Training programs. Supersets For girls and women

Originally Arnold trained according to the complex that his senior comrades put together for him. They were local authorities and in the evening they filled a small athletic club, where they competed with each other in working weights and the number of repetitions done.

If Arnold had been different, he would have joined their ranks, and the world would never have known the Terminator. However, he was distinguished by a surprisingly lively mind, and the shackles of the training routine failed to fetter his will.

Arnold was not satisfied with provincial glory, and he set out to conquer the world, and it was precisely his inquisitive mind that led him to an unusual decision: contrary to the rules, he began to train daily, and even twice a day.

However, the topic of this article will be another revolutionary Arnold's find, which, according to him, made the native of Austria a multiple Olympia champion.

The author Joe Weider himself declared supersets a technique for small muscles. However, Arnold decided to combine exercises for the chest and back muscles into supersets. The result of such training amazed the imagination of those around him: Arnold became twice as wide right before their eyes!

Arnold Workout Basics

Supersets involve combining a pair of exercises for antagonist muscles. The technique was initially tested on small muscles - biceps and triceps. It seemed logical.

It is customary to train large muscle groups with basic exercises with critical weights, but is anyone able to perform a couple of heavy basic sets without rest?

Moreover, in the 60s, such heavy workloads were in use that after the same squats, uncontrollable vomiting was normal.

Arnold encroached what many thought was impossible. He combined the training of the two largest muscle groups of the body - the chest and back.

And it’s not even that a superset of equally extreme bench presses and rows requires exceptional willpower. Each muscle group naturally accounted for less than half an hour of training time.

Meanwhile, according to everyone's opinion, even an hour of training for each group was not enough. Celebrities of that time pumped their chests and backs for one and a half to two hours.

It would seem that Arnold should give in under the pressure of obvious logical arguments, but he acted differently: against all odds, he began to practice heavy basic supersets...

Arnold's program: supersets
chest - back

Supersets made up of exercises for the pectoral muscles and back muscles give an effective return for the reason that both muscles are antagonists.

The back muscles rotate the shoulders, allowing for inhalation, while the pectoral muscles, on the contrary, “compress” the chest, making it easier to exhale. Both muscle groups participate in the same physiological cycle and are therefore closely connected at the neurological level.

Activation of some muscles entails a rush of blood to a muscle group with the opposite function.

Warm-up:

Bench press - 1 set for 30-45 reps

Wide grip pull-ups - 1 set of 15 reps

Supersets of 2 exercises:

Bench press – 5 sets of 20-6 reps (performed in a “pyramid” style)

Wide grip pull-ups - 5 sets of 15-8 (pyramid style)

Incline Bench Press – 5 sets of 10-15 reps

T-bar rows - 5 sets of 10-15 reps

Lying dumbbell flyes - 5 sets of 10-15 reps

Wide grip rows - 5 sets of 10-15 reps

Weighted dips - 5 sets of 15 reps

Neutral grip pull-ups - 5 sets of 12

Half faiths - 5 sets of 15-20 reps

Posing :)

Notes: Exercises within a superset are performed without rest. Rest between supersets is 1 minute.

Arnold's secret to progress

The Arnold complex consists of 9 exercises. Four of them fall on the pectoral muscles and exactly the same number on the back muscles. The workout is completed with pullovers - the only exercise in the world that can simultaneously load the chest and back.

There were 45 sets in total, and between supersets Arnold was resting no more than a minute. As a result, the joint training of the back and chest took 45 minutes.

By the end, Arnold's T-shirt was completely wet, and he almost lost consciousness. The custom of those days was to have an oxygen cushion right in the gym. Arnold touched her more often than others.

However, the efforts were not in vain. Somehow, his amazed comrades persuaded Arnold to measure his chest immediately after training. The measuring tape showed a sensational 143 cm!

Despite their “illogicality,” supersets for the chest and back have remained in the arsenal of our sport as one of the most effective training techniques.

It's worth trying on everyone who are interested in extreme muscle volumes.

Arnold Superset No. 1

Bench Press and Wide Grip Pull-Ups

The first superset was considered a warm-up. With a barbell weighing 60 kg, Arnold did 30-45 repetitions. Then he did 15 pull-ups. The next 5 sets were shuttle runs from the bench press rack to the bar.

The “pyramid” bench press included 15-15-12-8-6 repetitions. The weights increased from set to set. Pull-ups were also performed with increasing weights using the “pyramid” method. However, there was no strict scheme here. No matter how hard it is for him. Arnold never held his breath.

