Brookbush Institute says new review favors 4 to 8 minutes of rest over supersets

Brookbush Institute published a new article in New York on Sept. 3, 2026 arguing that immediate strength-power supersets are not supported by current evidence. The review says 4 to 8 minutes of recovery between heavy strength work and power exercises is most likely to protect or improve performance.

Why it matters: - The review challenges a common gym programming shortcut: pairing a heavy lift with an explosive move back-to-back. - The findings could change how coaches, athletes and clinicians structure workouts to balance power output, strength gains and training time. - The article is positioned as part of Brookbush Institute's evidence-based education platform for fitness, performance and physical medicine.

What happened: - Brookbush Institute published a new article titled "Power Workout Design: Rest, Order, and Why Supersets Fail." - The article was released Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. - The release also pointed readers to two related articles: "Femur Length and Squat Form" and "Gluteus Maximus Exercises: Upper Glutes vs. Lower Glutes (Systematic Review)." - The article reviewed 33 studies on how to combine strength and power exercises within a single session.

The details: - The review included 20 studies on rest intervals between a conditioning strength exercise and later power performance. - It also included 10 studies on acute or multi-week session structures. - Three studies compared circuit training with traditional resistance-training formats. - Outcomes covered jump height, sprint performance, power output, rate of force development, strength, lean body mass and training efficiency. - Power exercises performed within about 30 seconds of a heavy strength exercise most often reduced performance. - No study in that interval showed a significant improvement in power performance. - Rest periods of about 1 to 4 minutes generally produced performance similar to baseline. - Rest periods of about 4 to 8 minutes produced the most consistent and largest improvements in later power work. - Individual responses varied. - In studies reporting individual responses, 56% to 80% of participants were classified as positive responders. - Improvements appeared more consistent in stronger or highly trained athletes. - Combining strength and power work in the same session produced adaptations generally similar to splitting the work across separate days. - Exercise order evidence was less definitive. - Strength work before power work showed a modest advantage for selected jump and sprint outcomes. - Circuit formats preserved repetitions, velocity and power during heavy resistance exercise. - Circuit training also produced multi-week gains similar to traditional sets in strength, power, lean body mass and conditioning. - Circuit structure substantially reduced session duration. - The article concludes that immediate matched supersets are not supported by current evidence. - The review says strength and power exercises can still be combined effectively in the same session. - The article identifies 4 to 8 minutes of recovery between matched exercises as the most likely window to preserve or enhance power performance.

Between the lines: - The main message is not that supersets never work, but that the timing matters enough to change outcomes. - The review leans toward a practical compromise: keep strength and power in the same workout, but separate matched efforts enough to avoid losing explosive output. - The stronger the athlete, the more likely post-activation effects may help, which points to individualized programming rather than a one-size-fits-all rule.

What's next: - Coaches and athletes are likely to use the 4-to-8-minute recovery window as a programming target when power output matters. - Future adjustments may focus on individual response, training status and the specific demands of the sport or exercise. - Brookbush Institute is steering readers to additional articles that expand on squat mechanics and glute training.