Supersets Super-sizing your workouts with supersets! When you first begin your workouts, you will experience amazing results for the first couple of months. It seems just about every week you’ll be adding weight to the bar and watching your muscles super-size. Unfortunately such great progress won’t last forever. Those weekly strength increases will become monthly (or not at all) and your shirtsleeves won’t be getting any tighter. Let’s assume that this is the stage you’re at right now. You’re probably reading muscle magazines or surfing online to find ways to combat this phenomenon. You may even be consulting the so-called “experts” at the local gym. In other words, you’re starting to get desperate. If you're used to doing straight sets (3 or more sets of an exercise, for a given number of reps with about 60-seconds in between), maybe you're ready to try something new. To keep progressing - and to keep from getting bored - it's a good idea to change your workout routine every 4-6 weeks. Altering your current workout by simply changing exercises or by adding weight, sets, or reps, will also have an impact. But if you want to take it a step further and really super-size, try supersets. Supersetting is an incredible way to save time, add intensity to your workouts, and most important, build more muscle mass. In simple terms supersetting is an advanced training method in which you perform two exercises, one after the other, with little or no rest in between. The exercises can be for the same muscle group or for two different muscle groups, usually opposing muscles. The Benefits There are numerous benefits of supersets. Here are the best: Saves time: Going from one exercise to another without rest will make your workouts shorter and more efficient. Increases intensity: Because you're working the same muscle, but with different exercises, you're increasing the intensity of your workout. Overloading: Supersets allows you to overload your muscles and super-size without using heavy weights. This technique is ideal for someone who wants to build muscle, but doesn't have a spotter; and great for someone just coming back from an injury or just doesn't want to risk using heavy weights. Make things interesting: If you're like most people, you've been doing straight sets forever. Supersetting can ‘spice up’ your workout, making it a lot more exciting and definitely more challenging. It’s easy to set up: All you do is pick two exercises for the same muscle group and do them one after the other. Offers various unique combinations: You don't have to do exercises for the same muscle group. You can do opposing muscle groups or even two complete different parts of the body with supersets. Supersets combinations – same muscle Muscle Exercises Thighs Squat – Leg Press Leg Press – Leg extension Hamstrings Lying Leg curl – stiff-leg deadlifts Seated leg curl – back extensions Calves Standing calf raise - seated calf raise Seated calf raise - toe Press Chest Flat dumbell fly – incline dumbell press Flat barbell Press – Flat dumbell fly Back Straight-arm pushdown – front pulldown Chin-ups – seated rows Biceps Preacher curl – narrow chins Incline dumbell curl – Cable curl Triceps Lying EZ-bar extension – narrow press Pushdowns – bench dips Abdominals Crunch – reverse crunch Hanging leg raise – Swiss Ball crunch Side Bar Superset combinations – opposing muscles Muscle Exercises Thighs and Hamstrings Squat – Leg curl Leg Press – Stiff-leg deadlifts Chest and Back Chin-ups – Barbell Press Dips – Barbell Rows Biceps and Triceps Lying EZ-bar extensions – Standing EZ-bar curls Two-arm dumbell extensions – Incline dumbell curls