What Are Drop Sets?
One exercise, taken past the point where it normally ends.
The definition
A drop set is a set taken to or near failure, after which you immediately reduce the weight and continue without resting. The reduced portion is still the same exercise — that is what separates it from a superset, which moves to a different one.
The appeal is time and stimulus: you accumulate more work close to failure in far less time than adding another full set with a rest interval attached.
What they cost
Training to failure is expensive to recover from, and drop sets are a way of doing more of it. Used on every exercise, every session, they reliably produce fatigue rather than progress.
They fit best on machines and isolation work at the end of a session, where failure is safe and the recovery cost is small. They are a poor fit for heavy barbell compounds, where the last thing you want is to be under a loaded bar with nothing left.
Logging a drop set in Gym Journal
- Open the options menu on any set row during a workout.
- Choose Add Drop Set.
- Record the reduced weight and the reps you got — it is tagged as a drop set rather than counted as a normal working set.
It’s free, and it’s in the app
439 exercises, 40+ ready-made routines, and unlimited workout logging — no account required to start.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a drop set and a superset?
A drop set stays on the same exercise and reduces the weight after failure. A superset moves straight to a different exercise. Gym Journal tags both distinctly.
How much weight should I drop?
Commonly 20–30%, enough to get a useful number of further reps. The exact figure matters less than dropping immediately, without a rest interval.
Do drop sets skew my volume stats?
No. They are tagged as drop sets rather than normal working sets, so your volume and set counts stay meaningful.