Fitness Volt
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Exercise Guides
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
  • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Food Facts
  • Reviews
  • More
    • CrossFit
    • News
      • Arnold Classic
      • Mr. Olympia
      • Results
      • 2022 WSM
    • Fitness Calculator
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Exercise Guides
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
  • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Food Facts
  • Reviews
  • More
    • CrossFit
    • News
      • Arnold Classic
      • Mr. Olympia
      • Results
      • 2022 WSM
    • Fitness Calculator
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
No Result
View All Result
Training
Fact Checked
Fact Checked
This article was written by one of our qualified writers, and fact-checked by our experts. The numbers in parentheses (e.g. 1, 2, 3, etc.) throughout the article, are reference links to peer-reviewed studies.
Our team of experts include a board-certified physician, nutritionists, dietitians, certified personal trainers, strength training experts, and exercise specialists.
Read Our Editorial Process

The Balanced Superset Workout

Build better symmetry and structural balance while getting a great pump with this superset workout plan.
Patrick Dale, PT, ex-Marine

Written by Patrick Dale, PT, ex-Marine

Last Updated onApril 28, 2022

Balanced Superset Workout

Balanced Superset Workout

Life is all about balance – work vs. leisure, money earned vs. money spent, food intake vs. energy expenditure, stress vs. relaxation, training vs. recovery…the list is almost endless.

Your workouts should be no different. Ideally, there should be an even balance between major muscles if you want to build an aesthetically pleasing physique while keeping your joints healthy and your body functioning correctly.

In this article, we’ll provide you with two workouts that do all the balancing for you and ensure that you end up not just looking good but feeling good too!

Table of Contents
  • Agonist/Antagonist Muscle Pairings
  • Full-Body Balanced Superset Workout
    • Full-Body Balanced Superset Workout
  • 3-Way Split Balanced Superset Workout
    • Horizontal Push/Pull & Arms Balanced Superset Workout
    • Legs and Abs Workout Balanced Superset Workout
    • Vertical Push/Pull & Arms Balanced Superset Workout
  • Fixing Muscle Imbalances
    • More Supersets:
  • Wrapping Up

Agonist/Antagonist Muscle Pairings

The skeletal muscles are generally found in pairs on opposing sides of joints and tend to be responsible for opposite actions. For example, the bicep brachii at the front of the upper arm flexes the elbow while the triceps brachii at the rear of the upper arm extends the same joint.

Should one of these muscles become stronger than its opposing partner (called the agonist/antagonist relationship), the joint may become unbalanced. While an unbalanced elbow is probably not much of a problem, an unbalanced knee or shoulder joint can cause severe joint dysfunction and pain and is best avoided.

For example, should the quadriceps at the front of the thigh become significantly stronger than the hamstrings at the rear of the thigh, it’s possible that the knee will be adversely affected, and there is an increased risk of chronic knee pain.

Likewise, if the pectoralis major of the chest is better developed or stronger than the opposing rhomboids and middle trapezius of the upper back, then poor posture and shoulder pain could be the result.

The main agonist/antagonist pairings and their location are:

  • Biceps & triceps (front and back of upper arm)
  • Anterior & posterior deltoids (front and back of shoulder joint)
  • Pectoralis major & mid traps/rhomboids (front and back of upper torso)
  • Latissimus dorsi & medial deltoids (lower and upper shoulder joint)
  • Rectus abdominus & erector spinae (front and back of the abdomen)
  • Quadriceps & hamstrings (front and back of thigh)
  • Hip flexors & gluteus maximus (front and back of hip)
  • Adductors & abductors (inside and outside of thigh)
  • Tibialis anterior & gastrocnemius/soleus (front and back of shin)

(note that some pairings are based on anatomical location while others are based on opposing functions)

Training both muscles in each pair will ensure they’re both equally well developed. This will not only enhance function and improve posture, but it should also lead to a better-looking physique. Imbalances where one paired muscle is noticeably larger than the other can really hurt your appearance.

