In-Set Supersets for Massive Triceps

If you want truly massive arms, you must prioritize your triceps training. After all, the triceps comprise two-thirds of the mass of the entire upper arm. Without some dedicated work, however, you’ll never get the big, nasty arms you’re looking for. And that’s where in-set supersets come into play.

When doing a normal superset, you perform a full set of one exercise and then immediately switch to another exercise and perform a full set of that. It’s a great training technique and very effective.

In this version you alternate reps of the two exercises instead of sets, constantly going back and forth. That exposes the target muscle to different angles of tension and different positions of focus within the same set, and tension is the real key to massive muscle growth.

It’s an incredibly powerful concept, and once you try it, you’ll be hooked.

Now, you can use this technique with just about any bodypart, but we’re going to focus on the triceps. The two exercises will be lying extensions and close-grip bench presses.

The key to performing the in-set superset is that exercises must share a common start or finish position. That’s what enables you to switch smoothly between them without delay. In the case of these two exercises, the common spot is the top, lockout position of the close-grip bench press—which is also the top, lockout position of the lying extension.

You determine load based on the weaker exercise. In this case it’s the lying extensions, so select a weight with which you can get at least 12 reps of those.

Perform one rep of the extensions. When you get to the lockout, bring the bar down to do one close-grip bench press. Then perform another extension and so on.

Go back and forth on reps of the two exercises until you hit failure on the weaker one. That’s when you’re done with the set—the first one, at least!

I recommend performing at least three sets of this technique, resting 90 seconds to two minutes between sets. On the last set you push things a bit further to finish off the triceps. When you hit failure on the weaker exercise—which is an isolation move here—switch to the stronger exercise, a compound exercise here, and rep out to failure.

It’s essentially like doing preexhaust training up until the point where you rep out on the stronger exercise, using the secondary muscles to push your triceps to the ultimate limit. When you finish that last set, your triceps will be swelled up like balloons and you will have stimulated some major growth in your arms.

Use this technique regularly in your triceps training, and you will notice a difference in arm size within a few weeks.

—Nick Nilsson

 

Editor’s note: To get a copy of Nick’s Muscle Explosion—28 Days to Maximum Mass, visit his Web site, www.28DayMuscle
Explosion.com.