Understanding Drop Offs

Drop-offs can be considered the same thing as fatigue or fatigue inducement. They are illustrated by percentages. One will "drop off" or "fatigue" a certain amount each session depending on their training cycle.

Drop-offs can be calculated using weight, time, reps, or height (height of jump, height of object thrown etc.) In simplistic terms, one establishes an initial best performance or absolute for the training session and then continues training until he/she drops off a certain pre-determined % of fatigue.

Determining Drop-Offs

The simplest way to comprehend this is to understand how to calculate drop-offs by using reps and load in traditional exercises using resistance training. Glance through the following charts and then read the example below to learn how to do this.

Calculating drop off margins using repetitions

0-6 repetitions: yield a drop-off margin of 3-5% per loss of repetition
6-12 reps: yield 2-3% value per loss of repetition
12-20 reps: yield a 1-2% drop-off value per loss of repetition

Calculating drop off margins using load

Simply subtract the % drop off from the load achieved in that movement.

Example:

You bench press 300 lbs for 10 reps in your first working set and establish this as your "initial" or maximum effort for the day. You train every 4 days so we apply the rule of 1/3rds. Remember from above it takes an average of 1/3 the % drop off induced in a session in days to recover from that session, and another 1/3 to super-compensate from that session. So in this example if you are training these particular motor units every 4 days we come up with a drop off or level of fatigue inducement of 6%.

The result for a working 6% drop off in the bench press in this example is either 282 lbs (300 - 6%)(load method of fatigue) or 7-8 reps (repetition method of fatigue).

The repetition training method would entail you to lift 300 lbs until only 7-8 reps are attainable, or to decrease bar poundage as fatigue is realized (maintaining 10 reps per set) until 282 lbs is left on the bar.

If the sub-maximal training method is used then all sets after the initial should calculate in the drop off margin for the load or reps to be used. This would mean lifting 282 lbs until 10 is maximal, or repeating sets with 300 lbs and 7 reps until he could no longer get 7 reps.

DUR work 5-6% on a 4 day scale

MAG work 3-5% on a 4 day scale

RATE work 2-3% on a 4 day scale