Calum von Moger
Calum von Moger

While there is nothing to say that paired muscles must be trained at the same time, doing so ensures that your workouts are as balanced as they can be. One simple yet effective way to do this agonist/antagonist supersets.

Supersets involve doing paired exercises back-to-back. There are several different types of supersets, but agonist/antagonist or push/pull supersets are amongst the best.

As well as ensuring paired muscles are trained equally, this type of superset is also very time-efficient, as you will spend less of your workout resting. They also speed up recovery, so you can train harder than usual. In addition, going back and forth between paired exercises should also deliver a great pump.

While you should be able to create your own agonist/antagonist supersets from the list of pairings above, we’ve saved you the bother by producing two example programs for you to try – one full-body workout and one three-way split.

Full-Body Balanced Superset Workout

This superset workout is designed to be done 2-3 times a week on non-constitutive days, e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Monday and Thursday. This is a good workout for beginners and anyone who simply prefers full-body workouts.

[Related: Full-Body Vs. Split Routines – How to Choose]

Before you begin this or any other workout, make sure you spend a few minutes warming up and preparing your body and mind for what you’re about to do. Begin with 5-10 minutes of light cardio, and then do some dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises for your main joints and muscles.

To do the supersets in this workout, do the first exercise (1a) and then, without resting, do the second exercise (1b). Rest for the prescribed time and then repeat the pairing 2-3 more times. On completion, move on to the next superset (2a and 2B) and do the same thing again.

Full-Body Balanced Superset Workout

Arnold Front Squat

# Exercise Sets Reps Recovery
1a Front squat 2-4 8-15 60-90 seconds
1b Leg curl
2a Bench press 2-4 8-15 60-90 seconds
2b Wide grip seated row
3a Romanian deadlift 2-4 8-15 60-90 seconds
3b Leg extension
4a Dumbbell shoulder press 2-4 8-15 60-90 seconds
4b Lat pulldown
5a Cable biceps curl 2-4 8-15 60-90 seconds
5b Cable triceps pushdown
6a Stability ball crunch 2-4 8-15 60-90 seconds
6b Stability ball back extension

 

3-Way Split Balanced Superset Workout

While there is nothing wrong with full-body workouts – for all levels of fitness and experience – a lot of lifters prefer split routines. The main advantage of split routines over full-body workouts is you have more time and energy to work each muscle group longer and harder. This means that split routines are ideal for bodybuilders.

That said, a lot of bodybuilding workouts are very unbalanced, often overemphasizing the muscles on the front of the body. Using agonist/antagonist supersets is one way to avoid this problem.

This workout involves three workouts per week. As always, precede each one with a thorough warm-up.

As you’ll be training different muscles, you can arrange your training week in whatever way is convenient. However, try to separate the upper body workouts by a couple of days to provide enough time for rest and recovery.

Horizontal Push/Pull & Arms Balanced Superset Workout

Dumbbell Bench Press

# Exercise Sets Reps Recovery
1a Dumbbell bench press 3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
1b Wide grip Pendlay row
2a Incline dumbbell flyes 3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
2b Incline chest-supported row
3a Deficit push-ups 3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
3b Single-arm dumbbell row
4a EZ bar preacher curl 3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
4b EZ bar skull crushers

 

Legs and Abs Workout Balanced Superset Workout

Back Squat

# Exercise Sets Reps Recovery
1a Squat 3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
1b Leg curl
2a Deficit deadlift 3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
2b Sissy squat
3a Bulgarian split squat 3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
3b Hip thrust
4a Rollout 3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
4b 45-degree back extension

 

Vertical Push/Pull & Arms Balanced Superset Workout

Pull Up On Pullbar

# Exercise Sets Reps Recovery
1a Chin-up/pull-up 3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
1b Barbell military press
2a Wide grip lat pulldown 3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
2b Machine shoulder press
3a Neutral grip lat pulldown 3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
3b Dumbbell lateral raise  
4a Alternating dumbbell curl   3-5 6-12 60-90 seconds
4b Dumbbell overhead triceps extension

Fixing Muscle Imbalances

Balanced supersets will help prevent imbalances, but not be sufficient to fix existing problems. For example, if you’ve been focusing a little too much on your mirror muscles, you could already have imbalances between the muscles on the front of your body and those on the back.

Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away, and nor will doing the same number of sets for both of the muscles that make up the agonist/antagonist pairings. Instead, you need to spend some extra time on the muscles you need to bring up while maintaining the other paired muscle.

One of the best ways to do this is to adopt a 3:1 ratio in favor of the weaker muscle group.

If, for example, you had a muscular imbalance where your quadriceps were significantly better developed than the hamstrings, you would perform three sets of hamstring work for every set of quads.

This, over time, would rectify the imbalance while maintaining the condition of the stronger muscle group. The weaker muscle would literally get a chance to “catch up.”

It is also possible to use the balanced superset approach to repair muscle imbalances, but by modifying it slightly as outlined below. In this example, our lifter has an overdeveloped chest/underdeveloped upper back.

1a. Bench press x 6-12 reps

1b. Wide grip bent over row x 6-12 reps

1a. Chest stretch x 30-60 seconds

1b. Wide grip bent over row x 6-12 reps

1a. Chest stretch x 30-60 seconds

1b. Wide grip bent over row x 6-12 reps

Regardless, if you have a muscle imbalance, you need to train the weak muscle more and the stronger muscle less to restore balance quickly. If you continue training both muscles equally, the weaker muscle will always lag behind the stronger one.

More Supersets:

  • Five Supersets for Explosive Strength and Power
  • Supersets For Bigger, Stronger Biceps and Triceps
  • Burn Fat Faster with Lower Body/Upper Body Supersets + Workout
  • Bodybuilding Coach Charles Glass Shares A ‘Must Try’ Back Superset
  • Get More From Your Workouts with Supersets
  • Chest And Back Training: Try Arnold’s Superset For Superior Results
  • These Supersets Will Take Your Strength Training To The Next Level

Wrapping Up

Supersets are a very versatile training method. They’re helpful for building muscle and making better use of your training time. You can also use them to prevent and address muscle imbalances.

While muscle imbalances are never terminal, they can still have a significant impact on how you look, feel, and perform.

For example, a lot of lifters have overdeveloped chests and anterior deltoids and underdeveloped upper backs and posterior deltoids. Adopting the balanced superset method could help prevent these problems.

So, try the agonist/antagonist superset method for yourself or take our balanced superset workout for a spin. Push-pull supersets are arguably the easiest way to avoid muscle imbalances.

Stay on top of the latest fitness news and updates by adding Fitness Volt to your Google News feed: Follow us on Google News You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for even more content.
Facebook Twitter Reddit Flipboard LinkedIn
Categories: Training Training Exercises
Previous Post

2022 World’s Strongest Man Events Announced – Return Of The Car Walk & Power Stairs

Next Post

Powerlifter Johnnie Harris Crushes A 675 lbs (306 kg) Raw Bench Press Three Rep PR

Patrick Dale, PT, ex-Marine

Patrick Dale, PT, ex-Marine

Patrick Dale is an ex-British Royal Marine, gym owner, and fitness qualifications tutor and assessor. In addition, Patrick is a freelance writer who has authored three fitness and exercise books, dozens of e-books, thousands of articles, and several fitness videos. He’s not just an armchair fitness expert; Patrick practices what he preaches! He has competed at a high level in numerous sports, including rugby, triathlon, rock climbing, trampolining, powerlifting, and, most recently, stand up paddleboarding. When not lecturing, training, researching, or writing, Patrick is busy enjoying the sunny climate of Cyprus, where he has lived for the last 20-years.

Related

Chest and Biceps Workout Routines

Top 5 Best Chest and Biceps Workout Routines For Building Muscle Mass, Symmetry, and Conditioning

Chest and biceps are amongst the favorite muscles to train for most people. However, lifters usually train the two muscle...

Outer Quad Exercises

The Best Outer Quad Exercises for a Killer Leg Sweep

Whether you love or hate it, your leg workout is an important part of your training week. It doesn’t matter...

