If you want to scale your fitness to the next level, you can try superset. The superset is an intense, heart-pumping, and muscle-building workout program that challenges your strength and endurance. I’ll share a couple of 4 Day Superset Workout routines for two different goals in this article. The first one is for muscle gain, and the second one is for fat loss. So depending on your fitness goal, you can do one of them.
What is Superset Workout Training?
The superset is a workout program where you train a pair of muscles together, typically agonist and antagonist muscles pair or upper and lower body muscles with little to no rest between exercises.
The agonist’s muscles are responsible for concentric movement, while the antagonists are for eccentric. So, for example, the biceps is an agonist, and the triceps is the antagonist. And these muscles work in the opposite direction. So we pair them into the superset workout training for efficient results.
Benefits:
- The superset training saves your time because it allows you to perform two different back-to-back exercises with little to no rest.
- It boosts your endurance while building muscles.
- It increases metabolic profile in young active men and women.1 Metabolic Profile of Reciprocal Supersets in Young, Recreationally Active Women, and Men – The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research
Disadvantages:
- The superset isn’t suitable for beginners as it is intense, challenging, and makes you exhausted.
Superset workout Examples
You can pair the exercises in your superset workout routine using the examples below.
- Push-Pull exercises. For example, barbell bench press and barbell rows.
- Upper-Lower exercise. For example, barbell bench press and squat.
- Push, Pull, or Leg with Core, such as overhead press and crunches.
- Tri-Sets: Performing three exercises in a row with minimal rest time.
Related: Top 10 Pairs For Superset Training
4 Day Superset Workout Plan For Ultimate Gains
Summary
- Program Duration: 6-8 Weeks
- Goal: Improve Strength, Endurance, and Mass
- Frequency: 4 Days a week
- Duration of one session: 45-60 minutes
- Suitable for: Men
- The interval between rounds: 1-2 minute
Schedule
- Day 1: Chest and Legs
- Day 2: Back and Shoulder
- Day 3: OFF
- Day 4: Chest and Arms
- Day 5: Back, Glute, and Core
- Day 6: OFF
- Day 7: OFF
This split allows you to train your superior muscles two times a week, for example, the back and chest. Training large muscles twice promote hypertrophy and builds sizable muscles.2 Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis – Sports Medicine, Springer
Day 1: Chest and Legs
| Pair no. | Chest | Legs | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flat Barbell Bench Press | Barbell Back Squat | 12, 10, 8 |
| 2 | Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | Dumbbell Lunges | 12, 10, 8 |
| 3 | Pec Deck Fly | Machine Leg Press | 12, 10, 8 |
| 4 | Dumbbell Pullover | Hamstring Curl | 12, 10, 8 |
- Perform bench press and squat 12 reps in the first set, followed by 10 and 8.
- You can skip the last pair of exercises if you’re a beginner.
Day 2: Back and Shoulder
| Pair no. | Back | Shoulder | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pullups | Barbell Overhead Press | 12, 10, 8 |
| 2 | Wide Grip Lat Pulldown | Dumbbell Lateral Raises | 12, 10, 8 |
| 3 | Barbell Bent-over Row | Bent-over Dumbbell Reverse Fly | 12, 10, 8 |
| 4 | Seated Cable Rowing | Cable/Barbell Upright Row | 12, 10, 8 |
- You can also do rear delt flyes on the machine instead of bent-over reverse flyes. Likewise, you can also replace more exercises in the following weeks of the program.
Day 4: Chest and Arms
| Chest | Biceps | Triceps | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Barbell Bench Press | Barbell Bicep Curl | Barbell Skull Crusher | 12, 10, 8 |
| Dumbbell Flat Bench Press | Incline Dumbbell Curl | Tricep Rope Pushdown | 12, 10, 8 |
| Parallel Bar Dips | Dumbbell Hammer Curl | Dumbbell Kickback | 12, 10, 8 |
Day 5: Back, Leg, and Core
| Back | Leg | Core |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional Deadlift 6, 5, and 4 reps | Leg Extension 15, 12, and 10 reps | Standing DB Side Bend 10 x 2 |
| Single-arm Dumbbell Rowing 12, 10, and 8 reps | Barbell Hip Thrust 12, 10, and 8 reps | Cable Crunchers 12, 10, and 8 reps |
| Chin-ups 12, 10, and 8 reps | Standing Calf Raises 12, 10, and 8 reps | Front Plank, Side Plank up to 2 minutes |
| Face Pull As many reps as possible. | – | – |
- You’ll perform the deadlift for six reps, leg extension for 15 reps, and the standing side bend for ten reps.
