Short on time? A study reveals this workout hack helps you gain more muscle in 40% less time

Not all of us have the luxury to spend hours in the gym per week, and if that’s you, you’re not alone. The good news? You don’t need to. A recent preprint study has shown that this workout hack can help you build muscle while spending significantly less time in the gym.

The workout hack we’re speaking of is antagonistic supersets, which is nothing new when it comes to hypertrophy training. This is where you perform two exercises back to back that are opposing muscle groups – like biceps and triceps.

That being said, it’s great to see continuing research to confirm its benefits, as it may just be the method you need to train smarter if time is not on your side. We break down the study below. Plus, at the end of this article, we’ve included some advice from one of the study’s researchers, Dr. Milo Wolf, on how to use antagonist supersets effectively.

The study

A preprint study published on SportRxiv aimed to compare the effects of superset training versus traditional resistance training on muscular strength, hypertrophy, body composition, and muscular endurance.

The research involved 43 well-trained male and female participants, who were randomly assigned to one of two training groups. Over the course of eight weeks, both groups followed the same workout program, performing six key exercises twice a week: lat pulldown, Smith machine bench press, seated leg curl, leg extension, dumbbell biceps curl, and cable triceps pushdown.

Each participant completed four sets per exercise to muscular failure using loads aligned with their 8-12 rep max, with two minutes of rest between sets. The only difference? One group performed supersets, pairing exercises back-to-back with no rest in between, while the other group used traditional straight sets with rest between each exercise.

The results

The study revealed that “both groups generally experienced the same average increases in muscle thickness across all assessed muscle groups”. However, there was one key difference: the superset group spent 36% less time in the gym compared to the traditional training group, achieving the same results in significantly less time.

In a YouTube breakdown of the study, Dr. Wolf points out that three other studies support similar findings, showing that antagonist supersets can produce comparable muscle gains in up to 50% less time. For lifters short on time, this makes superset training a highly efficient option, even for those with advanced experience.

That said, there are some important caveats. Dr. Wolf points out that participants in the superset group found the workouts more challenging and reported higher levels of discomfort, including nausea. This likely stems from the higher intensity and reduced rest, which would likely require longer recovery times between sessions.

It’s also worth noting that the study was conducted on experienced lifters, raising the question: are supersets appropriate for beginners? For complete beginners the initial focus should be on developing motor control and mastering the proper technique of each exercise, which could be more difficult to do in a fast-paced superset structure. If you are keen to give supersets a go though, check out Dr. Wolf’s tips below on how to do so effectively.

How to superset

Below are some of Dr Wolf’s tips to help you use supersets effectively for maximum muscle growth:

• Select two exercises that are opposing muscle groups – like chest and back, biceps and triceps, quads and hamstrings, etc
• Rest close to 30 seconds for isolation exercises and 60 seconds for compound exercises
• If you're completely new to supersets, rest a little longer than you usually would; your body will need time to adapt to this new stimulus
• If your gym is busy, try and match workout equipment for your two exercises. For example, use a pair of dumbbells for bicep curls and skullcrushers