We’ve all been there…You’re working hard and seeing consistent results, and then one day you notice the progress stopped…you plateaued.

This is when it’s time to add some additional strategy to your routine with drop sets. Drop sets are an awesome addition to get you past that plateau and on to new results.

Important: It’s important to note that drop sets are a more advanced form of weight training. You should build a strong weight training foundation, then incorporate drop sets. Start with the article below if this sounds like you.

4 Easy Tips for Using Exercise and Weight Machines

Drop sets are when you perform consecutive sets of one exercise to fatigue (when you are physically too tired to perform another rep) using lighter weight with each successive set…and without breaks in between the drop sets. You are essentially pushing one specific muscle group to work as hard as possible, to ultimately be as strong as possible.

In order for your body to develop beyond its current fitness level, you need to increase the load or stress you put on it through exercise. One way to do this is by increasing the intensity in your workouts.[i] Drop sets are an excellent way to increase your workout intensity.

Drop sets can be performed with any type of strength training equipment: machines, cables, dumbbells and barbells. Also, you are going to be using several different weights, so make sure you have easy access to the equipment you will need to drop to the next weight as quickly and safely as possible without taking a break.

Here are a few different types of drop sets you can add to your weight lifting routine using the many different types of equipment you’ll find at your LA Fitness club.

Triple Drop Set

Example using a machine.

Exercise – Chest Fly

When performing drop sets on a machine, adjusting the weight is extremely easy, you just move the pin to a lighter weight for each set!

For this exercise you are going to do a triple drop set; meaning you are going to go until fatigue and drop the weight down two times before you rest.

1. Perform a chest fly using a weight you can lift between 6 to 10 times until you reach failure.
2. As quickly, and safely, as possible, move the pin to a lower / lighter weight. Typically about one third less than the set you just did.
3. Perform chest flys to failure again.
4. As quickly, and safely, as possible, move the pin to an even lower / lighter weight. Typically about one third less than the set you just did.
5. Perform chest flys until failure one last time.

Double Drop Set

Example using cables.

Exercise – Tricep Pushdowns

When you’re performing drop sets with cables, it’s also pretty simple to adjust the weight because you just have to move the pin down.

For this exercise you are going to perform a double drop set; meaning you are going to go until failure and drop the weight one time before you rest.

1. Perform tricep pushdowns using a weight you can lift between 6 to 10 times until you reach failure.
2. As quickly, and safely, as possible, move the pin to a lower / lighter weight. Typically about one third less than the set you just did.
3. Perform tricep pushdowns to failure one more time.

Triple Drop Set

Example using a dumbbells.

Exercise – Shoulder Press

When you’re performing drop sets with dumbbells, you’re going to have to arrange the dumbbells before you start so you can easily transition from one weight to the next without stopping.

For this exercise you are going to do a triple drop set; meaning you are going to go until failure and drop the weight down one time before you rest.

1. Perform a set of shoulder presses using a weight you can lift between 6 to 10 times until you reach failure.
2. As quickly, and safely, as possible, move the pin to a lower / lighter weight. Typically about one third less than the set you just did.
3. Perform another set of shoulder presses to failure.
4. As quickly, and safely, as possible, move the pin to an even lower / lighter weight. Typically about one third less than the set you just did.
5. Perform shoulder presses to failure one last time.

Double Drop Set

Example using barbells.

Exercise – Bicep Curls

In order to perform a drop set with barbells you’re also going to have to have the barbells arranged or racked next to each other so you can easily transition from one weight to the next without stopping.

For this exercise you are going to perform a double drop set; meaning you are going to go until failure and drop the weight two times before you rest.

1. Perform bicep curls using a weight you can lift between 6 to 10 times until you reach failure.
2. As quickly, and safely, as possible, move the pin to a lower / lighter weight. Typically about one third less than the set you just did.
3. Perform bicep curls to failure one more time.

Drop sets are very universal and can be applied on all types of equipment for pretty much any muscle group. Add a set of drop sets onto the end of your strength training routine to help you burn more calories and take your strength training to the next level!

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