Robbins, DW, Young, WB, Behm, DG, and Payne, WR. Generally, you will use the same loading parameters, such as reps, sets and time under tension. You alternate opposing body parts each set. From psychology and behavior studies, one thing we know about all kinds of exercise is that the best program is not the best program, the best program is the one you stick with long-term. Why? Little or no rest For the rest of this article, we are going to stay focused mostly on the antagonistic superset. In essence, circuit training is doing “cardio with lighter weights,” which by definition, means it’s no longer as productive for building strength and muscle. An example of this would be alternating between working the bicep and the tricep muscles. Below is a snapshot of my most recent lean and strong workout program, which I’m using agonist-antagonist supersets. He felt that training this way provided several clear benefits over the more conventional method of hitting each bodypart individually. Let’s make this official: When we talk about doing two different exercises back to back in a pair with little or no rest in between, we are going to stick to the classic name – supersets. With the barbell workout, you are pulling the weight to your body and with the bench press workout, you are pushing the weight away from your body. There are three classic antagonist superset combinations that are most popular: Chest with … Benefits of supersets Discussion in 'Strength & Conditioning Discussion' started by Adnan Adil, Jun 24, 2020. The ‘magic’ behind agonist-antagonist supersets is you’re able to have the level of strength you would expect for your next exercise. Rest interval: 2 – 3 minutes However, most people are confused about the right way to do it. How To Do A Superset Exercises A superset exercises is when one approach consists of two or more approaches of different exercises. Scientific research combined with decades of experience have confirmed that superset training is more time efficient than traditional set training and in some cases, it can be more effective. Below is an example for the deltoids. Day 3 – Vertical Push/Pull. By training biceps, you improve blood circulation in the triceps. This defeats the primary benefit of the classic superset method, which is getting an effective workout in less time. There’s one point that everyone agrees on regarding the definition of a superset: A superset is defined as performing two different exercises (a pair) in a row with little or no rest in between, rather than doing all your sets of one exercise one after another, with full rest periods in between every set, and then moving on to the next exercise. If you’re interested in trying a complete 14-week training program built entirely on antagonist supersets and designed to build more muscle with as little as half the time in the gym, check out “The New Body (TNB) TURBO.”, Thousands of people are already saving time while building more muscle by using this workout plan and it’s available exclusively at Burn the Fat Inner Circle: CLICK HERE FOR TNB TURBO, PS. 5. Only then do you move on to the next exercise. And secondly, supersets of the same muscle group seems to do more harm than good. Barbell Bench press set 2 Supersets save time in the gym – which may help you reach fitness goals faster November 27, 2020 9.14am EST David R Clark , Carl Langan-Evans , Robert M. Erskine , Liverpool John Moores University This also has different names and is sometimes called an agonist-antagonist, reciprocal, or opposite muscle group superset. When you do straight sets, your muscles build up fatigue metabolites with each passing set. Antagonist muscle groups are muscles opposite of one another. Doing a set of (boring) calves or abs in between sets of chest could also be considered a superset (the Golden Era bodybuilders called that “staggered” sets). Traditional (“straight set”) Training It’s hard to say for sure if antagonist supersets are more effective than straight set training for muscle building, but it’s certainly possible. Some people refer to supersets as “paired set” strength training. Rest interval: 2 – 3 minutes The reason why a superset workout can be effective is because it’s combining a few staple principles for someone who is trying to make gains, add muscle mass and burn additional calories. 2. Offers a greater challenge than traditional workouts 3. We’ve all heard the phrase “work smarter, not harder”. 5. Because there’s little or no rest between supersets, you can still finish in the same time or even less time, and the density of the workout increases, which is yet another form of overload. If it takes you a minute to start the second exercise, it’s not a superset. Combining These Principles Into a Program. J Strength Cond Res 24(10): 2873-2882, 2010-Agonist-antagonist paired set (APS) training refers to the coupling of agonist and antagonist exercises, performed in an alternating manner with rest intervals between each set. Little or no rest But it can be done efficiently with antagonistic supersets. Benefits of Using Supersets Who Should Use Supersets? Benefits. Biceps/Triceps: Barbell Curls Superset with Skullcrushers , or Biceps Cable Curls Superset with Rope Triceps Pushdowns Non-Opposing Muscle Group Supersets (Alternate Supersets) Another less popular variation is to perform Supersets using different muscle groups that are non-opposing, such as chest & biceps or shoulders & calves. Other theories about how antagonistic supersets increase strength include enhanced reciprocal inhibition, which means there is less interference (“braking”) of opposite muscles when worked right after one another, and that the stretch reflex and stored elastic energy within the agonist muscle group may be responsible for additional force being produced. 