You’ve probably done supersets before.
A superset is when you pair together two exercises, and do them back-to-back with little to no rest. They’re typically classified as competitive or non-competitive.
Competitive supersets work similar muscle groups or utilise similar movement patterns.
For example, you could pair a squat with a lunge. These movements both work your lower body. Since your legs are pre-fatigued from the squats, the lunges will feel much more challenging than they normally do.
Top bodybuilders have used this type of superset for decades. That’s because it puts the working muscles under tension for a prolonged period of time, making it great for stimulating growth.
On the other hand, non-competitive supersets work different areas of your body.
So you could pair an upper- and a lower-body move like the push-up and the squat. Or you could combine a pushing and a pulling exercise like the dip and the chin-up so you’re working different patterns.
I personally love to superset unilateral exercises – moves that work only one side of your body – because it allows you to seamlessly flow from one side to the next. You can get a lot of work done in a short period of time this way.
Non-competitive supersets are fantastic for fat loss because you can always go all out. You can work a “fresh” body zone, while the one you just worked gets a rest. This allows you to shorten rest periods, burn more kilojoules per minute, and get your heart rate up higher and for longer.
But there’s another type of superset that most people don’t know about. I call them complimentary supersets. Pairing the two movements together enhances the training effect more than if you just did the two exercises separately.
Here’s an example of my favourite highly-effective combination. I pair a stability movement that targets the pillar of the body – hips, shoulders and core – with a dynamic multi-joint movement that builds muscles, burns fat and boosts metabolism.
Why does it work? Because when you activate all of the muscles from your shoulders to your hips, you improve your posture, your joint positioning and your overall performance in the following dynamic movement.
There’s also the added benefit that you “feel” your core muscles more when performing the next exercise in the pair. This improved mind-muscle connection heightens your overall body awareness. As a result, you’ll fast track your mastery of movement and get better results.
Now, it’s time for you to find out for yourself why they’re amazing.
Here are three complimentary supersets you can start using today. Check them out in the video above.
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Superset 1: Front Planks and Goblet Squats
You should be planking when you’re squatting.
You want to keep your ribs perfectly balanced over your pelvis by pulling your shoulders down, crunching your abs and squeezing your glutes – just as you would when performing a perfect plank.
So what happens if you precede a squat with a plank, like you will in this complimentary superset? You body is better primed to perform the squatting motion. You’ll feel stronger and your core will be more engaged.
Suddenly, the squat is no longer just a lower-body exercise. You’ll also be amazed at how much your abs and shoulders burn during each rep.
Here’s how to turn it into a workout . . .
Perform the two movements below in a row, following the prescriptions for each one. That’s 1 round. Do 4 rounds total.
1. Front Plank: hold the plank position for 30 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds
2. Dumbbell Goblet Squat: perform as many reps as you can in 1 minute, then rest for 15 seconds
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Superset 2: Hip Thrusts and Deadlifts
All the time we spend sitting these days tightens and shuts down our hip muscles, leading to back pain and decreased performance.
How do go about reversing these effects? Do some hip thrusts (or glute bridges) to mobilise your hip flexors and activate your glutes.
Deadlifting (like most athletic movements) should be driven from the hips, which is why I recommend performing hip thrusts before hitting a set of deads (or swings). You’ve already activated your hips, so they’ll be ready to work at full capacity during the deadlifts.
Here’s how to turn it into a workout . . .
Perform the two movements below in a row, following the prescriptions for each one. That’s 1 round. Do 4 rounds total.
1. Hip Thrust Hold: hold the top position of a hip thrust for 30 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
2. Dumbbell Sumo Deadlift: Perform reps for 1 minute, then rest for 15 seconds.
Superset 3: Side Planks and Split Squats
Most gym rats love to target the obliques. But there’s a better way to hit the love handles than hundreds of side crunches or Russian twists. That’s right, I’m talking about liposuction . . .
Okay, there’s another option! And this is the one that I love. You simply hold a weight on one side of your body at a time.
This asymmetrical load creates tilting and turning forces around your spine, which makes your obliques work over time to keep your spine in a safe neutral position.
Want to make it even better? Activate your entire lateral trunk musculature with a side plank hold before doing an asymmetrically-loaded exercise. Now your obliques are “turned on” the second you stand up and hold the weight.
Here’s how to turn it into a workout . . .
Perform the two movements below in a row, following the prescriptions for each one. That’s 1 round. Do 1 more. Then, switch sides and repeat.
1. Weighted Side Plank: hold a left side plank with a dumbbell in your right hand for 30 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
2. Dumbbell Single-Arm Split Squat: perform split squats with your left leg forward and a weight in your right hand for 1 minute, then rest for 15 seconds.
For a total-body metabolic conditioning workout, perform all three of these supersets in a row. I can promise you that you’ll sweat your arse off and your abs will be sore for days.
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