Supersets Halve Gym Time and Boost Cardio

If you're looking to save time at the gym, exercise scientist Mike Israetel has a solution: use more supersets that involve pairing exercises targeting completely unrelated muscle groups.

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Supersets can make your workouts more efficient, increasing intensity by minimizing rest between paired exercises and elevating your heart rate.

According to Israetel, incorporating supersets adds a cardiovascular element to weight training, offering added health benefits.

You can pair exercises in several ways, including by matching complementary or opposing muscle groups.

However, Israetel recommends combining exercises that don’t significantly engage the same muscles for maximum effectiveness.

"For instance, after completing a seated dumbbell shoulder press, I can put the dumbbells down and go straight into goblet squats.

Since there's almost no overlap in the muscles being worked, this method is especially efficient," Israetel explains.

Research has revealed that supersets can cut training time by up to 50 percent. Instead of resting for two minutes after finishing an exercise like shoulder presses, transitioning to the next paired exercise immediately allows you to save time and keep moving.

While you're performing the second exercise in the pair, the muscles worked during the first exercise get a chance to recover locally.

Studies suggest that the minimal rest associated with supersets makes workouts feel more intense, often resulting in a higher rate of perceived exertion.

This added effort might make lifters worry about whether their performance or progress will be compromised.

However, a 2022 study comparing traditional strength training with superset-based routines found that both approaches delivered similar results in terms of muscle growth, strength, endurance, and body composition.

The key difference? Those following a superset routine completed their workouts in much less time.

Source: yahoo

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