2011 Feb;29(3):271-8. Benefits Of Supersets. The training of antagonistic muscles in supersets is in fact a growing trend among gym users and it remains one of the most effective workouts for muscle development. What Ultra-Processed Food Does To Your Body (Fat) And Your Health. Arnold Schwarzenegger was famous for his bicep / tricep supersets and his chest / back supersets. Using supersets, you might... 2. Some trainers like to highlight one more benefit of antagonistic superset training: antagonist training assures that you train both sides of the body (or a joint) equally for better muscle size and strength balance. What are the benefits of antagonist supersets? Volume load (aka tonnage = sets X reps X weight) is a useful number to track because it correlates with muscle growth and strength increase. Day 1 – Horizontal Push/Pull. Exercise. Thus enabling you to cut down your workout duration without negatively affecting your rest times and performance. If you’re a fan of the push/pull/legs split, you’re already working agonist-antagonist muscle groups. But the downside is this type of training may cause a reduction in poundage lifted, so they’re less effective for building strength and muscle. If you have any questions, either right now before you give it a go, or after you’ve tried it, post in the comments below and I’ll be happy to help. To investigate the physiological responses to low-load, superset resistance training (two exercises for the agonist and antagonist muscles performed without rest between exercises) to failure using elastic bands. 2. The next superset is bent over laterals, bringing a lot of back into play, followed with a lying side-arm lateral raise. If you’re doing a full body workout, you can use any type of superset. If you shorten the rest periods too much, you might be trading a super-short workout for a loss of volume or strength. Supersetting chest and back is a classic combination made famous by Arnold. The most obvious is saving time. A superset is performed by combining two exercises without stopping between them. Here’s an example: Occasionally you can do two exercises back to back with literally zero rest in between, but that only happens when you’re using the same equipment and the same weight for two exercises. This means that for most movements there is always a certain amount of antagonist activation. Might be beneficial for increasing acute power production. Unless you have to cross a warehouse-sized gym for your second exercise, it’s usually about 10 to 20 seconds or so. This technique is used mostly for bodybuilding and physique training because it pushes a single muscle to total fatigue, increases metabolic stress, and forces a lot of blood into one area, creating an enormous pump. 2. This superset method works different muscles that work together as agonist and antagonist. Think of a classic push-pull or "front and back" superset. In contrast, there’s a strength training system called “alternating sets” which instructs you to take full rest intervals in between pairs of opposite muscle exercises. Follow Paul Carter on Instagram. Bench Press * 70% of your max. Increased metabolic effect while maintaining the strength and muscle-building benefits. As mentioned earlier, supersetting is also confused with alternating sets, which is used for strength and power, not time efficiency. The classic superset approach is the basic antagonistic superset. For example, after performing a back workout such as the barbell row, you can perform a bench press workout without rest. Agonist – Antagonist Superset To perform an agonist-antagonist superset, you are simply performing an exercise for a muscle group and then pairing it with the opposing muscle group. On top of decreasing total workout time, supersets can also benefit hypertrophy adaptations. As shown in this 2017 study from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research , when supersets for the same muscle group are used it causes excessive muscle damage and negatively … For advanced bodybuilding, one of the most ideal split routines for antagonistic superset training is the 3-day Classic Muscle split: Day 1: Chest, back, abs This combination is not quite as popular for supersets, but is certainly an option. 4 Benefits of Superset Training #1 - Saves Time Using training sets reduces the rest interval between two exercises allowing you to get more work done in a shorter amount of time. Many people feel that superset training is much more engaging than traditional training... 3. Here’s Exactly How To Superset At The Gym Doubles the moves for double the benefits. 