Group: General Fitness & Exercise

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 382, Messages: 54581

Various general exercise related discussions. Find out what it takes to reach your fitness goals through daily effective exercise. With so many options we try to find out what works best.

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Super Sets

INTRUDER
INTRUDER
Posts: 642
Joined: 2002/06/27
United States
2002/11/04, 12:35 PM
How are super sets diff. from circuts?
What is better for mass bdy bldg?

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"Get everthing you want--just make a little change now"
mikencharleston
mikencharleston
Posts: 1,585
Joined: 2002/01/09
United States
2002/11/04, 01:23 PM
You'll get varying opinions but in most cases, super sets are usually two exercises combined into one set. They can be either the same or opposing muscle group. Circuit training, in most cases is the entire workout with minimum, if any, pause between sets.
rpacheco
rpacheco
Posts: 3,770
Joined: 2001/12/13
United States
2002/11/05, 10:11 AM
I would have to say supersets would be more advantageous to mass building because you are concentrating on 1 or 2 muscles groups instead of many. In circuit training, you can work your shoulders, arms and back within the same workout. However, concentrating on compound exercises when doing a superset really targets a specific area.

Good luck!

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**_Robert_**
Pain is temporary; glory is forever!
INTRUDER
INTRUDER
Posts: 642
Joined: 2002/06/27
United States
2002/11/05, 12:30 PM
Can you give me an example of a supper set work-out?

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"Get everthing you want--just make a little change now"
mikencharleston
mikencharleston
Posts: 1,585
Joined: 2002/01/09
United States
2002/11/06, 09:49 AM
Here you go Intruder - Ran across this and remembered you wanted an example.

Monday- Legs
Leg extensions / leg curls 4 sets
Squats / stiff leg deadlifts 5 sets
Standing calf raises 5 sets

Wednesday- Chest, Shoulders and Back
Flat benches / lat pulldowns 4 sets
Dumbbell inclines / pully rows 4 sets
Dips / shrugs 3 sets
Dumbbell presses / hyperextensions 4 sets
Dumbbell side raises 4 sets

Friday- Biceps and Triceps
Barbell curls / triceps extensions 3 sets
Dumbbell curls / overhead dumbbell extensions 3 sets
Preacher curl machine / triceps pushdowns 3 sets


mackfactor
mackfactor
Posts: 766
Joined: 2002/10/17
United States
2002/11/07, 01:56 PM
That's a great workout, Mike!
I've always been a big fan of doing opposing muscle groups in collaboration.
To answer the original question, circuit training is done more often for fat loss. It's constant taxation of the body really gets your heart rate up and gets you sweating pretty good.
INTRUDER
INTRUDER
Posts: 642
Joined: 2002/06/27
United States
2002/11/07, 04:30 PM
Ok; this helps/clears things up for me, but when doing the sets?
Do I stay w/the same exersize for all 3 sets like say the barbell curl, then do all 3 set of the tricep ext.? then go to the precher curl machine?
Or do I keep rotating after every single set?


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"Get everthing you want--just make a little change now"
rayner
rayner
Posts: 7
Joined: 2002/07/31
United Kingdom
2002/11/21, 09:23 AM
I think the point is to do the barbell curl then tricep extension, then rest. That's one set. Then you repeat barbell curl, tricep ext, etc for the required number of sets.

I like the idea of supersets because you can get 2 body parts done in less time. But, the thing I'm not sure about is how long to rest. If you do, eg, the bicep exercise then the tricep excerise, then rest say 1 minute, by the time you do the next set of biceps, you have actually rested longer because of the time it took to do the tricep exercise as well. If you are trying to add muscle, how long is too long to rest?
Sharon.

INTRUDER
INTRUDER
Posts: 642
Joined: 2002/06/27
United States
2002/11/21, 12:23 PM
For me; its 1-2 minutes - longer than that & I will fall asleep.


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"Get everthing you want--just make a little change now"
mackfactor
mackfactor
Posts: 766
Joined: 2002/10/17
United States
2002/11/22, 01:40 PM
Rayner,
Rest intervals vary highly depending on a lot of variables (goals, body type, weight lifted, etc.) Powerlifters often rest 3-4 minutes between their heavy sets. In this case, yes, your interval ends up being longer since you are doing an additional set, but that extra time does little for the recovery of muscular fatigue, as you're still activating your muscles, though not the same ones.

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"Don't follow leaders and watch your parking meters!"
-- Bob Dylan
holly1968
holly1968
Posts: 1
Joined: 2002/11/17
Canada
2002/11/23, 09:41 AM
hi,when we do our workout for the day do we do 1 setof 20 reps ,then 2 setof 16 then 3 sets of 12 etc,or is it 1 set of each. pls help me thank you holly1968 or e-mail me w.hanhams@ns.sympatico.ca
bb1fit
bb1fit
Posts: 11,105
Joined: 2001/06/30
United States
2002/11/23, 10:35 AM
One set of each....