Most of us have fitness-related goals, such as gaining muscle, losing fat, getting stronger, etc. However, most of us also lead busy lives - work, school, family, and social obligations can all make it difficult to consistently put in the time needed to reach those goals. If only there were a way to save time in the gym without compromising progress… well, there is!
Many time-saving strategies exist, with supersets being a great option. Simply pick two exercises that target different muscle groups, perform one immediately after the other, then rest and repeat for the desired number of sets (figure 1). An easy example is pairing a biceps curl with a triceps pushdown. Since the exercises don't meaningfully interfere with each other, one muscle group is working while the other is recovering.
The superset approach cuts down on total rest time and, as a result, can significantly shorten your training sessions. In fact, some friends and I recently published a study showing that a full-body superset routine produced similar gains in muscle size and strength compared to traditional set training, but in 36% less time. So, supersets can be an incredibly time-efficient way to make progress. This makes them a great option for anyone looking to save time, whether that means getting on with the rest of your day or using the extra time to add more training volume and potentially make even greater progress without spending countless hours in the gym. That said, the latter remains speculative, as we don't yet have studies examining very high-volume superset training.
One thing to keep in mind is that the condensed nature of superset training can make workouts feel more challenging and may even cause a bit of nausea at first. Fortunately, these effects usually lessen as your body adapts. Practically speaking, you can always adjust the rest periods within a superset so you're not jumping immediately into the next exercise. Taking a little extra time can help you catch your breath and maintain performance.
Additionally, to ensure you can still train with a high level of effort, it's probably smart to pair exercises that aren't extremely technically demanding or overly fatiguing. For example, supersetting heavy back squats with say, the bench press may leave you feeling insufficiently recovered between sets.
Now, I know what you're thinking: supersets can be tricky in a busy gym. You probably won't make many friends at your gym if you're constantly bouncing back and forth between multiple pieces of equipment, so it helps to be strategic with exercise selection. I find that dumbbells work especially well for upper-body supersets, such as pairing a dumbbell row with a dumbbell bench press, or a dumbbell biceps curl with a triceps skull crusher. Cables are also great for biceps and triceps combinations. As for lower-body training, if supersetting leg curls with leg extensions isn't practical, another good option is pairing leg curls with sissy squats since you don't have to leave the area. There are plenty of other possibilities depending on your gym setup, and you don't need to perform every exercise as a superset. But if you're looking to save time or increase training volume without living in the gym, supersets are definitely worth trying.
Reference:
1. Burke, R., Hermann, T., Piñero, A., Mohan, A. E., & Schoenfeld, B. (2025). Less time, same gains: Comparison of superset vs. traditional set training on muscular adaptations. Science & Sports, 41(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2025.07.011