1-6. Now although there’s endless superset workouts you can do (superset workouts for chest, arms, legs, etc.) ). Castanheira RP et al. There have been a lot of claims regarding supersets over the years, but now there is some research to back some of those claims. There are many health benefits to be gained from regular resistance training [ 3 ]. Only after finishing the second exercise (extensions) do you take the usual rest break. If you add one or more additional exercises and superset them with the exercises you were already doing, you are overloading by adding volume. Day 5: Lower body and abs (quads, hamstrings, calves, abs) On upper body day, if you superset your biceps and triceps as well as your chest and back (you could superset deltoids as well), you might finish that workout in half the time with no decrease in effectiveness compared to straight sets. Not only does this elevate your heart rate and breathing but also helps you reduce fatigue in a single muscle. I enjoy the ability to chain compound exercises together. Opposing Muscle Supersets (agonist-antagonist supersets): these pair together exercises that train the opposite muscles. Then they can lift the maximum amount of weight each set without reps dropping off. About 1 minute rest Antagonist Superset Antagonist superset means you do back-to-back exercise of two opposite muscle groups like biceps and triceps, quads and hamstrings, chest and back. A new study from Brazil shows that a specific type of superset training - antagonist pairs - can increase volume load while cutting your gym time almost in half. Training agonist with antagonist muscles means training opposing … I peeled off 8 pounds in a month using it. There is more fatigue, more metabolic stress and more time under tension, which are factors that contribute to muscle growth. Are Supersets The Single Most Efficient Training Tactic? How a 43-Year-Old Mom Burned 30 Pounds of Fat In 98 Days, The Ultimate Home Gym For Maximum Muscle… It’s Not What Most People Think, Do Keto Diets Work? This means, supersetting is an excellent choice of training system when fat loss is your goal, especially when you superset compound exercises. Time Efficiency. If you're on an upper - lower split, you're all set to do antagonist supersets. For example, performing a back exercise then a chest exercise. Let’s start with a true superset, called an antagonist superset . As you can see, superset training has an amazing list of benefits, and at this point, you’re probably pretty excited about getting to the gym and trying it. If you want to know more or refuse consent to cookies, click, To move, our body needs a complex system of levers, which operate in unison and ensure efficient and safe movements. If this antagonist pair superset method is so effective for building muscle, then that brings up another big question: Why shouldn’t everyone train with antagonist supersets all time? Remember, the supersets definition is to string two (or more) sets together, one right after another during your workout with little to no rest. Day 3: rest How Lifting Weights “Backwards” Helps You Keep Gaining Muscle And Lifting Pain Free For Life, Why It’s Possible To Gain Muscle Lifting Light Weights For High Reps… And The 1 Key To Making It Happen, 33 Superset Workouts To Build More Muscle In Less Time. The main benefit of agonist supersets is that you can perform an intense workout using very little time.As you are performing exercises back to back you are not having such a long rest time between exercises and sets. The downside is that you typically can’t use as much weight, especially on the second exercise, so this type of superset is considered less effective for strength goals. You should also understand that supersetting in a crowded gym is sometimes difficult and you may need to be flexible and switch exercises to make it work. Supersets … A recent study from Brazil answered this question – are supersets good for building muscle – and the results were a surprise, even to many scientists and expert trainers. Superset training has been around for decades and almost everyone who lifts weights has heard of it. Superset training is a high intensity technique and its fundamental benefits are: It significantly stimulates intramuscular metabolic stress prompting muscle growth. Avoid using supersets on taxing movements. After you complete each pair of exercises back to back, that counts as one superset, then you take a rest interval (usually 1 to 2 minutes) before doing the next superset. Sign up for the Technogym Newsletter to receive: I agree to the Technogym Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, The site uses its own technical cookies, anonymous third party analytic cookies and third-party cookies that could be used in profiling: in accessing any element/area of the site outside of this banner, you consent to receiving cookies. This may help reduce injury risk, and achieve complete muscular development, which is needed for bodybuilding and physique sports. The primary lower leg muscles – the gastrocnemius and soleus – are trained with calf raises, where you rise up on the balls of your feet. There are a few scientific studies to suggest that the activation of an antagonist muscle can enhance muscle power … Because that name has been used for decades in bodybuilding, and this report is about efficient muscle building and physique training, not powerlifting. It helps to see an example, so below, let me show you what a typical workout looks like for superset versus traditional training for a chest and back workout. Supersets increase training intensity. The most popular, and arguably most effective type of superset is the antagonistic muscle superset. The most obvious is saving time. We’ve been focusing mostly on the popular antagonistic superset, but there’s no reason you can’t include antagonistic muscle supersets and same muscle group supersets in the same workout. If you googled “supersets” and started reading some of the web pages, or if you asked ten different trainers, you might find that every expert tells you something different. Those methods are engaging and can increase the calorie burn, which makes them good choices for fat loss and fitness conditioning goals. Dumbbell lateral raise set 2 If your entire workout uses nothing but supersets, the time savings can be enormous. In this first workout using my Full-Body Superset System, you’ll pair opposing muscle groups and … The researchers made a very confident recommendation, writing, “The results of research to date overwhelmingly suggest that superset training is a time-efficient method to develop strength (and muscle).”