Antagonist vs. Agonist Supersets
Supersetting, pairing two exercises back-to-back, is a highly effective training method for nearly everyone. Its primary benefit is maximizing muscle group fatigue. Additionally, supersets save time by streamlining workouts and contribute to lean muscle growth and increased calorie expenditure.There are two types of supersets you can do in the gym: antagonist & agonist.
An antagonist superset:
is when you perform two exercises back to back of an opposing muscle group, think chest & back or bi’s and tri’s, with little to no rest in between.
An agonist superset:
is working two exercises in the same muscle group back to back with little to no rest in between.
The biggest benefits of supersetting:
Saves you time by shortening rest times between sets.
Increases the overall intensity of your workout by doing more work in less time.
When we increase intensity of our workouts, we usually burn more calories by keeping the heart rate up. Which means supersetting is a great option for you if fat loss is your primary goal.
However, If building more than five pounds of lean muscle is your primary goal, supersetting may not be the ideal program style for you. Due to the limited amount of rest time between exercises, you won’t be able to go as heavy in big compound moves where progressing week to week in weight matters (i.e squats, deadlifts, military press and bench press).
In order to build lean muscle, one must be following a progressive strength training program which means they have to be lifting heavier week to week or they will inevitably experience a plateau in their training.
The good news is there are SO many ways to program in the gym while still reaping benefits for your desired goals. Think about what you want to accomplish and If you have questions about program design, don’t hesitate to ask me!
