| Everything is super-sized and maximized these days | | | | Leg Press |
| from the cars we buy to the meals we eat. If only | | | | Leg Extension |
| there was a way to maximize your workout so that | | | | Incline Bench Press |
| you could build up your muscles to look really ripped | | | | Incline Dumbbell flyes |
| with a high intensity workout with the minimum of | | | | Behind The Neck Press |
| effort and time. Well, it just so happens that there is | | | | Dumbbell Side Laterals |
| such a method. Its called training with supersets and it | | | | Close Grip Bench Press |
| lets you build maximize muscle and minimize training | | | | Rope Pushdowns |
| time. Not only that, it ads excitement and dimension to | | | | Compound supersets are tough and exhausting. These |
| workouts. If you’re looking for a way to jump-start | | | | supersets work two compound exercises together. |
| your workout or break through a plateau, super-setting | | | | Not for the faint of heart! While compound supersets |
| could be just what you’re looking for. | | | | can create great muscle growth very rapidly they are |
| So how does it work? | | | | also very taxing on the whole system. |
| Super-setting is a method of very high intensity training. | | | | COMPOUND SUPERSETS |
| Conventional weight training is done with ‘straight | | | | COMPOUND EXERCISE (1ST) |
| sets.’ A straight set is performed by doing a series | | | | COMPOUND EXERCISE (2ND) |
| of repetitions; 8-12 in a row for example, you then stop | | | | Squats |
| to rest for a minute or so before doing another set. A | | | | Leg Press |
| superset is an advanced training technique where you | | | | Bent Over Rows |
| perform two exercises in a row with virtually no rest in | | | | Deadlifts |
| between. This type of lifting is great for those | | | | Isolation supersets are the other way of using same |
| interested in fatiguing the muscle maximally in a short | | | | muscle group supersets. This is a useful method to |
| amount of time. You can design an entire workout | | | | use when definition is of prime importance over |
| using multiple supersets, or you can add a superset at | | | | strength building, or you want to work up a particularly |
| any point in your workout. | | | | weak area on your body. |
| Because you don’t rest between supersets, you | | | | ISOLATION SUPERSETS |
| save time. It also means that intensity increases rapidly. | | | | ISOLATION EXERCISE (1ST) |
| Shortening the rest between sets is hard work | | | | ISOLATION EXERCISE (2ND) |
| however especially if you’re used to a long rest | | | | Dumbbell Flyes |
| interval so you need to make sure that you give | | | | Cable Crossover |
| yourself plenty of recovery time at the end of your | | | | Leg Extension |
| workout and top up on those body fluids. Supersets | | | | Sissy Squat |
| also reduce the risk of injury or enable you to work | | | | Agonist/Antagonist |
| around injury because they don’t rely on the use of | | | | An agonist/antagonist relationship is one where on any |
| heavy weights. | | | | given lift, one muscle is contracting and the other |
| There are three primary categories of supersets: | | | | muscle is relaxing (such as the biceps and triceps |
| same muscle group, agonist/antagonist and staggered | | | | when performing a biceps curl). Working opposing |
| sets. | | | | muscle groups has a distinct advantage over same |
| Same muscle group | | | | set muscle groups. When you do two exercises in a |
| Same muscle group supersets are the most common | | | | row for the same muscle group, it tends to significantly |
| category. These involve combining two exercises for | | | | limit the amount of weight you can use because of |
| the same muscle group, for example super-setting | | | | fatigue and lactic acid buildup. Pairing opposing |
| dumbbell flyes with the bench press. Within the same | | | | (antagonistic) muscle groups together can help you |
| muscle group superset category there are four | | | | keep your strength up because as one muscle is |
| sub-categories. Each one has a slightly different effect. | | | | working, the opposite one is resting. In order for this |
| Pre-exhaustion is probably the best known and most | | | | exercise to work you must choose muscle groups |
| effective type of superset of all. Choosing two | | | | that are physically close together such as biceps and |
| exercises for the same muscle group performs a pre | | | | triceps, or chest and back, or quadriceps and |
| exhaust superset; an isolation exercise first, followed | | | | hamstrings. For example, do a set of Tricep |
| by a basic, compound movement. | | | | Pushdowns and then immediately do a set of Cable |
| The whole point of pre-exhaust supersets is to push a | | | | Curls. Since these two muscle groups are close to |
| muscle group beyond the point of exhaustion to | | | | each other and have the agonist/antagonist |
| achieve both muscle stimulation and growth that you | | | | relationship, it’s easy to force blood into the arm |
| would not normally achieve by doing straight sets | | | | region this way. You would not want to superset the |
| alone. For example if you were doing regular straight | | | | shoulders and calves, because they are so far apart it |
| sets of leg extensions to the point where you feel you | | | | would be impossible to target blood into both these |
| can no longer do another rep, although you might feel | | | | muscles in such a short space of time. |
| you’re totally exhausted, you’d be surprised to | | | | ANTAGONISTIC SUPERSETS |
| find that you’re still able to do squats- though you | | | | EXERCISE (1ST) |
| may have to slightly lower your usual weight. Why? | | | | EXERCISE (2ND) |
| Because although you’ve completely drained your | | | | Barbell Curl |
| quadriceps with the leg extension exercises, the lower | | | | Tricep Extension |
| body muscles used in the squats (glutes, hamstrings, | | | | Leg Extension |
| adductor's and different sections of the quadriceps | | | | Leg Curl |
| group,) are still fresh and ready to go. | | | | Finally, a staggered set is a type of superset where |
| So, by ‘pre-exhausting’ the target muscle with | | | | you combine a major muscle with a minor and |