Notes: A beneficial factor in superset training is powerful breathing that expands the chest.

Arnold Superset No. 2

Incline Bench Press and T-Bar Row

Incline presses are the only truly effective exercise for the upper pecs. After a short rest, Arnold began the second superset.

He valued the T-bar row for providing a strong lat stretch at the beginning of a rep. The “Pyramid” included 15-12-12-10-10 repetitions. This exercise, unlike pull-ups, no longer worked on the width of the back, but on its “thickness”. The last set was monstrously difficult.

Arnold Double Split

Today, double split is used only as part of pre-competition preparation. The program really grew Arnold's muscles, but those... those who decided to follow it “broke” over time. The stress of the training was clearly excessive.

However, the real reason for failure lies in the attempt to train linearly using the Arnold method. Practice the circuit in cycles for 2 weeks straight, then give yourself a few days of complete rest.

Double Arnold split is performed using the following program:

3 cycles every day, alternating the following muscle groups:

In the morning: Chest, Back - In the evening: Legs, Calves, Abs

In the morning: Deltas, Hands – In the evening: Calves, Press

The seventh day is rest.

Arnold Superset No. 3

Dumbbell flyes and wide grip rows

Arnold had heard well about a common injury - rupture of the pectoral muscle ligament when it is overstretched. In the interests of safety, he never abused the width of the amplitude when performing such an exercise as lying down with dumbbells.

While others tried to lower the dumbbells lower and thereby stretch the pecs more, Arnold limited the movement to the level of the pectoral muscles themselves.

A typical sign of that time was the clanging of dumbbells upon impact above the chest, however Arnold was experienced in anatomy and knew that the vertical position of the arms means relaxation of the chest.

The weight of the dumbbells is taken by the bones of the arms (humerus and elbow), which form strong straight supports when the elbow joints are closed. To maintain tension in the pectoral muscles, he left his arms slightly apart in the final top position of the exercise.

The "pyramid" for both exercises included 15-12-10-10-10 repetitions.

Weighted Dips and Narrow Pull-ups

Arnold hung a 40 kg dumbbell on his belt and did push-ups on the uneven bars exactly 15 times in each set. As for pull-ups, he performed them atypically.

On top of the crossbar he installed the well-known V-handle, which is used in block rows from above and to the waist while sitting. Then he stood under the bar, grabbed the handle and began to pull himself up. In sets he could do up to 12 pull-ups.

This superset was the last and included auxiliary exercises designed to increase the overall volume of the workout. However, Arnold never allowed himself to do hack work.

Since supersets provide forced blood flow to the muscle groups involved, you get an incomparable pump from this technique.

Arnold's pullover bet

Arnold treated pullovers with great respect. Despite the controversy surrounding this exercise, he was 100% sure that pullovers stretch the sternum cartilage.

As you know, the ends of the ribs fit into a massive plate of flexible connective tissue called the sternum. This engineering discovery of nature makes the ribs mobile: they rise and fall when you inhale and exhale.

Regular stretching of the sternum becomes irreversible over time and objectively increases the volume of the chest. Arnold deliberately lay across gymnastic bench to “break” the body more strongly. He lowered his pelvis as close to the floor as possible, as well as his head.

“Perhaps pullovers themselves are useless,” Arnold said. “But at the end of the training, when the chest had already taken many hundreds of powerful breaths, the sternum cartilage softened and became very pliable. If you use pullovers, the ribs will actually spread out to the sides..."

After training, Arnold went to the mirror and began to pose. He believed medical textbooks, in which he read that static muscle tension causes ischemia, i.e. creates oxygen deficiency in it.

Then the muscle seems to take an excessive breath, absorbing oxygen beyond the norm. Static posing was a mandatory part of Arnold's training. After all, oxygen is a powerful anabolic. Posing Arnold called the strongest doping.

“After training, I felt tired,” said the great champion. “However, it was a special kind of fatigue mixed with glee.” Like a heavyweight boxer who knocked out his opponent after 16 rounds and became a champion. By evening I was ready to get involved in a duel with hardware again!..”

or, as they are also called, super series are one of the ways to create muscle stress by increasing the intensity of training. Should emphasize that this is only one of the methods, and not everyone needs to use this method and not always. Are supersets effective? Yes, they are effective! Should I only use supersets? No way! In essence, this method of training is a combination of two or more exercises in one approach. In practice, 2 exercises are most often used, the athlete first performs 8-12 repetitions of one exercise, and then performs another 8-12 repetitions of another exercise without rest. There is also an option with rest between exercises, when the athlete performs one exercise, rests for 30 seconds, then performs the next exercise, then rests again for 30 seconds and repeats the approach.

