Research and practice show that in one set, you can achieve a state in which the muscle, in some way, gives all the best. A set that recruits most of the muscle fibers, uses their potential and energy with maximum efficiency – in other words, brings it to the point of failure.
This condition is fraught with microdisorders of muscle tissue, and it is the process of recovery after such disorders that causes the growth of connective muscle tissue, which leads to muscle growth as a whole. It is on the principle of “failure” that the basic weight training program is based .
Drop sets
To reach the point of failure with a single approach, you can use a drop set (drop set – from the English “drop” – to throw). You do the exercise with a weight with which you can do no more than 5 reps, then very quickly take less weight (about 25%), and do 7-9 reps, reduce the weight again, do 10-14 reps, and so on, until the moment when there is no strength left for even one repetition with the lowest weight.
If you do a dumbbell lift for biceps, then the point of failure in the exercise comes when you no longer have the strength to perform a repetition, and raise your arm without any weight at all.
It is easier to perform drop sets with dumbbells or on blocks, which will allow you to change weight quickly. If you work with a barbell, then you will need the help of an assistant.
What’s next?
Having reached the described point of failure, it makes no sense to do another drop set and or a regular set with a low weight. You have achieved your goal – made the muscle work 100%, activated the recovery process after exercise, provoked the muscle to grow.
Each group of such muscles needs its own drop set. For example, for the chest, you can do a bench press , then an incline bench press (on the upper chest), and finish with information on the blocks.
