Using Drop Sets For Muscle Burn And Intensity

This is a technique that used to be frowned upon in some quarters. From a personal point of view, i love drop sets for muscle burn and intensity. I always try to include them in my training sessions in one form or another. The drop set is another way of making the muscles burn. You can really hit all the muscle fibres by dropping weight but maintaining intensity. Let’s say you are training biceps and curling 72kg for 6 to 12 reps, when you get to the last 2 reps your arms feel like they are going to fall off. However, if you ditch some weight and go down to 60kg, you can knock out another set until you hit failure again. All you have to do, is repeat the process.

You see lifters in the gym struggling to push out 8 reps and wonder what the problem is. Unfortunately, some people hate the idea of taking weight off the bar. Striving for personal bests with maximum weight is great but it’s only part of the battle. The drop set is a classic case of less is more. It is ideal for those scenarios where training has become mundane and boring. If you were lacking motivation before, then using drop sets will send it through the roof.

On occasions, (at least once every 4 to 6 weeks for each muscle group) i will train using nothing apart from drop sets. A duration of around 45 minutes is ideal. Obviously, this means you are starting at the opposite end of the scale by hitting the heavier weight first and dropping down. This really gives you a thorough muscle burn. The pump is incredible and leaves the whole muscle tingling. This is a great way to keep the body guessing which is a sure-fire way of encouraging new muscle growth.

The next time you are struggling in the gym, don’t be afraid to cycle down through the weights. Remember to reduce the weight but increase the intensity by completing a high number of reps. Using drop sets for muscle burn and intensity is hard to beat. The muscle fibres will not have a clue, what is coming next. That has got to be a good thing if you are looking for increased mass.