Pretty much every muscle in your bod has a partner that shares such an equal-yet-opposite responsibility. In fitness speak, these duos are known as antagonist pairs. Training them in tandem is a simple way to make sweat sessions more efficient, especially if you limit your break time between moves: People who do antagonist supersets (two opposing exercises done back-to-back without rest) have higher muscle activation than those who take 30-second or one-minute breathers, per a new study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
Why? "When you work one muscle, you're preactivating its opposing one, allowing it to fire more quickly and completely when you switch," says certified strength and conditioning specialist Diane Vives. "Then the muscles you worked initially get to recover a bit so you can perform better, stronger reps throughout the whole routine."
Do this full-body workout from Vives two or three times a week. Perform the first two moves (1 and 2) without pausing in between. Rest up to a minute, then do the same for the second pair (3 and 4). Rest two minutes, then repeat the circuit two more times.
Exercise 1: Dumbbell Suitcase Deadlift
Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides and stand with your feet hip-width apart, your knees slightly bent (A). Keeping your chest lifted and the weights close to your body, push your hips back and lower until the dumbbells are at mid-shin level (B). Pause, and then return to start. That's one rep; do 10.
Exercise 2: Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
Stand holding a dumbbell by each end at chest height, elbows close to your body (A). Keeping your chest tall, step your right foot back and bend your knees, lowering until your left thigh is parallel to the floor (B). Press through your left heel to return to stand. That's one rep; do five, then switch sides and repeat.
Exercise 3: Feet-Elevated Pushup
Get in a pushup position with your hands on the floor and your feet on a step (the higher the step, the harder the exercise) (A). Keeping your core tight and back flat, bend your elbows to lower your chest (B). Press through your palms to return to start. That's one rep; do 10.
Exercise 4: Pushup-Position Row
Start in a pushup position with each hand resting on a dumbbell under your shoulders, your body forming a straight line from head to heels (A). Brace your core and lift your right elbow, pulling the weight toward your body while keeping hips prallel to the floor (B). Pause then lower dumbbell to start. That's one rep; do five, then switch sides and repeat.
Why? "When you work one muscle, you're preactivating its opposing one, allowing it to fire more quickly and completely when you switch," says certified strength and conditioning specialist Diane Vives. "Then the muscles you worked initially get to recover a bit so you can perform better, stronger reps throughout the whole routine."
Do this full-body workout from Vives two or three times a week. Perform the first two moves (1 and 2) without pausing in between. Rest up to a minute, then do the same for the second pair (3 and 4). Rest two minutes, then repeat the circuit two more times.
Exercise 1: Dumbbell Suitcase Deadlift
Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides and stand with your feet hip-width apart, your knees slightly bent (A). Keeping your chest lifted and the weights close to your body, push your hips back and lower until the dumbbells are at mid-shin level (B). Pause, and then return to start. That's one rep; do 10.
Exercise 2: Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
Stand holding a dumbbell by each end at chest height, elbows close to your body (A). Keeping your chest tall, step your right foot back and bend your knees, lowering until your left thigh is parallel to the floor (B). Press through your left heel to return to stand. That's one rep; do five, then switch sides and repeat.
Exercise 3: Feet-Elevated Pushup
Get in a pushup position with your hands on the floor and your feet on a step (the higher the step, the harder the exercise) (A). Keeping your core tight and back flat, bend your elbows to lower your chest (B). Press through your palms to return to start. That's one rep; do 10.
Exercise 4: Pushup-Position Row
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