Drop Sets- are they useful?

Hello, I've been trying to increase my gains in the gym as I seem to have reached a plateau. I understand that you must try and overload your muscle in order for it to respond. This can be hard to achieve if you don't have a spotter in the gym to help you for e out a few extra reps. Does anyone have experience using Drop Sets? How do drop sets compare to standard sets in terms of usefulness? If they are useful in a workout is it okay to do them on one exercise per muscle group per week, or is it something that should only be done once a month to avoid overtraining? I know some of you are experienced trainers and just wanted a good source of information as searching the net for an answer seems to give contradictory opinions.

I do them occasionally (mostly for weighted chins and dips). Sometimes its better to utilise them on the machines due to the ease in which you can change weight.
Its a good technique to use every now and again just to keep things interesting. I tend to use whenever I just want to try something different, which is usually once a month. I don't think there is much harm in doing them more often that that though.
You mentioned having reached a plateau. How long have you been training for?

I dont do that. Simply put I walk in, go BEAST, walk out. And its worked, I look like a 300 extra (really, just the extra, Im no Gerard Butler)... *points to biceps* "Is this even CGI?''

Oh and welcome to 666

Thanks for the welcome kingraf. I've been a longtime reader of the 606v2 boards and enjoy reading the posts so thought may as well join in!

J Benson thanks for the advice- I've trained on and off for seven to eight years but more seriously over last year or so. I do cardio and weights. I know I should split the days I do then on but it's hard to find the time. I've just found I get to a certain level and then find it quite hard to get beyond that so figured I should try a few different techniques to try and shock my body.

Welcome, sikhlion.

Yes dropsets are worth doing. I tend to hold them back until the last couple of exercises of a workout and then throw in a dropset at the end of each one. For example last night I did a quick back workout - 3 x 10 pullups, 3 x 12 dumbell rows, 3 x 12 (no idea what it's called but when you put plates on one end of the bar and pull it up between your legs), 3 x 10 bent over cables (on bottom), then a set on the lat pulldown where I went really high rep lessening the weight each time.

Always give a good burn and increase stamina at the very least. Give them a go, see what happens.

sikhlion wrote:Thanks for the welcome kingraf. I've been a longtime reader of the 606v2 boards and enjoy reading the posts so thought may as well join in!

J Benson thanks for the advice- I've trained on and off for seven to eight years but more seriously over last year or so. I do cardio and weights. I know I should split the days I do then on but it's hard to find the time. I've just found I get to a certain level and then find it quite hard to get beyond that so figured I should try a few different techniques to try and shock my body.

If you've only been training consistantly for a year or so, you should still be able to continue making good progress for at least another 2-3 years or so. I would recommend just being patient and remaining consistant. However, don't expect the kind of gains you made over the past year to continue in such a linear fashion.
When you start training consistantly, the first year or so of training yealds great results. Gains start slowing down after that. After a couple of years training, your body pretty much maxes out. When someone has been training naturally (drug-free) for lets say 15 years, you can be certain that almost all muscle gain would have taken place in the first 3-5 years.

So true, eighteen months ago, I weighed 75kg, I now clock in at 88! Simply put, without 'help' there is almost no way I can keep that rate of growth. Mans gotta know his limitations, otherwise frustrations kick in