Supersets for Success

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Published on Saturday, 28 December 2013 13:26

Written by Thomas Murphy CSCS, Pn1

 

As most of us are in the off-season right now and taking in a few extra calories, I thought I would post a good superset routine to help keep that waistline in check. It’s time to grow but don’t get sluggish or slow. Remember to stay ready at all times!

Here is a Back, Shoulder and Ab workout to get you motivated to keep pushing when most are resting. Go ahead and enjoy a few cookies, just make sure you keep healthy meals coming too. This way overeating the bad stuff will be tougher since you’ll already be full. 

Do 4 sets of each pair of supersets before moving on to the next pair (or set) of exercises. Rep ranges can be altered to suit goals.

At this time of year I like going heavier and keeping reps around 6-10 and rest time no longer than 2 minutes. Try not to rest at all between the two exercises in the superset. If possible, have the weights preset to be right next to each other to facilitate a fast transition.

If you are trying to stay lean and not so focused on strength gains, then stick with the reps outlined here and try to keep rest around 30 seconds to a minute max between sets.

 

LET’S GO! GET IT!

Pull-ups x 15 > SUPERSET WITH > Hanging Leg Raises x 20 

(At 220 currently I have started doing assisted pull-ups to help get the higher rep ranges.) Make sure to keep your body straight. This is not CrossFit. Try to lift with your back muscles and not with your arms. Pull up until your back is flexed and no higher. Hold for a second or two and lower under control, fully extending your arms at the bottom.

 

T-Bar or Bent Rows x 15 > SUPERSET WITH > Jackknife Pushup Shoulder Presses x 10 See video link: http://youtu.be/410W1oqalCo 

Arch your back, keep your chest out and focus on your back doing the work. Don’t try to pull any higher than when your back is fully flexed.

 

Cable Rows x 15 > SUPERSET WITH > Lateral Raises x 20

Keep chest up and spine neutral or arched back slightly when performing rows.

As you are raising your arms to the side, turn your thumbs toward the ground to flex your medial deltoids just a little more.

 

Sit-ups x 20 > SUPERSET WITH > Cable Ab Crunches x 20

Make sure to keep your hips and butt up when doing these and to make sure you are bending at the spine, curling in with spinal flexion and not bending at the hips.

 

Reverse Fly x 15 > SUPERSET WITH > Upright Row x 15

With upright rows, pull the dumbbells high and wide, focusing on shoulders and keeping elbows higher than your wrists. Don’t turn this into a forearm exercise.

Keeping the dumbbells wide targets more medial delts and takes away from the traps.

 

Shoulder Press X BURNOUT > SUPERSET WITH > Plank Leg Lift x 10-20 each leg

On shoulder press burnouts start with a heavy weight you can achieve around 8-10 reps then drop the weight a few plates and quickly get back to it, repping out until completely exhausted, do one more time if you are a true warrior! 

On plank leg lifts, only go as high as until your glutes are flexed hard while trying to keep hips low.

 

Stairmaster Sprints – Run for 1 minute at fast speed, rest for 1 minute. Repeat for 20-30 minutes.

Be careful jumping on and off the machine. Find a good rhythm where the track is not slipping. Get up near the top and grind it out. This is my favorite fat burning exercise. It works.

 

Eat Clean, REST, REPEAT :D

 

STAY MOTIVATED! MAKE IT HAPPEN!