Drop sets don’t make the side muscle of your thigh bigger than regular sets — no matter where you measure it.

Pro

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Community contributions welcome

Drop-Set Training Elicits Differential Increases in Non-Uniform Hypertrophy of the Quadriceps in Leg Extension Exercise

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2021 Aug 29

Contradicting (0)

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Drop-Set Training Elicits Differential Increases in Non-Uniform Hypertrophy of the Quadriceps in Leg Extension Exercise

Score: 54

DOI: 10.3390/sports9090119

Similar Assertions

The side muscle of your thigh doesn’t grow any more with drop sets than with regular sets—no matter where you measure it.

91%

Doing leg extensions with drop sets (going to failure, then lowering the weight and going again) makes the front part of your thigh muscle bigger in the upper and middle areas, but not the bottom part or the side muscle.

84%

When you train your quads, drop sets don’t make the outer thigh muscle grow more than regular sets — both methods make it grow about the same.

83%

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.

81%

For the outer thigh muscle (vastus lateralis), bending your hip to 40 or 90 degrees during leg extensions doesn’t seem to make a difference in how much the muscle grows in guys who haven’t lifted before.

81%