Supersets give you an amazing pump, but the muscle damage that occurs with supersets lasts longer than regular training according to a new study, so plan them wisely.
Note: In the study below, the style of superset used was: compound exercise then isolation exercise for the same muscle group, no rest between the two.
Twenty-two active men were recruited for the study. They were then split into two groups: a superset group and a non-superset group. The workout for both groups was composed of 4 exercises (leg press, leg extension, bench press, and pec deck) for 5 sets of 8-10 reps at 85% of the subjects 10RM. Here's the breakdown for each group:
EMG during the leg extension and pec deck was recorded. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), isometric torque for horizontal shoulder flexion and knee extension, creatine kinase levels, and ROM for the shoulder and knee extensors were measured before the intervention and for five days following the intervention.
Even though the workout volume and total time was similar, supersets can drastically alter the training stimulus.
Supersets should be programmed in properly, and most likely sparingly, depending on the workout split you're using and muscle group you're working. Even though isometric torque values (force generation) rapidly returned to baseline, creatine kinase levels in the superset group were still significantly elevated five days later indicating muscle damage.
Because these weren't resistance trained males, and those with greater amounts of resistance training would most likely show lower levels of markers of muscle damage following a workout, the need for greater training stimulus from supersets in resistance trained subjects may be warranted.
Supersets are a great tool in a lifter's arsenal, but overuse without sufficient recovery between workouts could become a problem. Plan their usage wisely.
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