I am not a naturally gifted bodybuilder who can pack on a bunch of lean muscle mass simply by looking at a pair of dumbbells. In fact I grew up as a super skinny kid who would spend most of his time on the basketball courts vs the weight room.
I was actaully scared to step foot in the gym the 1st time and my dad made fun of how little I could bench press my 1st chest workout(95 lbs if your curious).
Times have changed – and I’ve grown to love the iron lifestyle. When I am not naturally gifted at something I feel the need to educate myself to maximize my potential. Over the years I have read a ton of advanced bodybuilding strategies that could help me overcome my lack of genetics and build lean muscle mass quickly.
I stumbled across the power of the Superset in the old Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding and have been experimenting with different routines ever since. I am thorougly convinced that supersets are one of the best ways for the serious hard gainer to pack on lean muscle mass and gain strength in the shortest amount of time.
If your goal is to get bigger, faster, and stronger you need to start incorporating supersets into your workout routine. Supersets are also great for those that are short on time and looking to be more efficient at the time spent in the gym.
For those of you who aren’t familiar, lets first dive into what a “superset” is.
What is a Superset?
A Superset is when you are doing 2 exercises in a row with little to no rest time. This is different than a drop set where you are performing the same exercise with little to no rest time in a row but simply dropping the weight.
There are two kinds of supersets that are both helpful when looking to build lean muscle mass quickly. There are supersets done with the same muscle group, and supersets done with opposing or different muscle groups.
Supersets with the same muscle group are performed by performing back to back exercises of a certain muscle group with little to no rest time in between.
The goal is that this will shock a muscle group into growth and create more healthy micro tears than just performing a singular exercise and resting between sets.
You could for example perform a bicep superset by 1st doing Ez Bar curls until failure and then jumping into Db Alternate curls. This is a great way to train your arms or any other stubborn muscle group that is not responding to your typical regimen.
My personal favorite way to perform supersets is with opposing muscle groups. My favorite muscle building workout is the “push-pull” superset. An example of this is when you superset a chest exercise with a back exercise. You could also superset barbell bench press with the weighted pull ups, or the incline bench press with the barbell row.
This is a great way to get in 2 fantastic compound exercises back to back. The interesting aspect of the push-pull superset is that fatiguing your chest before back usually doesn’t effect your strength on a pulling exercise. Many times I actually feel stronger. If you’re looking for a killer superset workout then check out my Compound Push-Pull Superset workout below!
Superset Exercise Combos
There are many different superset combinations, but here are a few of my personal favorites.
- Chest and Back Superset
- Quadriceps and Hamstring Superset
- Bicep and Triceps Superset
- Deltoid and Trap Superset
You should get creative and make sure to always incorporate new exercise combinations for your supersets. The best way to build lean muscle mass quickly is to always throw different types of overload on your body.
Sample Push-Pull Superset Workout
Superset 1: Barbell Bench Press to Weighted Wide Grip Pull-ups
Total Sets: 3
Rest Time: 2 Minutes
Superset 2: Db Incline Bench Press to Barbell Row
Total Sets: 3
Rest Time: 2 Minutes
Superset 3: Db Upper Chest Pull over to Db 1 Arm Row
Total Sets: 3
Rest Time: 2 Minutes
Superset 4: Weighted Pushups to 45 Degree Back Extension
Total Sets: 3
Rest Time: 2 Minutes
Final Thoughts on the Superset
Supersets are without a doubt my favorite mass building strategy. I recommend that you start off with the Push-Pull superset workout I’ve given you before you progress to more advanced supersets.
I find that trying new supersets are a great way to switch up your workout routine. For instance, yesterday I tried a superset with Db walking lunges and the barbell squat and got the best leg workout of the year! Get creative with your supersets and you will reap amazing benefits.
What’s the most unique superset combination you have ever tried? Leave your suggestions in the comments below and I will give them a try!