Question- I do an arm routine that constists of a set of dumbell curls, followed with 2 drop sets. I prefrom this down the rack system 3 times. Do you consider this 9 total sets of just three total working sets?
In general anytime you keep rest levels under 30 seconds i consider them part of the original set. laters pk
My question would be: Why are you doing a “running the rack” drop set 3 times? My understanding is that you drop weight after you’ve failed at a particular weight so you can continue to pump out reps. If you’re able to do it again, it seems to me you intentionally backed off the first time. Or am I way off base here?
brider… no you’re not totally off base. In fact I think you may have answered my question for me…The sceanario is this: I can crank out about 8 reps with the 40lb dumbells. When I fail I immedeately pick up the 30’s and am able to crank out another 6-8 reps, then it’s the 25’s for another 6-8 reps… Then the process is started again with the 40’s,30’s,25’s for two more sets…You make a good point…By having the strength to start off with the 40’s again… all I have done by “running the rack” is a continuation of the very same set. It all makes sense now… It’s not 9 sets. It’s only 3! Thanks Guys!!
Paul, call it 3 sets or 9 sets but that amount of work for a small muscle group is plenty and, perhaps, too much. I sure wouldn’t do any other bicep work. Good Luck.
Paul, I think it is neither 3 nor 9 if you want to make a fair comparison with a normal set to failure (or close to failure). Ian King addressed a similar question a while back, and he seemed to consider it around 6 sets, give or take a set or two. The reasoning is that a tri-set is certainly more work than a standard set, but less work than if you had done three standard set. Regardless, I would just gauge my progress and make a note of when the point of diminishing returns occur and use that reference point later instead of trying to rigidly make your workout fit some max number of sets criteria.
Good input guys… Thanks a bunch.