How To Add 20lbs To Your Squat Using The Top-Set Drop-Set Method
It’s not that hard to add 20lbs to your squat.
It’s not even that hard to add 50lbs to your squat.
I’ve figured out a simple way to almost guarantee PR’s in your squat, and it works for any strength lift you want to improve.
It’s called the Top-Set Drop-Set Method.
I’ve used this method with hundreds of lifters in my 12-Week Squat Program, and anyone who’s trained on the OlyStrong Team will recognize this method (and maybe have nightmares about it too).
The Problem With Other Methods
Most programs use the same rep scheme for a few weeks, then decrease in reps and increase in weight over time. Let’s take the LSUS squat program, a famous program that involves working up to a heavy set of 10 for a few weeks, then a heavy set of 5 for a few weeks, and a heavy set of 3 for a few weeks.
The problem with this approach is that while you get very good at increasing your sets of ten, by the time you actually get to lift heavy and/or attempt a new max, you actually haven’t lifted very heavy weights in months. Yes, a heavy set of ten FEELS very heavy, but compared to the weight you can move for a single, double, or triple, it’s nowhere close when it comes to absolute intensity.
In order to get good at heavy singles and increase your max, you need to lift heavy enough weights to be prepared for it.
However, if you ONLY hit heavy singles, doubles, and triples, you’ll make a lot of progress for a short period of time, then plateau. This happens because you have maxed out the skill of attempting heavy lifts, but you haven’t built enough muscle to help you push past your plateau point.
This means we need BOTH heavy top sets, and volume work to increase our muscle mass.
Rep Ranges for Building Muscle Vs. Building Strength
It used to be a common belief that the ideal range to build muscle was between 8 and 12 reps, and that anything under 8 built strength, and anything over 12 built muscle endurance.
We now know, however, that you can actually build muscle anywhere from 5-30 reps, as long as the weight used for the set was at or near failure.
You’ll probably still build muscle if you are training in the 1-4 rep range, but the primary quality that you’ll develop is strength, with some muscle growth as a byproduct.
You’ll also probably build some level of strength in the higher rep range, but the higher the reps you do, the more likely that any strength you build will be a byproduct of more muscle.
Now, I’m not saying to do 30-rep squats. We still want to have some strength carry-over, so your best bet is to stick on the lower end of the rep range, with most of your training to build muscle between 5-10 reps and most of your training to build strength between 1 and 5 reps.
What is the Top Set-Set Drop-Set Method?
The Top-Set Drop-Set Method is a simple approach to training your strength lifts; the squat, front squat, strict press, push press, bench press, and deadlift, that allows you to practice the skill of lifting heavy and the strength qualities that come with that, while also reaping the hypertrophy benefits of higher volume training.
So to perform the Top-Set Drop-Set Method, you’ll first work up to a heavy top set between 1-5 reps, and then perform drop sets between 3-10 reps. There are likely infinite ways to use this method, but I’ve detailed four of my favorite TSDS methods later in the article for you to use depending on your specific goals.
What Are The Benefits Of The Top-Set Drop-Set Method?
The Top-Set Drop-Set Method has many benefits, some simple, and others more complex.
The first benefit, and perhaps most important is that you save time in your training. Rather than doing one day a week of heavy squats and one day a week of volume squats, as many programs recommend, you can combine the two into one session. This leaves another day open on your program to do whatever you like. However, I’ve found it best to do another variation of squats like the front squat, and perform the same rep scheme as you would for back squats. Double the days of squats, double the volume, with similar recovery requirements is a win in my book.
The second, and perhaps less obvious benefit is the Post-Activation Potentiation. By building up to a heavy top set, you prepare your body and recruit more muscle, so that when you then drop down in weight, the drop sets feel easier than they otherwise would.
You might say this is purely a psychological benefit, and even if it is, so what? Anything to make volume squats more tolerable is clearly a good thing.
However, there is actually some science to back this up.
When we lift a heavy weight, especially with the intent to move it as fast as possible, we recruit more muscle fibers. The higher recruitment means that it will actually be easier to move the lighter drop set weights faster, therefore improving the quality of our reps and increasing the total weight we would potentially use for volume training.
Top-Set Drop-Set Method #1: Maximum Muscle
The first top-set drop-set method I use, and my personal favorite, is the Max Muscle Method.
You’ll first work up to a top set of three, then drop set for three sets of ten. This is the first phase of my 12-Week Squat Program and one of the most effective methods I’ve found for building strength and muscle at the same time.
I recommend using this rep scheme for the back squat, front squat, strict press, and bench press, and sticking with it for at least four weeks.
There’s a few different ways to approach this.
The Top Set
For this phase's top set, you’ll work up to a set of three.
If you want to push yourself to hit a PR triple at the end of the four weeks, then write down what that ideal triple would be. Keep it within about 15lbs of your old 3RM for best results. Then, work backwards from your ideal PR weight, subtracting ten pounds each week until you get to week one, and you’ll have the perfect starting point to hit a PR triple in four weeks.
Example: Current 3RM is 225, goal 3RM is 230.
Week 4: 1x3 at 230
Week 3: 1x3 at 220
Week 2: 1x3 at 210
Week 1: 1x3 at 200
If you do this right, and select a smart ideal 3RM, then your week one weight should be moderate to moderately heavy, but not an all-out effort. Then, each week will feel harder, but you will adapt and continue to get stronger, especially with the drop sets helping add to the training volume.
Another option is to play the long game.
In my 12-Week Squat Program, the goal is a new 1RM, and a PR 3RM is nice, but not necessary for a new 1RM. If you are more conservative with the weights that you choose for your top set of three, you can leave room in the tank to build by ten pounds every week for a longer period of time, and decrease the reps for your top set every few weeks to hit a MUCH bigger 1RM.
