upper or lower body first in total body workout?

[mariep]

Hi, Cathe--

I like to do upper and lower body strength training on the same day. Does it matter which one you do first? I think in MIS you do the lower body first, and I think on the PUB/PLB DVD the PLB chapters are listed first and then the PUB chapters (I could be wrong about that...). Is this just a matter of personal preference, or is there a reason to do lower first?

And just as a side note, the Intensity Series is amazing!!! The core work especially--phew! And I just love the pyramid system in PUB/PLB--what a workout! Thank you very much!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Marie! While this is not an absolute rule, generally speaking, it is a good rule of thumb to work the larger muscle groups first. This will contribute to warming the body up faster which will help to reduce the risk of injury. Also, this allows optimal performance of the most demanding exercises when fatigue levels are the lowest and you feel fresh. There are a couple of other more specific reasons but these are the most common.

And yes, while I do seem to have the legs first in my total body workouts, this is not something that I feel is absolutely mandatory

 

[mariep]

Makes sense--thanks, Cathe!