Sets refer to how many times you perform an exercise. Repetitions refer to how many times you perform a movement within each set. For instance, you may hear someone say that they are performing 3 sets of 12 repetitions on an exercise. A “superset” is when you perform two sets back to back with no rest in between. A superset can isolate the same muscle or opposing muscles. For instance, if you superset your legs by performing leg press and lunges you would really put your legs to the test because the exercises target the same muscles. You could also perform a superset on opposing muscle groups such as your biceps and triceps by performing barbell curls and tricep pushdowns. This way you still do not rest between your sets but you alternate exercises between the two muscle groups. Be careful when starting out with supersets, if you do too much too soon you will be hurtin’ for certain.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.