Drop sets

[putanad]

Hey guys I got a quick Q, this may sound like a stupid question to some of you, but I am trying to become a bit bigger and put on some muscle mass, is drop setting good or not? I have heard different stories like some say I f I drop set I will only get ripped but my muscles wouldnt become any bigger at all ..so I decided to ask you guys since most of yall are experiences builders.
Thanx in advance for any advice

 

[Crazymank]

I assume this is the same as negitives. I think it depends how you use them. If its after your heavy sets and you throw in a couple negitives to really burn the muscle it will build mass.

 

[teedubgee]

My understanding of drop sets, is that they're something like burn outs. You complete a set, then drop the weight and rep out, drop the weight and rep out, and so on. Personally, I think this has it's place in some workouts, but shouldn't be used as a staple. I usually work for max stimulation under heavier weight, rather than muscle fatigue. Sometimes, the pump just feels good though.

 

[Local124bro]

I was told last week to try that to get my biceps to grow a little more cause heavy weights are not working. I am gonna try it today. I had this chick at the gym tell me that, who used to compete, she said start heavy as I can do 10-12 and burn them out and drop down as long as I keep doin 10-12. said do that on dumbells and curl bar. Anyone else try that?

 

[BiggerStronger]

drop sets are like doing a certain weight then dropping the weights down doing as many reps as possible. IMHO I don't like them and they never did anything for me mass wise. Now for increasing endurance they are great, but straight up mass I don't think they would be your best choice. Doing heavy weight and negatives will build mass, but then again everyone responds differently to different training. Try it out if you wish and see how it works.

If I have learned anything over the years it's that we all must find out what works for us, because what works for some doesn't work for others. Just look at the guys that lift low weight or do strange exercises and are big and ripped. Doesn't seem fair, huh? lol.

 

[putanad]

what does ,heavy weight and negatives mean? actually what does negatives mean?

 

[mcgaret]

One of the first things you will realize is there is no one "right" way. What works for
one person may not work for the next. Here you will get MANY ways to do things.
Try and see what you like, what feels good, and try to figure what works for YOU.
I started lifting @ 16 and am now 50 and I am still trying to figure it out. lol
O.K.: First, heavy weight and negatives. HEAVY (to me, others may be a little different) is the heaviest weight you can get for 5 or 6 reps. For example the
barbell curl. Warm up and work up to a weight you can only get 5 or 6 curls with.
THEN you have someone spot/help you get another up (the positive) and you lower
the weight under control (the negative) - the weight is to heavy for you to do any
more positives but you can then get some negative reps. Be prepared to get sore.
SECOND: Drop sets: (again MY interpretation) For example dumbell curls. Warm up
then do a set with the heaviest weight you can get 8 to 10 reps with. (or whatever
rep range you want) Quickly rack the weights and grab the next lighter set of
dumbells and do 8 to 10 more (or as many as you can) Quickly keep droping to
a lighter weight all the way down the rack. Ex: if you start with the 40's the next
one might be the 30's, then the 25's - 20's - 15's ect...
Everyone will have a slightly different take on these but this is basicly it. As far as
doing drops for size - "I" think they are just good to do once in a while just to shock
the muscle but not on a regular basis. I agree with Teedubgee on using heavy weight
with max stimulation. I do like to do the drops every once in a while though. Great
pump. Also keep in mind heavy for me is 5-6 reps. Someone else might call heavy
2-3 reps and someone else might say heavy is 10 reps. Best advice I can give you is
to try to listen to YOUR body. Let us know what you do - how it feels and works>

 

[h8tr3d]

Damn MCgaret, your half a century old!! lol

 

[BiggerStronger]

yep basically what mcgaret said. I usually do about the same when I talk about heavy weight and negatives. Heavy weight on the bench press would be something I could only do maybe 4 to 8 reps max. I do particularly very little work most of the time which doesn't work for some people but I take very little rest in between sets and do negatives and stretching in between my main sets.

A negative is bringing the weight very slowly toward your body on a pushing type lift (say the down stroke on a bench press) or letting the weight move away slowly away from your body on a pulling type lift (for example slowly letting the weight go away from you on the rowing machine). Basically you are slowly lowering the weight to provide a "negative" or reverse workout.

 

[putanad]

Hey thanx guy's :thumbsup: I am going to start doing that and leave out the light weight in my sets... Will let yall know if I find any differece in a month or so .

One q tho, say you are doing 30kg barbell , do you do say 6reps then put that down and lift a 25kg barbell and do about 8 reps? or do you just stick to the 30kg barbell for all your sets?

 

[BiggerStronger]

I do a warm up set, and then a couple more sets with heavier weight.

 

[mcgaret]

Hey thanx guy's :thumbsup: I am going to start doing that and leave out the light weight in my sets... Will let yall know if I find any differece in a month or so .

One q tho, say you are doing 30kg barbell , do you do say 6reps then put that down and lift a 25kg barbell and do about 8 reps? or do you just stick to the 30kg barbell for all your sets?

If I was going heavy - say for size - I would do a few sets with the 30Kg
barbell, resting in between. If I was doing drop sets there would be no
rest, just straight to the lighter weight. Hope that makes sense.

 

[mcgaret]

Damn MCgaret, your half a century old!! lol

I was excited to hit 50. I never thought I was going to make it to 25 when
I was younger. (was a little wild) After a few days I got up one morning
and it dawn'd on me that I was 1/2 of 100. That didn't sound so good.
Hey, I can still outrun any of the girls on my daughters 5th grade basketball
team and I can out lift most of them!!! lol

 

[BiggerStronger]

most of them...lol. mcgaret you crack me up.

Hey mcgaret, it's just like I used to say to the girls: "Come on girl, Age is just a number." lol. I used to use this one on older chicks when I was 18 to 20 years old because many were between 25 to 35 years old and they would be hesitant to get with me at first. Not after words though. bwahaha. I bet you guys thought I was trying to pick up young girls...you sicko's. lmao.

 

[putanad]

Aw I tried what you guys say about heavy and negative sets with my tricep workout today and it kained lol.. Felt reall good thanx guys

 

[onyett]

Personally, I only do drop sets and super sets when getting ready for a show. It keeps the heartrate up and burns the muscle only value in it for me.

 

[hector]

if you can find one arnolds encyclopedeia to modern bodybuilding goes through simple lifts but powerful ones. also drop sets, 21s, anything. got one and always rsort back if i get stuck.

 

[mcgaret]

Whats "kained"????

 

[putanad]

Whats "kained"????

I meant hurt like mad