Doing drop sets (lifting heavy, then lighter weights without rest) builds strength just as well as doing regular sets with the same total weight, at least in young men who already lift weights.

Scientific Claim

Drop set training produces similar effects on muscular strength as traditional resistance training in young, healthy males, with a trivial effect size of 0.07 (95% CI: -0.14 to 0.29), indicating no meaningful difference between the two methods for improving maximal strength when using moderate loads (≤80% 1RM).

Original Statement

“Results for the strength outcomes indicated a trivial point estimate of the effect size (ES) with a relatively narrow precision for the confidence interval (CI) estimate (0.07; 95% CI = -0.14, 0.29).”

From study:Unknown Title

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 is a Level 1a systematic review of RCTs, which can establish causation. The effect size is trivial and confidence intervals are narrow, supporting definitive language. Limitations (young males only, moderate loads) are acknowledged and do not invalidate the causal claim within the studied population.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Unknown Title

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Human

This study found that doing drop sets (lowering the weight mid-set) builds strength just as well as traditional weight training, with almost no difference between the two methods.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Unknown Title

Score: 59

DOI: 10.47206/ijsc.v2i1.135

Similar Assertions

If you do the same total amount of work, using drop sets won’t make your muscles bigger or stronger than doing regular sets over two months.

88%

Drop sets don’t make you stronger than regular sets if you’re lifting moderate weights — but we don’t know if they’d work better or worse if you lifted really heavy weights.

87%

When you train to near failure, doing drop sets doesn’t make your muscles grow bigger than doing regular sets — both methods build muscle about the same in young men.

86%

If you're already experienced with lifting weights, doing drop sets (lowering the weight after failure) doesn't help you get stronger than doing regular sets, as long as you do the same total amount of work.

86%

Drop sets made guys feel more tired and their muscles puff up more after one workout, but they didn’t make them stronger in the long run than regular sets.

84%