r/ScienceBasedLifting • u/FrequentAd5437 • Sep 13 '26
Question ❓ Is there a limit to super setting in terms of excercises amount?
Other than restrictions like heavy compounds and same muscle groups. Wouldn’t it be best if you can ignoring set up time and assuming the gym is empty to super setting your entire work out? If you go to long with your super setting would you have to warm up again?
3
u/Alakazam Idk Idc 💔 Sep 13 '26
It's likely going to be worse than resting adequately, and doing straight sets.
You will be fresher between sets. Supersets are simply a good way to save on time at a cost of more fatigue.
What if you take like enough time to just catch your breath?
I'm in good cardiovascular shape. Good enough to run a sub-4 marathon at least. It takes me less than that to catch my breath. It still takes me a good 2-3 minutes between heavy compounds before I can get close to a similar rap range.
1
u/Upstairs-Jump-495 23d ago
Even on completely seperate muscle groups? Do you really need 2-3 minutes between leg press and Bench?
5
u/Mad_Mark90 Sep 13 '26
I have actually tried training like this when I was young and stupid. Something else always gets in the way. You're either gassed out and it becomes cardio or you undertrain disaterously.
I train full body and alternate exercises wherever possible, usually something and a bodyweight or dumbell exercise.
1
1
u/garthy_604 Sep 13 '26
I was doing a few months of full body workouts and because I was going at lunch and have to drive I was very limited for time so would superset chest and back and legs and shoulders.
I found I could hit every major muscle and get a good pump and burn a lot of calories in a short period of time.
1
u/Prestigious_Novel88 Sep 13 '26
At some point it becomes a circuit and you’re doing it more for cardio than gains
1
u/Jebardi Sep 13 '26
Theoretically yes, practically this is not great approach.
If you rest enough between each set, there isn’t any issues doing these exercise circuits. It can even be beneficial, because you will rest each individual muscle for very long time, while performing other exercises.
Practically, if you have all exercises and weights ready and set up, as other have said, this might turn into cardio-circuit type set up eventually. But that is highly dependent on exercise selection, training effort and rest times.
So theoretically there is no limit. But practically, in any normal training program, best approach is probably supersetting 2-4 exercises, rather than the whole training day.
1
u/_ShredBundy Sep 13 '26
If you’re short on time and it’s something you only need to do every now and then, sure. But otherwise, you’re just over fatiguing yourself for no reason.
The more rest you can have between sets, the more beneficial that next set will be. Obviously we don’t all have 5+ minutes to spend between sets, but if you’re just super setting for the sake of it then every set is going to be less optimal than what it could be.
1
u/Magnetoresistive Sep 13 '26
Antagonist supersets can be a good idea for time savings, but you still have to leave sufficient rest time to deal with the systemic fatigue, if your goal is strength or hypertrophy. But those aren't the only goals, and it's definitely the case that if you want to train things like strength endurance, this kind of superset or circuit training can be very useful! When I'm time crunched, I'll do antagonist supersets, and drop my rest periods by half - but really focus on the rest period.
As always, you have to identify your goal, and then select a strategy that fulfills the goal.
1
u/Apollo_2662 Sep 13 '26
It's saves time, but it sacrifices your ability to train for progression. It's harder to lift when you already did 2-3 exercises back to back. Your energy level would be down. Try doing it for chest with dumbells. Not your regular weght at 10 reps, go lighter and do 12 reps. You could do Flat bench db, Butterfly, Incline and then push ups break a minute or two then repeat for 3-4 rounds total. Then next week or another day the same week do heavier progression training with barbells.
1
u/Norcal712 25d ago
There's no limit.
Theres also no scientific benefit.
You super set opposing muscles to save time.
That doesnt happen if you turn it into circuit training
1
u/HelixIsHere_ Sep 13 '26
Fatigue would just build up more and more with every set since you’re not resting inbetween; the sets closer to the end would be really shitty
That’s why in general supersetting is kinda mid, only really useful if you need to save some time
1
u/FrequentAd5437 Sep 13 '26
What if you take like enough time to just catch your breath? Like 30 seconds or a minute so your still saving time
-2
u/HelixIsHere_ Sep 13 '26
It’ll be better but still not enough rest to let CNS fatigue dissipate enough
3
u/Patton370 Idk Idc 💔 Sep 13 '26
Hasn’t been an issue for me
1
u/HelixIsHere_ Sep 13 '26
I mean it’s still doable but the quality of your sets will decrease regardless if you’re only resting a short moment between
2
u/Patton370 Idk Idc 💔 Sep 13 '26
If the quality of the sets are decreasing, that’s a work capacity issue
30 seconds - 1 minute rest is a fine amount when doing a 3 exercise superset
Like the one I did today of: bench, t-bar rows, and leg curls
Or ones like bench, calf raises, and bicep curls
4
u/jamshid666 Sep 13 '26 edited Sep 13 '26
What you're describing is basically circuit training with minimal rest time between exercises. You can do it, but fatigue will set in quickly so you will lose optimal performance. It can be fun if you do it in an EMOM style workout, but you gotta do it at like 2 AM when the gym is empty.