1 - They Save Time
2 - They Help Save the Heart from Cardiovascular Disease
3 - They Save us from Slow Boring Workouts
Supersets are one of the best ways to improve workout results. And the name is pretty cool too. Supersets kind of make you feel like a superhero. Whenever I complete a tough superset, I come out feeling like a superhero that just made it through a really tough fight. Make no mistake about it, supersets are tough.
For all the newbies, a superset is when two exercises are done back to back with no rest in between. So let’s say your regular workout calls for 3 sets of push ups followed by 3 sets of pull ups. Turn that into a superset workout routine, and you’ll be doing push ups and pull ups back and forth until 3 sets of each have been completed without any rest!
Supersets Save Time
Of course, if you’re just getting into supersets, you may want to take a small rest in between exercises, say 20-40 seconds. However, the shorter the rest time is, the more time you save for your busy day. If I had to guess, I would say that the number one complaint that I have heard for not getting enough exercise is that there is not enough time. I have personally faced this problem with my own workout routines. Supersets are my second favorite way to save time while working out. Circuit Training is my first.
To get an idea of how much time supersets can save, let’s look at an example workout. This workout example is a full body workout and includes a total of 10 exercises with 3 sets of each. Now, a typical workout usually calls for 1 minute of rest in between each set. So this workout example would include approximately 30 minutes of total resting time. Completely eliminating the resting would slice about half an hour off of your workout time! That is definitely worth it to me. And because it is now much more challenging, you may have to shorten the workout.
They Help Save the Heart from Cardiovascular Disease
Getting rid of the rest time forces the heart and lungs into overtime. The cardiovascular system has to work extra hard to pump oxygen rich blood to all of the muscles. I’m not saying that supersets are the only defense needed against cardiovascular disease, but they are a great help. A regular cardio training routine is still necessary for overall health. The good side is, you won’t have to do as much. Because you are getting some of your cardio exercise from supersets, you won’t need to run for what may seem like all day on the treadmill.
They Save us from Boredom
An easy workout is boring, a workout that is too difficult is discouraging, but a challenging workout is fun and motivating. Supersets can be too tough, but when done the right way, they provide a challenge that prevents boredom. With rest periods, it is easy to let our minds wander. Supersets force us to engage our minds. Working out sort of becomes a game. Not in a trivial sense, but in a goal oriented way.
“...I have always liked to use supersets to train opposing muscle groups because of the tremendous pump you get, which can make you feel you have the body of King Kong.” - Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding)
Each one of these reasons is really great on their own. For supersets to have all 3 of them is a great indicator of how effective they can be. This is why I recommend that you let supersets save your workouts. You may not feel as powerful as King Kong or a superhero, but you can feel pumped and energized.
If supersets are new to you or you just want some different superset workouts to try, then check out the superset workout routines below.
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