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.
Scientific Claim
Drop set resistance training is associated with greater acute muscle fatigue and perceived exertion than conventional training, but not with greater long-term strength gains in young men.
Original Statement
“Acute pre/post measurements for one bout of RT showed significant changes in MT (18.3±5.8%, P<0.001) and MVC (-13.3±7.1, P<0.05) in the DS group only and a significant difference (P<0.01) in RPE was observed between groups (7.7±1.5 for DS and 5.3±1.4 for NS). Strength increased in both groups (16.1±12.1%, ES=0.88 for DS and 25.2±17.5%, ES=1.34 for NS).”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The claim accurately links acute and chronic outcomes without implying causation. The use of 'associated with' is appropriate given the study design.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (0)
Contradicting (1)
Effects of drop set resistance training on acute stress indicators and long-term muscle hypertrophy and strength.
The study found that regular training made people stronger than drop sets, even though drop sets felt harder and caused more muscle swelling right after working out.