Both ways of lifting weights — regular sets and drop sets — make your biceps and forearms a little bigger after 10 weeks, by about 2%.

Scientific Claim

After 10 weeks of resistance training, both traditional and Tonal 1 drop-set protocols result in small but measurable increases in elbow flexor muscle size, with average gains around 1.86%.

Original Statement

“Elbow flexor hypertrophy was significantly greater in TRAD (0.07 cm [95% CI: 0.02, 0.13; p = 0.004; +1.86%]); ... hypertrophy per unit of training time was significantly greater in the DROP condition ... 1.86%.”

From study:Investigating the Effect of the Tonal Drop Set Mode On Elbow Flexor Hypertrophy

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

definitive

Can make definitive causal claims

Assessment Explanation

The study directly measured and reported hypertrophy gains in both groups with statistical significance and effect sizes. The 1.86% gain is an observed outcome, not an inferred causal claim, so definitive language is appropriate.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (0)

No supporting evidence found

Contradicting (1)

Investigating the Effect of the Tonal Drop Set Mode On Elbow Flexor Hypertrophy

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

The study found that only the regular workout routine made muscles bigger, not the Tonal drop-set method — even though the drop sets were faster. The claim says both worked the same, but that’s not what the data shows.

Source Study

Investigating the Effect of the Tonal Drop Set Mode On Elbow Flexor Hypertrophy

Score: 66

DOI: 10.51224/SRXIV.659

Similar Assertions

Doing regular weightlifting reps with full rest between sets builds a tiny bit more arm muscle than doing drop sets on a smart machine, but the difference is so small it doesn’t really matter in real life.

87%

Even though drop sets don’t build much more muscle overall, they do it faster — you get the same tiny muscle gain in less time, which is great if you’re short on workouts.

83%

After 12 weeks of training with the same total workload, neither method made the biceps noticeably thicker than the other.

82%

Both methods probably push your muscles to about the same level of fatigue, which is why they end up making your arms grow about the same amount.

80%

Even though one method showed a tiny bit more muscle growth, it was so small that it wouldn’t make any noticeable difference in how your arms look or feel.

80%