Supersetting: weight session and cardio all in one?

Options
Julian5656
Julian5656 Posts: 16 Member
edited October 2018 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
So I have a limited amount of time a day to workout, my goal is to burn fat and build muscle(over time not necessarily at once), so I came up with this ingenious plan (I think)..
Let's say i do a full body routine, I've got 5 exercises for 5 different muscle groups (chest, back, legs, shoulders, abs), I do one exercise for each of those muscle groups consecutively without rest.
This means I'm taking roughly 90 seconds of active rest before hitting that muscle again ( standard rest between sets), while keeping my heart rate up since I'm constantly moving (yesterdays weight session felt like 5 rounds of 400m sprints), and my workout takes only 20 mins! Weight lifting and cardio all in one.
You can do this with other types of split routines too, not just full body workouts.
Also I'm not rushing my sets so I'm still getting good form and contraction.
Let me know your thoughts.
«1

Replies

  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    Options
    It's probably not ideal, but I don't think it will hurt you or prevent you from progressing towards your goals.

    I do think it's worth considering if the reduced strength and cardio benefit you're getting from this type of workout is worth the tradeoff for a shortened/condescend workout time. There isn't really a right or wrong answer... That's a decision you'll have to make for yourself based on your priorities.
  • Tic78
    Tic78 Posts: 232 Member
    Options
    Sounds like circuits
  • Julian5656
    Julian5656 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    More or less
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    Options
    I posted this in your other thread...
    It's probably not ideal, but I don't think it will hurt you or prevent you from progressing towards your goals.

    I do think it's worth considering if the reduced strength and cardio benefit you're getting from this type of workout is worth the tradeoff for a shortened/condescend workout time. There isn't really a right or wrong answer... That's a decision you'll have to make for yourself based on your priorities.
  • Julian5656
    Julian5656 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    @jjpptt2 , thanks for your insight! I saw it. Posted in the other forum by accident.
  • RealWorldStrengthLLC
    RealWorldStrengthLLC Posts: 552 Member
    Options
    Have you thought about supersetting everything with a complimentary strongman type cardio exercise? IE superset a squat or deadlift set with flipping a tire for a minute, overhead presses with timed sledgehammer hits, upright rows with a farmers walk, etc? I've had pretty good results with that type of stuff, and while it is basically HIIT cardio it also doubles down on the muscle group you are training.
  • Julian5656
    Julian5656 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    @youcantflexcardio , I have considered that, strongman lifts make you feel like an absolute beast, it's awesome.
    so yea, doing a HIIT exercise during the time that you would normally rest sounds like another option. But I feel that doing a strong man exercise for the same muscle group would make me burn out the muscle, and I'd end up doing a half job on the 'muscle building' sets.
    So instead im supersetting opposite muscle groups, and purely muscle building type exercises and rep ranges. I find this gets my heart rate up just as well as a HIIT session, while still getting the benefits of a bodybuilding routine.

  • RealWorldStrengthLLC
    RealWorldStrengthLLC Posts: 552 Member
    edited October 2018
    Options
    Julian5656 wrote: »
    @youcantflexcardio , I have considered that, strongman lifts make you feel like an absolute beast, it's awesome.
    so yea, doing a HIIT exercise during the time that you would normally rest sounds like another option. But I feel that doing a strong man exercise for the same muscle group would make me burn out the muscle, and I'd end up doing a half job on the 'muscle building' sets.
    So instead im supersetting opposite muscle groups, and purely muscle building type exercises and rep ranges. I find this gets my heart rate up just as well as a HIIT session, while still getting the benefits of a bodybuilding routine.

    You are quite right that it tires you out for the muscle building sets. I didn't really think about it, but when I do that stuff it is typically at the end of my training - I do heavy compounds FIRST, then accessory lifts, then I go back to compounds at a lighter weight and superset with the strongman stuff to finish it off. Of course, I have it set up so I have all the time In the world to train and take as long as I would like, add in extra sets if I'm feeling froggy, etc.

