times, 8 kg for 10 times and 6 kg for 10 times.

Reverse drop set. It involves increasing the weight 20% to 30% with each approach and decreasing the number of repetitions. For example, lifting a dumbbell on the biceps 6 kg for 12 times, 8 kg for 10 times and 10 kg for 8 times.

Who will drop sets work for?

Add drop sets to your workout if:

you have a time limit on your workout. Compared to classic approaches, drop sets are faster. At the same time, the muscle fibers will get a good fatigue.
You want to increase the training volume without harming your health. Do a classic workout and only add a drop set to the last approach. This way you will increase the total volume of the workout and avoid overtraining.
You want to overcome stagnation in muscle building. Drop sets increase the load on the muscles and nervous system. This stimulates the body for further growth. However, constant work to failure provides a strong stress on the nervous system, so this method should be used for certain exercises and not on a permanent basis to avoid health risks.

Dumbbell bench press as an example.

Tehnika

Prepare a row of dumbbells 20 kg, 15 kg and 10 kg.
Lie on the bench and rest your head and shoulder blades against it, shoulders locked and abs tight.
Bring your shoulder blades together and lower them down to stiffen your back. Lock your lower back with a slight flexion. Make sure it is stable during the exercise.
Grab 20 kg dumbbells with a grip slightly wider than your shoulders, with the weights above your collarbones.
As you inhale, slowly lower the dumbbells to the middle of your chest, bringing your shoulder blades together.
On exhalation, raise the dumbbells to the top point until the arms are fully straightened. So perform eight repetitions.
Next, for 4-5 seconds change the dumbbells 20 kg to 15 kg and do the press for 10 repetitions.
After that, change the dumbbells 15 kg to 10 kg and do 12 repetitions.