The Drop Sets
3x10 is no joke as a rep scheme.
If you do it with heavy enough weight, you’ll be questioning your life choices by rep seven.
There’s two ways you can approach these drop sets.
First, is to treat these reps like a bodybuilder. If most of your squatting experience comes from crossfit, weightlifting, or general strength, then you probably incorporate some amount of a bounce at the bottom of the squat. This bounce helps you capitalize on the stretch reflex and is great for lifting the most amount of weight possible. Plus, if you’re an olympic weightlifter, timing the bounce on a squat directly translates to timing the bounce in a clean. However, if you’ve never trained squats with a bounce and you lift for any of the above reasons, then by all means, use a bounce!
BUT, if you’ve always squatted with a bounce, then I challenge you to perform all of your drop sets of ten with zero bounce. This means you’ll need to control the eccentric portion of the squat and make sure to feel the muscles in your legs stretch to their maximum capacity before exploding back up. This is going to be tough at best, and excruciating if you’ve never tried this, but you will build SO MUCH more muscle because of it.
Give this a try, and curse my name later.
How Heavy Should You Go For Drop Sets?
Different lifters will be able to use different weights for this rep scheme.
If you’ve never tried sets of ten before, then I recommend using a moderate percentage of your top set of three, somewhere between 60%.
If you’ve done sets of ten before and are experienced enough to maintain your technique across the set, then you can push the weight between 60-70% of your top set.
If you have little experience with high rep squats, AND you have a high 1RM due to more specialized training like competitive powerlifters or weightlifters, then you may want to stay on the lighter end of the range, 50-60% of your top set. This is because your numbers will feel much different compared to someone of average strength.
Top-Set Drop-Set Method #2:
The second phase of my 12-Week Squat Program and, in my opinion, the hardest, is the Strength Gain Method.
For this method, you’ll work up to a heavy set of two, then drop down in weight for 3 sets of 6.
As you’ll notice, we’re now much closer to the strength end of the rep-scheme range compared to the Max Muscle Method’s rep scheme. Conveniently, the drop from 10 reps to 6 reps in the drop sets could allow you to continue adding ten pounds each week, picking right up where you left off at the end of the first phase (this applies for the decrease from a top set of three to a top set of two as well!)
For this phase, you can modify the top set using the two approaches we talked about in Method #1, however for the drop sets, I would recommend performing these with a bounce unless your goal with squats is strictly hypertrophy. This will help give plenty of reps to practicing the important skill of timing the bounce correctly, which helps set you up for the heavy singles in Method #3.
Top-Set Drop-Set Method #3
The third phase of my 12-Week Squat Program is the most important for setting a new PR, the High Intensity Method.
This method is what takes all of the new muscle mass and strength you have gained from the previous two phases, and transforms it into a new PR.
The key purpose of this phase is exposure to 90%+ weights to help you practice the skill of heavy singles and re-acclimate yourself with the intensity needed to hit PR weights.
You’ll first work up to a heavy single for the day, then drop the weight down to 80-90% of your top set for 3x3. With the heavy singles, you get the time to find the best warm up scheme and practice it for a few weeks before attempting a PR. The drop sets may seem minimal, but it’s just enough volume with heavy enough weight to squeeze the last few drops of progress so that when you attempt your max, you know with 100% certainty that you will PR.
Top-Set Drop-Set Method #4: Texas Method Reimagined
The Texas Method, developed by my former coach, Glenn Pendlay had lifters work up to a 5RM once a week, and perform a lighter 5x5 workout on a second workout of the week.
I ran this squat program so many times as a beginner, but one thing I would have liked is to train the front squat with the same intensity as I was training the back squat, but I couldn’t figure out where to incorporate more days of squatting that wouldn’t be detrimental, so I moved things around.
Instead of doing two separate days of training, one day for volume and one day for heavy, why not do both on the same day?
On day one, I’ll work up to a heavy set of five back squats, then back off the weight for 4x5. Then, about four days later, I’ll do the exact same thing for the front squat.
By working up to a top set of 5, we can still get all the strength benefits of a a heavy weight, and by backing the weight down and doing four drop sets of five, we get all the same benefits of our volume 5x5 day! Plus, the 4x5 feels way easier having worked up to a heavier weight already. For anybody who has done the 5x5 program and added weight every week for 6+ weeks, you know how brutal those sets can feel.
Try out this 8-week progression for a good strength boost.
For the first four weeks, build up to a heavy set of five, then drop down to 80-90% of your top set for 4x5. However, instead of doing this with normal squats, do pause squats. Start with a weight that feels like you could do 3 more reps for the top set, and each week, add 5-10lbs to both your top set and drop sets.
The second four weeks, keep the exact same rep scheme, but remove the pause and use a small bounce at the bottom. Pick up 5-10lbs heavier than you left off at the end of phase one for both the top set and drop sets, and each week continue to add 5-10lbs to both.
Do this with both your back squat and front squat and your legs will feel strong as steel! Beware, your 1RM might not go up, so don’t try to re-test it immediately. The 1RM is a skill that must be trained, and while you built the strength and the muscle, and your 1RM might have gone up, you’d probably want to try Method #3 first to prepare for it.
Hopefully, this led to some lightbulb moments with your training! If you want to find out exactly how I use this method to add 20-50lbs to your squat, then check out my 12-Week Squat Program here!
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or ask in my free discord here and you can even drop a video in the #form-checks channel for a form check!
By the way, I’ve got a free beginner weightlifting guide and a 6-week program! If you’re new to the olympic lifts, then check it out here!
And if you’re looking for a weightlifting program designed to help you set PRs, improve your technique, and get strong af, then check out a FREE WEEK TRIAL of my 3 & 5-Day OlyStrong Team at the link below!