Supersets, Compound Sets, and Drop Sets

If you are a regular at the gym, you have probably heard the terms supersets, compound sets, and drop sets tossed around. But what exactly are they? And more importantly, how can they benefit you?

Supersets
Supersets are two different exercises performed back to back (with little or no rest in between) for opposing muscle groups. A few examples of supersetting would be bicep curls followed by tricep extensions, bench presses followed by barbell rows, or leg extensions followed by hamstring curls. The primary benefit of supersets is the time it shaves off of your workout. When I am short on time, or want to amp up the cardio portion of my workout, supersetting does the trick. You can realistically expect to finish the same amount of sets as your standard workout in half the time. And by working opposing muscle groups, you allow your muscles enough recovery time to start each lift fresh.

Compound Sets
Compound sets are very similar to supersets, except you work the same muscle group. Pulldowns and cable rows could comprise your compound set, or a shoulder press and shoulder raise. Again, little to no rest in between sets; the goal is to move from one exercise to the next as quickly as good form allows. Like supersets, compound sets are a tremendous time saver. Because you are focusing on the same muscles during each exercise, you will not be able to use quite as much weight as a standard set. But compound sets give you the advantage of working your muscles from a variety of angles, a key factor in avoiding the dreaded "plateau."

Drop Sets
Drop sets are frequently used towards the end of a workout, when your muscles are nearing complete exhaustion. The goal of a drop set is to exercise the target muscle to failure, then "drop" the weight down and continue with more reps. Drop sets give the muscles that good ol' fashioned "pump," where they feel ready to burst out of the skin. Because of how hard your muscles have to work to complete just one drop set, they are not recommended for every exercise in your workout, but best saved for your last few sets to completely fatigue the muscles.

What are the benefits of supersets, compound sets, and drop sets?
I primarily use all three techniques, especially supersets and compound sets, to save time on my workout. They also work wonders in "shocking" your muscles when you feel stuck in a training rut.

In addition to shaving serious minutes off of your workout, you don't need extremely heavy weights to perform supersets and compound sets because of the limited recovery time. But don't mistake lighter weights for an easier workout. Supersets and compound sets will have your heart pumping, muscles burning, and sweat glands in overdrive. Looking to trim a few inches off your waist? Supersets and compound sets stoke your metabolism for hours and burn fat faster than traditional exercises, helping you achieve that lean, toned look.

Personally, I enjoy the variety that these training methods allow for. Let's face it, traditional workouts get stale really quickly. So next time you find yourself doing the same old three sets of 10 bicep curls, try throwing in a drop set by "running the rack" of dumbells. Start with moderate to heavy weights, and move on to lighter and lighter ones each time you run out of gas. Fair warning, it may bruise your ego when you get to the end and those 5-pound dumbbells feel like cement bags, but that just means you have pushed your muscles to complete failure. And only in the gym does failure mean success.

Sources: criticalbench.com
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