If you want to get more bang for your buck, then you should be including giant sets as part of your workout. A giant set is also known as a circuit and consists of completing 4 or more exercises in a row with little to no rest in-between.

Giant sets can be categorised into two groups -

Non-competing 

Competing

Non-competing giant sets include exercises that target different muscle groups. For example, a push up, pull up, squat and Romanian deadlift.

On the other hand, competing giant sets consist of exercises that target the same muscle group and therefore you’ll be putting the muscle through a harder workout as they are spending more time under tension. Below we’ve put together a competing giant set that targets the core muscles.

You may have heard of a superset before, this is performing two exercises in succession without a rest. It follows a similar concept to a giant set but with fewer exercises. Both are great tools for increased muscular strength, however if you’re looking for something more intense then you might opt for a giant set instead.

Benefits of Using a Giant Set

High Intensity Workout

If you’re the kind of person that wants to leave the gym feeling like you’ve worked hard then a giant set is for you. Because you’re performing the exercises in succession with minimal rest, not only are you increasing strength, but you’ll also be getting your heart rate up and improving your cardiovascular health.

Time Saver

One of the best things about a giant set is that you can get a lot done in a very short space of time. If you’ve only got 15-20 minutes to complete a workout you can perform a few rounds with minimal rest and maximal effort, and you’ll feel just as fatigued as if you did an hour of training.

Training Variety

Adding a giant set to your usual routine can help add variety to your workouts and bring something exciting to the table when training becomes dull. You can use any exercise in a giant set, including cardio, resistance training and core movements

How to Do a Giant Set

When doing a giant set, it’s essential that you have your equipment ready, there is supposed to be little to no rest between each movement, so you don’t want to be wasting time trying to find equipment. It also might be useful to write the exercises down on a whiteboard or somewhere visible so that you’re prepared for what’s coming next. As a giant set features 4 or more exercises, it can be easy to forget all of the exercises you’ve included.

Because of the intensity of a giant set, it’s great at the end of a workout because it’ll leave you feeling like you’ve worked hard in the session. On the other hand, you can create a full workout just from one giant set. If you don’t have much time and want to get in as much work as possible, you can programme a giant set workout into your weekly training as a way to maximise time.

Example Abs Giant Set

• Dumbbell Russian twists

• Side plank

• Kettlebell windmill

• Ab Rollouts

• Plank

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds with no rest in between each. At the end of the set, take a one minute, rest and repeat. Perform 3-5 rounds of the giant set. 

Ready to give this workout a go? Add this ab workout to the end of your training session or use it as a standalone workout if you’ve got 15 minutes to spare.

Written by Eryn Barber

For more content, follow us on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and on our official Mirafit Facebook page.

Tags: Exercise Type > Strength