Even if you push yourself to complete exhaustion with drop sets, you won’t grow bigger or stronger than if you just stick to regular sets—as long as you lift the same total weight.

Scientific Claim

In well-trained men, training to muscular failure using drop-set protocols does not enhance strength, hypertrophy, or muscle architecture adaptations compared to traditional resistance training when total volume is matched, indicating that failure is not a necessary stimulus for further gains in trained individuals.

Original Statement

“DS (3–5 sets of ~50–75% 1-RM to muscle failure) protocols... All protocols showed significant and similar increases in... CSA, 1-RM, PA, and FL.”

From study:Crescent pyramid and drop-set systems do not promote greater strength gains, muscle hypertrophy, and changes on muscle architecture compared with traditional resistance training in well-trained men

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 DS protocol was explicitly designed to induce failure, and its outcomes were statistically indistinguishable from non-failure protocols. This supports definitive language.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Crescent pyramid and drop-set systems do not promote greater strength gains, muscle hypertrophy, and changes on muscle architecture compared with traditional resistance training in well-trained men

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2017 Feb

When trained guys lifted weights using two different methods—one going until failure and one not—their muscles grew and got stronger at the same rate, as long as they did the same total amount of work. So, going all the way to failure doesn’t give you extra benefits.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Crescent pyramid and drop-set systems do not promote greater strength gains, muscle hypertrophy, and changes on muscle architecture compared with traditional resistance training in well-trained men

Score: 54

DOI: 10.1007/s00421-016-3529-1

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.

83%

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.

82%

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.

81%

Even if you train until you can’t do another rep, it doesn’t make your muscles grow more than stopping just before failure — both ways work about the same.

81%

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.

80%