Supersetting and working out alone...

Am i the only one who enjoy's working out alone? I always have friends asking me to go the gym with them but I find when I work out with someone else it takes 2 1/2 hours instead of just 1 1/2 hours.  Plus you can't superset when you're chatting with someone.  Anyone else feel this way too?

On the topic of supersetting...how much more benficial is this than taking rests?  I like doing it this way because you can get everything done more quickly!  I hate spending my entire night in the gym.

I love working out alone. The only times that I feel a buddy necessary is if I'm walking through a forest preserve or taking a pilates or hip hop cardio class. Otherwise, I'm in the zone and don't want to be bothered with mindless banter.

I used to go alone but now I go with 2 friends. They usually have a game on 1 of the TV's, we jump on the elliptical and catch up about work, girls, sports, etc.  If I went alone, I know I would think of some lame excuse and not go half the time.  At least now I am at the gym a lot more often.

Although occassionally I do miss the days when I could just go alone at anytime, grab my ipod, and get "in the zone"...

I work out alone too, but mainly because I can't afford a gym membership, so i work out with a weight set at home. I love doing supersets. From what I have read, supersets work your muscles more than when you take a rest, and when they rebuild, they rebuild stronger.

Hey, I simply loathe feeling observed when I work out and I find talking to someone a major distraction -- and as soon as I do, my h/r goes down!  Not quite the point of working out, is it?

Supersets have always been highly effective for me because it keeps my h/r up and prevents me from getting bored.  (Where do you get your workouts from?) 

Check out what Tom Venuto says about supersetting here: http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/articles-su bmit/ghf/supersets.htm

Hope it helps,

SK

That's awsome...so then you really don't even need to take breaks between sets unless you're working until exhaustion and really need those breaks.  I do that when i'm doing squats on the smith machine.  I love doing it that way because then i don't need to really worry about balance too much (i don't have much anyways!) but just concentrate on my legs and pushing the weight up with as much power as possible.  I guess on my workouts where I'm not completely hurting when the set is over, I'm just going to start super setting and getting my work out done faster.

I prefer working out with someone only because there are some exercises that I don't feel comfortable pushing myself on without a spotter.
Super setting is good if you want to get a lot done in a little amount of time, which is for a lot of people because you shouldn't lift for more than 45 minutes at a time.  If you are supersetting, make sure you aren't working the same muscle group at the same time.   It's sad seeing people wasting their work by going from one machine to another for the same muscle without any rest.

Yeah I was reading online if you're super setting, it's a good way to get something smaller done like your calves or abs when you're working on your arms and shoulders.  I'm going to try it out when I go to the gym this week and see what I think.  I haven't been able to do any weight lifting because I've been so busy that all I've been doing are my cardio classes.  hopefully on wednesday if i have time before America's Next Top Model, I'll go to the gym and do a workout..

I prefur to go to the gym alone.  But since my boyfriend really knows his stuff, I do like it when we go togehter plus I work a little harder when he's there.  ( I'm a bit of a show off).  Whe I go with someone else I know I have a spotter.  I am to shy to ask a stranger.  But usually when I go to the gym with someone its expected that we go our seprate ways unless someone needs a spotter.

there is a great article about super sets in the april issue of muscle and fitness, it has detailed instruction of how to superset correctly it also contains a 4 week program to get you on the right start....

I usually wokr out alone,  it's tough to find someone who will regularly work out with me at the time I have to.  I definetly welcome someone exercising with me though and I enjoy the company, but it's usually easier to do alone.  When walking it's nice to have a partner on easier walks.  I actually enjoy walking alone on trails for exercise since I set my own pace and can go as far as I can.  Partners often seem to not want to walk at the same pace or get tired and want to stop before I want to. 

When I go to the gym, I'm bringing my wife and kids with me.  The kids go in the play room and the wife goes and works out (mostly in the ladies-only area).   I get in my zone and do what I'm there to do.  So the mp3 player and headphones get good usage... and I get totally focused on what i'm trying to do.

I don't usually talk to anyone as it tends to distract me from what I'm doing.

I currently don' t use regular supersets.   I do a modified superset where you work a muscle with as heavy a weight as you can for a small set, then jump to a lower weight and work a much bigger set.   Like 10 curles at something heavy, then drop 20 or 30 or so pounds and do 16 curles.   So that's a superset of sorts.

I either do that or I do circuit training.   I'll pick usually 4 machines... two sets of 2 that do related moves... and then swap between em.   Like curls then back then the tricep machine then the abdominal machine... then start over and do that circuit 3 times before moving to a new one.   I don't rest much at all between machines... though I don't treat it like a race either.

I love working out alone, at home. I put my music on, I don't have to look the part and away I go.

I've been working out at home for 12 years now and have no desire to go to the gym.

Wendy

no, you are not alone :)

i am not a social exerciser either...i am too focused when i workout and tend to get irritated if others demand too much of my attention. its MY time. ALL about me. yeah...supersets rock!