, b y A m y A s h m o r e , PhD

QUIZ 2:PAGE 81

Strength and Cardio SupersetsUse your knowledge of muscles, machines and movement to create powerful workouts.

Alternating strength sets with time oncardiovascular equipment is a popularway to train clients. When designed andexecuted correctly, this strategy can veryeffectively overload muscles, producingmaximum results in minimum time.

Specificity PrincipleThe key to effective superset workouts isspecificity. The specificity principle statesthat the muscles worked during an exer-cise will respond according to the specifictraining demands. When the specificityprinciple is applied to strength and cardiosupersets, the same muscles must be usedduring both sets. The muscles will respondto the unique demands of each mode ofexercise and will increase the total work.

The specificity principle is easy to seefrom a training perspective, but it can bedifficult to apply in fitness settings. This isbecause the client's health-related goals arenot always easy to identify (Shortliffe &

Jamnik 2010). The challenges that personaltrainers face are to help clients define theirlong-term goals and then to determine atraining program to reach those goals.Strength and cardio supersets target specificmuscles yet are basic enough to contributeto attaining general health-related goals.

Overload PrincipleFor workouts to be etfective, musclesmust be overloaded. They must be sub-jected to mechanical stress (beyond theactivities of daily living) that forces themto respond physiologically. The mostcommon ways to overload muscles are toincrease the weight that a muscle must liftand to increase the speed of the exercise.

But another way to overload muscleswithin a session is to apply different move-ments to the same muscles. This varies thepattern of muscle activation, recruiting dif-ferent fibers within the same muscle. Theresult is that more of the muscle is worked.

Designing Strength andCardio SupersetsStrength and cardio supersets are a hybridform of exhaustion supersets. A typicalexhaustion superset alternates an isolatedexercise (which involves only one jointand a specific muscle group) with a com-pound exercise (which involves one ormore joints or muscle groups) for thesame muscle group. An example of anexhaustion superset for the quadricepsis to alternate leg extensions (isolated)with squats (compound).

In the case of strength and cardiosupersets, the work focuses on the samemuscle group for both, but it varies thepattern of activation. The strength set canuse either a compound exercise like alunge or an isolated exercise like a lying-down leg curl. Whether to use a com-pound exercise rather than an isolatedexercise depends on the client's goals andfitness level.

28 April 2011 lOEA Fitness Journal

The three most common types of car-diovascular equipment to use duringstrength and cardio supersets are steps,bikes, and treadmills or ellipticals. Each ofthese three types is characterized by aunique movement pattern, as noted below.Although the movements are all similar toone another, each one targets differentmuscles. The key to designing effectivesupersets is to choose strength exercisesthat most closely match the muscles usedduring the cardiovascular mode.

StepsSteps and stair climbers use a simple steppattern that is hip flexion followed by hipextension. The primary muscles used tostep are rectus femoris, iliacus, psoas major,sartorius, hamstrings and gluteus maximus.

The rectus femoris (RF) is the primarylarge muscle responsible for hip flexion.Therefore, an effective but high-intensitysession would target the RF during bothsets. A suggested isolated exercise to useis seated knee extensions. Compound ex-ercises that would work well with step-ping include any squat variation (front,standard, hack or power), lunges anddead lifts. It is important to note that al-though the RF is activated during thesesuggested compound exercises, it is act-ing as a knee extensor—as opposed to ahip flexor, as it does during stepping.

The gluteus maximus (Gmax) is theprimary large muscle responsible for hipextension. An isolated exercise that tar-gets the Gmax and complements steppingwould be a prone hip extension. Whenyou're selecting a Gmax compound exer-cise, remember that the Gmax is most ef-fective when the hip starts at a flexedposition and moves to full extension, asin a squat or a dead lift. However, othercompound exercises may be used, in-cluding those mentioned above for theRF, along with stiff-legged dead lifts andgood mornings. But for activating theGmax, these will be less effective than asquat or a dead lift.

BikesCycling is knee extension with hip exten-sion. The movement is produced prima-rily by contraction of the quadriceps andhamstring muscles. The Gmax is also in-volved in hip extension, but to a lesser de-gree. The primary muscles used to cycleare quadriceps, hamstrings and Gmax.

Cycling is a simple movement. Use it todesign simple or low-intensity supersets.Pair cycling with basic isolation exercisessuch as knee extensions. However, add va-riety to that superset by asking clients torotate the leg outward (toes in) from thehip to isolate the vastus lateralis or inward(toes out) to isolate the vastus medialis. Aunique and slightly more advanced com-pound exercise to pair with cyclingis the angled leg press. This tar-gets both the knee extensors andthe hip extensors.

Treadmills and EllipticalsTreadmills and ellipticals use a walkingpattern. In its most simplified analysis,walking is spine, hip and knee flexion andextension. Using a treadmill is true walk-ing. An elliptical simulates walking, butthe biomechanics of an elliptical motiondiffer slightly from those of walking. Anelliptical motion has been shown to re-quire greater spine, hip and knee flexionthan treadmill walking does (Burnfield

ct al. 2010). The same study showedthat compared with treadmill walking.

Session Design for Individual Clients

In strength and cardio supersets, base the design of each session on the client's goals and fit-

ness level. Below are three types of superset options: they include a strength set alternated

with high-intensity intervals, endurance training or active recovery.

