Plateau Breakers: Supersets
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Let’s put another weapon into our arsenal of workout styles designed to break through your workout plateau: supersets.
Supersets
We previously discussed forced negatives and pyramids for getting around (or over) workout plateaus, and today we are going to look at “supersets.”
There are many different styles of supersetting exercises, but the most basic (and I think most effective) is the agonist – antagonist approach.
This means nothing but first working the muscle you plateaued on and then directly the muscle working against it:
Example Superset Muscle Combinations
I said in the video that I will give you some examples for good agonist – antagonist combinations and here they are:
| Agonist | Antagonist |
|---|---|
| Biceps | Triceps |
| Chest | Upper Back |
| Quadriceps | Hamstrings |
| Front Shoulder | Back Shoulder |
| Lower Back | Abs |
Of course each antagonist can also be the agonist. So if your triceps is lagging behind, you will use it as the agonist, and the biceps becomes the antagonist.
Example Superset Exercise Combinations
Let’s now look at example exercise combinations:
| Plateaued Muscle | First Exercise | Second Exercise |
|---|---|---|
| Biceps | Dumbbell Curls | Kickbacks |
| Chest | Bench Press | Dumbbell Rows |
| Quadriceps | Lunges | Hamstring Curls |
| Front Shoulder | Shoulder Press | Lying Rear Delt Raises |
| Lower Back | Deadlift | Crunches |
Don’t Superset Squats!
If you wonder why I didn’t list squats, it’s because of what is known as “Lombard’s Paradox”: when getting up from a squatting position, both the quadriceps and the hamstrings contract, despite them being antagonists.
This mechanism is what basically allows us to walk, but not what we want when working out legs. Therefore don’t go agonist / antagonist superset with squats.
Picture courtesy of the U.S. Army.
7 Comments
Can you make a video showing some lower back exercises?
Those are hard to find…
I have to think about it. Deadlift and squats are two execises you can do really wrong without noticing them and I have to make very sure people know how to do them right.
Yes I was aware of those. I have lower back issues, so I don’t do either of those exercises right now. I am looking for a safe lower back exercise I can do that is minimal risk and the control I have over the weight is at a maximum. Some exercises are more dangerous than others, particularly without a spotter.
If you want some lower back exercises with minimal risk and maximum control, try some bird dogs, supermans or unweighted extensions.
http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/BWBirdDog.html
http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/Superman.html
http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/BWHyperextensionHips.html
Extensions can be tricky without something design to do them on: you can try lying face down on a bench, gripping it with your legs and hanging your torso as far out as balance allows.
All three can also be very good as static exercises, just hold as long as you can stand. Add tiny dumbbells / ankle weights if can hold it long enough to get bored 😉
As he said deadlift is a must for thoses types of exercises, and if your not used to with the barbell, you can try with dumbells , its really effective too for the lower back, Vince.
How do you do a deadlift with dumbells?
Place the dumbbells right before your feet and then do the same motion as with the barbell:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/DBStraightLegDeadlift.html