In one of our last entries we talked, precisely, of what should be the optimal order when combining cardio and weights within a training routine. Today we continue analyzing this topic to finish knowing how to organize your training routines to get the most out of them: when to perform specific exercises before or after?
In addition to telling you how to achieve optimal training for muscle hypertrophy, at the entrance today we also propose some changes in the traditional order of exercises to get the most out of the training taking into account other aspects or personal needs.
Now that we know the reasons why we should start the training routine with the work of weights, it is essential that we emphasize the importance at a muscular level that the order of the anaerobic exercises that we choose may have. Should we start with basic or specific exercises?
Muscle work in basic and specific exercises
When we refer to basic exercises, we talk about essential exercises for muscle gain. If I say squat, deadlift, bench press, dominated or rowing, I’m sure there is no doubt about the exercises that I mean.
The big difference between both types of exercise is that the basic exercises involve the work of a large number of muscles during their performance, implying an effort and an important stimulus to our muscles.
This type of exercises covers not only large muscles, but also works other minor and auxiliary simultaneously, which allows us to work with higher loads and greater intensity, favoring rapid muscle growth and a gain of strength in more specific exercises.
Evidently and in contrast, specific exercises are those that focus on the work of a specific muscle group such as, for example, an arm workout with biceps or triceps exercises.
How to choose the order of exercises in our routine
As a general rule, what is usually recommended is to start training through multiarticular exercises that generally work more muscle mass, as the basics we have mentioned, leaving for a second part the more specific work of specific movements.
One of the reasons to start with the basic exercises is precisely to be fresh and full of energy and glycogen in our muscles to tackle a more general work and that requires greater movements of muscle, being at full muscular performance and concentration.
Tip / example : start the routine with large muscle groups, such as chest or back, to continue a second phase of more specific muscle work, such as biceps or triceps.
Sacred Rule or can we vary the order?
If we recapitulate what we have talked about in the last two posts about the organization of your routine, we can conclude that an optimal training should follow some general guidelines.
- Begin with the work of weights and conclude with the cardiovascular part.
- Begin the work of weights with basic multiarticular exercises to continue with those more specific.
Generally, the exercises that are performed first are usually linked to a greater muscular benefit , since it is the moment where we have the greatest capacity for performance and personal intensity. For this reason, and in order to use all that performance and intensity of work where we need it most, it can happen that sometimes it is advisable to make a change in the order of completion of the exercises.
- If we have a muscle zone or group that is lagging behind, this may be a reason why we should prioritize that specific exercise over another basic one, with the sole purpose of obtaining the greatest possible profit on the personal area that needs the most work.
- If you are a competition runner whose priority is the general resistance training in an intense way , one option would be to start your routine with cardio work since for your needs the ideal is to start with the optimal fuel the primordial discipline that you want to develop without affect your performance. In this case, force work would not be the priority.
They are two clear examples of when we can modify the general guidelines of a training in favor of muscle gain or other training, always depending on personal needs or goals.