High-Intensity Intervals. A high-intensity workout is great for cardiovascular fitness and

weight loss. The high-intensity exercise recruits fast-twitch (F) muscle fibers, thereby in-

creasing the total workload. High-intensity intervals should be thought of as bursts of speed or

power, such as a 30-second sprint on the treadmill. A good rule of thumb is that the exerciser

should not be able to maintain the intensity for longer than 2 minutes. For an interval to be

maintained for longer than 2 minutes Indicates that the intensity is not high enough.

High-intensity exercise is appropriate for intermediate to advanced clients only. The deci-

sion to include intervals is entirely at the trainer's discretion, based on the individual client's

fitness level. Also important with high-intensity training are to keep clients standing during

strength sets if they have an elevated heart rate after the cardio set, and to always permit a

brief recovery period before transitioning to the strength set.

Endurance Training. Endurance training is good for clients who want or need sustained

heart rate training. Low-to-moderate-intensity cardio training will engage the slow-twitch (ST)

muscle fibers. Clients can increase the overall intensity of the workout by supersetting

strength sets and using heavier weight to recruit F fibers.

Active Recovery. Active recovery is a great option for deconditioned clients and special

populations. These clients can use the time on the cardio machine to recover trom the strength

set without actually resting. Appropriate cardio modes for this purpose are cycling or walking.

Intensity should remain low.

April 2011 IDEA Fitness Journal

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elliptical training increased Gmax muscleactivity while decreasing hamstring ac-tivity. The primary muscles used forwalking are tensor fasciae latae, sartorius,pectineus, iliopsoas, adductor longus,hamstrings, quadriceps and gluteus max-imus and médius.

Repeated use of thesame muscles and/orjoints in the same pat-tem can lead to overuseinjuries.

Of the three modes of cardio trainingmentioned here, ellipticals and treadmillsuse the most muscles. This creates nu-merous superset options. However, be-cause the adductors are activated duringwalking, but not during the other modes,pairing adductor strength sets with thetreadmill or elliptical would be a goodway to target the adductors. Seated ad-duction is an excellent isolation exercise;a compound exercise like plié squats (toesturned out) is also a good choice.

Minor differences in muscle activationbetween treadmills and ellipticals createunique superset options. Because Gmaxactivity is greater during elliptical train-ing, pair the elliptical with an isolated ex-ercise like the cable kickback. Sincehamstring activity is greater during walk-ing, use the treadmill in conjunction withan isolated exercise such as standingcable or prone hamstring curls againstmanual resistance.

Safety ConsiderationsExhaustion supersets should be used inmoderation. Repeated use of the samemuscles and/or joints in the same patterncan lead to overuse injuries. Additionally,neuromotor fatigue during a sessioncould become a factor and lead to injury.Therefore, it is recommended that youadjust the superset paradigm for noviceexercisers or persons for whom advancedtraining techniques may be contraindi-cated. Include strength exercises that usea different muscle group than is used inthe cardio exercise. For example, alternatean upper-body exercise with cardio. Coreexercises may be substituted for thestrength set when the client is fit enoughfor isolated core work. These could be

30 April 2011 IDEA Fitness Journal

paired with sustained cardio work inwhich the core is required for balance.

Another critical safety consideration isjoint loading during cardio exercise.While ellipticals have the advantage of noimpact. Lu, Chien and Chen (2007)showed that knee loading was greater dur-ing elliptical training than during tread-mill walking. Additionally, in a recentstudy (Turner et al, 2010) participants re-ported increased hip discomfort duringexercise on an elliptical trainer versus ex-ercise on a treadmill. Take joint loadinginto consideration, and be careful not tooveruse any one joint or action during asession. One final consideration when de-signing supersets using the elliptical ver-sus treadmill walking is to keep the greaterspine, hip and knee flexion (Burnfield etal, 2010) in mind. To balance out jointflexion and extension, incorporate exer-cises that use full ranges of motion.

Strength and cardio supersets are aneasy and fun way to maximize results inminimum time. The options for pairingstrength and cardio exercises are unlim-ited. The variety afforded by supersettingmakes titness exciting for clients andgives trainers choices where time, injuryand condition might otherwise have lim-ited them, •

Amy Ashmore holds a doctorate in kinesi-ologyfrom the University of Texas, Austin.She is a professor with the American PublicUniversity System and the College ofSouthern Nevada.

IO 2011 by IDEA Health & Kilness Inc. All rights reserved.Reproduction without permission is strictly prxjhibited.

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Referencesliurnfield, J.M., et al. 2010. Similarity of joint kinemat-

ics and muscle demands between elliptical trainingand walking: Implications for practice. PhysicalTherapy. 90 (212»9~3{i5.

I.U. r.W. Chien. H.L.. & Chen, H.L. 2007. loint loading inthe lower extremities during elliptical exercise. Medicine& Science in Sports & Exercise, 39 (9), 1651 -58.

Shortliffe. C, & )amnik, V. 2010. Applying the princi-ple of specificity in health related tlttness settings. TheHealth & Fitness Journal of Canada, 3 (1 ) , 25-30.

Turner, M.J., et al. 2010. A comparison of physiologicand physical discomfort responses between exercisemodalities. Journal of Strength and ConditioningResearch. 24 (3). 796-803.

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