Reverse Nordic Curl Guide

How To Do Reverse Nordic Curls – Muscles Worked, Benefits, and Alternatives

When it comes to quads isolation exercises, your options are pretty limited. In fact, your only real option is leg...

Sissy Squat Alternatives

The 12 Best Sissy Squat Alternatives for Bigger, Stronger Quads

Let’s get one thing straight from the start of this article: there ain’t nothing sissy about sissy squats! In fact,...

Deficit Reverse Lunge

How To Do Deficit Reverse Lunge – Muscles Worked, Benefits, and Alternatives

Range of motion is important for building muscle, getting strong, and developing healthy, mobile joints. It’s no coincidence that some...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest

How To Do Scissor Kicks – Form, Benefits, and Alternatives

Plank Pull-Through Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations

YouTuber IShowSpeed Narrowly Escapes Injury on Bench Press: ‘I Almost Died’

Brian Shaw Announces Events For 2023 Shaw Classic

Nick Walker Plans to ‘See How Far the Body Can Really Go’ in 2023, Reflects on Changes in Training Style

Former 2x Mr. Olympia Big Ramy to Guest Pose at 2023 Pittsburgh Pro After No-Showing Last Year

Reviews

Best Preacher Curl Benches

10 Best Preacher Curl Benches in 2023 (Review & Ranked)

Ancheer Treadmills Review

6 Best Ancheer Treadmills in 2023 (Review & Ranked)

Best Bone Broth Supplements

10 Best Bone Broth Supplements of 2023 (Reviewed & Ranked)

Fitness Volt

At FitnessVolt.com Our mission is to help our readers to achieve their fitness goals, regardless of where you’re at on your journey, we are on a mission to educate You with the latest from strength and fitness space. Read more.

Email: sm(at)fitnessvolt.com

Disclosure: FitnessVolt.com has an affiliate relationship with different brands and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. However, our reviews are based on well research backed analysis.

Follow Us

Trending Topics

  • Mr. Olympia
  • Bodybuilding
  • Strongman
  • Powerlifting
  • CrossFit
  • At Home Workouts
  • Bodyweight Exercises
  • Best Pre-workout
  • Best Fat Burners
  • Bodybuilding Diet
  • Bicep Workouts
  • Triceps Workouts
  • Chest Exercises
  • Back Workouts
  • Leg Workouts
  • Front Squat Guide
  • Calf Workouts & Exercises
  • Forgotten Exercises
  • Jefferson Deadlift

Calculators

  • Calorie Burning Calculators
  • IF Calculator
  • TDEE Calculator
  • Calorie Calculator
  • Keto Calculator
  • RMR Calculator
  • Macronutrient Calculator
  • Creatine Calculator
  • Wilks Calculator
  • EER Calculator
  • FFMI Calculator
  • IBW Calculator
  • LBM Calculator
  • Fat Intake Calculator
  • Calories Burned Swimming
  • Calories Per Meal Calculator

  • Food Nutrition Analysis
  • Carb Cycling Calculator
  • Weight Gain Calculator
  • Weight Loss Calculator
  • Calories Burned Calculator
  • Strength Standards
  • One Rep Max Calculator
  • Body Fat Calculator
  • EER Calculator
  • Weight Loss Percentage
  • Treadmill Calorie Calculator
  • Body Surface Area Calculator
  • Running Pace Calculator
  • Bench Press Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Water Intake Calculator
  • Body Type Quiz
  • Steps to Miles Calculator
  • Calorie Deficit Calculator
  • Home
  • About
  • Jobs
  • Accessibility
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Syndication
  • Sitemap
  • DMCA
  • Copyrights
  • Terms
  • Privacy

© Copyright 2010 - 2023 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Bodybuilding
  • Arnold Classic
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • CrossFit
  • Workouts
  • Exercise Guides
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Shoulders
  • Training
  • Nutrition
  • Reviews
  • More
    • News
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2022 WSM
    • Diet
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • Food Facts
    • Fitness Calculator

© Copyright 2010 - 2023 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.