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4 week superset program for serious size



In terms of working out, superset stands for performing a pair of exercises without resting or taking as little rest as possible. In other words, when you compete one set of reps, you immediately continue to the next exercise.

After that, you can either choose to repeat the sequence of two exercises after a short break, or you can do a sequence of two different exercises. Although you might have probably tried this method of training for different body parts, this training program applies it for every muscle group of your body over several weeks. The results in terms of muscle gains can be like nothing you’ve seen before.

Also, instead of exploiting this antagonistic method to train just your arms by pushing and pulling, the whole routine is based the push pull technique. The program is organized in such way that it alternates between days where you work with heavier weights, and days of short, intense training. This way you target all types of muscle fibers, recruiting more of them and creating the base for real gains.


STRENGTH IS KEY TO BUILDING SIZE

The debate whether is more important to be strong or big seems to be a never-ending one. Although logic tells us that greater strength also means bigger muscle mass, practice often proves this wrong. Muscle mass is much more related with size than with strength. However, when it comes to weight training, and achieving quick results, strength has its supremacy.

Once you start training, you’ll notice a much quicker rise in strength then in size. However, with greater strength you improve your ability for handling greater weighs, which results in greater ability to increase the volume of training. This, in turn helps in steady building of your muscle size. All things considered, the optimal building of thick muscles, requires a combination of styles that work both on your strength and size.


SETTING THE SUPERSET

Supersets usually employ antagonistic exercises. However, this should not be considered as a rule of thumb, as you can target the same muscle group again with the second exercise. So, according to this logic, a pair of pre-exhaust and post-exhaust exercises is also a superset.

However, this training protocol is focused on training antagonistic muscle groups, and alternating the different exercises that target different crucial muscles. However, as its aim is to increase the overall size of muscles, the program raises the stakes by targeting different muscles at different angles alternating between sequences of pushing and pulling. This way you’ll hit every muscle in your body, no matter how small and seemingly unimportant it may be.

As you have probably tried this method of antagonistic training for smaller muscle groups, you can probably get a clear picture how a continuous superset employing minimum rest, or no rest at all, can exhaust your muscles. By expanding the training method to target the larger muscle groups, fatigue is a factor that needs a lot of consideration. Having this in mind, this training program should be approached with great caution.

In this respect, each muscle group can be targeted using two different approaches. It is aimed at improving the blood flow and utilize the volumes necessary for serious muscle growth. One of the best aspects of the training program is that it alternates the workouts every week, thus stimulating the production of hormones that are involved in activation of muscle growth, and improving the ability for handling greater volumes. It also provides you with a great pump that helps you in building optimal muscle size.


NEW APPLICATION OF AN OLD METHODOLOGY

As you’re probably aware, it’s heavy lifting, big volumes and repeated stress that make your muscle and strength grow. In line with this, you need to answer the production of hormones with proper time for recovery, in order to support the muscle growth.

By using this approach of alternate workouts you can receive all the advantages of hormonal changes, increased testosterone production and sufficient time for recovery of the targeted muscle group


TRAINING PROTOCOL

With our training protocol you hit each muscle group twice a week, and the volumes are adjusted so that they provide you with optimal recovery time.


ROUND ONE

-You start the week of exercises with heavy lifting.
-All the exercises are performed until reaching near failure, finishing all the sets and reps, after which you switch to exercising the other body part.
-After each set of two exercises take a short brake, and continue with working out the antagonistic muscles. The idea behind this protocol is to completely annihilate the muscles before switching to the antagonist partner.


ROUND TWO

-The second round of workouts are performed with lighter weights and more reps.
-The focus is on traditional triset workouts, without any rest between exercises.


TRAINING SPLIT

DAY 1: Quads, hams, calves, abs
DAY 2: Chest, back, traps
DAY 3: Shoulders, triceps, biceps
DAY 4: Quads, hams, calves, abs
DAY 5: Chest, back, traps
DAY 6: Shoulders, triceps, biceps

DAY 7: Rest

WORKOUT – ROUND 1

DAY 1: QUADS/HAMS/CALVES/ABS

    Squat: 4 sets, 8 reps, 2 min. – 2 1/2 min. rest
    Lying Leg Curl: 4 sets, 8 reps, 2 min. – 2 1/2 min. rest
    Standing Calf Raise: 4 sets, 8 reps, 2 min. – 2 1/2 min. rest
    Leg Press: 3 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. rest
    Straight-leg Deadlift: 3 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. rest
    Seated Calf Raise: 3 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. rest
    Decline Weighted Crunch: 4 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. rest
    Single-leg Extension: 4 sets, 12 reps, 1 1/2 min. – 2 min. rest
    Seated Single-leg Curl: 4 sets, 12 reps, 1 1/2 min. – 2 min. rest
    Hanging Leg Raise: 4 sets, 12 reps, 1 1/2 min. – 2 min. rest

*All the sets are completed before moving to next exercise.

