Looking for something different? Try pre-exhaustive supersets

[Poiuyt]

I love doing this type of weight training when I am looking for a change or when I want to add some intensity to my weight workouts. Basically what you do is do an isolation movement for a muscle followed IMMEDIATELY by a compound movement for the same muscle. For instance, do a set of pec flyes followed by bench press with no rest between the two. That would be one set.

You can also do leg extensions followed by squats, lateral dumbell raises followed by military press

Try it. I guarantee you'll be feeling it the next day.

Here's some more reading if you're interested:

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KGB/is_4_3/ai_98641145

Different types of supersets:
http://www.ironmagazine.com/archive/Build_More_Muscle.htm

[Longhorn]

1. That must be the idea behind the Body for Life workout

where you do five sets of one exercise, decreasing reps and increasing weights each set and resting one minute in between, and then immediately after the last set of 12, you pick another exercise in the same muscle group and do a set of 12. Maybe not quite as intense as you're describing but I definitely feel that muscle!

By the way, how important is the one-minute rest period? I use a stopwatch but sometimes get distracted and rest an extra ten to 20 seconds. Does that make any difference? The math person in me doesn't like it when I do that! :(

[Poiuyt]

2. Similar

I've never read Body For Life, but the idea is to totally exhaust the target muscle.

Any time you do a compound exercise (one where you bend more than one joint), you are not only working the target muscle, but also many small stabilizer muscles. These smaller muscles will tire out quicker than the large target muscle so you aren't totally exhausting the target muscle . With a pre-exhausting superset, you will tire out the target muscle first. Then when you do your compound exercise, the smaller stabilizer muscles can help "finish off" the target muscle.

As far as rest between sets, I don't think that a few seconds makes much difference. If you are resting for 1 minute, you wouldn't want to go up to 3-4 minutes, but an extra 10 seconds won't make much difference. You will just be able to do more in your last set.

[Longhorn]

3. Your explanation makes a lot of sense!

Thanks for taking the time to teach me! I was thinking as I worked out this morning how I'm starting with the big muscles and working my way "down" to the smaller muscles, which have been working all along with the big ones (can't do a bench press without biceps and triceps, right?) and how it just feels right to do that.

I'm glad to know that a few extra seconds between sets isn't messing me up, either. I mean, how can I stop watching Peter Lawford doing the Varsity Drag just because a minute is up! ;)

[Poiuyt]

4. The way you're doing it is the normal way

and the way I usually do it. Once in a while I like to shake things up. That's when I do supersets.

BTW, I usually take between 90 seconds and 2 minutes between sets. I took 60 seconds when I was younger. I feel that I can be more effective with a little more rest.