Fitness and Muscle

Let’s face it, we don’t all have time to spend hours in the gym, strutting around in front of the mirrors wearing that two sizes too small muscle top. Supersets are a great way to slash your gym time and reap the benefits of a high intensity workout.

Supersets are two or more exercises performed back to back without rest. Here we look at some examples of supersets and how they can benefit you:

1. Non-Competing Supersets

These supersets target unrelated muscle groups, such as the upper body followed by the lower. They spread fatigue to a range of different muscles so you can increase the volume of your workout. They’re good if you have limited time and don’t get to the gym as often as you’d like.

Example:
Chin ups to Dumb-bell Lunges

2. Trisets

These are basically three exercises performed back to back without rest. You can use this superset to work different areas of the whole body, or to target one muscle group in different ways. Using trisets gives you a high intensity workout, and can also dramatically cut your workout time. It’s a great way to get the heart rate going, so you add a cardio element to your weights routine. However, trisets shouldn’t be a part of every workout, due to their high intensity.

Example:
Bent Over Rows to Dips to Hanging Leg Raises

3. Antagonistic Supersets

These types of supersets target different opposing muscle groups eg. lats and pecs. This helps to give you a more balanced muscular physique. It is also believed that these types of superset can also boost strength. As one muscle is temorarily weakened, the opposite muscle must work much harder.

Example:
Bench Press to Bent Over Row

4. Staggered Supersets

These are supersets done in between straight sets, working an unrelated muscle. So instead of resting during sets, you work on another muscle that you may feel is not as strong as it should be. This really makes use of every minute you spend in the gym, so less looking in the mirror and more hard work!

Example:
Squats to Dips

5. Post Exhaustion Supersets

These supersets are used to tackle a specific muscle group and really push it to the limit. If you feel as though you’ve hit a wall with a certain muscle group then post exhaustion supersets will push you that bit further. A multi joint move is paired with a single joint one to exhaust the muscle group. However as these supersets put strain on a specific area they should only be used occasionally and at the right point in your workout.

Example:
Shoulder press to Lateral Raise