Important distinguish supersets from complex sets. Supersets are always performed on antagonist muscles, and complex sets are performed on the same muscle. Muscle failure needs to be achieved only in the last approach. It is most effective to use supersets to train small muscle groups, such as arms and shoulders; if an athlete trains large muscle groups with supersets, then it is better to use isolation exercises. The fact is that a lot of energy is spent on basic exercises for large muscle groups, in addition, since many different muscles are involved in basic exercises, some of them will receive load in both exercises, and this will limit the athlete’s capabilities.

Antagonist muscles:

Biceps – triceps
Biceps Curls - California Press
Hammers - Reverse Grip Press
Reverse grip pull-ups - standing French press

Chest - latissimus dorsi
Bench Press - Wide Grip Pull-Ups
Dumbbell Angle Press – Bent Over Row
Dips - pullover in the simulator

Quadriceps - hamstrings
Barbell Squats - Romanian Deadlift
Leg extensions – leg curls
Leg press - plie squats

Back – front deltoids
Dumbbell row - seated press
Lower block row - military press
T bar row - lifting a dumbbell in front of you

Chest - rear delts
Angle Press - Bench Row
Push-ups - dumbbell flyes
Bringing your hands together in a crossover – swinging your hands in a crossover

Back extensor - abs
Deadlift - Hanging Leg Raises
Hyperextension – Roman bench
Bent-overs with a barbell - bicycle exercise

rules And recommendations

Muscle priority – you always need to prioritize in everything, so you immediately need to decide which muscle is the target and use heavier exercises to train it, as well as train it first. It is, of course, possible to train the target muscle with a second exercise, for example, if you usually train the biceps first, then by doing a triceps set first you will create unusual stress on the muscles, which can contribute to their hypertrophy.

Number of repetitions – supersets should be performed in a large number of repetitions, approximately 8 to 12 for each exercise, since one of the advantages of this training method is pumping the muscles with blood. Also, doing low reps only makes sense if you are training for strength and strength training involve performing heavy basic exercises, which in this case are not recommended.

Rest between sets – duration is from 30 to 60 seconds, but in fact, if each exercise takes 30 seconds, then 60-90 seconds pass between approaches to the same muscle group, in fact, this is one of the main advantages of supersets. You can also rest for 30 seconds between each exercise, and this way the load will be distributed more evenly throughout the entire workout. On the other hand, by performing exercises in a row, the athlete achieves better pumping.

Trisets - this is a variant of organizing super series, when the athlete performs not 2 exercises per approach, but three. This is necessary in order to better load the lagging muscle group. The first exercise is performed on the lagging muscle group, the second on the antagonist muscle, and the third again on the lagging muscle group. It is important to note that the third exercise must be isolating and easier than the first.

Benefits of Supersets

Restorative – this advantage lies in the fact that the muscles rest not only directly during rest, but also when you train antagonist muscles, as a result, the athlete can perform a large amount of work during training. It is precisely because basic exercises do not allow muscles to recover effectively while training the antagonist muscle that they are not recommended for use as exercises for supersets.

Pumping - this is, in essence, pumping muscles with blood, due to which it is possible to create an influx of nutrients into the muscles, as well as stretch muscle fascia . It is precisely because of the pumping effect that there is an opinion that it is effective to perform supersets during “drying”, since the flow of blood promotes the breakdown of fat, as a result of which its further reduction occurs much faster. Usually, when one muscle is trained, after the approach the blood gradually drains, so athletes try to stretch the muscles, trying to retain the blood for as long as possible. In this case, since you are still training the antagonist muscles, the blood does not drain even during rest, which has a very positive effect on both muscle recovery and its further hypertrophy.

Experienced athletes train using a completely different method than beginners who have come to the gym relatively recently. The difference in the training process is due to the natural adaptation of muscle tissue to loads. There comes a point when the usual activities simply cease to be effective, and in order to continue progress in muscle building, it is necessary to shock the muscles. Unusual training methods, including drop and super sets, help to do this.

A superset is a pair of antagonist exercises. They are done one by one without any break. Antagonists are muscles that perform functions that are opposite to each other. For the chest - this is the back, for the quadriceps - the biceps, for the triceps - extension and so on. Each of these muscle groups is involved when doing the opposite action, for example, bending and straightening the arms. These antagonists are what the superset session is aimed at.

