Interview with Joe
My rule is simple: hit what's weak first.
For me, chest needs more work than triceps. Tris have always grown easy for me. They respond no matter what I do. So I put them at the end of the workout. I know they won't suffer much, even with my chest already torched.
Flip it around and it's a problem. If I hit tris first, they're cooked before I ever touch a bench. Triceps help you press, so when they're fried, chest suffers. The weight drops. And when the weight drops, I grow slower.
So I save my strengths for the end. Get your weaknesses out of the way while you've got the most energy, focus, and strength. That's when the work counts most.
Same idea inside the chest workout
I don't just apply this to chest versus triceps. I use it within the chest workout too.
For me, the upper chest has always been the hardest part to grow. So that's where I start.
Here's the order:
- Upper chest pre-exhaust. I open with upper chest isolation work to wake it up and fatigue it first.
- Incline press. Now I press heavy while the upper chest is still the main focus.
- Flat bench. Then I move down to the middle of the chest.
- Decline press. Lower chest comes next.
- Triceps to finish. My strongest area gets whatever I have left, and it's enough.
The workout moves from my weakest area to my strongest. The muscle that needs the most help gets my best effort.
How to use this in your own training
Be honest about where you're behind. Maybe it's your upper chest, your hamstrings, or your rear delts. Whatever it is, put it first in the workout and give it your freshest energy.
Your strong body parts will be fine. They're strong for a reason. The muscles that are lagging need your best sets, not your leftovers.
Train smart. Hit your weakness first.
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