By Elena Voropay

An important element of strength training is exercise sequence. When performing a variety of weightlifting exercises, it is better to proceed from the larger muscle groups to the smaller muscle groups. This allows optimal performance of the most demanding exercises when fatigue levels are the lowest and you feel fresh. Another reason, one that is often overlooked, is illustrated by the common example of training both back and biceps.

Ordinarily, you would want to train your back first, since it is the larger muscle group of the two; let's say you are doing the Rear Lat.

Pull-down. In that exercise, you are indirectly working your biceps, too, since both muscle groups are at work in the pulling motion. This means that your biceps will actually be warmed up and ready to train when you get to them. This is the same for exercises requiring pushing motions such as the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

By the time you are done with your chest exercises, both your shoulders and your triceps are warm and ready to train. Of course, you might not always do your "pulling" (back and biceps) and your "pushing" (chest, shoulders, triceps) motions on the same day--because as you reach a plateau you will want to change your exercises, the order that you do them, and the muscles that you train together, to provide a new stimulus and interest for yourself.