The main advantage of supersets is the shocking effect they have on muscles that have managed to adapt to the usual loads. This quality manifests itself only when the athlete does not overuse antagonist exercises, that is, does not resort to supersets every workout.

This training method has other advantages:

1. Muscles recover much faster. If, after bench presses for triceps, performed with a narrow grip, you immediately move on to biceps curls with a barbell, then the triceps receive a slight degree of stimulation and are actively restored.
2. Accelerated growth of muscle tissue. Active loads on the working muscle group lead to intense blood flow, along with which nutrients are supplied. This process stimulates the renewal of muscle tissue, which causes an increase in muscle volume.

The benefits that supersets demonstrate are the reason for the widespread use of this type of training.

To take full advantage of supersets, you need to consider the following nuances:

• exercises should be selected similar to each other, that is, isolating “plus” isolating, basic “plus” basic;
• It is not recommended to use two antagonists that are located far from each other within one superset;
• breaks after approaches are not taken at all or very short if the rhythm has not yet become habitual;
• rest between individual blocks of supersets, on the contrary, is increased compared to the pauses that are made between regular approaches.

If an athlete sets a goal - to train his arms, or, more precisely, to achieve further progress in increasing volume, then they make a superset of:

• lifting the barbell to work the biceps;
• presses with a narrow grip to engage the triceps.

First, do two warm-up approaches. In total, you need to perform three approaches for each muscle group.

When the first block is completed, supersets give way to regular exercises, performed in three sets with 8-12 repetitions in each:

• hammers (biceps);
• extension in the simulator (triceps).

The end of the workout is a return to supersets, which literally “awakens” the muscles to grow in volume:

• barbell lifts performed with an overhand grip (biceps);
• French press (triceps).

Each muscle is worked three times. First comes the biceps, then the triceps, again the biceps and so on.

Supersets, as you can see, are quite simple to do. They allow you to avoid a plateau, which is why professionals use them during training.

The program consists of:

• Pull-ups on the bar with a wide grip (3-4X8-10);
• Military press (3-4X8-12);
• Wide grip lat pull-down (3-4X8-12);
• Seated dumbbell press (3-4X8-12);
• Bent-over barbell row (3-4X8-12);
• Swing dumbbells in front of you (3-4X8-12).

Both the military press and pull-ups are done at a normal pace. They are used for warming up. Working approaches begin with warm-up approaches. The next pair of exercises (latt row and dumbbell press) are done 1 approach at a time, alternating until there are 3-4 full cycles for each muscle group.

You can also pull the barbell and do swings with a superset, but only when you have the strength to do it. If you have to overcome yourself, it is better to work as usual. Thus, you can do either two supersets or one. The main thing is to correctly calculate your own capabilities.

Losing weight in the gym is not only possible, it is the only way to achieve not just a thin, but a toned and sexy body. Everything depends only on your desire. For you, our lovely ladies, we have prepared a set of exercises with supersets, aimed specifically at reducing subcutaneous fat. The exercises are selected universally and are suitable for any level of physical fitness. To help your body quickly adapt to serious loads, we recommend taking Power Pro fat burner with pineapple flavor half an hour before training (more about fat burners), and immediately after training, eat a very tasty amino acid bar especially for women Lady Fitness. This will not only give you energy during training, but will also help your muscles recover faster. As a pleasant bonus, there is an additional weight loss effect.
(hyperlink to article about supersets)
What this lesson plan will give you:
1) Giving muscles definition.
2) Strengthening the cardiovascular system.
3) Intensive fat burning.
The set of exercises is designed for training 2 times a week; if you want to train three times a week, follow the plan in a circle. That is, on the third day of training, use the program of the first day. There should be no rest between exercises from the same group, or it should be no more than 30 seconds. Rest 2-3 minutes between exercise groups. We start as usual with a warm-up. Cardio for 10-15 minutes will be enough.
(hyperlink to cardio exercises)
First day :
1) Leg raises in the simulator (3 sets; 10-15 times)
Wide grip lat pulldown (3 sets; 15-20 reps)
2) Leg abduction in the simulator (3 sets; 10-15 times)
Horizontal side row (3 sets; 15-20 reps)
3) Hyperextension (3 sets; 20-25 times)
4) Lunges with a bar on the shoulders (3 sets; 15-20 times on each leg)
Arm extension in the simulator (3 sets; 15-20 times)
5) Squats with a barbell (3 sets; 15-20 times)
Seated barbell press (3 sets; 15-20 times)
Second day :
1) Leg extension in the simulator (3 sets; 15-20 times)
Reduction of arms in the butterfly simulator (3 sets; 10-15 times)
2) Leg bending in the simulator (3 sets; 15-20 times)
Pullover with dumbbells lying down (3 sets; 15-20 times each)
3) Leg press in the simulator at an angle (3 sets; 15-20 times)
Seated dumbbell press at an angle of 30˚ (3 sets; 12-15 times)
4) Chest rows from the upper block (3 sets; 15-20 times)
Seated press in the simulator (3 sets; 15-20 times)
5) Twisting on an inclined bench (3 sets; 15-20 times)
Deadlift with dumbbells (3 sets; 15-20 times)
Don't forget about the mandatory cool-down after training. Start with cardio for 10-15 minutes: run on an orbitrack or treadmill. If you feel that your level of physical fitness allows you, you can try interval running - the effect will be significant. After cardio, do a little

