How To Fatigue Your Muscles With Drop Sets

If you’ve ever hit that moment in a workout where your muscles are on fire and you just can’t crank out another rep at your current weight but aren’t done with your set, drop sets could be exactly what you need.

They’re a classic strength training technique used by beginners and pros to build muscle mass, endurance and strength and finish your session feeling like you gave it everything you had. Let’s break down what drop sets are, how they work, why we love them, and whether you should add them to your routine.

What is a drop set?

A drop set is when you perform an exercise to failure, then, when you can’t possibly do any more, reduce the weight and continue with minimal rest. You keep “dropping” the weight when you reach failure - usually two to three times - and the only rest in between is the time it takes you to switch weights.

If you were doing a traditional set, you’d complete your reps, take a break (usually 1-3 minutes of rest, depending on how heavy you’re lifting), and then start your next set with the same or heavier weights.

With a drop set, the goal is to start by lifting a heavy weight. Dropping the weight should feel like a relief because you couldn’t possibly have continued for much longer.

For example:

• You complete two sets of bicep curls, slowly working up to your heaviest weight - two 10kg dumbbells. It’s pretty hard, but you can complete all your reps successfully with good form.

• Near the end of your third set, you’re really struggling and shaking, so immediately put the 10kg dumbbells down, switch them for 8kg dumbbells instead, and keep going until you’re struggling again.

• Finally, you drop down to the 6kg dumbbells and keep going until you’ve got nothing left on your fourth and final set.

That’s a drop set.

Benefits of drop sets include:

• Muscle growth (research has shown that drop sets are an efficient strategy for maximising hypertrophy)

• Improving muscular endurance

• Breaking through plateaus

• Maximising workout efficiency (research has shown that drop sets can provide a time-efficient option for achieving results)

• Safety (if you’re seriously struggling with a heavy weight and don’t have anyone to spot you, a drop set can provide a different way to max out safely)

• They’re also a challenging, fun and empowering way to test your limits and spice up your routine

How effective are drop sets for muscle growth?

While progressive overload and aiming to lift heavier should always be your main focus if you want to build strength and muscle, you can incorporate other techniques like drop sets in your training from time to time to challenge and fatigue your muscles in ways they’re not used to.

Normally, when you hit failure on a heavy set, you’re done and it’s time for a rest before your next set. By lowering the weight and continuing without a rest, you can recruit more muscle fibres, fatigue the muscle incredibly fast and challenge your endurance.

According to the Australian Fitness Academy, research comparing drop sets and straight sets found no significant difference in hypertrophy or muscle growth. Both groups saw improvements in muscle mass. They’re also a great tactic if you don’t have much time, as they cut down your rest breaks.

Remember, with a drop set, your initial weight should be heavy enough that you’re clenching your teeth and have to reduce the weight in order to keep going. You won’t make as much progress with muscle gains if you’re going from a moderate weight to a light weight.

How to get the most out of drop sets

Drop sets are intense and strategic, so if you’re creating your own workouts, we recommend:

• Do them at the end: Starting with a drop set can leave your body completely gassed for the rest of your workout, so we suggest leaving them until the very end.

• Lift to failure: Be honest with yourself and make sure you’re lifting a heavy weight to failure before you reduce the weight.

• Limit the frequency: Instead of doing a drop set for every exercise and every workout, just pick 1-2 exercises at max and incorporate them occasionally to avoid overtraining and fatigue.

• Choose the right exercises: Use straight sets for big compound lifts like deadlifts and back squats, and then utilise drop sets as a spicy garnish for isolation exercises like bicep curls or leg extensions.

• Focus on form: Your muscles will suffer, but your form shouldn’t. If your form has gone out the window, stop and take a rest or switch to lighter weights.

• Recover well: If you completed a tough upper body drop set, take a break from strength training the next day or do a lower body session instead to allow your arms to rest, repair and rebuild. The fatigue from drop sets is real, so listen to your body!

Drop the weight and feel the burn

If you want to spice up your workouts, break through a training plateau, or really put your muscles to the test, drop sets are a great tool to have in your training toolkit. Just remember: they’re best served as an occasional finisher, not the main course.