title: Influence of exercise order on the number of repetitions performed and perceived exertion during resistance exercises.
abstract: This study examined the performance effects of exercise order during a resistance-training session composed of only upper-body exercises. The 10 repetition maximum of 14 men and 4 women with at least 6 months of previous weight-training experience was determined for 5 upper-body exercises. Each subject then completed 2 training sessions separated by 48 hours in a counterbalanced crossover design. One session began with exercises of the large-muscle group and progressed to exercises of the small-muscle group (sequence A), whereas the other session was performed with the opposite exercise sequence (sequence B). The exercise order for sequence A was free-weight bench press (BP), machine lat pull-down (LPD), seated machine shoulder press (SP), standing free-weight biceps curl (BC) with a straight bar, and seated machine triceps extension (TE). The exercise order for sequence B was TE, BC, SP, LPD, and BP. During both sequences, 3 sets of each exercise were performed to concentric failure, with 2-minute recovery intervals between sets and exercises. Performing exercises of both the large- and the small-muscle groups at the end of an exercise sequence resulted in significantly fewer repetitions in the 3 sets of an exercise. This decrease in the number of repetitions performed was especially apparent in the third set when an exercise was performed last in an exercise sequence.
authors.affiliation: Physical Education Department, Gama Filho University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. labsau@uerj.br
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Simão
authors.forename: Paulo de Tarso Veras
authors.initials: Pde T
authors.lastname: Farinatti
authors.forename: Marcos Doederlein
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Polito
authors.forename: Alex Souto
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Maior
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Fleck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000502:physiology*; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000502:physiology*