if you want to build more muscle in less time start using
supersets agonist antagonist supersets are a smarter way to train compared to straight
sets watch this video to learn the science and make your workouts far more effective
straight sets are when you focus only on one exercise with this approach you're completing all
of your sets with normal rest periods afterwards you move on to the next exercise in your workout
this normal training technique takes longer and builds less muscle i'll explain why later on in
this video agonist antagonist supersets are when you alternate two exercises using different muscle
groups your rest period comes after the pair of exercises have been completed supersets have
been shown not only to save time but also grow more muscle compared to traditional training
for the upper body the most common approach is a pull followed by a push this superset works well
because we're alternating gross movement patterns and muscle groups in an agonist antagonist manner
this strategy is perfect for people with busy schedules or personal trainers who want to pack
in as much as possible into their workout schedule now guys it's very important you rest for the
correct amount of time when you're doing supersets most people make the mistake of not resting long
enough this hinders performance and reduces muscle gain on the other hand some people take too long
with their rest periods which is wasted time when you finish one exercise it's ideal to move
immediately onto the next exercise the research suggests that we should not be resting any longer
than 60 seconds between exercise pairs we need to get moving when doing supersets to gain the
muscle building and time saving benefits however if you're someone with poor cardio feel free to
catch your breath for a moment between exercises the reason for this short rest period between sets
is we want your neuromuscular system being the limiting factor not your ability to suck
in that precious oxygen okay but what about how long to rest after both exercise sets
are finished in the superset the good news is the science has the exact optimal rest period that you
should be doing during supersets if you only rest one minute before the next superset the training
volume possible is lower yet our workouts finish sooner three minutes is the absolute sweet spot
for agonist antagonist supersets this allows for the greatest training volume and is still
time efficient why three minutes because this time regenerates sufficient atp
to fuel our upcoming set rest intuitively if you have training experience you'll have a natural
awareness of when you feel ready to go which should be approximately three minutes on average
use a timer if you're a beginner or tend to rush into your next set without full recovery
stopwatch is recommended if you're set to set performance is dropping drastically this is a
sign you're probably not getting our three minute recommendation now what's the best way to make use
of your rest time between sets you've got to smash the thumbs up button on all fitness faqs videos
of course this provides enhanced recovery three main benefits that you're going to gain when using
supersets supersets offer greater performance this is represented in the real world by being
able to do more volume compared to straight sets the volume enhancing effect of agonist antagonist
supersets is not movement or muscle group specific this means it can be an effective strategy for
other areas of the body that you're wanting to train do you want to grow bigger arms superset
triceps and biceps do you want to grow bigger legs superset quads and hamstrings alright let's
move on and discuss the reasons why supersets are so effective there's likely a benefit which
takes place when pre-loading our antagonist muscles for example our back muscles potentiate
our chest muscles and vice versa making them stronger compared to simply doing one movement
before the other here's where the science isn't quite clear on the exact reason why supersets work
supersets may augment inhibition reducing the protective limit on our muscles output which
allows us to tap into improved performance perhaps we're benefiting from the enhanced co-contraction
of our muscles performing better thanks to complementary muscle contractions otherwise the
science suggests that we're getting changes to our golgi tendon reflex and perhaps enhanced elastic
energy recall from our muscles on a more practical level supersets probably help us get rid of the
metabolic byproducts in the bloodstream as one set of muscles rests while the other works we're
literally pushing our joints through passive range which is going to flush all that metabolic waste
from our muscles and assist in that recovery why more volume with supersets you're actually
resting longer the working muscles are resting during one of the exercises and
the rest period between supersets contrast this with straight sets where the working muscles are
only resting during the rest interval before the next set this counterintuitive situation
is probably the driving factor behind why more volume is possible with supersets food for thought
ah guys i'd love to know what your favorite set is let me know what movement coupling or muscle
groups work best for you supersets are not a panacea for training here's when they don't
work if you're training a complex movement pattern which involves a high skill and or
balance component don't superset here's an example you wouldn't want to be super setting pull-ups
and handstand push-ups the residual fatigue would definitely impact your pushing potential
supersets are definitely not a good choice if you're training low rep ranges at a high
intensity relative to your one rep max training at this level of effort requires your full focus
and energy the preceding movement would likely limit your performance
at such a high neuromuscular intensity straight sets are ideal for intensity training at high
levels of effort relative to your one rep max supersets are ideal for volume training as we've
discussed in this video all right here's the major takeaways for agonist antagonist
supersets one you save time alternating movement patterns or muscle groups makes smart use of rest
periods decreasing total time spent between sets and finishing your workouts much faster and two
you benefit from greater volume this makes supersets a superior choice for hypertrophy
compared to straight sets the extra fatigue actually helps and doesn't hinder alright
everyone consider supersets if you want the best of all worlds saving time and building more muscle