To achieve more results from your strength training, there are various training techniques you can apply to break through your plateau. These include supersets, trisets, dropsets, and giant sets. Below, we’ll delve into giant sets and what they can mean for your training.
What are Giant Sets
Giant Sets are a series of exercises performed one after the other without rest between sets. The goal of giant sets is to shock your muscles to achieve muscle growth. Giant sets can be used to target a specific muscle group or to train opposing muscle groups, the antagonistic muscle groups. Typically, 4 to 6 exercises are included per giant set. Since many exercises are involved, giant sets can consist of both isolation and compound exercises. Common combinations of Giant Sets include:
- Biceps and Triceps
- Back and Chest
- Quadriceps and Hamstrings
- Front Shoulders and Side Shoulders
Chest Giant Sets
Always start with warming up your muscles. Especially if your training consists of 4 to 6 exercises without rest, it is advisable to warm up for at least 5 minutes. For example, for chest exercises, a giant set can consist of the following exercises:
Chest Giant Set
- Bench press
- Peck deck
- Chest dips
- Incline dumbbell flyes
Chest and Back antagonistic Giant Set
- Bench press
- Barbell rows
- Incline dumbbell bench press
- Pull ups
Composition of Giant Sets
Giant sets are composed of a minimum of 3 exercises. The two exercises you perform directly one after the other are also known as supersets. The most common form is the giant set with 4 exercises. Below you’ll find the composed giant sets per muscle group:
- Bicep Giant Set: Barbell Bicep Curl, Preacher Bicep Curl, Hammer Dumbbell Curls, Cable Bicep Curls
- Chest Giant Set: Barbell Bench Press, Dumbbell Flyes, Dumbbell Bench Press, Cable Crossovers
- Front and Side Delt Giant Set: Seated Barbell Overhead Press, Side Laterals, Front Laterals, Upright Rows
- Back and Chest Giant Set: Yates Rows, Bench Press, Pullups, Dumbbell Flyes
- Quads and Hamstrings Giant Set: Squats, Romanian Deadlifts, Leg Extensions, Hamstring Curls
Rest in Giant Sets
Considering the heavy workload of giant sets, many people incorporate a small break of 10 to 30 seconds between sets. This is minimal and allows you to give that extra push in the next set. Take your rest between the Giant Sets. Take about 2 to 3 minutes to recover before proceeding with the next giant set. Note: Giant Sets are a training method that your body must be able to handle. Are you just starting out with strength training? Save this technique for a later stage.
