As our members know, our programming here at Devoted Strength is pretty dense. We frequently use supersets, circuits, and complexes in our training that are meant to simultaneously build strength, muscle, mental toughness, and endurance.
In order to get the most out of this type of training and make sure you're able to complete the workout in a reasonable amount of time, you have to be mindful of when you're resting or what you're doing in between exercises. Within any given complex, superset, or circuit, those movements are meant to be performed in quick succession.
If you stop to take breaks in between the exercises within a particular set, then a couple things are happening:
- You're likely losing the desired training effect that performing the exercises together is meant to elicit.
- You're adding unnecessary time to your workout - wasting time. Even just 30 misplaced seconds between exercises adds up to many minutes at the end of a workout.
The workout was a ladder of 20,15,10 Swings and Burpees with 40,30,20 situps. To be completed as fast as possible. Sure, I did not make it as fast as I would have liked, but the point is the same. Do not waste time. Push yourself. If you stop and take a break every time it gets tough, then you're missing out on the best part.
Notice what I did not do: stop for water breaks, walk around, stare into space, complain... I stayed focused on the task at hand and only that.
Perform the workout as prescribed. When multiple exercises are paired together, be sure to perform them that way. Stopping to "take a break," get a drink, stare into space, whatever, is taking away from the intent of the particular set. Do your absolute best to not add rest... you'll get to rest at the end of the set anyway.
Replace your weights and rearrange your work space with a sense of urgency. Wait to change weights for the following set until the one you're in is complete - change weights during prescribed rest periods. Then, work to quickly transition between portions of the workout.
As always, make sure to use excellent technique with every movement that you do. Rushing through the reps with sloppy form just to get it over with is wasting time too. You won't get anything out of it.
And finally, use a weight that challenges you within those technical limits. If you're not being challenged by the weight... again, wasting time and reps.
We train at Devoted Strength because we know that challenge is the only thing that can create change. Don't back down from the challenge of the workouts. Find new limits every chance you get.