Find out why professional bodybuilders love to train two muscle groups at the same time with minimal rest periods. At one time it was believed that supersets for large muscles in bodybuilding are very effective for burning fat, but not very suitable for gaining muscle mass. But in practice, everything is completely different and with the right use of super-sets, you can build a powerful body. Another thing is that they must be applied correctly so as not to overtrain.
For some athletes with excellent genetics, a routine exercise regimen may be sufficient. But many athletes, performing heavy approaches, are forced to stop until the muscles are properly loaded. For example, while doing the bench press, you can complete the set earlier, since the triceps will fatigue, although the muscles of the chest and shoulder girdle may still be working.
Most often, when describing the essence of a superset, it is customary to say that this is a sequential execution of two movements with a minimum pause between them or no rest at all. But if you use a superset for gaining mass, then it is more correct to say a little differently - this is a method that allows you to deplete muscles by changing the load or using different exercises.
The classic form of supersets for large muscles in bodybuilding is to perform antagonistic movements such as triceps and biceps. However, in relation to gaining mass, this scheme will not be as effective as they say. It is much better to perform a basic movement to train the target muscle and then “finish off” it in isolation.
How to use supersets for big muscles?
Additional fatigue of the target muscle with the help of an isolated movement makes it possible to maximize the growth of fibers, causing them a large number of microtraumas. For maximum effectiveness, pause between movements for no more than 20 seconds, and rest for one to two minutes between supersets. You are free to use different superset schemes. The only important thing is that they are effective.
An effective superset for gaining mass doesn't have to be just two movements in a row. When compiling it, the physiology of the muscles should be taken into account and their growth should be stimulated.
Advanced types of supersets
Often, athletes will first fatigue the target muscle with an isolated movement and then move on to a basic exercise. In theory, this should be quite effective and allows you to work beyond muscle failure. But it is important to remember that the strength of the entire chain depends on the strength of the weakest link. For example, once your chest muscles have fatigued, you shouldn't expect them to do a lot of work on the bench press. Due to high fatigue, the deltas and triceps will receive the main load.
If, in the first exercise, you cause moderate fatigue of the target muscle, then the effectiveness of the superset will increase. But most pro athletes cannot and do not want to restrain themselves by training in the first exercise of the superset to failure. It should also be remembered that the superset scheme described now cannot be used often, since it sharply increases the intensity of the training.
Also, approaches with dropping working weight can be considered as a superset. In this case, you do not need to change the movement, but rather reduce the weight of the sports equipment. The rest-pause method can also be included here. But they have several disadvantages over the superset consisting of different movements. First, you continue with one exercise approach, and if one of the muscles is very tired, you will not be able to continue working. Second, the amplitude dead center remains unchanged and the cause of muscle failure does not change.
How to create effective bodybuilding supersets?
There are three main rules for you to follow here.
Choice of movements
Theoretically, you can use various combinations of movements, but the most effective will be the one that assumes the subsequent maximum fatigue.
Duration of rest
According to generally accepted rules, you should rest no more than three seconds between movements in a superset. However, this rule should not always be used. First of all, this is due to the need to rush and as a result, you can work in violation of the technique, which is not permissible.
There is such a thing as the Konstamm phenomenon, which you probably know about from childhood, just did not know its name. Place your hands alongside your body and ask your friend to hold them firmly. Then try to spread your arms to the side, and as soon as your friend lets them go, they will start to rise up involuntarily.
This property of muscles formed the basis for one of the varieties of supersets. Its essence lies in the use of voluntary muscle contraction and subsequent involuntary. The first movement causes muscle fatigue and triggers the effect of post-isometric relaxation, which is used in the second exercise.
This effect can be used when performing supersets, and the length of the rest is a key factor. It will take 5 to 20 seconds for the above phenomenon to manifest. Working outside the specified range is counterproductive.
In other words, if you start performing the second movement before the Konstamm effect appears, then the entire superset will simply be spoiled. At the same time, a long pause will also not bring a positive effect. In addition, it should be remembered that this phenomenon can manifest itself only with a significant difference in loads.
Working weight selection
Here you should focus on the number of repetitions and the style of performing the movements. We recommend using large weights for basic movement, even if you need to decrease the amplitude, but the difference between the loads will increase. For the second movement, the weight of the projectile should be less.
Stanislav Lindover talks about supersets on deltas in the following video:
