At what point during your workout do you guys do you big lifts?

**Dan111** · 08-23-2010, 08:58 PM

Is it better to usually do your big lifts at the beginning or end of your workout? This might just be another case of "whatever works for you", but I was just wondering what some of your guys inputs would be and what you feel is better.

For awhile now I've usually done my big lifts at the start of my workout. I'll always warm up with a few minutes of cardio, do some light stretching, and then do a couple light warm up sets with weights to begin with.

At this point I'll usually jump right into the big lifts, as in flat bench on chest day, or squats on leg day, or military press on shoulder day, or deadlifts on back day. But would it be more wise to do these at the end of the workout? That way your body has time to warm up with everything else before attacking the heaviest lifts?

Or do you all feel you would be too tired from everything else you do that you wouldn't get the most out of your lifts?

On one hand it's nice to be fresh for your big lifts...but on the other it might not be a good idea to start off with the biggest lift because you're jumping right into the heaviest lift without much of a warmup as far as weights go...plus the rest of your workout might be lagging since you expelled so much energy on the first and biggest lift.

So what do you guys think is better and has worked for you?

Reason I'm asking is because the other day instead of beginning with squats, I ended with squats...and I did the same amount of weight as if I were to do them first and EVERY other exercise that day I improved on drastically since I wasn't tired from doing squats first...so this got me thinking.

Any input is welcome, thanks!

**JC2007** · 08-23-2010, 09:11 PM

Do the heavier compound movements first.

**BigBuck6** · 08-24-2010, 06:26 AM

I always stick to the heavy compound movements first but have tried what you are talking about and have seen the difference. The problem is, your stabilizer muscles and supporting muscles will be fatigued and your chance of getting injured goes way up.

**Dan111** · 08-24-2010, 08:18 AM

Ahhh, that is a good point!

**Kaytime** · 08-24-2010, 08:26 AM

only big lift i do last in a workout would be deadlifts. everything else would either be first or second.

but its better if you find whats right for you. find what suits your body the best and hit it hard.

**Dont wanna be old** · 08-24-2010, 08:37 AM

I change order of routine .

Unfortunately I can't do as much on big lifts when I do at the end .
Either reps or weight suffer .

**Dan111** · 08-24-2010, 08:49 AM

Well if weight were to go down on a compound lift at the end, would it really matter as much? Because all before that you're tearing down the muscle and exhausting it. So maybe I'm completely wrong and someone could correct me, but if your muscles have already been stressed and hit hard for the past 30 minutes, wouldn't it require less weight to fatigue them?

As an example, let's just say one day you do squats first and for one of your sets you do 315 for 8 reps. Then on another day at the end of your workout you do squats and are only able to do 295lbs for 8 reps, would it not be just as beneficial due to the fact that your muscles are already pretty fatigued and don't require as much weight to exhaust them?

I could be way off though, so let me know if this line of thinking is totally wrong, lol.

**Dan111** · 08-25-2010, 01:47 PM

bump

anyone?

**MuscleScience** · 08-25-2010, 02:01 PM

Heavy compound movements first. If you do them last after the smaller supporting muscles are already fatigued, the risk of injury goes up.

**Dan111** · 08-25-2010, 02:04 PM

Ok, that's 2 people that have said that so far, so I will stick to doing them first then, thanks!

**nelly** · 09-06-2010, 03:47 PM

hey guys new here. I hope someone can help. Well first let me say that I am small 5-6 and 154 pounds, don't know my bf%(btw how do you get that measured). Anyway I am trying to build strenght and mass. So here is my ?, I currently train 2 bodyparts a day which means I train 3days, rest one and do it all over again. Is this ok? or should I train one body part a day and how many rest days? My goal is just strengh and size. Not a competitor at all just want to look and feel good. thanks