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Conventional weight training is done using
“straight sets.” A straight set consists of a series of nonstop repetitions,
usually somewhere between 6 and 12, followed by a brief rest interval of about a
minute. A superset is an advanced training technique where you perform two
exercises in a row with virtually no rest in between exercises. Supersets are an
excellent technique for muscular development, especially if you are short on
time. Supersets are not, however, the most effective technique for building
strength. Let me explain why...
When you perform two exercises in a row with no
rest in between, this will reduce the amount of weight you can handle,
particularly on the second movement. Your strength will also decrease from
fatigue with each subsequent superset. Because supersets don’t allow you to use
maximal weights, they are not well-suited to building strength. Supersets are
definitely a body building and “shaping” technique. You seldom see powerlifters
or strength athletes doing supersets. In fact, they usually do the opposite;
they take longer rest intervals between sets so that they can recuperate as much
as possible. After a 3-5 minute recovery period, you can attack each set with
maximum strength. If you are still fatigued from the previous set and you start
another set too soon, you won't be able to lift as much weight.
Now that you know what supersets are, the
question is; why should you even bother using them? There are three primary
advantages supersets have over conventional straight sets:
1.
Supersets save time.
The most obvious advantage of supersetting is to save time. Even if you truly
enjoy training, it’s probably safe to assume that you wouldn’t mind getting
equal or better results in a shorter period of time. By eliminating the rest
intervals between sets (when you would normally be doing nothing), you can
finish your workout in a fraction of your usual time
2.
Supersets increase
intensity. Usually when you think of
high intensity, you think of forced reps, descending sets, and negatives.
Supersets are simply another method of increasing intensity. Shortening the rest
between sets is hard work – especially if you’re used to a long rest interval.
The principle is: more work performed in less time equals more intensity and
more intensity equals more muscle.
3.
Supersets help prevent
injury or allow you to work around an injury.
I stumbled onto the value of supersets as a way to
train around injuries at the age of 20 when I ruptured a disc in my lower back.
I was a strong squatter at a very young age, doing 405 lbs for 6 reps before I
was 20 years old. After the injury, I wanted to maintain my leg size without
putting so much stress on my lower back. Because I could no longer squat more
than 315 lbs. without re-injuring my back, out of necessity, I started doing
supersets and higher reps. After a relatively brief period training with
supersets, my quads quickly grew to become my best body part. With the exception
of brief strength phases when I do straight sets with as much weight as I can, I
utilize supersets extensively for quads to this day. Supersets allow you to
overload a muscle and generate high intensity without requiring heavy weights.
This decreases your chances of injury and allows you to work around existing
injuries.
There are three primary categories of
supersets: 1) same muscle group, 2) agonist-antagonist and 3) staggered sets.
Let's take a look at each category and a few examples of each.
1. Same muscle group.
The first and most common way to superset is to combine two exercises for the
same muscle group. An example would be supersetting dumbbell flyes with bench
presses.
Within the “same muscle group”
superset category there are four sub-categories: pre-exhaust, post-exhaust,
compound and isolation. Each one has a slightly different effect:
a)
Pre-exhaust. Pre-exhaustion
is probably the best known and most effective type of superset of all. A pre
exhaust superset is performed by choosing two exercises for the same muscle
group; an isolation exercise first, followed by a basic, compound movement.
The idea behind pre-exhaust supersets is to
take a muscle group beyond the normal point of exhaustion and thereby achieve
muscle fiber stimulation and growth that you could not achieve from a straight
set. Here's how this works: Suppose you are doing a set of leg extensions for
your thighs and you push yourself until you can't do another rep. Most people
think their legs are finished at this point and that they couldn't go further if
they tried. The quadriceps muscles may indeed be completely exhausted - you
couldn’t do another leg extension if you tried - but by walking over to
the squat rack, you'll find that you are still able to do squats (albeit with a
lighter poundage than usual). Why? Because even though the quadriceps reached
total failure on the leg extensions, other lower body muscles used in a squat
are still fresh and strong (glutes, hamstrings, adductors and different sections
of the quadriceps group.) By "pre-exhausting" the target muscle with an isolated
movement you can then continue to blast the fatigued muscle even further with
the help of the assisting muscles in the compound movement.
The only drawback with pre exhaust supersets is
that you will only be able to use a fraction of your normal weight on the second
exercise. Let’s say you can normally squat with 315 for 10 reps when you do the
exercise first. When you switch the order and do leg extensions first, you
might find that your quads are so fried from the leg extensions that even 225
lbs. for 10 reps on the squat is difficult. That's ok when it comes to muscle
growth, but if your goal is power or strength then this would be counter
productive. If strength is your primary goal, it would be better to stick with
straight sets of squats and to do your squats first. In a periodized training
schedule for a bodybuilder, straight sets should be used almost exclusively
during the off season strength and mass phase. Supersets would then be added
later during the pre-contest “cutting” phase.
