Effects of order of resistance training exercises on muscle hypertrophy in young adult men

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the effects of the order of resistance training (RT) exercises on hypertrophy in young adult men. Thirty-six young adult men (age, 21.9 +/- 2.5 years; body mass, 72.6 +/- 12.1 kg, height, 176.9 +/- 7.4 cm; body mass index, 23.1 +/- 3.3 kg/m(2)) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 training groups that performed a 6-week RT program in either (i) a traditional approach starting with multi-joint (MJ) exercises followed by single-joint exercises (SJ) (MJ-SJ, n = 19) or (ii) in reverse order (SJ-MJ, n = 17). Muscle thickness of the biceps brachii and mid-thigh were assessed by ultrasound. Lean soft tissue (LST) was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Both groups similarly increased (P < 0.05) biceps brachii thickness (MJ-SJ = + 14.2%, SJ-MJ = + 13.8%). Alternatively, only the MJ-SJ group presented an increase in mid-thigh thickness from pre-to post-training (MJ-SJ = + 7.2%, SJ-MJ = + 3.9%). Upper limb LSTs (MJ-SJ = + 5.2%, SJ-MJ = + 7.5%) were statistically similar between conditions, and a trend for significance (P = 0.07) was found for trunk LST (MJ-SJ = + 7.2%, SJ-MJ = + 1.7%). Nonsignificant pre-to post-training changes were observed for lower limb LSTs (MJ-SJ = + 0.7%, SJ-MJ = + 1.8%). Our data suggest that both sequences are effective for increasing muscle hypertrophy over a short-term RT period; there may be a potentially beneficial hypertrophic effect for the mid-thigh by performing exercises in a manner that progresses from MJ to SJ exercises.