    If you're crunched for time, your way seems pretty good - like others said, basically a circuit. That being said, if you have 3 days to lift minimum, I might suggest a split of Chest/Bi's, Back/Tris, Shoulders/legs. The opposing push/pull on the chest/bis & back/tris days works really well for supersetting. On the legs and shoulders day you could easily build a circuit of quads/delts/hams/traps/calves/REST that also allows for supersetting. This might allow for each muscle group to get more work in your allotted time frame, just food for thought.

    Cheers.

    EDIT: The only PROBLEM I see with your "circuit" is that whatever lift is at the beginning of it directly after your rest is going to get your max effort, while the ones later down the line are not (not saying you got put effort in, it's just fact). Doesn't matter if you can OHP 100lb Dumbells for sets of 10 - if you do bench, and squats before hand and jump in to the OHPs with no rest and an elevated heart rate, you probably aren't getting 10 even though the squats work the other half of your body.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Options
    Depending on your goal, it may be fine. You're going to have to use less weight on at least some exercises by doing this. But that might not bother you.

    Also, are you talking about doing one rep of each exercise during each 90 second period? Or doing a set of each all in a 90 second period?
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,000 Member
    Options
    Does anyone know if that can actually be considered cardiovascular? I get that the heart rate is elevated, but...

    Anyway, I make time for proper weights and cardio. Most of us can find the time by eliminating other things.
  • Julian5656
    Julian5656 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    @jemhh , strangely enough, I find I don't need to drop the weight since each muscle is getting adequate rest.
    And I mean doing a set of each in roughly 90 seconds. So it's basically a weight lifting circuit. For instance, 12 reps bench press, 12 reps squats straight after and so on..by the time I get around to bench press again 90 seconds has elapsed.
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,218 Member
    edited October 2018
    Options
    Julian5656 wrote: »
    @kshama2001 , it would be similar to a HIIT workout. It's anaerobic exercise as apposed to aerobic, but still very much cardio.
    Working 15 hours a day with a full time job and part time degree.. I've cut out everything I can.

    If your current goal is to retain some muscle mass as you diet/cut down to a good starting point before you start to bulk - your current plan is probably fine, combined with proper nutrition (deficit). However, I also think that when you do start to legitimately train to build muscle you could maybe find an extra 40 minutes to add to your workout for a proper lifting program that would be more optimal towards that specific goal.
  • Julian5656
    Julian5656 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    @sijomial , I hear you, all valid points. There's a trade off between volume & intensity on the one hand and cardio on the other. I try to balance them. If I had more time I'd probably train differently. But I think this is a great option for busy people wanting the benefits of both weights and cardio.
  • Julian5656
    Julian5656 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    @youcantflexcardio , that first training split you suggested is helpful, thanks!

    And with regards to your edit..that's a really good point, I may need to alternate the starting exercises and perhaps the sequence of the following exercises to ensure my effort for each will be balanced at the end of the workout.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Options
    Something isnt adding up.

    If you are completing one round in ninty seconds, that mean five rounds totals seven and half minutes not twenty.
  • Julian5656
    Julian5656 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    @Chieflrg , maybe I could have been clearer. What I mean is I do 5 exercises consecutively. A round of 5 exercises might take me 90 seconds, maybe 2 mins. I then will take a rest before the next round, and I might even take a short rest between some of the exercises if I'm gassed. So with those rests included a workout is roughly 20 mins. Also, there's the time taken to move to the next exercise and set up.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited October 2018
    Options
    Oh I read it as you take roughly 90 seconds before you hit that exercise again. Which would be a entire round of the five.

    Take it for what it worth but since your goal is hypertrophy then you might have better results if your use several groupings of two so the rest periods isn't so long in between sets for the same exercise. Most people respond best to rest periods of 15-60 seconds per exercise.
  • Julian5656
    Julian5656 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    @Chieflrg , yea I remember reading that about 60s rest and below is optimal..sort of like a traditional superset you're suggesting? I'll give that a try. Thanks.

Categories