Dropping things is a part of daily life for me.
Years of softball save me most of the time – I knock things off counters but often catch them before they shatter on the ground.
This post isn’t bout my klutzy ways.  It’s the 3rd in my Work It Out series focusing on changing up your gym routines.  You don’t need to write new workouts to keep making forward progress – another approach is to change how you perform the exercise.
Again with the Disclaimer: I am not a certified anything.  I just workout a lot.  Don’t sue me if you hurt yourself or don’t look like Jamie Eason after performing these moves.
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Drop Sets
Drops allow you to continue a set pushing beyond failure.  They help to increase muscle endurance, and build good-quality muscle as a result.  This is what getting lean and toning up is all about!
To use the drop set technique, do 10 reps with a medium-heavy weight (5-10 lbs less than your max).  Once you finish those 10 reps, immediately drop the weight by 10 lbs (or pick up a weight 10 lbs lighter) and do 10 more.  Drop that weight by 10 lbs and perform 10 more reps.
These are easier to do on machines if you are working out alone because you can quickly change the weight yourself.  The amount of rest between drops should be no more than 10 seconds – just enough time to exchange the weight load.  If you use this technique with free weights, be sure to have your 3 sets of weights next to you so you can move through all 3 drops without breaking.
How do you use this technique?
Leg ExtensionsÂ
The leg extension specifically targets the quadriceps.  Sit on the machine with your legs under the pad, hands holding the side bars.  Be sure to adjust the pad so that it falls on top of your lower leg (just above your feet), and make sure that your legs form a 90-degree angle between the lower and upper leg.  If the legs form less than a 90-degree angle, your knee is over your toes and this will creates stress at the knee-joint (which you don’t want).
Using your quadriceps, extend your legs as you exhale.  The rest of the body should remain still on the seat.  Pause a second in the contracted position before lower the weight back to the original position in a controlled motion.
Note: Depending on how you angle your feet (inward, straight or outward), you can emphasize different muscle fibers on the area. Â Toes “in” emphasizes the outer thigh while toes “out” emphasizes the inner. Â You can also perform the movement one leg at a time.
Rear Delt MachineÂ
If you want something to really burn your deltoids out, do drop sets on this machine.  It is great for developing the back and the shoulders, and is an especially good exercise to strengthen the muscles that become weak due to long periods of sitting (hello, fellow cube monkeys).
Sit at a pec-deck machine with your chest on the back rest. Â Place your feet on the floor and grab the handles with an overhand grip. Â Draw belly button in, separate your arms back and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Â Slowly return back to start and repeat.
Note:Â Keep your chin and ribcage lifted so that you are not tempted to lean forward in an attempt to push the handles further back.
Caution: It is easy to “over train” with these modifications. Â They challenge your muscles to work much harder than usual, so these moves are not recommended as a long-term regimen. Â Avoid doing more than 2-3 of these per muscle group on any given workout.
Check out last week’s Fulls and Partials, and then get more fitness ideas, tips, and tricks on my Fitness page!  As always, be sure to get your 20g of protein to help the muscles recover.
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The hardest exercise for me to do these with are side lat raises with free weights.  Holy failure, Batman. Â
Did anyone try last week’s Fulls & Partials? Â What did you think?
Have you ever done fulls and partials? Â What exercises do you apply them to?
My muscles hurt just reading this – but these are awesome! And look at your ripped legs!
Haha – ditto. 🙂 I don’t do these nearly enough. Lookin’ good Ms Muscles!
I have to agree! I was going to say the same thing. You look AWESOME!
You guys rock. Thank you so much!!!
Ha Ha love Heather’s comment, and completely agree with her!! You have such awesome advice my dear <3
Oh man just the thought of drop sets is making my muscles burn, Laura! No wonder your hamstrings (and the rest of your body for that matter) are looking killer!! I have lower body on schedule for tomorrow and I want to try doing drop sets with squats- I’ll let you know how it goes!
Sorry to butt in here, but don’t do drop sets with squats. You always want to be fresh for exercises like squats, deadlifts, cleans, bench presses and overhead presses as they are both physically and mentally taxing. It’s dangerous to be fatigued and attempt to perform drop sets with these exercises – not only is your form likely to falter, but you risk injury. Stick to smaller, isolation-type exercises if you want to try drop sets 🙂
Anyway, great post Laura!
I agree with Tara… it would also be hard to quickly adjust the weight. There are a million leg exercises you COULD apply this too though! I especially like doing drops on the leg press.
The first time I ever tried drop sets was with the shoulder workout that you sent me last week and it was AWESOME! I love the feeling of powering through muscle failure…and hey, I’m all about the faster time! When I go to the gym, I get in and get OUT! Definitely need to try that move for the delts!
