When it comes to hypertrophy, all roads lead to Rome. Most of the best bodybuilders in history — think Sergio Oliva, Dorian Yates, or Arnold Schwarzenegger — had their own unique approaches to building muscle, and they all worked pretty darn well.
2013 Women’s Physique Olympia winner Dana Linn Bailey is particularly partial to drop sets. On May 28, 2024, Bailey posted a back workout to YouTube that incorporated drop sets throughout.
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We’re going to walk you through “DLB”s back workout, unpack the science behind drop set training, and tap a BarBend Expert PhD — who also happens to be a competitive bodybuilder himself — to help you decide if you should drop what you’re doing and add more drop sets to your workouts.
Dana Linn Bailey’s Back Workout
Bailey’s back day consists of mostly compound exercises, a variety of different row grips, and of course, plenty of drop sets. “I try to change my grip on every single exercise,” Bailey remarked with the intent of targeting all of her back muscles.
Bailey emphasized the importance of using lifting straps on back workouts: “I like to use [straps] because the limiting factor is usually your grip strength. Your back is much stronger than your hands and forearms.”
- Dumbbell Row: 4 x 12, 10, 8, 6, with a drop set at the end
- Seated Cable Row: 4 x 8-12, with a wide overhand grip
- Seated Cable Row: 4 x 8-12, with a close underhand grip
- Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown: 4 x 12, with a drop set on each of the last 3 sets
- Seated Cable Pullover + Prone Cable Row: 4 x 10-12, as a superset
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The Science of Drop Sets
On paper, drop sets sound almost like a muscle-building hack: Build more muscle in less time? Sign us up. But the fact is that many people misunderstand the purpose and utility of drop sets as an intensity technique.
- A 2023 systematic review (1) on the efficacy of drop sets for muscle-building concluded, “…no significant difference in hypertrophy measurements between the drop set and traditional [set schemes].”
- However, that same review also noted the incredible time-saving potential of drop sets, citing that drop sets allow for the same amount of work to be completed in “one third to one half” as much time.
- A 2021 review of bodybuilding workout plans (2) also supports the time-saving properties of drop sets, particularly for their utility in helping time-poor bodybuilders maintain adequate training volume for muscle growth.
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So, are drop sets muscle magic? Not necessarily — the science doesn’t seem to support the technique as any more beneficial long-term than straight sets with standardized rest times. However, drop sets are extremely time-efficient, help develop work ethic, and might burn more calories overall.
Are Drop Sets Worth It? A Bodybuilding PhD Weighs In
“If time is of concern, drop sets can be a great tool for increasing your workout density,” answers Exercise Physiology PhD Dr. Ryan Girts. Girts is a professor at Pfeiffer University and a competitive bodybuilder himself. From his perspective, plenty of people misunderstand the benefits (and drawbacks) of drop sets:
- “If your goal is to increase strength, straight sets are preferable over drop sets,” Girts says, citing the extended rest periods and consistent challenge that help facilitate progressive overload.
- But there might be a benefit to your work capacity. “On a set-by-set basis, drop sets require more reps and longer periods of work,” Girts says. “They do provide some benefits to your muscular endurance.”
Girts also cited a unique method for creating progressive overload with drop sets. “You can sort of scaffold progressive overload by adding more drop sets on a week-to-week basis,” he mentions.
It’s an advanced training technique that requires you to closely monitor your recovery, but if you’re trying to build as much muscle as DLB, no stone is worth leaving unturned.
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References
- Sødal LK, Kristiansen E, Larsen S, van den Tillaar R. Effects of Drop Sets on Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med Open. 2023 Jul 31;9(1):66. doi: 10.1186/s40798-023-00620-5. PMID: 37523092; PMCID: PMC10390395.
- Iversen, V. M., Norum, M., Schoenfeld, B. J., & Fimland, M. S. (2021). No Time to Lift? Designing Time-Efficient Training Programs for Strength and Hypertrophy: A Narrative Review. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 51(10), 2079–2095.
Featured Image: DanaLinnBailey on YouTube
