There are various workout splits you can do when it comes to building a strong and sculpted physique, including the popular Superset training.
Superset training involves performing multiple sets of two exercises that target the two different or antagonist muscles with little or no rest in between.
It is a time-efficient and effective workout method that can help you build strength and mass and shape your physique.
In this article, I’ll share the various superset workout examples and show you how you can use them to design a 5-day workout routine.
Whether you want to build muscle or lose weight, you can try superset workout training for a few months. It will save you time as well as help you reach your goal.
Those who want to shed fats should pair superset strength training with aerobic exercises for the best results.
20 Best Superset Workout Examples
As you know, superset training involves performing multiple sets of two exercises that target two different or antagonist muscles. Let’s understand with an example of a back and chest superset workout.
Here’s how a 30-minute workout may look:
- Superset 1: 10 Front Lat Pulldowns + 10 Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses x 2
- Superset 2: 10 Seated Cable Rows + 10 Pec Deck Flyes x 2
- Superset 3: 10 Bent-over Rows + 10 Bar Dips x 2
- It includes 60 reps for the back and chest each.
The optimum rest time can be 30 seconds to 2 minutes after each superset.
You can pair antagonist or upper/lower muscle groups for an effective superset workout.
Below, you can see more examples of superset workouts
Pair 1 – Chest and Back Superset Workout
The back and chest are antagonist muscle groups and can be paired for superset training.
The chest works during the push exercises, while the back muscles are activated during the pull movements.
However, both are large muscle groups. So, it is best to integrate an appropriate combination of compound and isolation exercises for the best results.
I’ve created two superset workout samples for the back and chest training that you can integrate into your program.
Example #1
| Back | Chest | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Pullups | Pushups | 3 x AMRAP |
| Lat Pulldown | Flat Barbell Bench Press | 3 x 12 |
| Seated Rowing | Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 x 12 |
| Barbell Bent-over Row | Pec Dec or Cable Fly | 3 x 12 |
- AMRAP: Perform as many reps as possible.
- The total number of sets/muscles: 12
- Rest between each superset: 30-sec to 2 min
Example #2
| Chest | Back | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline Dumbbell Press | V-Grip Lat Pulldown | 3 x 10 |
| High-to-Low Cable Fly | T-Bar Rowing | 3 x 10 |
| Bar Dips | Seated Cable Row | 3 x 10 |
| Dumbbell Pullover | One-arm DB Row | 3 x 10 |
Pair 2 – Superset Triceps and Biceps Workouts
Sometimes arms don’t get enough training, especially during the push-pull-legs (PPL) and full-body workout. But if you want to focus more on biceps and triceps development, you can do superset arms training.
Supersets can help you build firm, toned, and defined arms.
Below are some examples of triceps and biceps supersets.
Example #3
| Triceps | Biceps | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bar Dips | Chinups | 3 x AMRAP |
| Skull Crusher | EZ Bar Bicep Curl | 3 x 12 |
| Cable Pushdown | Incline DB Curl | 3 x 12 |
| Overhand Triceps Extension | Preacher Curl | 3 x 12 |
Example #4
| Biceps | Triceps | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Chinups | Bar Dips | 2 x AMRAP |
| Chinups | Triangle Pushups | 2 x AMRAP |
| Cable Curl | Rope Pushdown | 3 x 10 |
| Spider Curl | Cable OH Extension | 2 x 10 |
| Hammer Curl | Triceps Kickback | 2 x 10 |
Pair 3 – Superset Workout for Legs and Core
Pairing legs and abs workouts can be challenging but can help you enhance your cardiovascular fitness and build a firm physique.
Here are a few examples of legs and abs superset workouts.
Example #5
| Leg | Core | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|---|
| DB Front Squat | Hanging Knee Raises | 3 x 12 |
| Machine Leg Press | High-to-Low Chop | 3 x 10 |
| Dumbbell RDL | Decline Bench Crunch | 3 x 10 |
| Calf Raises (15 reps) | Ab Wheel Rollout (5 reps) | Three |
Example #6
| Core | Legs | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Hanging Knee Raises | 10 Back Squats | Three |
| 10 Kneeling Cable Crunches | 15 Leg Extension | Three |
| 10 Kneeling DB High-to-Low Chop | 15 Leg Curl | Three |
| 45-sec Plank | 12 Hip Thrusts | Three |
Pair 4 – Superset for Back and Shoulder
Back and shoulder muscles are an excellent pair for a superset workout. Training them together is not only safe but also effective for developing strength and mass.
