The bench press is a foundational upper-body movement often included in strength and muscle-building routines. As a multi-joint, compound exercise, it engages the chest, shoulders, and triceps simultaneously, making it an efficient way to build pressing strength. The optimal placement of the bench press—at the start of a workout or later—depends entirely on the specific training outcome you are trying to achieve. Manipulating the order of exercises alters the physiological stress placed on the body, guiding the resulting physical adaptation.
Maximizing Strength: Why Starting First Matters
Placing the bench press first prioritizes maximizing the weight lifted and achieving the highest possible force output. This strategy is necessary for individuals focused on increasing their one-repetition maximum (1RM) or training for powerlifting performance. When the body is fresh, muscle and nerve function are at their peak capacity, allowing for the best technical execution of a heavy lift.
The ability to lift maximal weight depends on the Central Nervous System (CNS), which governs muscle recruitment. Complex, heavy lifts create significant CNS fatigue, especially when performed with high intensity. Performing the bench press early, before other exercises deplete the nervous system, ensures you can recruit the maximum number of muscle fibers to move the heaviest load. Studies show that exercises performed earlier achieve greater strength gains over time.
Volume and Muscle Development: Why Moving It Later Works
An alternative approach is placing the bench press later in the session, a strategy often employed when the goal is muscle growth (hypertrophy) rather than maximal strength. This sequencing allows for pre-fatigue, where single-joint exercises are performed before the compound movement. For example, performing chest flyes or triceps extensions immediately before the bench press targets and tires the primary muscles involved.
The goal of pre-fatigue is to ensure the primary muscle group, such as the pectorals, reaches failure before the smaller, assisting muscles give out. This method helps maximize muscle stimulation and total training volume for the target muscle, which drives hypertrophy. Although pre-fatiguing reduces the absolute weight lifted, it intensifies the muscular breakdown needed for growth, allowing for a greater overall muscle stimulus. This approach shifts the focus from moving the most weight to accumulating muscle-building work.
Determining Your Workout Order Based on Goals
The decision of where to place the bench press directly reflects your current training objective. If your aim is to increase absolute strength—lifting the heaviest weight possible for a few repetitions—the bench press should be the first exercise in your upper-body routine. This ensures the required high-level neural drive is available for the lift.
If your goal is focused on accumulating volume to maximize muscle size, placing the bench press later is a viable option. In this case, you prioritize metabolic stress and mechanical tension on the muscle over the actual weight lifted. Regardless of the chosen order, consistent form is paramount; fatigue should never compromise the safety or quality of your bench press movement.