If your goal is building muscle, but your time in the gym is limited, you need training methods that give you more return for every minute you spend on the gym floor.

One option you may already know is supersets. This involves pairing two exercises together with minimal rest between them. Usually, you’ll choose exercises that target opposing muscle groups, such as chest and back, or biceps and triceps. Alternatively, you might pair a compound lift that works multiple muscle groups with an isolation exercise targeting one of them.

Now, new research suggests the method can save time without leaving gains on the table.

The study, published in Science & Sports and titled ‘Less Time, Same Gains: Comparison of Superset vs Traditional Set Training on Muscular Adaptations’, was led by researcher Ryan Burke alongside Brad Schoenfeld and colleagues.

The researchers investigated whether supersets could deliver similar muscle-building and strength benefits to traditional resistance training, while reducing the amount of time spent in the gym.

Specifically, they wanted to establish whether pairing exercises that target opposing muscle groups – known as antagonist supersets – could be a more time-efficient way to train without compromising muscle growth, strength or muscular endurance.

The study included:

• 50 experienced lifters aged 18-40
• Participants assigned to either traditional resistance training or a superset group
• Both groups completed the same six exercises twice a week for eight weeks
• Participants performed four sets of 8-12 reps of each exercise, taken to muscular failure
• The traditional group completed all four sets of one exercise before moving to the next, resting for two minutes between sets
• The superset group paired exercises targeting opposing muscle groups, moving from one exercise to the next with minimal rest before taking a two-minute break
• Researchers measured changes in muscle thickness, strength, muscular endurance, body composition and training time

Both groups achieved similar improvements in muscle growth, strength and muscular endurance, despite the superset group spending considerably less time training.

The key finding: supersets reduced training time by 36%, saving around 25 minutes per session.

Across both groups, muscle thickness increased by 2-7%.

Training time also differed significantly:

• Traditional sets: 69.1 minutes
• Supersets: 44.4 minutes

Both groups also increased their one-rep max bench press strength, with improvements of 9.2% in the superset group and 10.4% in the traditional training group.

However, the superset sessions initially felt harder, with participants reporting higher perceived exertion.

The results suggest that if you’re short on time but still want to build muscle, supersets can help you complete the same amount of work in significantly less time.

By pairing exercises that target opposing muscle groups, you can reduce your total workout duration while still achieving similar strength and muscle gains to traditional sets.

That said, there are caveats. The study involved relatively young, experienced lifters, and the researchers only tested one specific routine. So while supersets look like a strong option for time-efficient training, the exact results may not apply to every lifter, exercise selection or programme.

The researchers used the following full-body routine, pairing six exercises into three supersets.

Superset 1: Back and Chest

4 sets of 8-12 reps

1A. Lat Pulldown
1B. Smith Machine Bench Press

Superset 2: Hamstrings and Quads

4 sets of 8-12 reps

2A. Seated Leg Curl
2B. Leg Extension

Superset 3: Biceps and Triceps

4 sets of 8-12 reps

3A. Dumbbell Biceps Curl
3B. Cable Triceps Pushdown

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