DEFINING DROP SETS
By: John M. Di Fazio II
Drop-Sets tax the muscles in a very different way than do Straight-Sets or Super-Sets. They pre-exhaust the targeted muscle in a triple-threat attack, engaging the muscle fibers in an unorthodox way. I find that Drop-Sets create the most soreness in every body part because of this three-tiered attack. Drop-Sets can be applied to Free Weights and Machines, including dumbbells, barbells, and cable exercises. The exercise can require the simple moving of a machine pin from 400 pounds to three hundred pounds to two hundred pounds, or with workout partners removing plates to reduce the weight after a consecutive amount of repetitions. Another variation can be moving down the dumbbell rack doing Alternating Biceps Curls, for example: 50 pounds x 7 reps, 40 pounds x 7 reps, and 30 pounds x 7 reps, consecutively. There are several variations, depending on the exercise performed.
After warming up, traditional Drop-Sets begin with the heaviest of three weights, and then drop to a lighter weight, and then again to an even lighter weight in a succession of 7-7-7 repetitions, totaling 21 repetitions. For example, on Leg Day, if I’m Leg-Pressing 800 pounds, I’ll do it for 7 reps, strip the weights to 600 pounds for 7 reps, and then strip it to 400 pounds for 7 reps, completing 21 repetitions. I will often include some other Drop-Set variations, including movements that I refer to as “LITTLE-MIDDLE-FULL,” or “Pulses,” in which we don’t actually drop the weight that we are using, but rather change the angle of the movement, also keeping to the 7-7-7 repetition range. This particular variation is usually called “21’s,” and is commonly applied to Barbell Biceps Curls, but it can really be applied to any movement, both pulling and pushing exercises alike.
I do Drop-Sets on the third week of each month. It is an excellent way to add variety to your workouts, and expose your muscles to foreign stress. I have provided multiple workouts for Drop-Set week for each body part below. Apply the following workouts with 4-5 exercises per body part on a given day, multiplied by 2 sets. Make your workouts interesting. It provides both muscle stimulation and mental stimulation, keeping you physically and mentally engaged at all times. Enjoy the results!
DROP-SETS
Leg Day A.
Barbell Squats 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Leg Press 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Leg Extension 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Lying Leg Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Standing Calf Raise 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Leg Day B.
Leg Press 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Kettle Bell Squats 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Stationary Dumbbell Lunge 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Stiff-leg Deadlifts 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Standing Calf Raise 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Leg Day C.
Dumbbell Squats 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Front Dumbbell Squats 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Leg Extension 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Seated Leg Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Donkey Calf Raises 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Chest Day A.
Flat Bench Barbell Press 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Incline Dumbbell Press 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Decline Barbell Bench Press 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Incline Dumbbell Fly 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Cable Cross-over 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Chest Day B.
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Incline Barbell Press 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Decline Dumbbell Press 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Flat Bench Dumbbell Fly 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Dips 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Chest Day C.
Decline Barbell Bench Press 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Flat Bench Barbell Press 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Incline Dumbbell Press 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Cable Fly 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Push-ups 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Back Day A.
Dead Lifts 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Assisted or Unassisted Pull-up 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Reverse-grip Pulldown 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
T-bar Wide Grip Row 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Machine Row 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Back Day B.
Pull-downs 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Reverse-grip Pulldown 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Close-grip Pulldown 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Row Machine 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Ball Hyper-Extension 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Back Day C.
Dumbbell Row 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Pull-up 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Chin-up 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Close-grip Pull-up 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
T-bar Angled Row 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Ball Hyper-Extension 2 sets Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Deltoids Day A.
Seated Front Barbell Press 2 sets x Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Front Alternating Dumbbell Raise 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Lateral Dumbbell Raise 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Seated Rear Deltoid Dumbbell Raise 2 sets x Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Barbell Shrug 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Deltoids Day B.
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press 2 sets x Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Front Barbell Raise 2 sets x Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Lateral Raise Machine 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Standing Rear Deltoid Dumbbell Raise 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Dumbbell Shrug 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Deltoids Day C.
Military Press 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Dumbbell Up-In-Out-Down 2 sets x 7 times
Lateral Dumbbell Raise 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Seated Rear Deltoid Dumbbell Raise 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Upright Row 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Barbell Shrug 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Biceps & Triceps Day A.
Close-grip Bench Press 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Overhead Single-arm Dumbbell Extension 2 sets x Little-Middle-Full Pulses x 7
Rope Extensions 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Cable Push-downs 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Barbell Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21) (7 Low, 7 High, 7 Full)
Dumbbell Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
E-Z Curl Bar Preacher Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Concentration Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21) (7 Low, 7 High, 7 Full)
Biceps & Triceps Day B.
Weighted Dip 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21) (7 Low, 7 High, 7 Full)
Overhead Rope Extension 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Bench Dips 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Double Triceps Pull-down 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
E-Z Curl Bar Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21) (7 Low, 7 High, 7 Full)
Preacher Curl Machine 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Seated Dumbbell Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Incline Dumbbell Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21) (7 Low, 7 High, 7 Full)
Biceps & Triceps Day C.
Cable Pull-down 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Rope Extensions 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Cable Push-downs 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Close-grip Push-ups 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21) (7 Low, 7 High, 7 Full)
Alternating Dumbbell Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
E-Z Curl Bar Cable Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Preacher Curl Machine 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
Single Cable Curl 2 sets x 7-7-7 reps (21)
This article is also featured in this month’s edition of Fitness Rx For Men!
