Exercise Order: The Secret Behind Doubling Your Strength Gains

Recent research in exercise science has uncovered a surprisingly powerful factor in strength development and muscle growth: the order in which you perform your exercises. Whilst most training routines have been built on habit or tradition, multiple studies now show that prioritising certain exercises can make a dramatic difference to the results you achieve—sometimes nearly doubling your progress in targeted muscles.
Why Exercise Order MattersAcross several published studies, researchers compared the effects of training small versus large muscle groups first in a workout. The results were clear: the muscle groups you train at the very start of your session experience the greatest strength gains and adaptation. For example, switching the order of exercises led to almost twice the strength improvement in muscles trained first, compared to those left until last.
Fatigue is the key reason behind this. As your workout progresses and you accumulate physical exhaustion, your ability to lift heavy and generate maximal force declines. This limits not only your ability to overload your muscles, but also the neural adaptations and mechanical tension that drive meaningful strength development.
Practical Example: Prioritise Triceps for Maximum GrowthFor anyone aiming to build bigger, stronger triceps, this research has practical implications. Instead of finishing your session with triceps work, start your push day or arm day with overhead triceps extensions. Multiple studies—including recent findings comparing exercise variations—have shown that overhead extensions activate the long head of the triceps more effectively than pushdowns and produce superior growth when performed first.
Week-by-week suggestion:

• Begin your training session with 3–4 sets of overhead cable or dumbbell triceps extensions.
• Follow up with compound pushing exercises (bench press, shoulder press), then accessory movements.
• Track your strength and size gains over 8–12 weeks.

Research Highlights

• Journal of Sports Science and Medicine: "Influence of Exercise Order on Maximum Strength and Muscle Thickness in Untrained Men" (PMID: 24149379)
• Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: "Influence of Exercise Order on Maximum Strength and Muscle Volume in Nonlinear Periodized Resistance Training" (DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e2e19b)
• BarBend: "New Study Suggests Overhead Triceps Extensions Build More Muscle Than Pushdowns"

Actionable Takeaway: If your main goal is to improve a particular muscle group or lift, always put it at the beginning of your workout when your body—and focus—are freshest. This principle applies whether you’re looking to boost arm size, increase bench press strength, or target stubborn body parts.
Exercise order isn’t just a programme detail—it’s a science-backed strategy for faster, bigger gains.

​For further reading, check the cited studies above and stay tuned for more evidence-based fitness advice.