Can anyone recommend the length of time to do a superset routine? 3 weeks on/off? longer? In general, what is recommended time to switch up a routine?
Ultra-high-intensity Specialized Method Article:
SUPERSETS
One way that advanced bodybuilders increase their training intesity is by decreasing the resting time between sets. Supersets are just this...they save time, add variety, and of coarse, increase the intensity. Supersets are compounds of two or more exercises performed with little or no rest between reps and with only a minimal rest between sets.
There are two types of supersets. They can be performed on antagonistic muscles such as the hamstrings and quads or on a single, relatively large muscle group such as the shoulders or calves. Supersets are good for any major muscle group because they force a lot of blood into the target area worked, causing a more intense and effective training stimulus. The least intense form (and a good place to start) compounds two types of antagonistic muscles.
There are tons of good combinations that blast your pecs, quads, abs or whatever muscle group to the limit! Refer to our Anatomy and Exercise section for tons of exercises for each major muscle group.
Examples:
Compounding Two Movements for Antagonistic Muscle Complexes.
Biceps + Triceps = Barbell Curls + Pulley Pushdowns
Biceps + Triceps = Dumbbell Curls + Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
Forearm Flexors + Forearm Extensors = Barbell Wrist Curls + Barbell Reverse Wrist Curls
Forearm Flexors + Forearm Extensors = Dumbbell Wrist Curls + Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curls
Quadriceps + Hamstrings = Leg Extensions + Leg Curls
Quadriceps + Hamstrings = Hack Squats + Stiff-Legged Dead Lifts
Chest + Back = Bench Presses + Chins Behind the Neck
Chest + Back = Parallel Bar Dips + Front Lat Pulldowns
Compounding Two Movements for a Single, Large Muscle Group.
Shoulders = Overhead Dumbell Press + Upright Rows
Pecs = Decline Bench Press + Incline Bench Press
Calves = Seated Machine Calf Raises + Donkey Calf Raises
Back to Top
PRE-EXHAUSTION SUPERSETS
This is a specialized case of Supersets in which one major muscle is fatigued in an isolated exercise then immediately compoundeded with another exercise which calls smaller, weaker muscles into play. Tony Pearson, Professional Grand Prix winner and five-time winner of the IFBB World Mixed Pairs Championship explains why and how to use this training priciple, "When I do bench presses for my pecs, I am also working my anterior deltoids, triceps, and those upper-back muscles which rotate the scapulae. But I am unable to push my pecs to the limit with bench presses--nor with inclines, declines, or parallel bar dips--because my triceps give out long before I have forced my pectorals to contract to the limit. And this is where pre-exhaustion comes into play."
"For example, when using pre-exhaustion for my pectorals, I superset an isolation movement like flat-bench dumbbell flyes with my bench presses. If I rest a maximum of five seconds between the sets of flyes and the set of benches, my pectorals will be weakened, or pre-exhausted, to the point where my triceps are briefly stronger than my pecs and anterior delts. Under such a condition, I can push my pecs and anterior delts to the max on basic chest movements."
"Resting longer than five seconds between such exercise can be disastrous," Pearson explains, "because the pectorals will recover very quickly if allowed to rest too long after the isolation exercise before you start the bench press part of the superset. Physiologists tell us that a muscle group can recover about 40% of its energy after only 10-12 seconds, and 50% after about 15 seconds. So it should be obvious that you must rest minimally between these exercises when doing torso muscle groups:"
Examples:
Pectorals = Flat-Bench Flyes + Bench Presses
Upper Pectorals = Incline Flyes + Incline Presses
Lower Pectorals = Decline Flyes + Decline Presses
Deltoids = Dumbell Side Laterals + Standing Barbell Presses
Deltoids = Cable Upright Rows + Seated Dumbell Presses
Trapezius = Barbell Shrugs + Barbell Upright Rows
Latissimus Dorsi = Bent-Arm Pullovers + Lat Pulldowns
Latissimus Dorsi = Nautilus Pullovers + Chins Behind the Neck
Pearson cautions, "I'd suggest starting out doing 2-3 of these pre-exhaustion supersets. The Pre-Ex Principle is a highly intense form of training, and it can cause your muscles to become painfully sore if you overuse the technique. It's best to start with a relatively low degree of intensity doing only a couple of pre-ex supersets, then gradually increase training intensity by adding to the total number of pre-ex supersets performed for a selected muscle group."
The quadriceps are another major muscle that may benefit from pre-exhaustion supersets. Casey Viator, history's youngest Mr. America at 19 explains, "Many bodybuilders fail to push their quads to the limit with squats, because their somewhat weaker lower-back muscles fail partway through the set of squats, before the more pwerful quadriceps and buttocks muscles have been trained to the limit." In a case like this, useing pre-ex to pre-fatigue the quads is recommended.
Examples:
(Simplest Compound) Quadriceps = Leg Extensions + Squats
(Tri-set 3 Movements) Quadriceps = Leg Presses + Leg Extensions + Squats
__________________  "Grab the bull by the horns the old addage goes.
nobody tells you where to go from there.
I see whats greatful in you.
Decisions have to be made.
The worse part is the hardest earned.
Back and forth the struggle consumes us all.
Trying to keep a level head.
In the most unsetteling of times.
Today I'll become the bull"
- Atreyu - Becoming the Bull | 
”A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he gives up.”
- ...it is what it is.... 
