Comments on: Why Supersets Aren’t So Super

By: Pedro

Pedro — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:47:31 +0000

Why is it that everyone wants to find something “new” “different” or “sexier” than progressive overload? Probably because it’s hard, takes consistency, and is simple. The exact opposite of what useless “miracle workout” musclemag articles are trying to peddle in order to increase magazine circulation. Thanks, Mark, for continuing to preach the ground truth of muscle-building.

By: Dan Cravens

Dan Cravens — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:55:34 +0000

Good article & discussion, thanks everyone.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:18:32 +0000

@James. Yes. A lot of guys are definitely overtrained and simply need to take some time off, allow their body to rest and fully recover, then get back at it with an intelligent training system like THT.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:16:05 +0000

@Dan. I believe that more blood/bigger pump can certainly come from pre-fatiguing but not from supersetting different body parts. Whether that’s even helpful anyway is up for debate. I get awesome pumps from regular THT workouts.
@mikey. Yes, some people would refer to that as a superset. If you’re going to do that, it would be best as a finisher at the end of the workout.
@Mike Huber. Awesome comment, Mike 🙂

By: James Schwarzin

James Schwarzin — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:12:07 +0000

I have 30 years of training mistakes (or lessons) under my belt and I can say that Mark is spot on, supersets dont work !

The reason I think some say supersets work are:
1. They may be overtrained and the superset fatigue forces less reps or weight which acts as a ‘deload’ , their bodys recover from overtraining and they grow – they couldve just reduced the weight or rested and had the same effect ?

By: Mike Huber

Mike Huber — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:21:16 +0000

They, supersets, definetly don’t work. Neither does a lot of crap out there. I was one of those missinformed lifters for some years. Been MuscleHacking for a year and a couple months now, and you will NEVER Get me away from it!!! Thank You Mark McManus for all your hard work!!!

By: Bernardo

Bernardo — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:06:08 +0000

the “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC)” is highter with supersets too.

By: Bernardo

Bernardo — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:01:53 +0000

I see this without the same eyes: while doind supersets youre stretching the muscle that is pumped couse youre working agonist and antagonist.

By: duncan

duncan — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 22:42:28 +0000

thanks for all the time you put into all this mark,learned so much from you and i hope to keep learning.you are a legend

By: mikey

mikey — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 22:03:39 +0000

Mark, lest say you are doing regular curls,then after your curls you immediately do a extra fatigue set of lets say iso curls. is that considered a super set. after the two exercises you have your proper rest and do it again.

By: Dan Cravens

Dan Cravens — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:02:54 +0000

Hi Mark, the one argument you haven’t mentioned is it forcing more blood into the target area which maximizes nutrients for that area. I don’t know how you would prove or disprove that, though it does make for a good pump (which doesn’t necessarily equate to growth). It does make sense though that you are more tired when doing antagonistic supersets it results in less intensity for the targeted area. In the past I’ve done biceps & triceps only, hitting the area needing more development first immediately followed by say triceps and then at least a 3 minutes rest. At least it’s good for the ego…

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:26:32 +0000

@Adam. You got that right!
@Tony. I notice the same thing.
@Andrew. Yes, 1 set to failure does stimulate growth. There is in fact a HIT-style THT cycle based in this principle. You should really download my free book to get all the cycles.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:36:11 +0000

Hey Mark,
How about Mentzer’s approach using 1 straight set to failure as opposed to using multiple sets of an exercise? Is that effective for hypertrophy?

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:31:19 +0000

Great article Mark, you always seem to post an article about topics I see in the gym and think about. I see super sets often at the gym and wondered what the benefit or use was. What I found was, it was never the super “ripped” guys doing them, just the new comers or College/University students. Which made me wonder what they were doing and the theory why.

By: Adam Weichel

Adam Weichel — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:52:38 +0000

Thank you for addressing this grossly overstated training concept, Mark! I tend to treat it the same as “21s” – cool in theory, but reality shows it to be the washout that it is.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:51:18 +0000

@John. No probs, man.
@krs. Yes that’s ok but a straight set should come first because that’s when you’re at your strongest and can set a new best for squats. Do 1 set of barbell squats before doing any pre-fatigues.

By: krs

krs — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:15:44 +0000

Great artical Mark. So to cap Pre-Fatigue/Extended Sets are fine as long there are some straight sets combined. I do like doing one to two Pre-Fatigue leg extensions with back squats followed by three straight sets of fronts squats I take that’s ok.

By: John A Davis

John A Davis — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:30:14 +0000

I’m glad you’re smarter than me. Thank you once again.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:25:14 +0000

@Kamran. No, not at all. Read the whole article, I addressed that issue.
@jacob. Thanks

By: jacob

jacob — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:43:08 +0000

great article mark. i see guys in the gym using this technique as a way to “shock their muscle” and i tell when i ask them if it helped them with muscle size, they just say “not yet but i read it will”. as you said the overall poundage use is much more effective and better for testosterone production. i use the antagonist bodypart supersetting when my goal is fat loss as ive gotten excellent results with full body workouts done in very short time. ive been following your stuff for quite a while, and have been very impressed by your no b.s. posts. keep it up

By: Kamran

Kamran — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:14:36 +0000

Just so we’re clear, this article doesn’t contradict your encouragement of doing supersets in your earlier work? By this I’m referring to your TSPA workout where a number of exercises involve supersets.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:13:25 +0000

Well it would rest if you just rested it too, right? But the point is the issue of local and systemic recovery eating into the amount of overload you can generate. See my articles on optimum rest between sets for more.

By: Wood

Wood — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:52:55 +0000

I heard supersett is good, because if you work antagonist muscle group (bic-tric) the worked muscle can rest while you’re working the other muscle.