When adults who already work out tried a special rest-pause weightlifting method for 6 weeks, their thigh muscles grew 11% thicker, while those doing regular weightlifting only saw 1% growth.

For people who already work out, taking short breaks during leg exercises leads to much better muscle stamina—27% better—than doing sets without breaks, which only improves by 8% after 6 weeks.

Whether you use rest-pause, drop sets, or regular sets, as long as you do the same total amount of work, your thigh muscles grow about the same size after 8 weeks of training.

When people who already lift weights do drop sets or rest-pause sets instead of regular sets—while doing the same total amount of work—they don’t get bigger thigh muscles any faster or more than with normal training.

The lower part of the thigh doesn't get noticeably bigger after 8 weeks of any of these training styles, even if the upper and middle parts do—meaning muscles don't grow evenly everywhere.

If you do your workouts with either drop sets, rest-pause, or regular sets — but do the same total amount of work — your muscles grow about the same size in your thighs.