Exercise sequence

When looking at strength building, it is definitely wise to do big exercises first. If you want to get better and therefore stronger in an exercise, then you have to prioritise that. When you want to get stronger with the deadlift, deadlift first. As a powerlifter, it is wise to start training the deadlift and benchpress after the squat more often as your competition approaches. This will be the same on competition day, you will also have to get used to this fatigue. But are you still far away from this, it is wise to start fresh with bench press. You're going to make the most progress this way.

Exercise order for muscle growth is another story. Looking at scientific studies, we see that it generally doesn't matter that much. This is because muscle mass mainly responds to how much you do rather than exactly what you do. So when training volume doesn't change crazy much, it doesn't matter which exercise you do first. Not even if you do an isolation exercise before bench press. You won't be as strong. Only the stimulus for muscle growth remains the same. Now that you know that it doesn't make that crazy much difference which order you apply, you should ask yourself the following things:

In what order can you get the best out of your training for yourself?

This may have to do with injury susceptibility. If you often get bothered with bench presses because you think you should always do them first to best grow your chest. You can choose to do some gentler exercises first with a heavier weight, so you don't have to do bench press as much.

In which order can you do the most?

If you are always wrecked after squats and it affects the rest of your workout too much, choose to do this later in your workout. This will keep you a bit fresher and you will find that you can do more in a single training session.

Which sequence ensures you get the most enjoyment from your training?

If you don't like pull ups and get more energy from another exercise like lat pull downs or seated rows, do these first! The more fun you can get out of a workout the longer you can sustain it!

If your main goal is to develop more muscle mass, don't worry about the order of your exercises. Focus on how to get the most out of your workout. When it comes to strength, it is important to do the exercises you want to get better at. Also read our blog on injury prevention.