Many Bodybuilders, Crossfitters, and Powerlifters train their shoulders and back together to build a solid upper body.
Here are a couple of examples that you may want to incorporate into your muscle-building workout regime.
Example #7
| Back | Shoulder | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Pullups | 10 DB Overhead Presses | 3 |
| 5 Standard Deadlifts | 10 DB Lateral Raises | 3 |
| 12 V-Grip Lat Pulldowns | 10 Rear Delt Flyes | 3 |
| 12 Seated Cable Rows | 10 Shoulder Shrugs | 3 |
Example #8
| Shoulder | Back | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Military Presses | Lat Pulldown | 3 x 12 |
| DB Lateral Raises | Cable Seated Row | 3 x 12 |
| Pec Deck Reverse Fly | T-Bar Row | 3 x 12 |
| Barbell Front Raises | 1-arm DB Row | 3 x 12 |
Pair 5 – Superset Chest and Core Training
You can pair the pecs and core exercises to build a firm and sculpted torso.
Here are two examples of a combined chest and core workout you can add to your program.
Example #9
| Chest | Core | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Pushups | 10 Hanging Knee Raises | 2 |
| 12 Flat Barbell Bench Press | 10/side H2L Chop | 2 |
| 10 Incline DB Bench Press | 10 Kneeling Cable Crunch | 2 |
| 10 Pec Dec or Cable Fly | 10 Machine Ab Crunches | 2 |
| 10 Bar Dips | 10 Lying Leg Raises | 2 |
Example #10
| Chest | Core | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Flat Dumbbell Bench Press | 6 Hanging Leg Raises | 3 |
| 12 Incline Hammer Chest Press | 10 Hanging Knee Raises | 3 |
| 10 High-to-Low Cable Fly | 6 Ab Wheel Rollout | 3 |
| 10 Dumbbell Pullover | 45-Sec Plank | 3 |
Pair 6 – Superset Back and Core Workout
Working core and back together will help you build strength and endurance and improve your upper body appearance.
Here are a few samples of superset back and abs workouts:
Example #11
| Back | Core | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Front Lat Pulldowns | 10 Hanging Knee Raises | 3 |
| 12 Seated Cable Rows | 10/side H2L Chop | 3 |
| 10 Bent-over Rows | 10 Kneeling Cable Crunch | 3 |
| 10 POne-arm DB Row | 10 Machine Ab Crunches | 3 |
Example #12
| Back | Core | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 12 V-Grip Lat Pulldowns | 6 Hanging Leg Raises | 3 |
| 12 Seated Cable Rows | 10 Hanging Knee Raises | 3 |
| 12 T-Bar Rows | 6 Ab Wheel Rollout | 3 |
| 10 Standing Lat Pulldown | 45-Sec Plank | 3 |
Pair 7 – Superset Workout for Legs and Triceps
Pairing one large and one small muscle group for an effective superset workout session is often recommended. In this case, pairing legs and triceps can be an excellent choice.
Training triceps and legs together can help you build muscles without feeling burned out.
Let’s see how you can combine exercises for these muscle groups.
Example #13
| Leg | Triceps | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Back Squats | 10 Bar Dips | 3 |
| 15 Leg Extensions | 12 Skull Crushers | 3 |
| 15 Leg Curl | 12 Pushdowns | 3 |
| 12 Hip Thrusts | 10 Kickbacks | 3 |
Example #14
| Leg | Triceps | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Machine Leg Presses | 10 Bar Dips | 3 |
| 10 Front Lunges | 10 Diamond Pushups | 3 |
| 8 Romanian Deadlift | 12 Cable Pushdown | 3 |
| 15 Calf Raises | 10 Overhead Extensions | 3 |
Pair 8 – Superset Training for Biceps and Legs
Like the legs and triceps, you can pair biceps and leg exercises too.
Example #15
| Biceps | Legs | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Chin-ups | 10 Back Squats | 3 |
| 10 EZ Bar Curls | 10/leg Lunges | 3 |
| 10 Preacher Curls | 10 Leg Curls | 3 |
| 10 Hammer Curls | 15 Calf Raises | 3 |
Example #16
| Leg | Biceps | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Machine Leg Presses | 10 Chinups | 3 |
| 10 Leg Extensions | 10 Cable Curl | 3 |
| 8 Romanian Deadlift | 12 Spider Curls | 3 |
| 12 Hip Thrusts | 10 Hammer Curl | 3 |
Pair 9 – Legs and Shoulders Superset Workout
Like arms, you can also do alternating exercises for legs and shoulders on the same day.
