Drop Sets With Extended Rest Between Sets?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

i have been trying this for a little while and have had experienced good gains, but it might just be because im getting into lifting seriously again. its nice because i can really exhaust a muscle group/movement without doing a bunch of exercises or spending a lot of time, but i just dont know how legit it might be to continue doing in the future or really understand the science that might be behind it.

for example if im doing bench/chest i would pick a weight i can do for 1-3 reps for the first set. i dont go to ‘failure’ necessarily, i rack it after i pretty much know i have nothing left without trying again and stalling.

i wait around 3-5 min, take 20 lbs off and do another set the exact same way. i continue to do this for a total of 3 sets. for the 1st set i cycle week to week with the rep range/weight between 1-3 reps/heavy and 6-8 reps/light.

ill usually do 3 sets of flat bench and then 3 sets of close grip bench cycling between which i do first when i feel like switching it up.

i do the same thing with legs doing deep squats and then parallel squats and with other movements/muscles groups as well.

im basically asking what everybody’s educated opinion is of this ‘routine.’ most would say it would be really taxing on my CNS but mon and tues are bench/squat and thurs/fri are just triceps and upper back so its not always compound exercises.

i dont have an enormous amount of time to spend in the gym so its fit me well so far, just wondering if bite the bullet and do something else or stick with it.

2

why don’t you use the same weight for all 3 sets. If you are waiting 3-5 minutes that is plenty of rest. I cant get my head round why you would drop the weights when you have another recovery time. Your taking undertraining to a whole new level.

3

Change it when it stops working. Don’t over analyse.

4

[quote]BIGBOSSTRON wrote:
why don’t you use the same weight for all 3 sets. If you are waiting 3-5 minutes that is plenty of rest. I cant get my head round why you would drop the weights when you have another recovery time. Your taking undertraining to a whole new level.[/quote]

3-5 minutes of rest is not a drop set. One might call what you are doing a reverse pyramid. As posted above…if you are not going to absolute failure, I don’t understand why you cut the weight.

5

If it works for you, go for it. Nothing wrong with what you are doing in my opinion, you look like you are on the right side of a good learning curve.