Dropsets, Rest Pause, Myo Reps and Cluster sets
A normal set ends when you can't do another good rep. These four techniques keep going past that point, or break a heavy set into smaller pieces, so you get more useful work out of the same time.
They are tools, not the whole program. Used on a few sets a week they help. Used on every set they mostly make you tired. This guide explains each one and where it fits.
Dropsets
Do a set close to failure, then straight away lower the weight and keep going, with no rest. You can drop once or two or three times. A typical drop is 20 to 30% of the weight each time.
Dropsets are good for building muscle on smaller lifts and machines, where changing the weight is quick: cable rows, lateral raises, leg extensions. They are a poor fit for heavy barbell lifts, where stripping plates takes time and form breaks down when you are tired.
Use them on the last set of an exercise, not every set.
Rest Pause
Do a set close to failure, rest for a short pause of 10 to 20 seconds, then do a few more reps with the same weight. Repeat the pause and the extra reps once or twice. The short sets after the pause are often called Minisets.
A set of 8, a 15-second pause, 3 more, another pause and 2 more gives you 13 hard reps with one weight in about a minute. It is a way to get extra reps from a weight you can only lift for a handful at a time.
Myo Reps
Myo Reps are a form of Rest Pause built for muscle growth. Start with an activation set of around 12 to 20 reps, close to failure. Then do short Minisets of 3 to 5 reps with only a few deep breaths, about 15 seconds, between them. Stop when you can no longer get the target reps.
Because every Miniset starts close to failure, each rep counts. That makes Myo Reps a quick way to do the work of several normal sets in much less time, which suits accessories at the end of a session.
Cluster sets
Cluster sets go the other way. Instead of pushing past failure, you break a heavy set into small pieces with short rests between them, so you never get close to failure. Five reps might be done as five singles with 20 seconds between each.
The short breaks let you lift a weight for more total reps than you could in one go, with better speed and form on each rep. Cluster sets suit strength work on the big lifts, where fresh, fast reps matter more than the burn.
How much to use them
All four are hard. A few sets a week, mostly on accessories, is plenty for most people. If your normal sets start suffering, or you feel run down, cut back.
They are also hard to compare with normal sets. A Rest Pause set of 13 reps isn't the same as a straight set of 13, so don't treat it as a rep record.
Logging them in Durata
Tap a set's number to open the set sheet. Dropset is a layer that takes a percentage off the set before it, starting at 20%. Rest Pause is a layer with three styles, Rest Pause, Myo Reps and Cluster, and a Pause in seconds between Minisets, 15 by default or 20 for Cluster. Add each Miniset with + Add Miniset under the set.
The rest timer runs the short pause between Minisets for you. Records leave Rest Pause groups out of your best weight and best estimated 1RM, because extra reps after a pause would make a lift look stronger than it is.
Common questions
What is the difference between Rest Pause and a Dropset?
A Dropset lowers the weight straight after a set and carries on with no rest. Rest Pause keeps the same weight and takes a short pause of 10 to 20 seconds before a few more reps.
Are Myo Reps the same as Rest Pause?
They are a type of Rest Pause: a high-rep activation set followed by short Minisets of 3 to 5 reps with about 15 seconds between, until you can't get the target reps.
What are Cluster sets for?
Heavy strength work. You split a heavy set into smaller pieces with short rests, so every rep is fresh and fast instead of grinding to failure.
How often should I use Dropsets or Rest Pause?
On a few sets a week, mostly the last set of an accessory. Using them on every set mostly adds tiredness.
Put it into practice
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