Weight Training Advice
Drop Sets
counterproductive to weight train for too long, especially if you're a natural trainer. This makes training with high intensity that much more important. There are many high intensity techniques that you can use to make your workouts more efficient.
Performing drop sets is one of the best high intensity weight training techniques to use. To do drop sets you do as many reps as you possibly can during a set, then immediately drop the amount of weight you are using and continue doing more reps. You can do a few of these drops for added intensity.
Drop sets are best done towards the ends of your workouts. If you start out your workouts with drop sets, you will take too much out yourself to perform the rest of your exercises with very much intensity. Use this technique sparingly on the last couple of sets you do during your workouts to finish off with a pump.
Drop sets can be inconvenient to do on certain exercises. Most free weight exercises done with barbells may not work out well for them unless you have a training partner stripping the weights off for you. You could strip the weights yourself even though it will take some more times in between drops before you start lifting again. However, you really don't want to use this technique on major compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and power cleans. You would do these exercises at the beginning of your workouts anyway.
The best exercises to do drop sets on are ones using dumbbells, cables, or machines. If you're doing drop sets on a dumbbell exercise, all you have to do is grab another pair of dumbbells when you get to failure. On cable and machine exercises you'll just have to take the pin and place it higher up on the weight stack.
You are also best off performing drop sets on isolation exercises rather than compound ones for the most part. It's fine to do them on some compound exercises such as dumbbell bench presses, overhead dumbell presses, or dumbbell rows. However, since you're finishing off your workouts with isolation style exercises anyway, it's better to perform drop sets on them.
How much you drop the weight during drop sets is up to you. If you're going to drop the weight more than once, you should decrease it by 10 or 20 %. If you're only dropping the weight once, try 40 to 50% to get more reps.
Don't overdo it with drop sets - performing them on your last set or 2 should be plenty. You'll raise the intensity level of your workouts and be on your way to more strength and size.
It's essential to train with high intensity if you're trying to build muscle. If you go all out and try to get as much as you can out of every single set you do, you won't have to spend as much time in the gym. In fact, it can be
