Exercise order

Exercise order is the sequence of exercises in a workout, chosen according to the exercise types, the client’s goals and the fatigue each creates.^{1Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 416.} Exercises done early allow more reps and heavier weights because the client is less fatigued, affecting both the session and long-term strength gains.^{2Hoffman, NSCA’s Guide to Program Design, p. 100.}

The standard sequence is power exercises, then main lifts, then assistance exercises, usually putting multijoint compound exercises before single-joint isolation exercises.^{1Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 416.} Power and multijoint lifts demand more effort, skill and focus, so they come while the client is fresh.^{1Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 416.}

Where sources differ

NSCA guidance puts large-muscle exercises before small-muscle ones.^{3Hoffman, NSCA’s Guide to Program Design, p. 101.} Schoenfeld notes that controlled studies haven’t shown a hypertrophy benefit from that rule.^{4Schoenfeld, Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy, 2nd ed., p. 132.} Muscles trained first tend to grow more, so he recommends placing lagging muscles early regardless of their size.^{5Schoenfeld, Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy, 2nd ed., p. 133.}

In practice

• Put exercises most closely tied to the client’s goals early in the session.^{1Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 416.}
• Alternating push and pull exercises is thought to give each muscle group some rest between exercises.^{1Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 416.}
• Place heavy multijoint lifts first to preserve volume load, since they lose more absolute load when done late.^{4Schoenfeld, Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy, 2nd ed., p. 132.}
• Pre-exhaustion, such as dumbbell flies before bench presses to fatigue the chest before the triceps, favors hypertrophy and endurance over maximal strength.^{3Hoffman, NSCA’s Guide to Program Design, p. 101.}