Supersets are a workout technique that allow you to train multiple muscle groups (or the same muscle group) with more than one exercise without resting in between sets. This allows you to either speed up the pace of your workout, intensify the effects of your training, or both. In this video, I’m going to show you the 8 best supersets that you are not doing and tell you the specific exercises that will give you the best results if you start using them.
Again, to be clear, a superset is not a drop set technically. A drop set will use the same exercise but progressively lighter weight with each successive consecutive set. What you want to do is make sure that you are picking two different exercises and pairing them together without resting at all between them. The most common way to perform supersets is with opposing muscle groups, such as the biceps and triceps.
My favorite opposing muscle group superset is one that you perform for your arms and it consists of the db incline tricep extension supersetted with bicep spider curls. This gives you the advantage of getting the stretch on the long head of the triceps and then immediately perform a bicep exercise that puts the peak tension in the contracted position of the biceps. This is something that we don’t often do in our workouts let alone the same set combination.
Next, you can incorporate muscle groups that tend to like to work together such as the lats and upper back muscles. Here, I like the combo of the straight arm pushdown with the cable face pulls. The lats not only benefit from the straight arm pushdowns but this helps you to perfect your form on the deadlift which is an exercise that requires strength in this position. The face pull is an incredible builder of the upper back muscles and overlooked rear delts.
The UCV raise and Cavaliere Crossover combination is an example of a superset that targets the same muscle group. This one is better than the old classic bench press into pushups combo since neither of those exercises allows you to train the chest into adduction like both of the exercises in this superset allow you to.
Beyond the pairing of muscles based on function, you can create supersets that rely on purpose. For example, if you want to pre-exhaust a certain muscle group so that you can use lighter than normal weights on an exercise that you normally exclusively train heavy you can do that if you pair them together as part of a superset. The shoulder “L” raise into db presses is a perfect way to do this. Grab a pair of 25 pound dumbbells and rep out to failure on this front delt and middle delt combo and immediately finish out your set by pressing those same “light” dumbbells overhead.
Finally, you have options for open chain into closed chain exercises, loading and de-loading exercises and even strength or power potentiation combos. All of these are incredibly effective, especially if performed at the right time and for the right purpose in your training cycle. All of the ones shown here are part of my 8 favorite and should be something you try in your workouts.
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