Thread: Alternating sets

Why do you think working to exhaustion is good for strength?

I think its ok to do this...but yeah working to exhaustion wont necessarily do much for strength

Failure-training works for a little while, but your CNS figures it out pretty quick. Works like a circuit-breaker, craps out to protect you - and eventually prevents you from hitting muscle fatigue. Kinda limiting for a strength athlete.

A better way to do it would be to switch back and forth between antagonistic movements, or even movements that are almost completely unrelated.

Bench + Rows

Pullups + Lunges

For example. This will go some way to raising your work capacity, you'll still be working towards your overall goal, and you wont burn out so fast.

Its still tough as hell, but you wont totally beat up one muscle group for no reason like you're doing now. I've never been a big fan of pre/post/supersets for the same "muscle group".

Originally Posted by Gazhole

A better way to do it would be to switch back and forth between antagonistic movements, or even movements that are almost completely unrelated.

Bench + Rows

Pullups + Lunges

For example. This will go some way to raising your work capacity, you'll still be working towards your overall goal, and you wont burn out so fast.

Its still tough as hell, but you wont totally beat up one muscle group for no reason like you're doing now. I've never been a big fan of pre/post/supersets for the same "muscle group".

Agreed. It's wierd how this antaonistic stuff works, but it does.

Originally Posted by goob

Agreed. It's wierd how this antaonistic stuff works, but it does.

I think its because antagonistic muscles stabilize, and often do some or a lot of the work, in their opposite movements as well as their own.

For example, the upper back in a bench press does a fair amount of the work. Superset/alternate with some rows, and its fucking hell.

Not to mention the high metabolic activity of switching back and forth. Poor body doesnt know what the hell to do.

They just rock ass.

I thought to failure was good for strength because... well because I was wrong

SO. I'll lower my weights a bit so as to NOT go to exhaustion, and that probably resolves the entire issue of wearing me out too much for the next exercise. Nonetheless, I'm going to try this antagonistic routine. Maybe I'll start with...

DB Chest press and rows
Lat pull-downs and triceps
Overhead press and lunges

With the pairings and particular exercises I do, I won't have to jump back and forth in the gym. Sweet.

Thanks a bunch.

Bingo. Youll probably save some time too.

Lat pulldowns go really well with delts (which hit tris anyway). Try the lat pulldowns one arm at a time, using the stirrup attachment, and for delts, my new best friend is the Oly bar corner press:
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