Plateau Breakers: Drop Sets

Drop sets are among the most simple methods to break through a workout plateau, yet they are really challenging.

About Drop Sets

I know, me writing (and doing videos) about plateau breakers doesn’t quite result in shouts of enthusiasm and ecstasy among my readers and viewers. But one day you’ll thank me (said in old scroogy voice)!

Seriously, at some point you might need them, and of all the plateau breakers out there, drop sets are those I like to do the most. Because they are so easily implemented:

The Size Of The Drop

Personally I was always satisfied enough with the 20% drop, but you have some room for experimentation here. As I said in the video, there are  three percentages most often used on drop sets:

• The wide drop reduces weight by 30%, resulting in higher reps per set, with intensity between sets going down a good bit
• The regular drop is the 20% I showed you, which I consider the “sweet spot” between the other two
• The narrow drop reduces by 10%, which keeps intensity high, while the number of reps per set drops pretty quickly

All of them work, so you can try each and simply decide which one you like best, or switch between them.

Don’t Go Long Term With Them

As with the other plateau-breaking techniques we talked about, drop sets aren’t designed to be a regular staple of your workouts. They drive your muscles way beyond exhaustion, and this is quite a bit of stress for them.

Picture courtesy of Richard Stephenson.