So do you ALWAYS want to do the heaviest exercise first in a workout?

IJ300 · 11-12-2007, 05:14 PM

Say I'm doing Heavy RDLs and light squats. I find squats more taxing than RDL's even when the weight is light. So which should I start out with first, the heavier exercise or the one that's more taxing?

min0 lee · 11-12-2007, 05:16 PM

I start with the heavy lifts first.

katt · 11-12-2007, 05:19 PM

Heavy first.....

danzik17 · 11-12-2007, 05:42 PM

Heavy first, but then again I wouldn't be doing DLs and squats in the same workout, it's too much for your legs. Better to split those off into separate workouts,

Mista · 11-12-2007, 05:42 PM

Why not change it around? Or do half your squats, then deadlifts, then finish squats?

KelJu · 11-12-2007, 05:49 PM

Yeah I do heavy first. The way my program is set up, I do one of the big three as the first exercise on every lifting day.

IJ300 · 11-12-2007, 07:12 PM

im talking about doing romanian deadlifts and squats on the same day not squats and conventioal deadlifts.

**Gazhole** · 11-13-2007, 04:35 AM

Heavier weight first. Heavier loads are more likely to injure you, especially if you're already fatigued from something else.

fUnc17 · 11-13-2007, 09:52 AM

It depends...

But most of the time I will deadlift second, and press first. Simply because I do shit backwards. But as a rule of thumb, heavy stuff first.

Gaz... heavier loads definately are not more likely to injure. When your lifting in the 3-5 rep range with significant weight you are more likely to pay attention to form. When your doing a set of 20 rep squats, there is a much higher chance your form will decline and cause injury.

soxmuscle · 11-13-2007, 10:06 AM

You perform first whatever exercise is going to take the most out of you, that way you're not running on empty when you're finishing up with cables rows or something at the end.

Witchblade · 11-13-2007, 10:42 AM

Nonsense. Depends on your goals.

**Gazhole** · 11-13-2007, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fUnc17

It depends...

But most of the time I will deadlift second, and press first. Simply because I do shit backwards. But as a rule of thumb, heavy stuff first.

Gaz... heavier loads definately are not more likely to injure. When your lifting in the 3-5 rep range with significant weight you are more likely to pay attention to form. When your doing a set of 20 rep squats, there is a much higher chance your form will decline and cause injury.

I think both extremes are equally as hard - the lowest rep ranges because the weight is heavier and its going to be a lot more taxing, and the highest rep ranges because of the reasons you rightly said.

The midrange of 6-10 are generally okay, the weight isnt massively heavy, and there arent so many reps that your form is going to suffer.

But like somebody else said, heavier weights to take it out of you a lot more. I dunno about you, but i always find heavier loads need a bit more concentration than something lighter.

Thats just talking strictly about the lift, form always needs maximum concentration.

Going on a whole workout though, i dont think anybody would put the heaviest lift last, lol.

largepkg · 11-13-2007, 12:31 PM

There's not a blanket statement of fact here. It's completely based on your training protocols.

Personally, I always do my heavy lifts first. It seems logical that the fresher you are the more weight you can control.

buening · 11-13-2007, 02:57 PM

Call me crazy but i'm gonna have to disagree with you all. Would you want to toast your back with deads and then climb under a barbell to do back squats? I sure wouldn't. When doing ATG back squats and any kind of deadlift in the same workout, I always do the squats first. My deadlift weight may suffer a bit, but i'll take that over an injury from a PR back squat due to a fatigued lower back from deadlifts.

With that said, I do deads, squats, and bench all on the same day. I typically do squats, then bench, and then deads. Putting bench between those lifts gives my back a bit of rest. If you are going for a PR dead and want to be fresh, but still need leg work then jump on the leg press machine. Not as effective as squats but better than nothing and not as harsh on a fatigued lower back.

KelJu · 11-13-2007, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buening

Call me crazy but i'm gonna have to disagree with you all. Would you want to toast your back with deads and then climb under a barbell to do back squats? I sure wouldn't. When doing ATG back squats and any kind of deadlift in the same workout, I always do the squats first. My deadlift weight may suffer a bit, but i'll take that over an injury from a PR back squat due to a fatigued lower back from deadlifts.

With that said, I do deads, squats, and bench all on the same day. I typically do squats, then bench, and then deads. Putting bench between those lifts gives my back a bit of rest. If you are going for a PR dead and want to be fresh, but still need leg work then jump on the leg press machine. Not as effective as squats but better than nothing and not as harsh on a fatigued lower back.

Just like largepkg said, it depends on the persons training protocols, and I would like to throw in that the person's body characteristics. I have a tendency to injure my lower back because of the way my body is built. I would be stupid to not do deadlifts first while my body is fresh to maintain perfect form. I also never do squats or deadlift on the same day because of the likelihood that I will injure myself.

I could be wrong, but it makes sense to me to move heavy weight while my stabilizers are fully charged.

Pound for Pound · 11-14-2007, 06:21 PM

I always start with the lift that requires the most stabilizers. For example, on chest day, I would go from dumbells to barbell to cable/machine.

