Changing order of exercises = better results?

[plinerd]

Sorry for long title, i try to put it out there so people don't spend time opening my threads if they wouldn't have wanted to.

 

So, I know that I should mix up my weight-training routine every 4 to 6 weeks or so. I'm wondering if doing same exercises in different order would also count. I would think it would be at least a LITTLE beneficial since the muscles that are always worked at the end of the workout might now be worked out at the beginning and not be so tired, for example.

 

I WILL also be putting in some more exercises, but there are some that are faves of mine.

[VeganEssentials]

Prioritizing the harder compound lifts over the lesser ones is always a good idea for getting better results. It doesn't make sense to do leg extensions before you would squat or to do flyes before benching (unless, of course, you were doing the lesser movement as a light warm-up before getting to the major movements), so what's typically ideal is to put the big stuff first and lesser things afterward. For example, since squatting will work your core all the way down, it wouldn't make sense to weaken the chain by tiring out smaller muscle groups (or, major parts of the movement such as your quadriceps) to make you less effective in the squat, so you'll pretty well always want to get to the major compound exercises first unless there's a specific reason why something else would require being done beforehand.

 

Again, there are times when you could find it beneficial to do the major exercises later on, but that's typically if you're going lighter and can afford to have already made the compound lifts be less than optimal for peak performance. But, it all depends on your goals, and unless there's a real need to move the big lifts to the back of your session, I'd always recommend putting them first and doing assitance work or machine movements later on.

[plinerd]

Okay, that makes sense. So then the only real way to change the routine as suggested would be to find new exercises. Hm, squats and deadlifts are a couple of my faves and I hate to take them out. I suppose I could keep THEM and change up the lesser ones, eh?

[joelk]

If your goal is bodybuilding you could get away with doing some heavy isolation movements first, like flyes before bench press, lateral raises before military press etc. It may be the change to kickstart some more growth.

From a weightlifting or powerlifting point of view, I think it is wise to focus your energy on the compound movements first because they are the most taxing.

Even though you have some favourite exercises you don't like to leave out, maybe skipping them every now and then will help keep you motivated to hit them hard over the long term and you may find some other exercises you really like.

[Zack]

IMO you should keep the basics, and keep them first (example- squats before extensions). What you should change up is new isolation movements/new machines for secondary exercises.

[hsorlando]

You can always change up the type of squats that you do. Like if you do narrow stance, change it to wide. Or if you squat with free weights change it to a barbell, or squat rack, smith machine, etc.

[VeganEssentials]

More than anything, there are always plenty of good compound movements that can be rotated to keep changing routines as well. For example -

 

Legs -

Back squat, low bar

Back squat, high bar

Front squat

Zercher squat (bar held in crooks of the arms in front)

Hack lift (aka reverse deadlift, done with bar behind your heels lifting from floor to waist)

Overhead squat

Partial squats

 

Shoulders -

Standing overhead press, BB or DB

Seated overhead press, BB or DB

1-arm DB press, seated or standing

Partial overhead presses, seated or standing

Clean and press

Push press

Jerk, wide or standard grip

 

Chest -

Flat, incline or decline BB or DB press

Partial BB or DB press at flat, incline or decline

 

Back -

Pull-ups, chin ups, any preferred grip

BB or DB rows

 

Of course, there's more than what I listed, but it just goes to show that there's no shortage of options for changing up your major compound exercises periodically. People all too often think that there's only one "best" movement for a body part, when there are actually plenty of choices that can give great rewards. So, don't feel that only changing the minor lifts is the only choice, because there are plenty of ways to change the core of your training and still be doing effective compound movements, too!