Here are some examples of pre-exhaust superset
combinations:
Isolation exercise (1st)
Compound Exercise (2nd)
Leg
Extension
Squat
Leg
Curl Stiff
Leg Deadlift
Dumbbell Pullover
Reverse grip lat pulldown
Tricep
Pushdown Close Grip
Bench Press
Dumbell Flyes
Barbell Bench Press
Dumbell Side Lateral
Raise
Military Press
Barbell
Curl Curl grip
pullups
b)
Post-exhaust. The
opposite of pre exhaust is post exhaust. In a post exhaust superset you would
again choose a basic compound movement and an isolation movement. This time,
however, you would perform the compound movement first and the isolation
movement second. The advantage of the post exhaust superset is that you will be
fresh on the compound movement so you can use more weight. Post exhaust
supersets can also be used as an effective variation on the heavy-light system.
For example, instead of just doing the regular sets of 8-12 reps, choose a heavy
basic movement for the first exercise and do about 6 reps. Then, follow it with
a lighter isolation movement and go for 20 reps. This gives you the best
possible of both worlds: a) size and strength increase, and b) isolation with a
wicked pump.
Compound Exercise (1st)
Isolation Exercise (2nd)
Leg
Press Leg
Extension
Incline Bench
Press Incline Dumbbell
Flyes
Military
Press Dumbbell
side lateral raise
Close Grip bench
press Rope Pushdowns
Stiff Leg Deadlift
Leg Curl
c)
Compound superset. This
type of superset is reserved for very brave people. Supersetting two
compound exercises together can create amazing muscle growth in a very short
period of time, but it’s incredibly demanding and exhausting. It takes all the
energy you can muster to get through a series of compound supersets. It is also
very taxing on the nervous system and requires that special attention be paid to
recovery after the session. An example would be supersetting squats with leg
presses. Combinations like these can easily leave you lying flat on your back
gasping for air, but the results are well worth it!
Compound
Exercise #1
Compound Exercise #2
Squats
Leg Press
Bent Over Barbell
Rows Deadlifts
NOTE: A word of caution about pre
exhaust and compound supersets: If your second exercise is a compound free
weight movement that requires a great deal of neuromuscular coordination or is
the type of exercise that requires a spotter, pay extra attention to your form.
When your prime movers are fatigued from the first exercise, you may feel
“wobbly” and your form is much more likely to break in the second exercise. If
you let your form become sloppy because you are fatigued, you are more likely to
get injured. It’s not uncommon for pre-fatigued muscles to give out suddenly
without warning. If this happens during a bench press or squat and you don’t
have a spotter or safety mechanism in place, the results could be disastrous. A
safer method, especially if you’re a beginner, is to select a movement for the
second exercise that requires less skill and coordination (leg press, smith
machine squat, hack squat) or one with a built in safeguard (power rack, safety
catch, spotter, etc).
d)
Isolation supersets. The
fourth and final way to do a same muscle group superset is to superset two
isolation exercises, such as cable crossovers and dumbbell flyes. This is a
useful technique for isolating one particular muscle group or section of a
muscle group to the exclusion of others. It is used most often during
pre-contest or definition phases when mass and strength are no longer the
primary concerns.
Isolation Exercise #1
Isolation Exercise #2
Dumbell Flyes
Cable Crossover
Leg
Extension
Sissy Squat
Ok, now that you know all four types of same muscle group supersets, let's take
a look at the other two categories of supersets: antagonistic supersets and
staggered supersets.
2. Antagonistic muscle groups.
When you do two exercises in a row for the same muscle group, it tends to
significantly limit the amount of weight you can use because of fatigue and
lactic acid buildup. Pairing opposing (antagonistic) muscle groups together can
help you keep your strength up because as one muscle is working, the opposite
one is resting. Common examples include pairing biceps with triceps, chest with
back, or hamstrings with quadriceps. This is also an excellent technique for
bringing up lagging body parts (priority training). Antagonistic supersets are
most popular as a technique for blasting the arms. For example, barbell curls
paired with Tricep pushdowns are a great combination. Supersetting biceps and
triceps together can create monstrous pumps that make your arms feel like
they’re about to explode!
Exercise #1
Exercise #2
Barbell
Curls
Tricep Pushdown
Leg
Extension Leg Curl
Barbell
Row Bench Press
3. Staggered sets.
The final category of supersetting is staggered sets. A staggered set is a type
of superset where you combine a major muscle with a minor and completed
unrelated muscle. This technique is most commonly used for abs and calves. The
way you utilize this principle is to “squeeze in” a set of abs or calves in
between sets for any major muscle group. For example, you could throw in a set
of calves in between every set of chest you do. Instead of resting and doing
nothing in between sets of chest, you are doing something productive - working
your calves! This gets your workout finished much more quickly and spares you
the monotony that many people feel from doing these small body parts by
themselves.
As you can see, many benefits can be gained
from including supersets in your training program. They are a proven technique
for increasing intensity and bringing up lagging body parts. They allow you to
gain muscle while working around injuries that might be aggravated with heavy
weights. If your training program is getting stale, supersets can also help
relieve your boredom. Best of all, supersetting is a legitimate way to get more
results in less time. If you need to squeeze a result-producing workout into a
short period of time, then supersets could be the answer to your muscle-building
prayers!
Tom
Venuto is a writer, competitive bodybuilder and personal trainer. Tom is the
general manager of Empire Fitness Clubs, a health club chain serving the New
York Metropolitan area, and he is also the founder and president of “Fitness
Renaissance,” a fitness and nutrition consulting company based in Hoboken, New
Jersey. You can visit Tom on the web at
www.fitren.com or e-mail him at
tvenuto@fitren.com |
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