AboutRich Ruffing Expertise I can answer to questions to all aspects of exercise: strength training, flexibility, cardiovascular, body composition, etc.. The questions can be general or they can be more specific or individualized. I can help you with workout design, exercise selection, recovery methods and any other aspects that are part of your program. Visit my website, www.richruffing.com, for more information.
Experience I have been training since 2000, working in health clubs and studios and working with a variety of clients.
Education/Credentials I have a Bachelors Degree in Sports Biology and am certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Currently, I am working towards my licensure as a massage therapist.
Question QUESTION: Hello, I have been strength training since my late teens (I am 34 now) and I
have a question regarding the structure of workouts. In particular, I would
like to know if there is any benefit to concentrating all exercises for a given
muscle group in the same portion of a workout? For example, say it was my
chest/triceps split day- in terms of maximizing progressive overload, should
I do all my chest exercises, and then do my triceps excercises? If I was to
switch back and forth between chest and triceps exercises, i.e., 3 sets chest,
3 sets triceps, then back to chest, would my chest cool down and recover too
much during the triceps work, and lose the progressive overloading effect
that sequential sets achieve when applied to the same or similar muscle
group?
Thank you for taking the time to answer my question!
Brad Temple
ANSWER: Hi Brad. I suggest starting with the compound movements or larger muscle groups. In this instance, perform your chest exercises and then your your triceps work. If you're going to put triceps ahead of chest or even in between, this is going to have a negative effect on your chest work.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Rich, thank you for the quick response. I have a follow up question,
related to the same topic. What if my split day was chest/back? In this case
there are two roughly equal sized muscle groups that might not affect each
other as strongly as a chest/triceps or back/biceps split might. Typically if
the chest/back is my current split, I would be doing compound exercises for
both muscle groups. If I was to alternate 3 sets of chest with 3 sets of lat
exercises, would there be a drawback to that? That is, would switching focus
between the two muscle groups diminish the effect of progressive overload,
and allow my chest or back too much recovery time?
Thanks again,
Brad
Answer This my preferred method of setting up a workout. Alternating sets are highly effective if they are set up right, such as: chest/back, quads/hamstrings, triceps/biceps, etc.. It's a very efficient method (more work done in less time). I'd suggest keeping the rest periods to no longer than two minutes between more demanding exercises and even less than two minutes for less demanding exercises.
