Going from light to heavy and back to light again in your workouts doesn’t make you stronger or bigger than just doing the same total weight with consistent loads—if you’re already trained.

Pro

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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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

In trained guys, lifting weights in a pattern that goes up and down in weight (crescent pyramid) doesn’t make you stronger or build more muscle than just lifting the same total amount of weight the usual way.

Contradicting (0)

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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

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If you’re already strong and trained, you don’t need fancy workout tricks like pyramids or going to failure to get the best results—just do the same total work with any method.

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If you lift the same total weight no matter how you arrange your sets—pyramid, failure, or regular—you’ll get the same results. Fancy methods don’t make you stronger or bigger if you’re already trained.

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