bodybuilding Bodybuilding is the practice of Resistance training, progressive resistance exercise to build, control, and develop one's skeletal muscle, muscles via muscle hypertrophy, hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to a ...

and

weight training Strength training, also known as weight training or resistance training, is exercise designed to improve physical strength. It is often associated with the lifting of weights. It can also incorporate techniques such as bodyweight exercises ( ...

, using drop sets (aka dropsets, descending sets, strip sets, the multi-poundage system the stripping method, triple-drops, down the rack, or running the rack) is a technique for continuing an

exercise Exercise or workout is physical activity that enhances or maintains fitness and overall health. It is performed for various reasons, including weight loss or maintenance, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardio ...

with a lower weight once

muscle Muscle is a soft tissue, one of the four basic types of animal tissue. There are three types of muscle tissue in vertebrates: skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle. Muscle tissue gives skeletal muscles the ability to muscle contra ...

failure has been achieved at a higher weight. It is most often performed on

weight machine A weight machine is an exercise machine used for weight training that uses gravity as the primary source of resistance and a combination of simple machines to convey that resistance to the person using the machine. Each of the simple machines (p ...

s because reducing the weight quickly is thought by some to be extremely important, but it can also be performed with

dumbbell The dumbbell, a type of free weight, is a piece of equipment used in weight training. It is usually used individually and/or in pairs, with one in each hand. History The forerunner of the dumbbell, halteres, were used in ancient Greece as li ...

s and other free weights.

History

The approach of reducing resistance during sets was described in the late 1940s by Henry Atkins, editor of Body Culture magazine, who called it the multi-poundage system. In the 1980s, drop sets formed part of

Joe Weider Josef Weider (; November 29, 1919 – March 23, 2013) was a Canadian bodybuilder and entrepreneur who co-founded the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) alongside his brother Ben Weider. He was also the creator of Mr. Olympia, Ms. Ol ...

's ''Weider System''.

Example

While performing a biceps curl, the person lifting the weight would start with a 25

pound Pound or Pounds may refer to: Units * Pound (currency), various units of currency * Pound sterling, the official currency of the United Kingdom * Pound (mass), a unit of mass * Pound (force), a unit of force * Rail pound, in rail profile * A bas ...

dumbbell and do as many repetitions as possible without significantly compromising form. Then a 20-pound weight would be used until exhaustion is reached. One could continue to "drop" down as many times as they wish, but usually the weight is not dropped to below fifty percent of their one rep maximum.

Variations

There are many variations possible while using the same basic concept of reducing the weight used. One way is to do a specified number of repetitions at each weight (without necessarily reaching the point of muscle failure) with an increase in the number of repetitions each time the weight is reduced. The amount or percentage of weight reduced at each step is also one aspect of the method with much variety. A wide drop set method is one in which a large percentage (usually 30% or more) of the starting weight is shed with each weight reduction. A tight drop set would remove anywhere from 10% to 25%. Drop sets may be performed either with or without rest periods between sets. Some make a distinction between the two: if the lifter does not rest then these sets are referred to as drop sets, whereas if the lifter does rest between sets then these sets are usually referred to as down sets. These definitions are somewhat arbitrary, of course, and not everyone will agree on the exact definitions.

Effects

Drop sets have been shown to increase muscle

hypertrophy Hypertrophy is the increase in the volume of an organ or tissue due to the enlargement of its component cells. It is distinguished from hyperplasia, in which the cells remain approximately the same size but increase in number. Although hypertro ...

(growth) better than the traditional three-set training. In adults in their 50s, 12 weeks of drop-set training conducted thrice-weekly can improve muscle mass, muscle strength, muscle endurance and tasks of functionality. Drop set usage can increase the hypertrophic response to resistance training. Some researchers have reported mixed or inconclusive findings.

Other names

Drop sets and the technique also go by the names breakdowns, burnouts, descending sets, triple-drops (when a total of three different weights are used), down the rack or running the rack (when using dumbbells), up the stack (because with a weight machine, the pin is moved up the stack of plates with each drop in weight), strip sets (when you "strip" weights off the ends of a bar), or the stripping technique (so called because of "stripping" weight plates off with each drop in weight).

References

External links

*{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070519060722/http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/exercise2/drop_set_principle.htm, date=2007-05-19, title=Drop Sets at abcbodybuilding.com Bodybuilding Weight training methodologies Strength training Physical exercise