Supersets Question

[GarryA]

Hi,

Just a question on supersets,

Example 12 Lying DB press with 14kg DBs then going straight into 12 Lying DB flys with 12kg DBs doing 3 x 12 on both.

When upping the weight is it best to up the first or the second exercise? Or is it just a balancing act, my insting would be to up the first hoping to work till failure on the second, if you already up the first and still complete then add a bit to the second.

Ta,

[Lost_BMW]

IMHO - a balancing act but can't help wondering why there is only a 2kg discrepancy between dumbbell press and flyes, esp. with flyes the second exercise when more fatigued? If you are doing flyes rather than like some do, a press in all but name with a minor hand position change then press should be significantly stronger.

[GarryA]

Sorry, when I said balancing act I meant that you don't want to do one that totally wrecks you before the next exercise.

A bit like me going from 14kg DBs straight to 25kg DBs then not being able to do any form of flies after. Or breath for that matter lol.

[Lost_BMW]

I think I'm with you... for me, when I trained chest and was working for size as much as strength I would usually start with press and then flys but did do fly to press pre-exhaustion type super sets inspired by Mentzer. Post warm up all sets would be to positive failure though (so yep, wrecked!) but few sets - 2 or 3 supersets at most.

If I was after strength it would be lower reps, higher % of 1 rep max and maybe not to failure but I'd be very unlikely to do supersets in that case.

Weight wise I meant that the press would be expected to be a heavier weight than the fly; I wouldn't sacrifice weight/reps/work on the press to favour the flyes that come second in a super set, for me.

[GarryA]

Got ya, thanks LB.

Tomorrow I will drop my sets to 3 x 8 and push the weight up I think.

[Lost_BMW]

Fly wise - I've seen a lot of people go too heavy (imo) and have little stretch with elbows at almost 90 degrees throughout, like a semi-press. Personally I used to love flys and liked the Arnold style as per Pumping Iron

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88TFNAvgN8