Should I worry about dropsets?

[co1889]

On my first cycle, and just starting to get into the 10s... I've read most of the FAQs, and I've decided for my next cycle I'll be doing an AM/PM split, but for now I'll just go through the normal routine.

However, I would like to hear your thoughts on dropsets, and whether they will increase my gains or if I should just stick to the normal routine.

 

[Lol]

Have you read this article by Dan Moore?

Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy & Rep Range

Although I don't do drop-sets very often (partly because I try to do more reps with my top loads instead through clustering) sometimes it is fun to get a really good pump by adding a couple of successive drop-sets after a final heavy work set during 5s.

 

[quadancer]

I agree. Not all that beneficial over lifting heavy, but fun for the pump. Sort of like doing bi's and tri's at the end of a workout: you almost want to run out and be seen !
I still think that there may be some benefit from the shock factor too, even if only sarcoplasmic or the stretching of muscle sheaths.

 

[Peak_Power]

pre-hst, I got good results from drop sets, and some people might accuse me of "bro-logic", from it only being anecdotal evidence, but there could be value in them.

Basically, you're applying more load, and you're producing metabolic strain, both of which have been shown to stimulate hypertrophy.

Having said that, they aren't necessary, you'll get good growth without them, and you'll probably get more growth from doing an additional set at the full working weight.

 

[Fausto]

Althogh it has its place I'm more in favour of myofibrillar hypertrophy (a much denser muscle growth) than sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (less denser "watery" growth, caused by increased sarcoplasmic fluid in the muscle cell), this has the disadvantage of disappearing after a period of rest (usually an SD would get rid of this growth).

The best way to use this is to use it as a add on to your normal strength training whereas load is the "captain" and the "pump" a very minor "corporal", if this makes any sense at all

In other words, if you get a pump from some sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, ensure that it gets "filled out" with myofibrillar growth by use of continuous load progression as this is what reallycauses hypertrophy that stays the time.

 

[Lifting N Tx]

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(Peak_Power @ May 07 2007,03:30)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Basically, you're applying more load, and you're producing metabolic strain, both of which have been shown to stimulate hypertrophy.

Having said that, they aren't necessary, you'll get good growth without them, and you'll probably get more growth from doing an additional set at the full working weight.</div>
I agree with what you said. In my last cycle, I did 1x15, 2x10, 3x5. I was able to set a few PRs at the end of the 5s, but quickly became overtrained and saw my strength begin to decline.

I think that I need less volume with the heavy weights, but I'm not sure that volume that is sufficient in terms of producing muscular strain with heavier weights is necessarily optimal for metabolic stimulus. I'm considering doing only 1x5 but supplementing that with some drop sets. I hope that this might give me enough metabolic stimulus without inducing overtraining, as I want to be able to extend the 5s and post 5s.

I'm going to quote a bit from the FAQ on &quot;Dropsets and high rep sets&quot;:
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">
4) Drop sets are valuable for hypertrophy, as long as they don’t take priority over progressive load and frequency. As mentioned in several other threads, drops sets produce the desired metabolic stimulus to facilitate the hypertrophy induced by the loading regimen of HST.

However, they must be utilized properly, and unless you understand their purpose, based on the physiological role they play in hypertrophy, you won’t know how to use them. This is what you see in the articles in the muscle mags. They will write about how “intense” they are and how they’ll put an inch or two on your guns. They’ll show some pro, sprayed down with a water bottle, grimacing as he pretends to “break through the pain barrier”. The high rep work during the 5s is beneficial because of the lack of metabolic demand (activation of MAPKerk1/2) of doing short 5 rep sets. Negatives require even less metabolic energy, so the benefit applies to negatives as well.

Of course, the benefit also depends on how many weeks you spend doing 5s and negatives. If you finish your cycle only doing 2 weeks of 5s and then start SD, you probably won't get a whole lot out of high rep dropsets. But if oyu do 4 weeks of 5s then try some negatives, you will get a boost in the hypertrophic signal by flushing the tissue with lactic acid and oxygen radicals.
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