Is it all right to superset a pair of antagonistic strength movements (e.g. bench/row) with little to no rest between lifts? This is much more time efficient and I haven’t noticed a decrease in performance compared to taking the full rest between movements.
I guess it depends what you mean by “alright”. All things have good and bad things about them. Supersets are very time efficient as you noted, and they are generally pretty good for adding size since you are training in a fatigued state. They are normally not as good for strength, since you are tired from one set you normally can’t perform as well on the other. You said you didn’t notice a decrease, which normally either means that you are in a really good cardio shape or you are not lifting very hard. Hopefully it is the former.
However, the bottomline is that if you can do 2 sets in a row with literally no decrease in performance, as compared to 2 sets with rest in between, then clearly it is better to do 2 sets in a row. The more work you can do in the shorter period of time, without a loss in performance, the better.
It is encouraged. Check out most of the training articles on the site for many examples of this… (Waterbury’s Programs, Ripped Rugged and Dense by Joel Marion, CT’s stuff)
Hmmm? Not sure if it should be considered antagonistic or protagonistic, but what you described IS a superset.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Hmmm? Not sure if it should be considered antagonistic or protagonistic, but what you described IS a superset.
[/quote]
I was going to say the same thing.
nptitim,
I lift as hard and as heavy as I can but, yes, I’m pretty well conditioned. So maybe that’s why I can handle it.
Oh yeah, I guess it would be protagonistic
If tis working then yes. But as the loads get higher etc If they do depends on the rep and intensity and the exercise you are doing then it can and will have an impact.
Like say your in the 90% plkus range of heavy compounds I know I can do a superset.pair but one or both will suffer in the maximal weight allowed with little or no rest. depends on what your looking for.
I find a great way is leave the BIG compunds of the day if going for maximal strenght as a goal straight sets and pair the accessory move after to save time and get greater work in less time. Up work capacity etc.
[quote]jojotheloner wrote:
nptitim,
I lift as hard and as heavy as I can but, yes, I’m pretty well conditioned. So maybe that’s why I can handle it.
[/quote]
Sounds good. As Phil mentioned as you get stronger, with the extra big movements like benches, rows, squats, deads, etc, it is tough to continue to superset it and be able to lift maximal poundages.
Also the correct term is antagonistic supersets, which means pairing of the agonist and antagonist muscle like chest and back, bis and tris, etc. I have never heard of a protagonistic superset, an internet search turned up 2 hits for it, whereas a search for antagonistic superset turned up 40 pages. Protagonist usually refers to literature, like the main character, but with muscles we use the term agonist.
The protagonistic was sarcasm. At least I thought it was.
If I missed the boat on the sarcasm sorry about that, I didn’t pick up on it, but I am kind of slow 