I am so glad you liked it. And yes, its a great way to maximize time. I told my trainer tonight about you doing that workout. 🙂
Ive used these methods along with the pyramid method, I like to change things up!
Pyramids are great! And on my list. 🙂
I do like dropsets and try to add them into my workouts every so often. There are several variations too so it keeps it from being boring – I think Pyramids might be one of my favorites.
Great advice! You are such a powerhouse! I am on my 5th week of my new workout. Starting to intensify some of things I am doing. After my next 4 weeks I am going back into a mix of bikram yoga and weight lifting. You have inspired me.
That’s awesome you are shaking things up! I’m curious to give bikram another try. I need to do more for flexibility.
I am clearly not fitness minded in the same way you are. My eyes sort of glazed over as I looked at this–except for the jolt of seeing your hot legs–and I wondered, “Where are the pictures of oatmeal?” “Where are her crazy dinners?”
I need to change up my weight routine. I just have no motivation to…
Yes you are! Totally impressed with all your running. And how you’ve embraced the protein powder. 🙂
More oats today, just for you. 😉
I looove drop sets (in a painful way)–especially on quads. They help when I feel like I just can’t get to a heavy enough weight by myself to really push. Love ’em on cable bicep curls, too.
That’s a great point about it being a way to push without a spotter. Can you start reviewing these for me before I post? 😉
I LOVE drop sets! Not all of the time, but every now and then to push through plateaus and kick-start muscle growth!
Thanks for sharing!
Chris always leads our work outs, but I’m gonna have to tell him about trying some drop sets. I like that idea a lot.
I loooove drop sets!!! Well, love and hate. haha.
I’ve tried drop sets once and I thought my arms were going to fall off after. Which means I should probably be doing them more:)
Haha – I’m told that means you’re doing it right. 😉
I wish i could do all this exercise I really do but despite my good intensions, I cannot follow such a program. I totally admire you for doing this!
You totally can! I promise it become a habit and gets MUCH easier to stick to. 🙂
Look good my friend!!!
LOVE drop sets! they’re one of my favs – especially when it comes to lat exercises!
Your legs look AMAZINGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!! Way to go girl! I drop things all the time too and unfortunately don’t have the softball experience to keep them from shattering… oh well! I’ve never heard of drop sets but now I want to try them! They sound fun!
You should come workout with me one day! I have a week guest pass – it would be SO much fun! 🙂
Nice legs!
Loooove drop sets, rest-pause/drop sets, triple drop sets, whatever. Bring it. I didn’t know that tip about angling your toes on the leg extension. Will do. 😉
Thanks! You’ll be surprised at how brutal the toe thing can be.
your legs! looking good girl
What happens when you only use 10 lbs :S Not everyone is a superwomen like you 😛 I guess this exercise won’t work that well for the smaller/ weaker muscles since you would be using small weights to begin with?
LOL! Well, you could do it a bit easier with certain exercises (like leg extensions), but I wouldn’t do this just starting out. This would be great for after you build that first muscle base.
I’ve tried drop sets before it is a great way to mix things up!
Glad to know I’m not the only one that finds side lat raises to be a pain. but i am determined to overcome that issue. 😉
I think it means it’s working… doesn’t make it more fun though! 🙂
I love these they always give me really good ideas 🙂
Your workouts rock!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
nice, nice legs! so envy. .
Wow! Those sound tough… Since I’m training for a marathon now (second week) I am trying to incorporate more strength training to make sure my muscles are strong enough to carry me through. On Monday I took a ten pound medicine ball, squatted to the ground, and raised back up to throw it in the air as fast as I could… until my legs quivered. 4 sets of 15. I still can’t walk. I’m doing this again tomorrow. LOL
I love love love love drop sets. They are so effective. And fun too to see that you can eek out a few more reps than you thought.
Yet another thing we have in common…klutziness. Sometimes I feel like Chunk from the Goonies, but like you my form baseball skills do save the day (once in a while).
Hello!! Golly, I love drop sets…I did them this morning on the hamstring curl machine. It’s pretty much the only reason I’ll use machines at the gym…too hard to change the weight when lifting alone any other way. Leg extensions are Thursday…bring on the burnnnnnn 🙂
Question: what’s the reasoning / thought behind 100 pull ups a day? I have been struggling with back and core strength…arms and legs are decent, but middle body is struggs with gaining strength. Is this a good way to build strength and not width? Email me if it’s easier! Thanks 🙂
They are KILLER for hams. The payoff rocks though.
The 100 pull ups a day are to make my back wider. It’s had the side benefit of added muscle, improved core strength, and some great definition to the backs of my under arms. If you’re really adverse to width, I’d say a) just do fewer and do them assisted or do push ups.