BoneCrusher · 11-14-2007, 07:53 PM

For the sake of form and energy I like to do the harder stuff first. Deads and squats are about 20% into my routines so I can be fully warmed up and mentally prepared to get full benefit from the effort. As an old dude I really have to be careful about how I lift or I'm hosed.

vortrit · 11-14-2007, 10:15 PM

It really depends on what I'm working on. I seem to have the most strength at the beginning of my workouts, therefore, I do whatever I want to focus the most on first.

Uthinkso · 11-15-2007, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KelJu

Yeah I do heavy first. The way my program is set up, I do one of the big three as the first exercise on every lifting day.

Big three???

Bench, deads, squats?

buening · 11-16-2007, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uthinkso

Big three???

Bench, deads, squats?

That is correct. My workout contains all three in one workout, three times a week. I do use variations so things don't get stagnant.

fufu · 11-16-2007, 08:57 AM

Usually, there are a few occasions in which I don't.

11-12-2007, 05:14 PM	#1
IJ300 The world is mine Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Your moms bedroom Posts: 247 Photos: 18	So do you ALWAYS want to do the heaviest exercise first in a workout? Say I'm doing Heavy RDLs and light squats. I find squats more taxing than RDL's even when the weight is light. So which should I start out with first, the heavier exercise or the one that's more taxing?
	"I analyze life through a blind man's eyes to see better." K-rino

11-12-2007, 05:16 PM	#2
min0 lee Senior Member Elite Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: The Bronx, NYC Posts: 33,688 Blog Entries: 3 Photos: 542	I start with the heavy lifts first.
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11-12-2007, 05:42 PM	#4
danzik17 Gender: MALE Elite Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,101 Blog Entries: 5	Heavy first, but then again I wouldn't be doing DLs and squats in the same workout, it's too much for your legs. Better to split those off into separate workouts,
	Ron Paul 2012 Journal: Boom goes the dynamite

11-12-2007, 07:12 PM	#7
IJ300 The world is mine Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Your moms bedroom Posts: 247 Photos: 18	im talking about doing romanian deadlifts and squats on the same day not squats and conventioal deadlifts.
	"I analyze life through a blind man's eyes to see better." K-rino

11-13-2007, 09:52 AM	#9
fUnc17 Drop and give me 100 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Jersey Shore BJJ Posts: 1,868 Photos: 10	It depends... But most of the time I will deadlift second, and press first. Simply because I do shit backwards. But as a rule of thumb, heavy stuff first. Gaz... heavier loads definately are not more likely to injure. When your lifting in the 3-5 rep range with significant weight you are more likely to pay attention to form. When your doing a set of 20 rep squats, there is a much higher chance your form will decline and cause injury.
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11-12-2007, 05:19 PM	#3
katt Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 4,121 Photos: 37	Heavy first.....

11-12-2007, 05:42 PM	#5
Mista Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Adelaide Posts: 2,282	Why not change it around? Or do half your squats, then deadlifts, then finish squats?

11-13-2007, 10:06 AM	#10
soxmuscle do work son Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: I will eat your face Posts: 8,483 Photos: 10	You perform first whatever exercise is going to take the most out of you, that way you're not running on empty when you're finishing up with cables rows or something at the end.
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11-13-2007, 10:42 AM	#11
Witchblade Succinct Elite Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Holland Posts: 4,426 Photos: 2	Nonsense. Depends on your goals.
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11-13-2007, 12:31 PM	#13
largepkg Senior Fucknut Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: S FLA Posts: 3,127 Photos: 2	There's not a blanket statement of fact here. It's completely based on your training protocols. Personally, I always do my heavy lifts first. It seems logical that the fresher you are the more weight you can control.

11-13-2007, 02:57 PM	#14
buening Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Decatur, IL Posts: 137	Call me crazy but i'm gonna have to disagree with you all. Would you want to toast your back with deads and then climb under a barbell to do back squats? I sure wouldn't. When doing ATG back squats and any kind of deadlift in the same workout, I always do the squats first. My deadlift weight may suffer a bit, but i'll take that over an injury from a PR back squat due to a fatigued lower back from deadlifts. With that said, I do deads, squats, and bench all on the same day. I typically do squats, then bench, and then deads. Putting bench between those lifts gives my back a bit of rest. If you are going for a PR dead and want to be fresh, but still need leg work then jump on the leg press machine. Not as effective as squats but better than nothing and not as harsh on a fatigued lower back.

11-14-2007, 06:21 PM	#16
Pound for Pound I can has cheezburger? Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Galt's Gulch Posts: 128	I always start with the lift that requires the most stabilizers. For example, on chest day, I would go from dumbells to barbell to cable/machine.
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11-14-2007, 07:53 PM	#17
BoneCrusher Lift or Die Elite Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Austin Texas Posts: 8,567	For the sake of form and energy I like to do the harder stuff first. Deads and squats are about 20% into my routines so I can be fully warmed up and mentally prepared to get full benefit from the effort. As an old dude I really have to be careful about how I lift or I'm hosed.

11-14-2007, 10:15 PM	#18
vortrit Bulk. Cut. Repeat. Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Missouri, USA Posts: 2,652 Blog Entries: 1 Photos: 5	It really depends on what I'm working on. I seem to have the most strength at the beginning of my workouts, therefore, I do whatever I want to focus the most on first.
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11-16-2007, 08:57 AM	#21
fufu fiendish thingy Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 16,447 Photos: 7	Usually, there are a few occasions in which I don't.
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