How long should you superset for

This is especially applicable when it comes to workout duration. After an hour of intense exercise, testosterone levels in our bodies begin to decrease while levels of the stress hormone cortisol begin to rise—the complete opposite of what you want to happen.

A superset is when one set of an exercise is performed directly after a set of a different exercise without rest between them.

But the muscles of the anterior and posterior core are phasic in nature and only able to perform at optimal levels for short periods. If two exercises both challenge the core from an isometric or dynamic stability standpoint, the core will become fatigued, increasing the chance of injury and overuse. If you are squatting to near maximal intensities, your core will be on fire.

No need to kick a horse while it's down and throw in some crunches on top of it! Performance of two exercises that both add compression of the spine is commonly seen in poorly programmed supersets. Before choosing your exercises, classify them all into two categories: spinal compressors and spinal decompressors.

An example of a spinal compressor is a squat. Vertebral segments are loaded, and forces are bringing them closer together under loads. A movement that acts as a spinal decompressor adds space between vertebral segments. Examples are a chin up or pull up where the feet are in an open-chain position. Give your back a break. You're probably already sitting eight hours a day in a slouched posture. The last thing you need is to test your spine's limits, over and over again, during a superset.

The most popular exercise in the gym is undoubtedly the bench press. This is the first, and sometimes only, exercise done by many people on a daily basis for upper-body emphasis. By programming a posterior-chain exercise before an anterior chain, the completion of the pull will enhance the performance of the push. This would be in addition to a separate back training day for someone who has a history of skipping back day.

Superset 2: Four rounds of 12 reps each Dumbbell bench press Dumbbell row. Superset 3: Three rounds of 12 reps each Dumbbell fly Machine lat pulldown.

Superset 4: Three rounds of 12 reps each Seated machine chest press Seated machine row. Generally speaking, the legs are a popular body part to train. However, some may not know the different muscle groups in their legs, resulting in a muscle imbalance between the quadriceps and hamstrings. Usually, strength trainers—women, in particular—target the glutes butt and quadriceps thighs but neglect the hamstrings back of legs.

To insert hamstring work into your leg routine, do the following quick superset workout. Superset 1: Five rounds of ten reps each Dumbbell sumo squat Dumbbell straight leg deadlift. Superset 2: Four rounds of 12 reps each Forward lunge six reps each leg Barbell good morning. Superset 3: Three rounds of 12 reps each Machine leg extension Machine hamstring curl. If you were to perform three exercises back-to-back in this fashion, it is usually called a tri-set , and four or more exercises together are usually called a giant set or simply circuit training.

Is time a limiting factor in your training, is the gym about to close, or do you simply feel like getting home faster? By supersetting exercises, you are able to pack in more training in the same time-frame. However, if you use supersets as a way to shorten your training time, you might run the risk of getting so tired that it hurts your performance, with fewer reps or less weight lifted per set than if you would have taken longer rest periods.

That, in turn, might lead to inferior muscle growth and strength gains. But, most all? After 30 seconds, they start to get jittery, and before the first minute is over, they have already hit the weights again. While the zeal is admirable, it is not necessarily the best thing for your training results. And, resting too short between sets can seriously diminish the number of reps you do in those few sets.