Does the order of exercises matter?

[Guest Eduard]

Hello,

I'd like to know if the order of exercises really matters. For a long time, my workout routine was something like this:

Monday: Push-ups, crunches, pull-ups, squats.

Wednesday: Pull-ups, crunches, push-ups, squats.

In other words, I kept changing the order of my exercises. The problem is, when I start with a pull exercise, completing the circuit with the other exercises is MUCH harder than doing it starting with a push exercise.

So does the order I'm doing these exercises in a circuit matter? If it's easier for me to always start with a push exercise, should I still mix the order up?

Thanks a lot.

[NukeTheUnicorns]

Going off of personal experience, I say do your hardest exercise first, and your easiest last. Work your weakest link!

[Marlowe]

Yeah I don't think the order matters in of itself, other than the extent to which the one you just did blows you out so much you struggle with the next one.

Your ordering makes sense Ed, as you're giving the last muscle group a break in what you're doing next. Unlike Nuke, I tend to try to space out the hard stuff evenly so I can test my stamina in the end. I'm not suggesting my way's better than Nuke's, but that's just how I do it. Probably doesn't make a big difference one way or the other.

[The Purple Diane]

Try changing it up and see what happens! You're already writing everything down, right?

FOR SCIENCE!

[Guest Eduard]

@Nuke

Makes sense.

@Marlowe

Makes sense too!

@Diane

I have already done this for around 30 workouts, as I said in the first post, and can't tell if there's any difference other than more struggle when starting with pull-ups.

[cianalas]

If you're doing a circuit, I'd try and space out the exercises that work the same muscle groups so they get a break. Otherwise, the order doesn't matter so much since you're going back around and doing it again anyways.

For non-circuit training, you want to do the exercises that work the big muscle groups first, and work your way to the smaller ones. Otherwise you're limiting your workout by when the smaller muscles give. For what you're having issues with, my guess would be that the pull-ups are wearing out your arms before you get to the push-ups, and that makes the push ups that much harder.

If I were to stick with one of those ways of doing it, I would stick with doing the push-ups first so you can work your chest more, then wear your arms out doing pull-ups. If you're alternating, I don't see too big of a deal since you'll be working your back more one workout and your chest the next. It just makes overall progress harder to track if you compare the reps after every workout instead of comparing push-ups on the days you start with them, and same deal with pull-ups.

[crowemagnonman]

When doing body weight workouts, I can't really say that doing one before the other has ever made a difference. I've done it every which way you can imagine with those type of workouts.

With heavier weight though, definitely do the most taxing first. The ones where you will be moving the most weight and using them most body parts.

[Guest Eduard]

@cianalas

"Otherwise, the order doesn't matter so much since you're going back around and doing it again anyways."

I haven't thought about this, but you're a genius! Thanks a lot!

@crowenmagnonman

Thanks a lot for the advice, I'll think about this when I'll move to the weights.

[JRH46]

Going off of personal experience, I say do your hardest exercise first, and your easiest last. Work your weakest link!

I think you are right. Like I've read other places take your worst exercise and make it your B***h !