- After the front plank, you’ll do the side plank in the next round.
- At the end of the session, you’ll do one set of face pull till fatigue.
Intense 4 Day Superset Workout Plan for Fat Loss
You can do superset weight training to increase your fat loss. It burns many calories during and after the workout, boosts metabolic health, builds lean mass, and promotes weight loss.
Several studies suggest that resistance training combined with diet reduces significant weight, builds lean mass, and promotes a healthy lifestyle.3 Miller T, Mull S, Aragon AA, Krieger J, Schoenfeld BJ. Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018 Jan 1;28(1):46-54. DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0221. Epub 2018 Jan 24. PMID: 28871849.
So, if you want to lose weight faster while gaining lean mass, you can combine weight training, high-interval training, and diet.
Below is the 4 Day split superset workout you can do. And on your rest days, you can also do the short sessions of HIIT to burn more calories and speed up fat loss.
Description
- Program Duration: 6-8 Weeks
- Goal: Increasing Fat Loss While Building Muscle
- Level: Intermediate
- Frequency: 4 Days a week
- Duration of one session: 45-60 minutes
- Suitable for: Men and Women
Workout Split
- Monday: Chest and Core
- Tuesday: Back and Legs
- Wednesday: OFF
- Thursday: Shoulder, Biceps, and Core
- Friday: Legs, Triceps, and Core
- Saturday: OFF
- Sunday: OFF
Monday: Chest and Core
You’ll do four chest exercises and four weighted ab exercises on your first day of 4 Day superset workout routine.
| Chest | Core | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Barbell Bench Press | Standing Dumbbell Side Bend | 8-12 x 3 |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | Kneeling Cable Crunches | 8-12 x 3 |
| Seated Machine Fly | High to Low Cable Woodchop | 8-12 x 3 |
| Dumbbell Pullover | Reverse Cable Crunches | 8-12 x 3 |
Tuesday: Back and Legs
| Back | Legs | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlift | Machine Leg Press | 12, 10, 8 |
| Wide Grip Lat Pulldown | Dumbbell Lunges | 12, 10, 8 |
| Barbell Bent-over Row | Dumbbell Step-up | 12, 10, 8 |
| Seated Cable Rowing | Barbell Hip Thrust | 12, 10, 8 |
Thursday: Shoulder, Biceps, and Core
| Shoulder | Biceps | Core | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Overhead Press | Barbell Curl | Dumbbell Side Bend | 12, 10, 8 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raises | Concentration Curl | Cable Tuck Crunch | 12, 10, 8 |
| Bent-over Dumbbell Reverse Fly | Hammer Curl | Reverse Cable Wood Chop | 12, 10, 8 |
| Cable/Barbell Upright Row | – | Single-Leg Cable Crunch | 10 x 2 |
Friday: Legs, Triceps, and Core
| Legs | Triceps | Core |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat 15, 12, and 10 reps | Barbell Skull Crusher 10 x 3 reps | Crunches 10 x 2 reps |
| Leg Extension 15, 12, and 10 reps | Rope Pushdown 15, 12, and 10 reps | Reverse Cable Crunches 10 x 2 reps |
| Romanian Deadlift 10, 8, 8 reps | Bench Dips 15, 12, 10 reps | Front and Side Plank up to 2 minutes |
FAQs about Superset Workout Split
Are supersets good for building muscle?
Like traditional resistance training, the superset also builds muscles and strength. Additionally, it burns more calories, enhances endurance, and helps you lose fats. However, the superset is an advanced form of training and makes you fatigued in a short time.
Should beginners do supersets?
The superset training is intense and requires much power and endurance to perform exercises. So it will be challenging for beginners. However, you can try after a couple of months of regular training.
How often should you superset?
Doing the superset exercises three to four times a week is enough to get efficient results. However, you can increase your frequency to 5 days a week depending on your fitness levels, but make sure you give your trained muscles 48-72 hours of recovery time. 4How long does muscle recovery take? – Healthline
References
- 1Metabolic Profile of Reciprocal Supersets in Young, Recreationally Active Women, and Men – The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research
- 2Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis – Sports Medicine, Springer
- 3Miller T, Mull S, Aragon AA, Krieger J, Schoenfeld BJ. Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018 Jan 1;28(1):46-54. DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0221. Epub 2018 Jan 24. PMID: 28871849.
- 4How long does muscle recovery take? – Healthline