The training methods of experienced athletes are radically different from the training method for beginners. The fact is that muscles have the ability to adapt, and in order to make them grow, you need to constantly shock the muscle tissue, sometimes even the progression of loads does not help, a plateau sets in, in such cases, an excellent solution is to use unusual training methods - supersets, drop sets and others .

Superset– these are 2 exercises that are performed for the antagonist muscles alternately without rest. Antagonists- these are muscles that perform opposite functions, for example, biceps - flexion, triceps - extension, these muscle groups will be antagonists, other examples: chest - back, quadriceps - hamstrings, back extensors - abs, anterior deltoids - back, rear deltoids - breast.

Training with supersets will likely shock your muscles and cause them to grow, unless you use this method of training every session. What are the benefits of supersets? Firstly, during training, your muscles will recover faster between approaches, for example, you did a bench press with a narrow grip for the triceps, and then immediately started doing barbell curls for the biceps, and so, while training the biceps, the triceps will receive light stimulation and actively recover. Secondly, During supersets, your working muscle groups are actively supplied with blood, and with it they receive many nutrients that will accelerate the renewal of muscle tissue and accelerate the growth of the desired muscle group.

• Choose the right exercises for opposite groups; it is better to perform basic with basic, and, accordingly, isolating with isolating.
• Do not combine exercises for those muscles that are anatomically far from each other.
• Do not rest between sets within a superset, or the break should be minimal.
• Take a slightly longer break between individual supersets than between regular sets.

For a visual example, let's look at an arm workout plan using supersets:

• Barbell curl;
• Close grip triceps press.

These 2 exercises are performed alternately, first you need to do several warm-up supersets. In total, you need to perform 6 working approaches (3 approaches for each muscle group). After these few supersets, you can move away a little from this training method and do a few regular approaches for biceps and triceps:

• Biceps hammers (3X8-12);
• Triceps extensions in the simulator (3X8-12).

At the final stage of training, we can again do several supersets to finish off our muscles. We perform the following exercises in turn:

• Lifting the barbell for biceps with an overhand grip;
• French press.

We perform 6 approaches, 3 for each muscle group. First we train the biceps, then the triceps, then the biceps again, etc.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated about training with supersets. This method of training will help you constantly progress and prevent a plateau. Many professionals use supersets in their workouts, and it really works, try it too!

Let's see what training the back and front delts with supersets will look like:

• Pull-ups on the bar with a wide grip (3-4X8-10);
• Military press (3-4X8-12);
• Wide grip lat pull-down (3-4X8-12);
• Seated dumbbell press (3-4X8-12);
• Bent-over barbell row (3-4X8-12);
• Swing dumbbells in front of you (3-4X8-12).

The first two exercises are performed without using super sets, in order to prepare the muscles for work and warm them up. Also, before working approaches, you need to do several warm-ups, this is especially important at the beginning of the lesson. After the military press and pull-ups, you need to start doing lat pulldowns and dumbbell presses with supersets, that is, you did 1 approach in the traction machine, and then immediately 1 approach for the deltoids, after that you rested a little and repeated the cycle again, and so on until you complete 3-4 sets of each exercise. Bent-over barbell rows and dumbbell swings can also be performed with supersets, but here you need to monitor how tired you are; if you still have a lot of strength, then go ahead, and if not, then it’s better to go to the standard training mode.

Training the back and pectoral muscles using supersets

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Supersets for deltoids

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