DAY 2: CHEST/BACK/TRAPS

    Bench Press: 4 sets, 8 reps 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest
    Lat Pulldown (wide grip): 4 sets, 8 reps, 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest
    Dumbbell Shrug: 4 sets, 8 reps, 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest
    Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. rest
    Lat Pulldown (palms in): 3 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. rest
    Upright Row: 3 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. rest
    Machine Flye: 4 sets, 12 reps, 1.5 min. – 2 min. rest
    Seated Cable Row: 4 sets, 12 reps, 1.5 min. – 2 min. rest
    Barbell Shrug: 4 sets, 12 reps, 1.5 min. – 2 min. rest
    Cable Crossover: 3 sets, 12 reps, 1.5 min. – 2 min. rest
    Straight-arm Pulldown: 3 sets, 12 reps, 1.5 min. – 2 min. rest
    Bentover Lateral Raise: 3 sets, 12 reps, 1.5 min – 2 min. rest

*All the sets are completed before moving to next exercise.

DAY 3: SHOULDERS/TRICEPS/BICEPS

    Barbell Overhead Press: 4 sets, 8 reps, 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest
    Skull Crusher: 4 sets, 8 reps, 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest
    Barbell Curl: 4 sets, 8 reps, 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest
    Lateral Raise: 3 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. rest
    Pushdown: 3 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. rest
    Preacher Curl: 4 sets, 12 reps, 1.5 min. – 2 min. rest
    Dumbbell Front Raise: 4 sets, 12 reps, 1.5 min. – 2 min. rest
    Seated Overhead Extension: 4 sets, 12 reps, 1.5 min. – 2 min. rest
    Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curl: 4 sets, 12 reps, 1.5 min. – 2 min. rest

*All the sets are completed before moving to next exercise.


WORKOUT – ROUND 2

DAY 4: QUADS/HAMS/CALVES/ABS

1. Squat triset with

Leg Extension
Seated Leg Curl: 4 sets, 12 reps, 3 min. rest

2. Standing Calf Raise superset with

Decline Situp (weighted): 3 sets, 15 reps 2 min. rest

3. Leg Press triset with

Hack Squat
Lying Leg Curl: 3 sets, 10 reps, 3 min. rest

4. Seated Calf Raise superset with

Twisting Crunch: 4 sets, 15 rest, 2 min. rest

5. Front Squat (Smith Machine) triset with

Single-leg Standing Leg Curl
Rope Ab Crunch: 4 sets, 10 reps, 2.5 min. rest

* The grouped exercises should be performed in a sequence with minimal rest between the sets. Before continuing to the next set of exercises, take sufficient rest.

DAY 5: CHEST/BACK/TRAPS

1. Flat Dumbbell Press triset with

Seated Cable Wide-grip High Row
Dumbbell Shrug: 4 sets, 12 reps 3 min. rest

2. Incline Press triset with

Lat Pulldown
Bentover Lateral Raise: 3 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest

3. Incline Flye triset with

Seated Cable Low Row
Dumbbell Shrug: 3 sets, 12 reps, 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest

4. Decline Dumbbell Press triset with

Chinup (palmsfacing in)
Upright Row: 4 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest


* The grouped exercises should be performed in a sequence with minimal rest between the sets. Before continuing to the next set of exercises, take sufficient rest.

DAY 6: SHOULDERS/TRICEPS/BICEPS

1. Dumbbell Press triset with

Dumbbell Skull Crusher
Barbell Curl: 4 sets, 12 reps, 3 min. rest

2. Cable Lateral Raise triset with

Rope Pushdown
Cable Curl: 3 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest

3. Cable Front Raise triset with

Overhead Rope Extension
Single-arm Preacher Curl: 3 sets, 12 reps, 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest

4. Bentover Lateral Raise triset with

Seated Dumbbell Extension
Seated Dumbbell Curl: 4 sets, 10 reps, 2 min. – 2.5 min. rest

* The grouped exercises should be performed in a sequence with minimal rest between the sets. Before continuing to the next set of exercises, take sufficient rest.


SUPPLEMENT SUPPORT SYSTEM


In order to make sure that you are capable of maintaining the hectic pace, you should consume a nutrition providing you with sufficient quantity of amino acids before and after workout. Also take creatine before and after workout and beta-alanine before hitting the gym. If you find it necessary, you can take additional protein during the day, thus providing support for this frenzied training method.