Large muscle groups are difficult to train. Supersets are considered effective in this regard. Find out how to use them in bodybuilding. Many bodybuilders use shorter training programs, but very often it seems that the effectiveness of the training is not very high. Large muscle groups are difficult to train and you need to provide them with the necessary load to grow. Perhaps one of the best methods for this is supersets.
Of course, supersets in bodybuilding for pumping muscles are quite a tough technique, but at the same time they are very effective. In addition, they do not take much time to complete. Let's take a closer look at supersets.
Reasons for the effectiveness of supersets
Speaking about the reasons for the effectiveness of supersets in bodybuilding for pumping muscles, it is necessary to consider the physiological processes that this technique activates. Scientists believe that it is because of this that supersets are highly effective.
Capillarization
So far, scientists have not established the reasons why an increase in the number of capillaries leads to the active growth of muscle tissue. However, we can say for sure that capillarization not only contributes to muscle hypertrophy, but also significantly increases their functionality.
When muscles are trained in their tissues, the number of capillaries increases, which leads to an improvement in cell nutrition and the removal of metabolites. If your muscles have a large number of capillaries, then even if the mass has not been recruited, then visually the sensation of muscle growth will be created.
Accelerating the synthesis of growth hormone
Studies have confirmed that when the acid-base balance of the blood changes, a burning sensation occurs in the muscles. This is due to the large amount of lactic acid that is synthesized during high physical exertion. This, in turn, helps to accelerate the synthesis of growth hormone.
Supersets increase the production of lactic acid and therefore growth hormone. Many athletes using this technique will confirm that after using supersets, the burning sensation in the muscles can be quite intense.
Large number of fibers involved
Many athletes know that muscle tissue is made up of two types of fibers. For mass growth, it is necessary to make sure that all fibers grow, including aerobic ones. And this is not such a difficult task. It was already mentioned above that supersets help accelerate the synthesis of growth hormone, which affects the increase in the size of slow aerobic fibers. Thus, you should periodically change the number of repetitions, forcing both types of fibers to participate in the work. One of the advantages of a superset is the ability to combine sets with low reps. This allows for a short period of time to maximize the load of anaerobic fibers (type 2), and then aerobic (type 1). This is what increases the effectiveness of the training session.
When the superset includes movements in which the muscles contract in a stretched state, this requires a large number of fibers to be connected to the work. It also contributes to the activation of additional neuromuscular responses. When you compose supersets, then these movements should go first. This is because the fibers are still full of strength and the risk of injury is minimal.
It should be noted that according to research results, when muscles contract in a stretched state, the number of androgen-type receptors increases, and, consequently, the sensitivity of tissues to testosterone. After completing the first stretch exercise, you should immediately begin the second exercise to increase the load on the target muscle group. In addition, it is necessary that the superset also includes one compound exercise. These are movements in which not only the target muscle works, but also the auxiliary ones. This will make bodybuilding supersets more effective for pumping muscles.
Superset using Compaund Aftershock for hand training
Athletes should be aware that the risk of injury increases when muscles contract in a stretched state. Therefore, a couple of warm-up sets should be done before running the Compaund Aftershock program. Of course, after completing the three main exercises, the muscles have not yet had time to cool down, but at least one warm-up set must be done.
Start your superset with an overhead triceps extension. To do this, use a weights with a weight of 50% of the working and perform 10 repetitions at a slow pace and with full amplitude. As mentioned above, it is better to perform two such sets.
After that, pause for a couple of minutes and start performing the superset:
- Extension from behind the head - Do 1 to 2 sets of 6-8 reps.
- Bench press in the prone position, narrow grip or push-ups - also 1-2 sets with 6-8 reps.
When performing movements, make sure that there are no pauses at the extreme upper and lower points of the trajectory. The sports equipment must move constantly and take two seconds to raise and lower it.
To train the biceps, as a warm-up exercise, you should use the curls of the arms on an incline bench. And the superset itself looks like this:
- Dumbbell curls on an incline bench - 1 to 2 sets with 6-8 reps.
- Row down, upper grip or pull-ups, bottom grip - also from 1 to 2 sets with 6-8 reps.
Using even two of these supersets can perfectly load the muscles and cause the necessary burning sensation. As mentioned above, this will provoke the release of growth hormone, and, therefore, lead to hypertrophy of muscle tissue. The supersets include compound exercises that will involve the accessory muscles in the work. Typically, Compaund Aftershock will start to show up after a couple of weeks.
For more information on how to build muscle with supersets in bodybuilding, see this video:
