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Building muscle when you’re new to weightlifting is mostly a game of patience and persistence.
As long as you show up, finish your workouts, and follow a sensible diet plan, you’ll gain muscle and strength like clockwork.
After your “newbie gains” dry up, though, progress comes in fits and starts.
And it’s at this stage that many people cast their gaze about for more “advanced” training techniques, hacks, and shortcuts.
Things like supersets, rest-pause sets, German Volume Training, and so forth.
Another technique you may have heard of is known as doing cluster sets, which boils down to taking short breaks during your sets, but resting less between each set.
Some people say this method triggers muscle growth above and beyond what you could achieve with traditional weightlifting, while others say it’s a pointless gimmick.
Who’s right?
Can cluster sets help you gain muscle and strength?
And if so, are they better than more traditional training styles?
You’re going to learn the answers to these questions and more in this podcast.
By the end, you’ll know exactly what cluster sets are, how they’re supposed to increase muscle growth, whether or not they’re effective, and how to include them in your training if you choose to do so.
Let’s start at square one.
Oh and if you like this episode and want to get notified when a new one goes live, head on over to Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube, Soundcloud, Podbean, or Google Play and subscribe.
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Time Stamps:
3:23 – What is a cluster set?
8:02 – Why do cluster sets?
23:15 – What does science say about cluster sets vs traditional sets?
Mentioned on the show:
What did you think of this episode? Have anything else to share? Let me know in the comments below!
+ Scientific References
- Tufano, J. J., Halaj, M., Kampmiller, T., Novosad, A., & Buzgo, G. (2018). Cluster sets vs. Traditional sets: Levelling out the playing field using a power-based threshold. PLoS ONE, 13(11). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208035
- Iglesias, E., Boullosa, D. A., Dopico, X., & Carballeira, E. (2010). Analysis of factors that influence the maximum number of repetitions in two upper-body resistance exercises: Curl biceps and bench press. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(6), 1566–1572. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181d8eabe
- Denton, J., & Cronin, J. B. (2006). Kinematic, kinetic, and blood lactate profiles of continuous and intraset rest loading schemes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 20(3), 528–534. https://doi.org/10.1519/18135.1
- Iglesias-Soler, E., Carballeira, E., Sánchez-Otero, T., Mayo, X., & Fernández-Del-Olmo, M. (2014). Performance of maximum number of repetitions with cluster-set configuration. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 9(4), 637–642. https://doi.org/10.1123/IJSPP.2013-0246
- Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. In Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (Vol. 24, Issue 10, pp. 2857–2872). J Strength Cond Res. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3
- Duffey, M. J., & Challis, J. H. (2007). Fatigue effects on bar kinematics during the bench press. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21(2), 556–560. https://doi.org/10.1519/R-19885.1
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