Do fancy training methods beat regular sets?
Drop Sets, Cluster Sets, Flywheels: Do Advanced Methods Build More Muscle?
· By Anthony Falcone
Verdict: Drop it. For most people, no. Across 62 studies, advanced methods didn't beat traditional sets for strength, power or muscle growth. The basics — load, volume, consistency — do the work. Use advanced methods for variety or to save time.
What the researchers compared
Traditional sets against seven popular advanced methods: drop sets, supersets, cluster sets (rest redistributed within a set), potentiation complexes (heavy lift followed by an explosive one), flywheel training, bands or chains, and accentuated eccentrics.
Studies had to last at least six weeks with two or more sessions a week, and measure strength, power, muscle size, jumping or sprinting.
What they found
Strength and power: all methods produced similar gains. Of 54 strength studies, 42 found no difference between advanced and traditional training.
Muscle growth: 13 of 17 studies found no difference, and no method consistently came out on top.
Two exceptions: flywheel training was best for jump performance, and cluster sets may suit women slightly better for strength. Supersets matched traditional sets for strength while saving time.
The authors' advice: prioritise traditional training and the basics that clearly matter — load and volume — and use advanced methods when they fit a specific goal or schedule.
What this means for you
- If your progress stalls, look at load, total sets and consistency before reaching for a new technique.
- Short on time? Supersets gave the same strength results in less time.
- Advanced methods are fine for variety and motivation — just don't expect them to be the secret.
How much to trust it
- Participants averaged under two years of lifting; advanced methods might matter more for very experienced lifters.
- Many studies were rated as having some risk of bias, and some volume loads had to be estimated.
- Too few studies to run full statistics for muscle growth and sprinting.
The study
Cowley N, Nicholson V, Timmins R, Munteanu G, et al. The Effects of Advanced Resistance Training Prescription Methods on Strength, Power, Hypertrophy, and Performance Adaptations in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 2026. doi.org/10.1007/s40279-026-02428-1
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