Two new studies add points to the Superset corner. For most of my non-Olympic Weightlifters, I vastly prefer supersets to straight sets. [a super set is: do one exercise, rest a bit, do the second, rest a bit, go back to the first and repeat. A straight set is: do one set of an exercise, rest, repeat.] These studies just confirm it for me:
Reciprocal supersets produced greater exercise kJ.min, blood lactate, and EPOC than did [traditional weight training].
EPOC stands for Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. This is the system that causes your body to continue to burn calories long after you’ve stopped your workout (from 12 to 48 hours depending on how hard your workout session was – imagine how intense the EPOC is for Guergui Gardev in the above pic! That’s intensity!).
1. Kelleher et al. The Metabolic Costs of Reciprocal Supersets vs. Traditional Resistance Exercise in Young Recreationally Active Adults. JSCR 2010 Mar 17. [Epub ahead of print]
2. Paoli et al. Effects of three distinct protocols of fitness training on body composition, strength and blood lactate. JSMPF. 2010 Mar;50(1):43-51
[hat tip: A.C.]
