Drop sets are a so-called advanced muscle-building technique.
Generally, a drop set involves performing repetitions to failure with a given load and then immediately reducing the load (typically by 15-25%) and performing repetitions to failure again. Typically, one to three load reductions are done, but more can be done.
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Biceps curls are most commonly performed with weights, be it with dumbbells or barbells.
However, what if you saw an individual biceps curling without any weight?
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In response to resistance training, muscles typically increase in size.
One of the most commonly accepted and supported ways that this occurs is via an increase in the size of their individual muscle fibers. This whole process is called muscle hypertrophy.
However, another plausible way muscle could increase in size is through something called muscle hyperplasia.
Muscle hyperplasia refers to an increase in the number of muscles fibers within a muscle.
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In the fitness world, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy seems to be quite controversial.
However, as we saw in a previous article (and as we’ll review in a moment), sarcoplasmic hypertrophy does indeed seem to be real, there are studies supporting the existence of it.
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As we’ve explored in a previous article, it seems one of the primary ways muscles seem to grow is via an increase in the cross-sectional area of their muscle fibers.
There are 3 underlying ways a muscle fiber can increase in cross-sectional area: myofibrillar hypertrophy, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, and myofibrillar packing.
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When it comes to muscles increasing in size, an increase in muscle fiber cross-sectional area appears to be one of the primary ways this occurs.
Specifically, there appear to be 3 underlying ways a muscle fiber can increase in cross-sectional area: myofibrillar hypertrophy, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, and myofibrillar packing.
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When you resistance train for a sufficient duration, be it with barbells, dumbbells, machines, or even your body weight, your muscles typically increase in size.
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If you were to think of the most popular upper body exercise (or even the most popular exercise itself), there’s a good chance the bench press comes up.
Generally, when talking or thinking about the bench press, most people probably think of the barbell bench press.
However, there are a few other modalities you can perform the bench press with.
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The bench press is one of the most popular exercises for developing the upper body.
Most often, people perform this exercise with a barbell.
However, there are numerous other modalities you can perform a bench press with, one of which is a smith machine.
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The barbell bench press is probably the most popular upper body exercise. In a previous article, we’ve detailed a fair amount of research depicting how effective the barbell bench press is at inducing chest hypertrophy.
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