Exercise Information
Site Map | Privacy Policy

Programming Brief: Exercise Order





One of the fundamental principles of exercise prescription, specifically resistance training, is the principle of exercise order. Which exercises do I do first? Which do I do last? Does exercise order really matter? From personal observations in the weight room, it would seem to many it doesn't matter. However, if you want an effective exercise program you must consider the order of the exercises.

Multi-joint Exercises

As a general rule you should perform complex multi-joint exercises first in your exercise routine while you are fresh. Typically, multi-joint movements require more skill and energy to perform. Such exercises include squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and pull-ups. Nothing annoys me more than seeing someone perform bicep curls until their head explodes, then go right into lat pulldowns (notice, lat pulldowns, not pull-ups?anyone who does pull-ups knows better than to work their biceps beforehand).

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. Such is the case when using the pre- exhaustion technique. For example, perform a set of dumbbell flys to exhaust the pectorals then going directly to a set of bench press. In this case, however, you are pre-exhausting the larger muscle group, not the smaller muscle group.

Single-joint Exercises

Since single-joint movements typically require less skill to perform and are not as taxing on the body, perform them after multi-joint exercises. Performing single- joint movements at the end of a workout session will ensure a more efficient and effective routine. Of course, there will be exceptions, which should be addressed on an individual basis.

Note: Agility drills & Olympic lifts have been excluded from the discussion of exercise order. However, typically agility drills & Olympic lifts, respectively, should be performed before multi-joint exercises.

Chad Anderson, CSCS operates a personal training, fitness programming, and consulting business while also holding a full-time position as a senior personal trainer at a commercial health club. He holds a BS degree in exercise science with a minor in nutrition and is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA. You can visit his website at http://www.afitsolutions.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Oneindia

Exercise, sleep help women fight cancer
WRAL.com, NC - 4 hours ago
I started swimming, and I exercise five times a week," Nemcheck said. Through her cancer battle, Nemcheck said she learned that exercise and sleep are keys ...
Why You Need to Exercise, Sleep Well, and Brush Your Teeth FitSugar.com
Regular Exercise Helps Elderly Cancer Survivors SmartAboutHealth
Elderly Cancer Survivors Get Benefits From Regular Exercise dBTechno
MarketWatch - U.S. News & World Report
all 573 news articles


Exercise Keeps the Brain Young
U.S. News & World Report, DC - 3 hours ago
21 (HealthDay News) -- In experiments in mice, exercise appears to reverse the decline in the production of brain stem cells usually seen with aging, ...


Current World News

Water aerobics help delivery go swimmingly
Los Angeles Times, CA - 2 hours ago
Although more and more doctors recommend moderate exercise during pregnancy, studies have shown that expectant mothers usually fall short when it comes to ...
Exercise 'helps women in labour' The Press Association
Aquarobics May Help Ease Labor Washington Post
Water Aerobics During Pregnancy May Make Childbirth More Bearable MedPage Today
Expressindia.com - KARK
all 92 news articles


Health Department Sets Record For Mass Dispensing Flu Exercise
Today's THV, AR - 5 hours ago
The Arkansas Department of Health set a new record for its Mass Dispensing Flu Exercise and immunized 123172 Arkansans against influenza last week. ...


Voice of America

Pakistan army stages UAV shoot-down exercise
NavyTimes.com, VA - 9 hours ago
Kyodo via AP ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s army has conducted a military exercise to shoot down drones, the Defense Ministry said Friday in the wake of repeated ...
Pakistan army flexes muscles to shoot down drone aircraft Monsters and Critics.com
Pakistani Army Tests Missile Capable of Shooting Down Drones Bloomberg
all 607 news articles


Exercise During Pregnancy May Improve Perimenopausal Fitness
Medscape - 53 minutes ago
Compare exercise and fitness levels at long-term follow-up in perimenopausal women who exercised during pregnancy vs those who did not exercise during ...


David S. Goldstein: The Exercise Corner: It's all technique!
Norwich Bulletin, CT - 9 hours ago
Although there were plenty outlandish and ridiculous, but always thoroughly entertaining segments, there was one that stood out among the exercise genre. ...


Exercise caution to prevent hunting mishaps
Wausau Daily Herald, WI - 7 hours ago
Deer hunting season is here. Look in the woods and among the bare trees and falling leaves and you are likely to see a tree stand. ...


Ultimate team-building exercise: Flacco or Ryan? - NFL
ESPN - Nov 20, 2008
By Scouts Inc. The best rookie quarterback right now? The top NFL team not named the Titans or Giants? After watching all the film, Scouts Inc.'s pro scouts ...


Hot New Low Impact Exercise Videos Helping America Lose Weight Fast
PR Web (press release), WA - 13 hours ago
DanceX 'Everybody's Workout' are new exercise videos that are not for fitness junkies but for ordinary Americans who have some weight to lose but want to ...

Exercise - Google News

© 2005-2006