3 General guidelines for structuring a workout
Structuring a workout for an individual or group of individuals can be a challenging thing for the simple reason that no two bodies are ever the same. Due to genetics, lifestyle factors and environment, there will always be unique differences in the needs and wants in each individual. While I do recommend seeking the services of an experienced professional to identify and cater to these needs/wants correctly there are however some general guidelines that can be referred to in order to help maximize results and, most importantly, decrease the risk of injury. Below I will be discussing some of these guidelines and explaining the logic behind each.
Compound before Isolation:
Compound movements are movements that involve the use of multiple joints and muscle groups in order to perform them e.g. Squats.
Isolation movements are movements that involve the use of only one joint and muscle group e.g. Leg extensions.
When designing a workout program it is generally accepted that compound movements should come before isolation movements for a number of reasons:
Heavier loads are typically used during compound movements meaning that there is an inherent increase risk of acute injury during these movements, as such it is better to perform these types of movements before any isolation work so that the individual is in a less fatigued state and can better focus on performing the movement with correct form and technique as well as allow for a more maximal effort.
Compound movements generally offer the best ‘bang for your buck’ as they require the use of multiple different joints and muscle groups in order to perform meaning that you can get a more complete workout using compound movements first and then use isolation exercises to provide additional stimulus to weaker components of the movement.
The most technical and physically demanding exercises should come first:
This guideline tie’s in with the first but provides a bit more added detail when for example a workout has multiple compound exercises being utilized. When we we are talking about technical and physical demands of exercises we are looking at the complexity of the movement as well as the intensity (load %) being used.
Complexity of a movement looks at how difficult a movement is to perform correctly. As an example imagine we are using a workout that utilizes a barbell back squat and a barbell snatch using equal load percentage. Both are compound exercises but between the two movements the snatch would be considered the more technically challenging movement to perform correctly therefore it should be placed before the squats within the workout.
When the complexity of two movements within a workout are equal then another way to determine the order would be to look at the intensity (load %) of the movements. Taking two fairly technical movements such as a barbell squat and a deadlift, it is hard to differentiate between them on complexity alone. In this example, however, let’s say that the loads being used are 90% on the squat and 70% on the deadlift, with the technical demands being fairly equal the squats would be prioritized due to the higher intensity.
The combination of both the load and complexity of the movement should be factored in when structuring a workout in order to achieve the best possible results from the workout and reduce risk of injury.
Be fresh when learning new skills/movements:
When learning knew skills/movements it is highly recommended to do so when you are fresh so that you can apply maximal effort and attention into performing the movement correctly. Trying to learn new skills or movements in a fatigued state may not only slow relative progress but also reinforce incorrect patterns early on resulting in a breakdown of the movement later on down the line and potentially having to relearn it from scratch in order to correct it.
Lastly, it should be stated again that these are general guidelines and as such they are useful tools to refer to but may not always apply to each and every individual. To maximize your results I always advocate seeking out the services of a trained professional who you trust in order to acquire a program that is catered to your specific needs.