| an isolated exercise, you can then continue to blast the | | | | completed unrelated muscle. This method is most |
| fatigued muscle even further with the help of the | | | | commonly used for abs and calves. For example, you |
| assisting muscles in the compound movement. There | | | | could throw in a set of calves in between every set of |
| is however, a drawback. By the second set of | | | | chest you do. Instead of resting and doing nothing in |
| exercises you’ll only be able to use a fraction of | | | | between sets of chest, you are doing something |
| the weight you used on the first set, which is fine if | | | | productive. This way you can get your workout |
| you’re aiming to build muscle, but if strength is your | | | | finished much more quickly and avoid the monotony of |
| primary goal then you’re better off sticking to | | | | working the minor muscle groups alone. |
| straight sets. | | | | Weekly Superset Routine |
| If you deliberately lower your weights on the second | | | | Monday- Legs |
| exercise and perform subsequent repetitions to failure | | | | Leg extensions / leg curls 4 sets |
| this method is termed “drop-setting.” The | | | | Squats / stiff leg deadlifts 5 sets |
| “drop-set” method will not be effective if your | | | | Standing calf raises 5 sets |
| training goal is maximal size and strength. While | | | | Wednesday- Chest, Shoulders and Back |
| decreasing the weight to allow for more repetitions | | | | Flat benches / lat pulldowns 4 sets |
| may provide a burning sensation within the muscle, the | | | | Dumbbell inclines / pully rows 4 sets |
| actual stimulus on the muscle fibers will be much less in | | | | Dips / shrugs 3 sets |
| comparison to a regular set (performed after a | | | | Dumbbell presses / hyperextensions 4 sets |
| sufficient recovery interval). Most physiologists agree | | | | Dumbbell side raises 4 sets |
| that muscle appears to grow in response to a stress | | | | Friday- Biceps and Triceps |
| of sufficient intensity and duration. Therefore, by | | | | Barbell curls / triceps extensions 3 sets |
| sticking to heavier weights and adequate rest intervals, | | | | Dumbbell curls / overhead dumbbell extensions 3 sets |
| you can apply a greater stress in comparison to the | | | | Preacher curl machine / triceps pushdowns 3 sets |
| “drop-sets” technique. | | | | So now you know… why superset? |
| PRE-EXHAUST SUPERSETS | | | | There are three primary advantages of superset |
| ISOLATION EXERCISE (1ST) | | | | training over conventional straight set training: |
| COMPOUND EXERCISE (2ND) | | | | Supersets save time: |
| Leg Extension | | | | The most obvious advantage of super-setting is to |
| Squat | | | | save time. |
| Leg Curl | | | | Even if you truly enjoy training, it’s probably safe to |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | | | | assume that you wouldn’t mind getting equal or |
| Dumbell Pullover | | | | better results in a shorter period of time. |
| Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown | | | | Supersets increase intensity: |
| Tricep Pushdown | | | | Usually when you think of high intensity, you think of |
| Close Grip Bench Press | | | | forced reps, descending sets, negatives, etc. |
| Dumbell Flyes | | | | Supersets are simply another method of increasing |
| Bench Press | | | | intensity. Shortening the rest between sets is hard |
| Dumbell Side Laterals | | | | work - especially if you’re used to a long rest |
| Military Press | | | | interval. The principle is: more work performed in less |
| Barbell Curl | | | | time equals more intensity and more intensity equals |
| Curl Grip Pullups | | | | more muscle. |
| A word of caution | | | | Supersets prevent injury: |
| It’s not uncommon for pre-exhausted muscles to | | | | Or allow you to work around an injury. Supersets allow |
| suddenly give out without warning. If this happens | | | | you to overload a muscle and generate high intensity |
| during a bench press or squat and you don’t have | | | | without requiring weights. This decreases your |
| a spotter, the results could be disastrous. A safer | | | | chances of injury. |
| method, particularly for beginners, would be select a | | | | Drawbacks |
| second exercise that requires minimal skill and | | | | The only drawback with supersets, especially |
| coordination (leg press, smith machine squat, hack | | | | pre-exhaust where you do the isolation movement first |
| squat) or one with a built in safeguard (power rack, | | | | is that you will only be able to use a fraction of your |
| safety catch, spotter, etc.). | | | | normal weight on the second exercise. For example if |
| Post-Exhaust supersets are the opposite of | | | | you superset Leg extension and Leg Press. If you can |
| pre-exhaust. Again these involve a basic compound | | | | normally Leg Press with 135lbs. (per side) for 10 reps |
| and isolation movement but this time you make the | | | | when you do the exercise first. When you switch the |
| compound movement first and the isolation movement | | | | order and do leg extensions first, you might find that |
| second. So what’s the advantage? Basically it | | | | your quads are so tired from the leg extensions that |
| means that you’re fresh for the compound | | | | even 265lbs. for 10 reps on the Leg Press is difficult. |
| movement allowing you to use more weight. This | | | | That’s okay, when it comes to muscle growth, but |
| leaves you the option to use a heavy basic movement | | | | if your goal is power or strength then this would be |
| with low reps for your first exercise and the follow it | | | | counter productive. If strength is your primary goal, it |
| up with a lighter weight and boost up your reps. Now | | | | would be better to just do straight sets of squats and |
| you can pump up your size and get ripped at the | | | | to do your squats first. In a periodized training schedule |
| same time. | | | | for a bodybuilder, straight sets should be used almost |
| POST-EXHAUST SUPERSETS | | | | exclusively during the off season strength and mass |
| COMPOUND EXERCISE (1ST) | | | | phase. Supersets can be added later during the |
| ISOLATION EXERCISE (2ND) | | | | pre-contest phase. |