However, it will be slightly challenging as shoulder muscles are larger than the biceps and triceps.
But, if you’re working out to build strength and hypertrophy, you can do the below superset.
Example #17
| Legs | Shoulder | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 10/leg Lunges | 12 Overhead Presses | 3 |
| 15 Leg Press | 12 Lateral Raises | 3 |
| 15 Leg Curls | 12 Rear Delt Flyes | 3 |
| 12 Hip Thrusts | 12 Shoulder Shrugs | 3 |
Example #18
| Leg | Biceps | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Back Squats | 10 Arnold Presses | 3 |
| 10 Step-up | 12 Cable Lateral Raises | 3 |
| 8 Romanian Deadlift | 12 Reverse Pec Deck Flyes | 3 |
| 15 Calf Raises | 12 Barbell Shrugs | 3 |
Pair 10 – Upper Lower (Full Body) Superset Workout
You can also combine the upper and lower muscle group exercises to train your entire body in one session.
The full-body superset workout allows you to target every muscle group three times a week and help you develop strength, mass, and cardiovascular fitness.
Here are a few samples you also include in your full-body workout program.
Example #19
| Superset | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Bench Press + Leg Extension | 3 x 12 |
| Lat Pulldown + Overhead Press | 3 x 12 |
| Chinups + Bar Dips | 3 x 12 |
| Romanian Deadlift + Hanging Knee Raises | 3 x 12 |
Example #20
| Superset | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Pullups + Dips | 3 x 12 |
| Lunges + Arnold Press | 3 x 12 |
| Incline DB Bench Press + Seated Cable Row | 3 x 12 |
| Romanian Deadlift + Kneeling Cable Crunches | 3 x 12 |
Weekly 5 Day Superset Workout Routine
You’ve seen plenty of examples of superset workouts. Now, it’s time to explore how you can design a superset 5 day plan to build a firm and sculpted physique.
Schedule:
- Monday – Back and Shoulder
- Tuesday – Legs and Triceps
- Wednesday – Chest and Biceps
- Thursday – OFF
- Friday – Back and Core
- Saturday – Chest and Legs
- Sunday – OFF
This routine includes two sessions for the chest, back, and legs (large muscle groups) and one session for the arms, shoulder, and core.
Note: You can make appropriate changes based on your fitness level and goal.
Rest between supersets: 30-sec to 2 minutes.
Monday – Back and Shoulder
| Superset | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Pullups + Overhead Presses | 3 x 12 |
| V-Grip Lat Pulldown + Lateral Raises | 3 x 12 |
| Seated Cable Row + Rear Delt Fly | 3 x 12 |
| 1-arm DB Row + Shrug | 2 x 15 |
Tuesday – Legs and Triceps
| Superset | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Back Squats + Bar Dips | 3 x 12 |
| Front Lunges + Skull Crushers | 2 x 12 |
| Leg Curls + Pushdowns | 3 x 12 |
| Hip Thrusts + Overhead Extensions | 2 x 12 |
Wednesday – Chest and Biceps
| Superset | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Bench Press + Chinups | 3 x 12 |
| Incline Hammer Press + Preacher Curls | 3 x 12 |
| Pec Deck Fly + Incline DB Curl | 2 x 12 |
| Pullover + Hammer Curl | 2 x 12 |
Friday – Back and Core
| Superset | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| V-Grip Pulldown + Hanging Knee Raises | 3 x 12 |
| Seated Cable Rows + H2L Chop | 3 x 12 |
| T-Bar Row + Kneeling Cable Crunch | 3 x 12 |
| Standing Lat Pulldown + Ab Wheel Rollout | 2 x 10 |
Saturday – Chest and Legs
| Superset | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| V-Grip Pulldown + Hanging Knee Raises | 3 x 12 |
| Seated Cable Rows + H2L Chop | 3 x 12 |
| T-Bar Row + Kneeling Cable Crunch | 3 x 12 |
| Standing Lat Pulldown + Ab Wheel Rollout | 2 x 10 |
Download The 5 Day Superset Workout Program PDF
Related Workout Routine:
