workout order

[nickorette]

I heard it's better to structure your workout to be random, so the body doesn't adjust to it, like instead of doing curls, rows, db punches, sqauts and sit ups, to do it more like curls, sqauts, db punches, sit ups, rows. Kind of just move the exercises all over the body.

Any truth to this? Does it matter?

 

[Wrangell]

I heard it's better to structure your workout to be random, so the body doesn't adjust to it, like instead of doing curls, rows, db punches, sqauts and sit ups, to do it more like curls, sqauts, db punches, sit ups, rows. Kind of just move the exercises all over the body.

Any truth to this? Does it matter?

In terms of order, workouts are more structured than random IMO.

If it's a full body workout you're talking about ( where you target all your msucle groups each workout ) although it isn't a hard and fast rule, generally speaking, you try to select an exercise order that works the muscles from the ground up and from the center of your body outward. This stems from the principle of interdependancy that exists between all your muscles when you exercise them. The view is that because a number of your muscles may be invovled in any given exercise - either in the role as a prime driver, or synergist or stabilizer - you might be able to incease the effectiveness of your exercises if your work the muscles in one particular order versus another order.

So, this translates to a workout in which you do lower body followed by upper body. For example, for upper body order - chest, back, shoulders, biceps / triceps. And for lower body order - butt, thighs, hamstrings, calves. Again, these order sequences aren't cast in stone, and can be varied depending on your particular training needs & circumstances. That said, if you're retaining a certain order ( of muscle groups being exercised) at times, you can certainly randomly change the sort of exercises you do week to week to target each muscle group.

 

[DEF]

Yeah, what Wrangell said. But you may be referring to altering your workout, in addition to the order and the answer to that is yes. So:

1. Order your workout as outlined below, trying to keep the hard compounds up front (squats, deads, etc.)
2. Yes, mix it up now and then. If you do the same routine for 6 months, you're body won't be as challenged as if you swapped out a few exercises every 3-6 weeks or so. Do a different type of squat, mix up your presses and so on.

I hope that helps.