subject: Faster, Stronger, Shorter Workouts - Supersetting [print this page] What if you could shorten your workouts, burn more calories, increase your metabolism, and create a leaner physique? In today's society, time is of the essence. We all could use more time! There is a weight training technique that can cut your time spent in the gym in half and help you achieve your goals quicker. It is a training technique that has been around for decades. What is this incredible training technique that can speed results and save time? The method is known as Supersetting.
Supersetting involves training two muscle groups together in one compound set. These muscles can be the same muscle group or different muscle groups. One set is performed immediately followed by a second set. There is no more than 15 seconds of rest between the two sets, creating a compound or superset.
There are several types of supersetting methods, but for overall balance and effectiveness, Antagonistic Supersetting is considered the best. Antagonistic Supersets train two opposing or opposite muscle groups together in one set. For every major muscle in your body, there is an opposing or opposite muscle. For example, your bicep curls the forearm upward toward the shoulder and your triceps (rear of the upper arm) extends the forearm down and straightens the arm. The two muscle groups have opposite functions. For the sake of weight training, there are three major muscle groups that should be trained used the Antagonistic Supersetting method. These groups are: the Upper Arms (Biceps & Triceps), the Torso (Chest & Back), and the Thighs (Quadriceps & Hamstrings). To train the Upper Arms using an Antagonistic Superset, a set of bicep curls (barbell curls or dumbbell curls) would be performed followed immediately by a set the works the triceps (tricep extensions or tricep press downs). For the Thighs, a set of leg extensions to work the quadriceps would be preformed immediately followed by a set of lying hamstring curls or stiff leg dead lifts to target the back of the thigh.
Supersetting antagonist muscle groups have several key benefits that will help you in the gym.
Supersets increase growth hormone (GH) levels. Growth hormone aids in muscle recovery and burns fat cells. When you eliminate rest periods between sets, as you do when supersetting, GH levels rise even more than when you perform straight sets. Increased levels of GH results in a marked increase in lipolysis, the release of fat from fat cells, which allows the fat to travel to the muscles to be burned as fuel! You will get leaner faster!
Supersetting antagonist muscle groups will burn more calories! When you superset exercises, you're doing roughly twice as much work in the same amount of time as when you perform straight sets, since your second exercise comes when you'd otherwise be resting. Getting leaner comes down to burning more calories than you take in. When you burn more calories, your metabolism increases.
Research shows that you can increase your strength by supersetting. When you superset opposing muscle groups you'll be stronger on the second exercise. This helps not only those seeking to get stronger but also anyone looking to get leaner and tighter. The stronger you are on a given exercise, the more weight you can use and the more reps you can perform, which will burn more calories and build more muscle, both of which increase your metabolism.
Switch up your routine, burn more calories, and cut your time in the gym...start supersetting. Split the three major areas of the body, Upper Arms/Torso/Thighs, into three training days. Try it and stick with it for a month. I'm certain that you will enjoy the results and the time saved!
