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Understanding the order in which to do resistance training exercises can make a big difference.

When planning a workout program, executing each exercise with appropriate form and structuring the exercises in a good sequence are crucial aspects.

This article will discuss some strategies to program exercises correctly, focusing on the optimal order for resistance training workouts.

Programming exercise order correctly can lead to increased gains, sustained energy throughout the workout, and a lower likelihood of injury.

Start With The Exercise That You Want To Improve Strength In The Most

Creating workout programs can be very diverse, so fitness targets can be different for dissimilar individuals. The biggest gains in muscle strength have been registered among the lifts done early in the workout session according to a recent systematic review.

For instance, to improve your hex bar deadlift, one should do it first while setting up a training schedule. Put it at the beginning of their workout so that they can use it at any time they need to train harder and do more volume. More volume means more load.

If you were to place the hex deadlift at the end of your workout schedule, chances are high that you will be tired thus not able to lift as heavy or even repeat as much as you would have done if only it came much earlier. This means that there would be an impediment towards progression thus leading to slower improvements.

Start With The Exercises That Take The Most Energy

This pointer considers three energy systems of the body: the system of phosphagen creatine, the anerobic system, and the aerobic system. Workouts are organized from highest to lowest energy demanding as per the energy systems they use.

1. Power (Olympic lifting, plyometrics, other high-speed and explosive exercises)
2. Strength (barbell squat)
3. Hypertrophy
4. Metabolic/anaerobic conditioning
5. Cardio

If strength and conditioning are some of the diverse fitness outcomes that you have during a workout session, then one needs to arrange their order based on the energy system employed in each.

For example, don’t switch from hypertrophy to cardio, then power, and lastly, back to another hypertrophy exercise. Doing so does not optimize the use of the body’s energy system. such scenario does not enhance the effective operation of body energy system.

Instead, order exercises that use the same energy system together and then sequence them following the order in the list above. An example of this could be:

1. Power exercise 1
2. Power exercise 2
3. Strength exercise 1
4. Hypertrophy exercise 1
5. Hypertrophy exercise 2
6. Hypertrophy exercise 3
7. Cardio exercise 1

Start With The Complex Exercises 

Mental processing slows down and technique begins to slip when one is tired. For example, do not include Olympic lifts at the end of the program after several other lifts such as bench pressing. Due to this reason, it is important to start with the hardest of exercises first. The way these exercises are executed demands both high levels of attention and an understanding of what is being done.

The last piece of advice applies to the greater part of exercises because they consume a lot of energy and involve most big movements. If however, the intensity of a complex exercise is significantly reduced it still remains an option for the last part of an exercise.

Final Thoughts

Before hitting the gym, you should have an idea of the kind of movements and exercises you’re going to do. You do those exercises first which will contribute most to these things you choose to work on during your workout.

Usually complex, heavier, and more energy consuming exercises are done at the top while straightforward and less energy demanding ones at the tail end. Still, some exercises might be chunked at the top if they can help you attain specific goals in the first place.