When you want to progress in your training and obtain results, in addition to performing the exercises correctly, it is necessary that they be done in the proper order. To help you, we are going to teach you the perfect order of exercises to get the best results.
Where to start? Cardio or weights?
One of the most frequent questions before starting training is where to start, cardio or weights? Choosing correctly is very important, as the order in which you perform the workouts can alter the results . But, first of all, we are going to briefly explain the basic differences between anaerobic and aerobic exercise.
In anaerobic or strength exercise, your body uses the energy stored in the muscles in the form of glycogen to perform high intensity work without the need to resort to fat or having to use oxygen. These energy reserves are small and take time to replenish.
In contrast, aerobic exercise , also known as cardio , is where you work at medium or low intensity for a long period of time. Your body then uses fat and glycogen mixed with oxygen for fuel.
Now that you know the differences between the two types of exercise, you can see that the fat in your body cannot give you the energy you need when doing strength exercises and that it must be the glycogen stored in your muscles that gives it to you. This means that you should do the bodybuilding exercise first and then the cardio exercise to get the most out of your body’s performance. If you don’t do it this way, your muscles won’t be able to do the proper work and you won’t achieve the muscle hypertrophy you want.
The perfect order of exercises in your bodybuilding routine
We have told you in what order you should do the two types of exercises that exist but, within muscle exercises, there are two other types of exercise that you must take into account, the basic ones and the specific ones .
Basic exercise groups work large muscle groups in general and are usually present in all routines. This is because they are the ones that bring the most benefits to the body. Basic exercises would include squats, deadlifts, bench presses , pull-ups, and rowing. In specific groups , on the other hand, a specific muscle or area is worked.
The big differences between these two types of training are the amount of muscles involved in the work, the energy it takes to move them, and the impact they have on the muscles. In a basic training you will work with the muscles of the entire area to be able to lift more weight and, in this way, increase muscle hypertrophy and gain strength faster in specific muscles. Specific exercises are the opposite , working with lower loads to increase a muscle or small muscle group during exercise.
With all this we can say then that the ideal is to start with basic exercises to work as many muscles as possible and continue with specific exercises to work more in depth that area that we want to improve. And because? Starting with the most basic groups, such as chest or back, will maximize your glycogen stores and you can easily stimulate more muscles in less time, leaving more specific groups for later, such as the pectorals. .
How to organize your exercise routine
Now that you know the order of the exercises that will allow you to optimize your training to the maximum, we will discuss other aspects that you should take into account.
You must choose the days that you are going to go to the gym to design a routine that suits your day to day. If you’re looking for maintenance or toning, a 3-day strength training should be enough to target all muscle groups. If you want to increase muscle mass, you will need 4 days a week. During these days you should distribute the type of exercises so that the different muscle groups have a recovery time.
The number of exercises you do in each training session must be well defined. When you are looking for muscle hypertrophy, in each session you should work between 4 and 5 general muscle groups and between 2 and 3 specific ones. In the case of toning, the number of exercises can be the same, but prioritizing more generic and functional exercises to work as many muscles as possible.
The number of series of each exercise must be well defined. If you want to tone up, 3 series of between 12 and 14 repetitions each one are enough. If you want to gain muscle mass, always after going through a toning period to gain strength, the ideal is to perform 4 sets of 8 repetitions each.
Now you are ready for training
When you start your training, remember that the most generic muscle groups come first and then the specific ones . In addition, you have to leave cardiovascular exercise until last . However, there are people who could alter this order. We refer to those who want to train, for example, their endurance to run. In this case, it would be altered because the priority is cardiovascular exercise and muscular exercise takes a back seat.
We have explained the perfect order of exercises to improve your results, but remember that there are always exceptions. It is best to consult with a coach or specialist , especially if you are just starting out. In all gyms there are predefined training routines that, together with a personal trainer, will help you organize yourself based on your goals, the days you can train and your physical condition.
Remember that a good workout must always be accompanied by a good diet . This should not be missing any nutrient and it is important to give the body the amount of protein necessary to regenerate muscle. In the same way that you consult with a personal trainer what type of exercise routine to perform, you can go to a dietitian or nutritionist to adapt your diet to the type of training you do and thus obtain better results.
