Drop Sets Explained: Why, When & How To Use Them

Drop sets are an advanced training technique used mostly by bodybuilders to maximise muscle growth (hypertrophy). The purpose of drop sets is to push your muscles to failure repeatedly while progressively reducing the weight after each set, ensuring prolonged resistance and increased blood flow to the target muscle.

In this article you’ll learn everything you need to know about drop sets, why you should do them, when to do them and how to do them.

We’ve even got a wide range of weightlifting workout plans that you can use this training method on.

Drop Sets Explained Contents

Why Use Drop Sets?

Benefits of Drop Sets

When to Use Drop Sets

How to Perform Drop Sets

A Brief History of Drop Sets

Is This Method Right for You?

Bodybuilding Workouts For Women

Final Tips

Why Use Drop Sets?

The name "drop sets" comes from the practice of "dropping" the weight as you perform each set to failure.

Failure occurs when you can no longer perform clean, controlled reps with proper form. At that point, you stop working with that weight and you select a lower weight and start repping to failure again.

You continue reducing the weight and performing reps to failure until you're unable to lift even the lightest load.

It can get pretty intense, that’s why this is an advanced training technique.

Try to maintain good form throughout.

Benefits of Drop Sets

Below are some of the benefits of performing drop sets...

Hypertrophy: Drop sets are highly effective for increasing muscle size as a result of the extended time under tension.

Efficient: By pushing muscles to failure quickly, drop sets can reduce total workout time.

Variety in Training: This method adds intensity and can help you break through plateaus.

Bodybuilding: This is a tried, tested and proven technique in bodybuilding.

When to Use Drop Sets

As already mentioned above, drop sets are an advanced training technique best suited for experienced lifters. Beginners should focus on mastering proper form and building a solid strength foundation before attempting drop sets.

For intermediate and advanced lifters, the ideal time to incorporate drop sets is during a bulking phase or any time you want to accelerate muscle growth.

How to Perform Drop Sets

Drop sets can be performed with most exercises, including compound exercises (like squats, deadlifts and bench presses) and isolation exercises (like bicep curls, shoulder press or cable kickbacks).

The primary thing to remember is that you’re supposed to start on the heaviest weight and work your way down to the lowest weight until failure.

Here's a step-by-step guide to performing a drop set with a compound exercise:

Example: Squats

Set 1: Perform reps to failure with a weight that challenges you (about 60-70% of your one-rep max).

Set 2: Reduce the weight by 5-10kg and perform reps to failure.

Set 3: Reduce the weight by another 5-10kg and perform reps to failure.

Set 4: Continue reducing the weight until you’re left with just the bar, then rep it to failure.

Here's a step-by-step guide to performing a drop set with an isolation exercise:

Example: Bicep Curls

Set 1: Perform reps to failure with a challenging weight.

Set 2: Drop 1-2kg and perform reps to failure.

Set 3: Drop another 1-2kg and perform reps to failure.

Set 4: Continue reducing the weight until you reach your lightest dumbbells, then rep to failure.

This technique can be applied to most exercises, just keep in mind that:

Compound movements like squats or deadlifts require larger weight reductions.

Isolation exercises like bicep curls require smaller reductions.

A Brief History of Drop Sets

Drop sets were first introduced in 1947 by Henry Atkins, the editor of Body Culture Magazine. Originally called the "multi-poundage system," drop sets may also be referred to as "breakdowns," "strip sets," "working the rack," and more.

The fact that this method remains popular decades later speaks to its effectiveness in achieving visible results.

Is This Method Right for You?

Drop sets are more suited to lifters focusing on aesthetic goals rather than strength or power. This method targets muscle hypertrophy and enhances your physique, making it a staple in bodybuilding routines. However, if your goal is to build strength or power, other techniques may be more suitable.

Bodybuilding Workouts For Women

Our Intermediate Bodybuilding Workout Pack uses the method of drop sets. It’s available now for instant access to get you started right away.

If you are less experienced and want to progress up to this method, start with our Beginners Bodybuilding Workout Pack.

Final Tips

Always maintain proper form to avoid injury.

Use drop sets sparingly—overuse can lead to overtraining.

Pair this technique with a solid nutrition and recovery plan for optimal results.

Update

This article was originally published in 2020 and has been updated in 2025.