Drop-sets.. Are they worth it?

[BigBoLuke93]

Are Drop-Sets beneficial or effective in any way besides for eliciting a pump?

For Bulking or Cutting goals which would be more beneficial:

-Doing a drop set with a lighter weight after your last working set for a given exercise, or

-Resting a bit and just doing another set with your heavy working weight?

I'm beginning to think that drop-sets really only burn calories, provide a pump, and wear you out. After all, it is a light weight that you are using, even though it 'feels' heavy from being fatigued from your actual heavy set.

I've been doing some drop-sets here and there, but I feel it may be a better use of energy to just do another heavy set instead of dropping the weight..


Appreciate any input.

[k9pit]

After all, it is a light weight that you are using, even though it 'feels' heavy from being fatigued from your actual heavy set.

Speaking only for myself, I believe there are benefits in drop sets and forced reps.

Depending on the lift....
For freeweights...
Let's say I planned to do 4 work sets of 8 rep squats and a 5th final drop set, instead of 5 working straight sets.
By the time I get to my 4th set, I am beat. i **could** do the fifth set, but it is likely that my form will degrade.
If I take 20-30lbs of of the bar, and do my final set to say 12-14 reps I will likely have better form and be more comfortable concentrating on the muscle contractions deep into that set...and likely recruit more muscle fibers to boot. I've found this incredibly beneficial for back squats, backbell hack squats, as well as bench press.
I've seen much better hypertrophy results this way.

For pin/weight stack machine based moves (i.e., Leg Curls, Lat Pulldowns, etc)
I also like doing forced reps on certain machine based moves. I'll reset the pin lower and squeeze out some additional reps.
Again, in the hypertrophy department, I like the results. YMMV

It's a personal pref to what you determine and believe is more effective for you.

[allergic2rice]

a lot of people might disagree with this, but:


not at your level

[keys_10]

They're just a way of extending your set beyond failure.

They are especially useful when you're training on your own and you don't have a spotter to use other techniques.

Either of the options you listed would be good imo.

[ironwill2008]

I'm beginning to think that drop-sets really only burn calories, provide a pump, and wear you out. After all, it is a light weight that you are using, even though it 'feels' heavy from being fatigued from your actual heavy set.

I've been doing some drop-sets here and there, but I feel it may be a better use of energy to just do another heavy set instead of dropping the weight..

Yep. Put that energy into progressing the weight/reps on your regular sets.


You are very perceptive for someone your age.

[HvyWeightAddict]

I like drop sets only at the end and would recomend it. For your very last set of whatever muscle your working, do your normal rep range your shooting for then when you hit failure, drop the weight once or twice, then grab your bag and head out of the gym. For me feels like it really helps finish off the muscle.

[CountChocula92]

drop sets for my biceps always make my arms a lot bigger, but they get smaller soon after

[Tyciol]

Are Drop-Sets beneficial or effective in any way besides for eliciting a pump?

Yes.

For Bulking or Cutting goals which would be more beneficial:
-Doing a drop set with a lighter weight after your last working set for a given exercise, or
-Resting a bit and just doing another set with your heavy working weight?

No idea sorry. Both work.

I'm beginning to think that drop-sets really only burn calories, provide a pump, and wear you out. After all, it is a light weight that you are using, even though it 'feels' heavy from being fatigued from your actual heavy set.

That isn't the only thing they do. This isn't about feel, it's that you're working an exhausted muscle past where you could normally do it.

It's the alternative to multiple sets I guess.

[OOBE]

I do drop sets when I feel that I could've done a better job of pushing myself. Sometimes I have the energy, but not the strength, and viceversa. So after I'm done with the last set for that particular muscle group, I quickly lower the weight a lot, enough to do a minimum of 8-10 easy reps, and within ten seconds of my last rep, I start repping until I feel like I'm going to pass out/crap myself/cry like a girl. I usually don't get past ten, but I go home feeling like a boss, and I notice how the pump lasts longer than if I just avoid burning myself out and just do the regular difficult sets. The pump hurts so bad, I get blurry vision, lol.