Sets without weight after failure...

[Milford Jenings]

Guys,
I'm just curious as to whether or not anyone has tried this out. I am and have subscribed to the HIT principles of training for years and have always made gains. One other aspect of training that I use is a set after failure of an exercise without weight. It goes like this....

Do your sets (for me 2 of 6-8 reps until positive failure) then immediately after without rest go through the motions of that last set without weight flexing as much as possible. For me it works and really helps you feel what you have targeted in the exercise.

Anyone else try this? Anyone else wanna try this and tell me what it does for you?

Thanks,
MJ

 

[gymtime]

I believe what you're describing is known as a drop set. Personally, I've never done them. But the guys on here who do them seem to love them.

 

[DaCypher]

Milford Jenings,
I do drop sets every once in a while. I really like them for calfs. I'll do a pretty heavy set (standing calf raises or 45 degree sled machine) and get around 8 reps then immediately drop about 20% of the weight and do another set to failure and drop another 20% for a third set. I haven't done drop sets much for any other muscle group, but I should try it out. Do you do your no weight set after all of your exercises?

 

[Milford Jenings]

Basically I do the exercise without weight at all. By the time I have done two sets to failure I am really about cooked. Mind you I am going as heavy as I can. Per your example for standing calf raises...I do my sets then stand on a 2X4 and do another "set" of the motion without any additional weight.

This usually burns the heck out of the muscles since I try to flex the whole way through and do it s l o w l y.

Just curious if anyone else did this sort of thing. My high-school strength coach had us do this and it just plain felt good. Been doing it off and on since then but am unsure if it is a psychological effect or physiological.

MJ