New research alert!
A recent study tested three popular resistance training methods, traditional strenght training, pre-exhaustion, and drop sets, to find out which builds muscle, strength, and endurance best.1
Guess what? They all work equally well when the total workout volume is the same.
Key Takeaways
- Traditional lifting? Solid gains.
- Pre-exhaustion (burnout sets before big lifts)? Also solid.
- Drop sets (reduce weight and keep pushing)? You guessed it: solid gains again.
The only difference? Pre-exhaustion and drop sets might leave you feeling extra sore the next day.
Want to learn more? Let’s take a closer look at this new research.
Introduction
If you’ve spent some time in the gym, you’ve probably heard of advanced training techniques like drop sets and pre-exhaustion.
But are they really better than good old-fashioned traditional strength training?
A recent study compared the effectiveness of these methods for strength, muscle growth, and muscle endurance.
What Are Drop Sets and Pre-Exhaustion Training?
- Drop sets are a classic intensity-boosting bodybuilding technique. After reaching failure in a set, you reduce the weight (typically by ~20%) and keep going until you’re cooked. The idea is to fully exhaust the muscles and recruit every muscle fiber in sight to stimulate growth.
- Pre-exhaustion means you start with an isolation exercise (like leg extensions) to fatigue a specific muscle group. Then, without resting, you jump into a compound exercise (like the leg press) to push the already tired target muscle group to work even harder during the second exercise.
Both methods promise greater muscle activation and metabolic stress, two drivers of hypertrophy (muscle growth). But do they deliver on the hype?
The Study: A Head-to-Head Comparison
A bunch of researchers wanted to find out if dropsets or pre-exhaustion training were better than good old TRT (that’s Traditional Resistance Training, not 💉). They rounded up 53 recreationally trained men and split them into three groups:
- Traditional Resistance Training (TRT): This group did standard sets of 8–12 reps on the leg press and leg extension.
- Pre-Exhaustion (Pre-Ex): These guys started with leg extensions at 30% of their 1-rep max (1RM) to failure before moving to heavy leg presses.
- Drop Sets (DS): The drop setters ended their sets with lighter, high-rep leg extensions after heavier leg presses.
All groups trained twice a week for six weeks. The total training volume (how much weight they lifted in total) was kept equal across all groups to make it a fair fight. Muscle strength, muscle endurance, and muscle thickness were tracked before and after the program.
What Did They Measure?
- Strength: Tested with 1RM on leg press and leg extension.
- Muscle Endurance: How many reps they could pump out at 50% of their 1RM.
- Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth): Measured muscle thickness in the quadriceps at different sites using fancy imaging tech.
- Muscle Soreness & Effort: Post-leg-day wobble and muscle soreness were tracked using validated scales (the participants basically told the researchers how much things hurt).
The Results: Everone Wins
All groups got stronger, built endurance, and gained muscle thickness. Here are the highlights:
- Strength: All groups improved significantly on 1RM leg press and leg extension tests, with no major differences between them. For example, all groups increased their leg press 1RM by 23–25%
- Muscle Endurance: Muscle endurance shot up in all groups. However, the DS group edged out slightly with a 47% improvement compared to 29–31% in the other two groups. In other words, drop sets might give you a tiny edge in stamina.
- Muscle Size: Quadriceps thickness grew by about 23–32%, depending on the muscle head. Again, no method pulled ahead.
But there were no significant differences between the methods for overall gains.
What does that mean?
If the training volume is the same, how you divvy up your sets and reps doesn’t matter much.
What This Means For You
In short, this study shows that, when total training volume is equal, all three methods are just as effective at building muscle, increasing strength, and improving muscle endurance.
These results might feel like a letdown if you were rooting for your favorite, but it’s actually good news. It means you can choose the approach that fits your training style and goals.
Pre-Exhaustion Pros
- Adds variety.
- Time efficient.
Drop Set Pros
- Great for squeezing more out of a session when time is tight.
- Fun (if you’re into pain).
Traditional Strength Training Pros
- Straightforward and less fatiguing.
- Easier to recover from, especially if you’re not a fan of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
However! Remember that this study equated the training volume between the three groups and looked at gains only. Both drop sets and pre-exhaustion have two other potential benefits:
- They allow you to do more work in a set period of time.
- You can do a certain amount of work in less lime.
They are time efficient.
So, if time efficiency is what you’re going for, both advanced training methods can be great options, as they aren’t worse for your gains than regular straight sets.
So, What’s the Catch?
The study found that drop sets and pre-exhaustion led to higher perceived effort and soreness compared to traditional training.
While this might appeal to you if you love the burn, it’s something to consider if torturing yourself in the weight room isn’t your thing.
Final Rep
Drop sets, pre-exhaustion, or sticking to the basics will all build strength and size. As long as you put in the effort, that is.
In other words: the best training method is the one that keeps you consistent and motivated.
Last reviewed: 2025-12-18
