For a long time of development, bodybuilding received a lot of various techniques, but the drop set is considered the best of them. What is a drop-set? In the article we will analyze this concept in more detail. Some exercises and schemes will also be given, tips for beginners will be given.
General information
Why did they start using this technique in bodybuilding? When did this technique ever appear? A drop-set, in fact, is such a technique by which the exercise is done to the point of complete or incomplete exhaustion, after which you lose a small amount of weight and continue to carry out approaches with less weight. It stimulates muscle growth in a completely different way. This technique was first discovered by the journalist and editor of the publication "Body Culture" Henry Atkinson back in 1947. Immediately after this, the reception began to be called differently. For example, the "decreasing set", "triple drop set" and "strip set".
Tasks
Due to the fact that the bodybuilder aims only to “cosmetically decorate” himself, but not to develop efficiency and productivity, he is called a unique athlete. That is why bodybuilders are very fond of drop sets. Thanks to them, the muscles increase very quickly. Football players, sprinters and other athletes never use a drop set. This is due to the fact that this technique does not develop strength, power and speed. But if your goal is a set of net mass, then the drop set is perfect for you!
How does the technique work?
So, imagine that you are doing a “biceps lift” with a mass of 40 kilograms on a barbell. You already repeated it 10 times, but the last time was difficult enough. The next one was even harder, even using cheating. And the 12th became the limit for you. And no matter how hard you try, you will not complete the 13th repetition. You have reached the point of failure, but if you remove a quarter of the weight, you can continue. If you physically cannot do more than 12 repetitions of normal weight, you should not think that this is an absolute failure. This is called "positive rejection," and your body is ready to continue working, but with less weight. This is because the usual approach, which is carried out to exhaustion, does not activate all muscle fibers. Only those that are needed for the right weight work, a certain number of times. If you reduce the number of kilograms and continue the exercises, you will use other, additional muscle fibers. Drop-set promotes the activation of "stubborn" muscle fibers, causes growth that will not be achieved thanks to the usual exercises of 6-12 repetitions.
Barbell exercises
Arnold Schwarzenegger himself used a drop set for biceps. But this technique can also be used in any other exercises where the barbell will be involved. For example, you can use drop sets on your shoulders. The only condition for this method is that you will need to remove the discs at the critical point. Imagine that when you do a bench press with 50 kilograms, you reach failure by 10 repetitions. Having reduced weight by 20% and received 5 kg on each side, you continued training until the next failure. After that, reduce the kilograms again by 20% (remember that the weight that you reduce should be the same) and move to the last failure. So you get to 30 pounds. The bottom line is that before doing the exercises you need to pick up the disks if you are going to use a drop set. You should not take two 15-pound, it is better to take three by 5 kg in order to timely reduce weight.
The technique of reducing weight by half, or 6-20
This mass drop set allows you to perform two different repetitions. They will affect muscles in their own way. This will contribute to the development of muscle mass, as well as incredible pumping. To begin, you will need to select the weight with which you can not master more than 6 repetitions. Having made them, you should reduce the number of kilograms in half and make 20 repetitions. This drop set differs from the rest in that it decreases only once. And in other cases - twice per approach. In this case, 3 different weights are used.
Reinforced Techniques
If the drop set is the best intensive technique in bodybuilding, then the question arises as to what follows. Next comes enhanced training. In second place are super sets. And there is nothing better than combining the two most effective techniques. As a result, we get the drop superset technique. How should exercises be performed? For example, take the lateral dumbbell lift and dumbbell bench press in a sitting position. It’s worth starting with 8-12 repetitions. In this case, you need to use the maximum weight. Later you should quickly switch to dumbbells. Their weight should be less than commonly used. There is no need to rest between exercises. When performing, the main task is simply to reduce weight during the approach. This technique is very intense, so be careful when doing it. It is necessary to soberly assess your body strengths and abilities.
Conclusion
It should be said that such techniques are quite popular among bodybuilders. They allow you to achieve your goals within a fairly short time. For example, a standard workout consists of 9-12 repetitions for each muscle group, but using a drop set, the athlete does only 6. But this does not exactly mean that he makes his program easier and worsens his results. If you can activate all the muscles with a small number of repetitions, but doing it a little wrong, then this is quite good. Absolutely every exercise gives fatigue. But the muscles that are tired, still get the maximum load, because less weight is proportional to the past, which was more, and you lifted it, being fresh and full of strength.