#1. drop set bench: How to
Here is your prescription for an advanced drop set workout. We will use chest as the example workout. Be forewarned, this workout will have your pecs begging for mercy.
- Start with a good compound movement such as incline barbell bench press. Load the bar with a nice warm up weight you can handle for 15-20 reps. I will use 135 as an example, but you can start with whatever weight you have to-95, 115. This will be your "base weight", meaning that it will be the last weight you use on all subsequent sets.
- After completing one set with this weight, move up to a weight you can do 12-15 reps with (185 will be the example). Immediately after doing this set, strip off the 25 pound plate and rep out 135 to failure.
- Then choose a weight you can do for 10-12 reps (225). After completing this set, drop to 185 to failure then drop again to 135 to failure.
- Then do the same method until you can't increase anymore - this is usually around progressive drop set number 5 for me.
The Plan
Here is a sample chest workout utilizing progressive drop sets:
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| Failure or Fail That point in an exercise at which you have so fully fatigued your working muscles that they can no longer complete an additional repetition of a movement with strict biomechanics. You should always take your post-warm-up sets at least to the point of momentary muscular failure, and frequently past that point. | |
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| Incline Barbell Bench Press 135 x 15 185 x 12, 135 x fail 225 x 10, 185 x fail, 135 x fail 275 x 8, 225 x fail, 185 x fail, 135 x fail 315 x 5, 275 x fail, 225 x fail, 185 x fail, 135 x fail |
* switch every 200 meters
