Working muscles back to back is a bodybuilding method known as supersetting. The idea is you can get more work done in a shorter amount of time. This is commonly done with opposing muscles, such as the triceps and biceps. When it comes to the abs and legs, supersetting might be just what you need to enliven your workouts.
Muscle Groups
From an anatomical perspective, the abs consist of two parts--the rectus abdominis and obliques. The rectus abdominis is the main muscle in the midsection and the obliques are on the sides of the ribcage. The major muscles of the legs are the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. Since the leg muscles and abs are two totally different muscle groups, you can work them back to back.
Exercise Pairings
Although all parts of the abs get worked to some degree with ab exercises, your goal is to target the upper, lower and oblique areas. This ensures that you achieve maximal muscle recruitment. The same goes with the legs. In both cases, you can perform exercises that work more than one area at a time. These are called compound exercises and they can boost your muscle recruitment. A supine bicycle maneuver is a compound ab exercise and a squat is a compound leg exercise. You can pair these two exercises together because they are both compound. Another option is to pair isolation exercises together. A leg extension specifically targets the quadriceps on the front of the thighs and crunches target the upper abs.
Crossover Effect
Certain exercises work your legs and abs at the same time, which can have a positive effect on your progress. All forms of leg lifting ab exercises work the quads, for example. On the other end of the spectrum, you always have to keep your abs tight when doing leg exercises to generate force and to stabilize your spine. This is especially true with exercises like lunges, squats and step-ups.
Workout Specifics
Performing supersets causes your heart rate to become elevated quickly. This in turn will help you burn calories efficiently as you build muscle. When you first start doing exercises, aim low with your reps and gradually increase them. Since you are only using your body weight for ab exercises, you can do more repetitions. Aim for eight to 12 reps with leg exercises and 12 to 15 with ab exercises. You may have to do even less when you first start out. As your abs and legs get into better shape, gradually increase your reps and reduce your rest breaks.
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