As this post goes live, I’m on a plane heading back to Boston. It’s sad leaving Florida, especially with how hot the rest of the country still is (100–115 degrees on both coasts). It’s ironic that Florida seems to have the best weather right now as we head into midsummer. I’d have guessed we’d be somewhere hotter than a live volcano at this point in the year. Still, despite the heat, my good friend and colleague Shane McLean delivered a great guest post for me to share during my travel day. Enjoy!
5 Next Level Supersets for Better Results
Supersets are a fantastic training method. You can pair almost any exercise to build muscle, burn fat, or bring up lagging body parts. They let you do more work in less time, so you’ll finish sooner than the Instagram stars who hog all the mirror space. If supersets aren’t part of your routine, you’re missing out. And you don’t want that, do you? Here’s the lowdown on supersets and why they belong in your training.
Advantages of supersets
– They increase training efficiency by reducing rest between exercises and by planning equipment in advance.
– Shorter rest periods raise the intensity of your workout by letting you do more work in less time.
– They can boost fat loss because the quick transitions and back-to-back contractions add extra stimulus, especially when you’re in a caloric deficit.
Disadvantages of supersets
– The higher intensity can cause a drop in performance and technique, increasing injury risk.
– It can be tricky to manage different weights for different exercises, and you may end up monopolizing equipment in a busy gym.
– While great for hypertrophy and fat loss, they’re not the best method for building maximal strength due to limited recovery.
– They’re challenging for beginners who aren’t yet familiar with the movements.
5 superset types with training examples
The type you choose depends on your goals (fat loss, hypertrophy, or bringing up a lagging body part), whether you’re a beginner or advanced trainee, how much time you have, and how much discomfort you’re willing to tolerate. Here are five types you can start using now.
1) Post- and pre-exhaustion supersets
These push muscle fatigue to a new level. Post-exhaustion combines a compound exercise with an isolation movement afterward to exhaust all the muscle fibers in a target muscle group, while pre-exhaustion does a single-joint movement before the compound exercise to fatigue the target muscle.
Post-exhaustion examples
– Quads: squat variation (6–12 reps) then leg extensions (12–20 reps)
– Hamstrings: hip hinge variation then stability ball hamstring curl (12–15 reps)
– Biceps: chin-up variation (6–12 reps) then Zottman curl (10–15 reps)
– Triceps: push-up variation (8–15 reps) then overhead triceps extensions (12–20 reps)
Pre-exhaustion examples
– Biceps: barbell biceps curl (8–15 reps) then supinated lat pulldown (8–12 reps)
– Hamstrings/glutes: seated leg curl (8–15 reps) then barbell hip thrust (6–12 reps)
– Triceps: triceps pushdown (8–15 reps) then single-arm floor press (6–12 reps)
– Shoulders: dumbbell front raise (8–15 reps) then dumbbell seated overhead press (6–12 reps)
2) Compound supersets
A compound set trains the same muscle group from different angles to heighten muscular tension. It’s an efficient way to target a muscle group for hypertrophy, especially early in your workout when you have the most energy. This is an advanced method because heavier weights are used in both exercises for the same muscle, which can increase fatigue and affect form.
Examples
– Chest: barbell bench variation (6–8 reps) then single-arm floor press (8–12 reps)
– Back: seated row (8–12 reps) then single-arm lat pulldown (12–15 reps)
– Legs – squat focus: barbell front squat (4–8 reps) then dumbbell jump squats (10–25% body weight, 3–6 reps)
– Legs – hinge focus: Romanian deadlift (8–12 reps) then barbell hip extensions (6–8 reps)
3) Isolation supersets
These save time by training a small muscle group in the same time as one exercise, with all focus on that muscle to feel the burn and improve the look. They’re great for bringing up a lagging body part or a weaker muscle that hinders a compound move. It’s best to do these at the end of your workout so you have energy for the bigger lifts.
Examples
– Biceps: incline curl (12–25 reps) then concentration curl (12–25 reps)
– Shoulders: dumbbell lateral raise (12–15 reps) then band pull-aparts (high reps, 25)
– Triceps: triceps rope pulldown (12–25 reps) then skull crushers (8–12 reps)
– Glutes: single-leg hip extensions (12–15 reps) then lateral band walk (12–15 reps per side)
4) Lower/upper body supersets
This is the least taxing approach so far because you’re pairing two unrelated muscle groups, allowing full rest and recovery between efforts. It’s ideal for full-body workouts or beginner splits and is great for fat loss since switching between upper and lower body keeps the heart and lungs working.
Examples
– 1A squat variation (8–12 reps) with 1B barbell bench press (8–12 reps)
– 1A barbell squat variation (6–12 reps) with 1B chin-ups (6–12 reps)
– 1A barbell hip thrust (6–8 reps) with 1B floor press (6–8 reps)
– 1A barbell push press (6–12 reps) with 1B chin-ups (6–12 reps)
5) Strength/mobility supersets
Pair a strength move with a mobility drill to improve technique and recovery when strength is your focus. If you have knee pain with squats, for example, pairing ankle mobility work with the squat can help depth and performance.
Examples
– 1A deadlift variation (3–6 reps) then hip flexor mobilization (8 reps)
– 1A shoulder press variation (8–12 reps) then forearm wall slides (8 reps)
– 1A barbell squat variation (3–6 reps) then rocking ankle mobilization (8 reps)
– 1A barbell bench press (3–6 reps) then thoracic extensions (8 reps)
Wrapping up
Supersets are a flexible and efficient way to train for many goals. Pair exercises wisely for great results and more looks. Make it a flexfriday vibe every day.
