Whats your normal rep drop off between sets? Does it change for each exercise? Interested to hear if this varies for different people

[wwjosh19]

@lovely_krystal86 10-20% drop per set normally on compound movements.

Checking sets I did yesterday on incline bench were 12, 11, 10, 8

 

[edyos]

@lovely_krystal86 Usually drop 1 on second set and then by third and fourth set I’ve lost 2-3

 

[viri]

@lovely_krystal86 If you are actually training at/close to failure like most people say they are(and a lot aren't), you should have the biggest drop off after the first set, then a smaller dip on subsequent sets. If you are only losing 1 rep after a first set to failure or 1 RIR, I'm sorry you aren't training to failure. This is assuming you are using the same loads.

The magnitude of the drop off is going to depend on rest times, rep range, ROM, the strength curve of the exercise, your acclimation to training at/near failure, etc.

 

[lovely_krystal86]

@viri Yeah that’s my experience. For example I might hit 16 reps of curls first set to complete failure and then 12,11,10

 

[emet_ziton]

@lovely_krystal86 Often 2, but often 1 as well. Can be more than the former if I’m in a higher rep range/using intensity techniques, usually isn’t if I’m in a lower rep range/using straight sets or the like

Really just depends

My drops are typically consistent regardless of RIR (I usually lose 1 rep between bench pressing sets, for example, and this is regardless of whether I’m at 3, 2, 1, or 0)

Edit: you also want to keep in mind that your rep drop offs can be affected by all manner of different things, e.g. glycogen levels

 

[needheaven]

@lovely_krystal86 Depends how close to failure, if you barely got that 10th rep then you may lose a few on the next. This is why I usually keep the weight the same the following weeks so maybe you get 10-6-5 but the following week that same set of 10 is slightly easier and you get more reps on the next 2 sets. What I usually do is not grind the first set like that so week 1 would look more like 8-8-7 which is overall 2 more reps than if I went too hard the first set.

 

[frustratedhusband]

@needheaven This highlights a problem. Is more volume load with a lower rpe better than a lower volume load with higher rpe? Is a flat progression better than dynamic progression (where you lower loads to keep reps while going closer to failure)

 

[lernestof]

@lovely_krystal86 Most exercises maybe 1 or 2 between sets. Sometimes like when I do squats then deadlifts I feel like my body just gives up. Other day on deads it read like 12 8 then 4. But I had already done squats and it may have been more mental than physical exhaustion.

 

[helen2002]

@lovely_krystal86 It can vary a lot by exercises. Some movements I lose 1-2 reps but most I'll lose 3-4 for set 2 if I've hit a PR on set 1. If my rep stays the same on set 1 then usually this drop off will reduce to 1-2 on set 2 and that's just progression.

I think if you are only losing 1 rep each set across the board then you may not be as close to failure as you think or you may be using unstable movements that prevent you getting that close.

 

[overcoming1]

@lovely_krystal86 thats all about how intense you do at first. if you go all out at first set there is chance u can't do evne a rep in second one

 

[hellofriends]

@overcoming1

u can't do evne a rep in second one

Unless your first set was in the 1-3 rep range i highly doubt that will be the case

 

[grace91]

@lovely_krystal86 I usually train within the 5-7 rep range, to failure, and almost like clock work I seem to drop about 2 reps every set. That’s if I’m using the same weight. So if I did 7 reps with X amount of weight on my first set, I’ll likely get 5 reps on the next set. It does differ sometimes and I’ll get more or less reps than I expect, more so if I’m tired and fatigued. Sometimes later on in a workout, towards the end I mightn’t perform as well and my rep drop off might be greater.

I’ll usually work around my rep range so if I got 5 or 6 reps on one set, it’s likely I’d only get 3 or 4 reps on my next set, respectively. Therefore, I’ll drop the weight a little so I can still land somewhere within that 5-7 range. If I hit 7 reps I’ll usually just stick with said weight and aim for 5. If I hit 8, I’ll add weight. Occasionally there’ll be a drop off if I add weight on my second or third set, as in I’ll not necessary hit those 5 reps but that’s largely down to fatigue. I can often try that new weight again next session and hit 5 reps or even progress to 6 sometimes. Hopefully this makes sense.