SUPERSETS FOR MUSCLE GAINS

PART 1 OF THIS ARTICLE: THE DIFFERENT SUPERSETS FOR MUSCLE GAINS

So now that you know the different types of supersets to implement into your training, let's now take a look at the science behind supersets to get an idea of just how they help us in the quest for more mass.

MUSCLE GROWTH AND SUPERSETS

Supersets are seen as a technique to create a more stressful environment for your muscles in order to deliver greater muscle gains.

Amazingly, no study to my knowledge (or that I can find for the life of me) has examined this directly.

However there is enough scientific research to provide solid theoretical grounds for performing them.

MUSCLE GROWTH: THE BIG THREE & HOW THEY RELATE TO SUPERSETS

At this stage, metabolic stress, muscle damage and mechanical tension are believed to be the main factors which lead to muscle growth in the gym. 

It's said these all may work together to inflict muscle growth (1).

But it's mechanical tension that could be the most important for growth (2,3).

This refers to disrupting your muscle tissue - obviously with weights - which causes reactions in myofibers ("myo" meaning muscle) and satellite cells (4).

In other words, pumping iron and damaging your muscles helps them grow. Simple. 

And how much weight you're lifting and for how long you're lifting it is what determines the level of mechanical tension.

So put both of these bad boys together and you recruit more motor units, therefore tiring MORE of them which is understood to lead to a larger rate of muscle growth (5). 

I also mentioned metabolic stress as one of the big three.

The reduced rest between sets does account for more muscle fatigue and subsequently metabolic stress, which may just augment muscle gains (6). 

So you can see how the data into muscle growth in the available scientific literature relates to the theory of supersets and our justification of performing them! 

ONE OF THE BEST SUPERSETS?

If you haven't already read about one of the best types of supersets that I wrote about it part one, then check it out here!

To briefly recap, a agonist/antagonist superset is when you work, eg. you biceps with a bicep curl (agonist) followed by your triceps (antagonist).

Because they both work together, you're working them more by doing this.

And the research into this type of training is positive.

Who would have known that the work done years ago by the legendary Isaac Newton could relate to our muscle growth - but it does!

Newton's third law of motion that you would have heard many times before, declares that for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction.

There are many studies that show pumping an antagonist bolsters the power output during the contractions of the agonist (7,8).

Now that's awesome!

This is said to be because of the reduction in the antagonist suppression, along with an improved stored elastic energy within muscle tendons (9). 

The above citation observed a 4.7% increase in 24 college-ages rugby league players, who were no strangers when it comes to strength and power training.

They performed better when an antagonist movement was thrown in.

This all means greater mechanical tension - one of the big three's relating to muscle growth I spoke about.

This could possibly pave the way for the growth of more muscle. 

Other research has found this style of superset allows for more reps to completed in a certain amount of time, with no reductions in training volume or intensity (10).

With fatigue obviously higher resulting from this approach, it's fair to say this may lead to more muscle growth (5).

This study examined resting between sets, or not resting between sets, and found the those who didn't rest (similiar to a superset) experienced significantly greater strength gains.

Let's hear from the authors:

"These findings suggest that processes associated with fatigue contribute to the strength training stimulus."

Furthermore, supersets will help you burn more calories (6).

Although the difference won't be thousands of calories, it all helps towards ensuring you're in a calorie deficit via paying attention to energy balance - if weight loss is your goal. 

But this isn't to be confused with the myth that higher reps create a more "shredded" body, because they don't.

They just simply burn more calories (like supersets).

But the difference isn't large - pay attention to your nutrition and overall calories and macronutrients moreso, if you're trying to achieve fat loss. 

CONCLUSION

Although not directly examined, there's enough evidence in today's body of literature to warrant the inclusion of supersets in your training program.

The solid evidence above certainly calls for this training approach to find it's way into your program intermittently over a 12 month period.

So now you know how it can work - get into the gym and give it a shot!

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!" 

REFERENCES

(1) Schoenfeld BJ. The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. J Strength Cond Res 24: 2857–2875, 2010.

(2) Goldspink G. Gene expression in skeletal muscle. Biochem Soc Trans 30: 285–290, 2002.

(3) Vandenburgh HH. Motion into mass: How does tension stimulate muscle growth? Med Sci Sports Exerc 19(5 Suppl): S142–S149, 1987.

(4) Toigo M and Boutellier U. New fundamental resistance exercise determinants of molecular and cellular muscle adaptations. Eur J Appl Physiol 97: 643–663, 2006.

(5) Rooney KJ, Herbert RD, and Balnave RJF. Fatigue contributes to the strength training stimulus. Med Sci Sports Exerc 26: 1160–1164, 1994.

(6) Kelleher AR, Hackney KJ, Fairchild TJ, Keslacy S, and Ploutz-Snyder LL. The metabolic costs of reciprocal supersets vs. traditional resistance exercise in young recreationally active adults. J Strength Cond Res 24: 1043–1051, 2010.

(7) Grabiner MD. Maximum rate of force development is increased by antagonist conditioning contraction. J Appl Physiol 77: 807–811, 1994.

(8) Grabiner MD and Hawthorne DL. Conditions of isokinetic knee flexion that enhance knee extension. Med Sci Sports Exerc 22: 235–240, 1990.

(9) Baker D and Newton RU. Acute effect on power output of alternating an agonist and antagonist muscle exercise during complex training. J Strength Cond Res 19: 202–205, 2005.

(10) Robbins DW, Young WB, and Behm DG. The effect of an upper body agonist- antagonist resistance training protocol on volume load and efficiency. J Strength Cond Res 24: 2632–2640, 2010.