Super Set Strength Training

The concept of a superset is to perform 2 exercises back-to-back, followed by a short rest (but not always). This effectively doubles the amount of work you are doing, whilst keeping the recovery periods the same as they are when you complete individual exercises.

Opposing Muscle Group

One very common form of a superset workout includes working two different areas of the body. For example, a common superset includes performing one upper body exercise (such as the bench press) and then immediately moving to a lower body exercise (such as the leg press).

Another easy method to plan supersets is to alternate with opposing muscle groups (antagonistic). You can combine the bench, which works the chest, with the seated row, which engages the back.

Same Muscle Group

The second way to perform a superset workout is to choose two different exercises that work out the same muscle group and then perform them back-to-back without a rest. Performing quadriceps extensions immediately after squats is an example of this type of superset. This type of superset works one individual area especially hard. It is a great way to focus on a particular area of the body.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

  • A huge timesaver
  • Increase muscle growth + strength
  • Adds variety to your training
  • Can help to burn fat
  • Improves heart health / lowers blood pressure
  • Strengthens bones
  • Boosts your mood and improves brain health

Why You Should Do Mobility Training

It combines mobility exercises that increase the range of movements and motions your body can perform. These include flexibility, but also balance, pliability and strength. The full combination is the best way to avoid injury.

Mobility is “proprioception” – our perception and awareness of our body’s positions and movements. Mobility training, then, includes a range of exercises designed to increase your range-of-motion, control muscles surrounding each joint, and help you move more actively.

Flexibility, on the other hand, is the stretching and lengthening of our muscles. When you can increase the stretch and length of your connective tissue, you can help your body through a full range of movements without causing injury, stiffness, and pain.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

  • Promotes good posture
  • Helps prevent knots and injuries
  • Relieves tension associated with sedentary lifestyles or over-exercising
  • Improves all-round functional fitness performance
  • Increases range of movement, helping us stay active and healthy longer in life
  • Reduces joint deterioration
  • Prevents aches and pains
  • Helps build stronger, more adaptive muscles and joints

Abductors and Adductors

Abductors

This group of muscles are responsible for hip abduction (moving the leg away from the midline of the body).

They also help with rotation of the leg at the hip joint and are necessary for being able to remain stable when walking or standing on one leg. In many people, these muscles tend to be weak which leads to walking and posture issues.

Other muscles included in the abduction movement are the sartorius, piriformis, glute maximus and the ITB.

When these muscles are weak, it can lead to injuries such as Achilles’ tendinopathy, patellofemoral pain syndrome or runner’s knee, IT band syndrome, hamstring tendinopathy or plantar fasciitis.

Strength training can work well to reduce pain and strong muscles and tissues can protect against injury.

If you are injured then strength training will help heal you.

Adductors

An adductor muscle is any of the muscles that draws /pulls a part of your body towards the median line or towards the axis of an extremity. (You have adductor muscles in your thumb and big toe!)

The three powerful muscles in our thighs that make up the adductor group are the adductor longus, adductor brevis and the adductor magnus. They are ribbon like and are attached along the femur. Their primary action is adduction of the thigh, like squeezing your thighs together and they also help in the rotation and flexion of the hip.

The pectineus and gracilis, are also part of the adductor group of muscles.

If you experience “groin pull/strain” it will usually be one of these muscles that is causing it.

Other ailments related to imbalanced adductors include arthritis (ankle, knee, hip), plantar fasciitis, ankle sprain, chondromalacia (damage to the cartilage in the knee), IT band strain, piriformis syndrome, sciatica, and low back pain.