Doing leg extensions with drop sets (going to failure, then lowering the weight and going again) makes the front part of your thigh muscle grow more than doing regular sets, but only in the upper and middle parts—not the bottom or the side muscles.
Scientific Claim
Drop-set resistance training using unilateral leg extensions for eight weeks causes greater hypertrophy in the proximal (30%) and mid (50%) regions of the rectus femoris muscle compared to traditional training in recreationally active young men, with effect sizes of 1.20 and 0.89 respectively, while no difference is observed in the distal (70%) region or in the vastus lateralis at any site.
Original Statement
“DS showed statistically greater increases in the RF at 30% and 50% of muscle length, whereas no MT differences were detected at 70% muscle length nor at any aspect of the VL.”
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 RCT design with randomization, control condition, and direct measurement of muscle thickness allows definitive causal claims. The language matches the statistical significance and effect sizes reported.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Drop-Set Training Elicits Differential Increases in Non-Uniform Hypertrophy of the Quadriceps in Leg Extension Exercise
This study found that doing drop-set leg extensions made the upper and middle parts of one thigh muscle grow more than regular training, but didn’t make the bottom part or other thigh muscles grow any better — just like the claim said.