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 category of supersetting is to combine two exercises
for the same muscle group. An example would be supersetting
dumbbell flyes with the bench press.
Within the "same muscle group" superset category
there are four sub-categories. Each one has a slightly different
effect:
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 normally
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 extension exercise, other lower body muscles that are
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
just do 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 can be added later during
the pre-contest phase.
PRE-EXHAUST SUPERSETS Isolation Exercise (1st) Compound
Exercise (2nd)
(1)Leg Extension / (2)Squat
(1)Leg Curl /(2) Stiff Leg Deadlift
(1)Dumbell Pullover / (2)Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown
(1)Tricep Pushdown / (2)Close Grip Bench Press
(1)Dumbell Flyes / (2)Bench Press
(1)Dumbell Side Laterals / (2)Military Press
(1)Barbell Curl / (2)Curl Grip Pullups
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 do around 20 reps. This gives you
the best possible of both worlds: a) size and strength increase,
and b) isolation with a wicked pump.
POST-EXHAUST SUPERSETS Compound Exercise (1st) Isolation
Exercise (2nd)
(1)Leg Press / (2)Leg Extension
(1)Incline Bench Press / (2)Incline Dumbbell flyes
(1)Press Behind The Neck / (2)Dumbbell Side Laterals
(1)Close Grip Bench Press / (2)Rope Pushdowns
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 SUPERSETS Compound Exercise #1 Compound Exercise
#2
(1)Squats / (2) Leg Press
(1)Bent Over Rows / (2) 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
for beginners, 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).
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 SUPERSETS Isolation Exercise #1 Isolation Exercise
#2
(1)Dumbbell Flyes / (2)Cable Crossover
(1)Leg Extension / (2)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 supersetting: 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). For example,
barbell curls paired with Tricep pushdowns are a great combination
for blasting the arms.
ANTAGONISTIC SUPERSETS Exercise #1 Exercise #2
(1)Barbell Curl / (2) Tricep Extension
(1)Leg Extension / (2)leg Curl
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 use 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.
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