Superset Workout to Burn Fat

Supersets are a fantastic way to get in shape and burn fat. Lifting weights will increase your metabolism as more lean muscle mass is developed. Your heart rate will increase doing two exercises back-to-back with no rest so it becomes a cardio workout as well. By using supersets, you will perform more work over a shorter period of time so your workout becomes far more efficient.

Superset Rules

Keep superset rest time at a minimum. You should be moving from one exercise to the next as quickly as possible. The general idea is to work at a high intensity so you burn more calories and as a result, more body fat. Keep lifting faster so your heart rate stays high. For longer supersets, taking an extra 15-20 seconds to rest is okay.

2 - 3 minutes rest between supersets. Depending on your exercises being performed, resting up to 3 minutes may be needed to make sure you can lift the same amount of weight as previously used. High intensity is good but running out of energy half way through is not.

Warmup is critical. Pay special attention to the body parts you are working out that day. Supersets are intense so you need to warm up your muscles properly using a lighter weight and similar exercises. In this way you will avoid the risk of injury.

Take each set to failure. Choose a weight that you can just do for the number of reps you are supposed to perform. If you are new to supersets, expect to use less weight than you usually do because of the extended time lifting in each set. Trial and error the first few days will help you to set a realistic weight.

Change it up. Your body will adjust to exercise quite quickly so it is recommended that you start with a different order of exercises to stunt muscle growth. If you are doing biceps and triceps together, start with biceps every second workout.

Feed the beast. Feeding your muscles after a workout is critical to avoid losing muscle and decreasing your metabolism. Within 30 minutes of working out, eat 20-40g of protein and 30-60g of simple carbohydrates.

Sample Superset

This one is a little different as it is using only ONE muscle group with two exercises at different angles. Most of my plans involve TWO opposite muscle groups.

Perform the exercises with the same number as a superset.

Day 1: Chest, Triceps

Exercise - Sets - Reps

Chest

1. Incline Bench Press - 4 - 8

1. Incline Dumbbell Flye - 4 - 8

2. Flat Bench Dumbbell Press - 3 - 10

2. Flat Bench Dumbbell Flye - 3 - 10

3. Decline Bench Press - 2 - 12

3. Cable Crossover - 2 - 12

Triceps

1. Bench Dip - 4 - 8

1. Lying Triceps Extension - 4 - 8

2. Close-Grip Bench Press - 3 - 10

2. Triceps Pressdown - 3 - 10

3. Overhead Dumbbell Extension - 2 - 12

3. Close-Grip Push-Up - 2 - 12

I love supersets as I cam get in a serious workout in less time and get back home to my family. My preference is to use supersets with opposing muscle groups which will be in my next article with a complete 4 week workout plan. Stay tuned...


My name is Jacques Delorme and I run a youth nutrition blog at http://visportsnutrition.ca where you can get all sorts of information on nutrition, exercise and motivation for youth athletes. Visit my site and feel free to leave comments and questions if you need more information.

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