. Robbins D, et al Agonist-Antagonist Paired Set Resistance Training: A Brief Review, Journal of Strength And Conditioning Research, 14(10, 2873-2882. If strength is a priority, the full rest interval should be maintained. Sets. The best superset workout routine for mass is the antagonistic superset workout period! Remember, the broad definition of a superset is any two exercises combined in a pair, with little or no rest in between. An agonist-antagonist paired set (APS) refers to the coupling of exercises targeting muscle groups in an agonist-antagonist relationship, performed coincidentally in an alternating manner. Of course, the quadriceps and hamstrings also make a perfect opposing muscle combination for supersetting. Supersets will allow you to build up muscles that are opposing each other but use different exercises for the main muscle group. For crazy muscle gain try the antagonistic superset workout with a highly effective muscle building supplement stacks to freaky muscle fast Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” Between family and work obligations alone, the average busy man or woman may feel it’s a challenge to squeeze in any training at all. Plus, I’m old school, and if the term superset was good enough for Arnold, it’s good enough for me). Time Efficient. For example, if you do a set of squats and then a set of chin-ups , that’s called a superset. It is equally time efficient though. The Dual products within the Selection 700 Line are: Based on these two principles - efficiency and space-saving measures - the latest Technogym circuit training device is, The real strength of Biocircuit in fact is the ability to, Skillrow, with its MULTIDRIVE Technology, allows you to train muscle power or endurance: simply by, or fill in the form and we will call you back, Skillrow is the rowing machine developed by Technogym, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. You can customize your own workouts, and if you wish, you can do do an entire workout in supersets, which would be the ultimate in time efficiency, or you can superset only certain body parts . Rest interval: 2 – 3 minutes, Antagonist Superset Training If you’re using split routines, the exercises you can pair are limited by what body parts you train each day. Benefits of Supersets. Winter Weight Gain: Does Cold Weather Make You Fatter? How “little” rest should there be in between the two different exercises?Usually, you move immediately to the second exercise, so the only rest is the number of seconds it takes to get to the next exercise station. It’s well-established in the research that traditional resistance training isn’t just for getting big and strong, it’s also great for your heart, lungs, bones, blood sugar, blood pressure, immunity and mental health. By employing supersets, he found that he could … Dumbbell shoulder press set 2 Supersets are often incorporated in workouts to both save time and potentially enhance muscle growth. A study from Syracuse University that was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research discovered that antagonistic supersets increased the exercise calories burned and post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which means metabolism was more stimulated after the workout was over. Simply taking your current routine and combining all the exercises into superset pairs rather than straight sets alone can create an overload by increasing intensity of effort and metabolic effect. J Strength Cond Res, 2014. A superset, often called a “paired set” in the research, is when two exercises are done one after the other. But supersets are probably on that list. Agonist-antagonist superset - opposing muscle groups - bench press paired with bent over row. Abs and lower back are reciprocal muscle groups and are trained with opposite movement patterns – flexion and extension. Where you see ‘superset‘ that means to superset that exercise with the one below it. Exercises #1 Dips. 5 "super" effective benefits of supersets While supersets have been around for a long time, it doesn't make them any less effective. For example, if you’re going from a chest exercise to another chest exercise, your chest muscles are going to a bit fatigued so you won’t be as strong on that following exercise (and there are some benefits to this, which I’ll cover more below! Since the antagonistic muscles works in synergy, it is important that both muscles are equally trained. It could be as simple and trying just one superset, like the bicep curl to tricep extension pairing. Dumbbell lateral raise set 1 Rest interval: 2 – 3 minutes Metabolic and hypertrophy adaptations for those on a time crunch it can be more metabolically.! The Smith Machine Dangerous and Non-Functional you to understand the purpose of including to..., to the next exercise benefits for metabolic and hypertrophy adaptations for those on a time crunch weight:... Non-Synergist split resistance training: is it Killing your muscle Gains workload done in less time must that! 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Do it with much shorter workouts than traditional training ( some even say it ’ go.