Build More Muscle in Less Time with Supersets
Today’s working professional is busier than ever. With the increased reliance and usage of portable devices, many are working during and after office hours more and more. While the financial and professional gains are immense from these extended productivity hours, those muscle gains you so much aspire to have are left unfulfilled. So, while you might be richer and more successful at your job than ever before, you’re also weaker, slower, and fatter than you’ve ever been too.
So, what’s a career-driven individual to do when still wanting to climb the success ladder but still make big gains in the gym. The answer is superset training. With this old-school training method, you can cut workout time in half but still keep making the kinds of gains commensurate with 2 hour long chest sessions.
How can this be you ask?
We’ll show you!
Supersets = More Muscle, Less Time
Supersets are the busy person’s solution for fast, effective workouts. A superset is two exercises performed back-to-back with little to no rest between the two. Only after completing the second exercise do you get a 60-120 second break. The length of the rest period is based on whether or not the duo of exercises are compound, multi-joint movements (squat, bench, row) or isolation exercises (curls, kickbacks, etc.).
Over the years, the concept of a true superset has become somewhat muddled. Nowadays, most trainees think that any two exercises performed back-to-back qualify as a superset. Truth be told, supersets were originally designed as two exercises for opposing (antagonist) muscle groups performed back to back. Classic examples include chest and back, quad and hamstring, or the bro favorite bis and tris.
If you were to perform to exercises for the same muscle group consecutively (ex. Pull Up supersetted with Lat Pulldown), that would be classified as a compound set. While compound sets certainly have their place, those are best reserved for bro split training sessions where you’re assaulting a single muscle group from every conceivable angle. Since we’re trying to maximize gains and minimize time in the gym, we’re going to stick with the tried and true opposing muscle group pairing for all supersets here.
Benefits of Superset Training
Supersets are great for a number of reasons. Chief among those for the busy professional is that they allow you to accomplish a high amount of volume in a relatively brief period of time. Supersets also takes advantage of something known as reciprocal innervation, which is working one muscle group while it’s opposite (antagonist) relaxes and recovers. This also increases blood flow to the working muscle, leading to better gains.
Another advantage here is that we’ll be using supersets as part of a 4 day upper lower split, so in addition to the time-saving aspect of supersets, you’ll also get bigger gains from the increased frequency each muscle group is subjected to each week. Hitting a muscle group two or three times per week with moderate frequency is better than pounding it 30-40 sets for 2 hours one day a week. Recovery will be better and so will muscle growth. As we all know volume and frequency are key to muscle growth, and you get the best of both with superset training.
Superset Training Tips for the Business Professional
You’ll be training 4 days per week following an upper/lower split. These are fast-paced, intense workouts that demand your full concentration. That means no checking e-mail, texts, or social media while you’re at the gym. Dedicate a solid 45 minutes to these training sessions, then the rest of the afternoon is yours to hit happy hour with the crew and turn things up a notch!
You can train any four days per week, with the other days being active recovery or light cardio / stretching workouts. Ideally, here’s what your weekly schedule will be:
– Monday: Upper Body A
– Tuesday: Lower Body A
– Wednesday: OFF (active recovery)
– Thursday: Upper Body B
– Friday: Lower Body B
– Saturday: OFF (active recovery)
– Sunday: OFF
Rest Periods: In between exercises of each superset, there is essentially no rest. Your “rest” is the time it takes you to transition from one exercise to the next. After each pair of exercises is complete, you may rest for the prescribed length of time.
Progression: When you can complete the upper range of the listed number of reps for all sets of an exercise, then increase the weight 5 to 10 pounds and remain at that weight until you complete all reps for all sets. This type of constant progressive overloading will prevent any plateaus from setting in during training and ensure continual gains for weeks on end.
Intensity: Bring it every workout. These works are brief and intense, if you really want to make gains in a short amount of time, push the envelope every single set of every single workout. No excuses!
We know the struggle of afternoon, post-workday workouts. You’re drained mentally, physically, and emotionally, the last thing you want to do is drag yourself to the gym for a grueling workout. That’s where the benefit of having a superior energy, mood, and focus-boosting pre workout comes in handy.
Now, there’s a LOT of options on the market for pre workouts, so how do you know which one to grab. That’s easy…
Turnt Up for Increased Intensity
When the days are long, but you still need to get in the gym and crush it, Turnt Up is the perfect pre workout for you. Using a cutting edge matrix of synergistic stimulants and mood elevators, Turnt Up will increase your energy, alertness, and sense of well-being so that you’re primed for the intense pump ahead.
Best of all, Turnt Up provides a sustained high that delivers plenty of energy during your workout and for hours after so that you’re ready and raring to go for a rousing happy hour with the crew.
Now, let’s get to the training!
Turnt Up Supersets for Super Gains
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Barbell Bent Over Row | 4 | 6-8 | 0 sec |
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6-8 | 90 sec |
| Pull Ups | 3 | Max Reps | 0 sec |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8-10 | 90 sec |
| Cable Rows | 3 | 10-12 | 0 sec |
| Cable Crossovers | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Rope Pressdowns | 3 | 10-12 | 0 sec |
| Rope Hammer Curls | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Barbell Back Squat | 4 | 6-8 | 90 sec |
| Hack Squats | 3 | 8-10 | 0 sec |
| Romanian Deadlifts | 3 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Walking Lunges | 3 | 10 rep/leg | 0 sec |
| Seated Calf Raises | 3 | 15-20 | 60 sec |
| Military Press | 4 | 8-10 | 0 sec |
| Neutral Grip Pull Ups (add weight if needed) | 4 | 8-10 | 90 sec |
| Hammer Strength Shoulder Press | 3 | 10-12 | 0 sec |
| Incline Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Dumbbell Side Laterals | 3 | 12-15 | 0 sec |
| Rear Delt Lateral Raise | 3 | 15-20 | 60 sec |
| EZ Bar Skullcrushers | 3 | 10-12 | 0 sec |
| EZ Bar Curls | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Trap Bar Deadlift | 4 | 4-6 | 90 sec |
| Leg Press | 3 | 8-10 | 0 sec |
| Leg Curl | 3 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Step Up to Reverse Lunge | 3 | 10 rep/leg | 0 sec |
| Smith Machine Calf Raises | 3 | 10-15 | 60 sec |
image: @ericafitlove